Please use a character sheet format that is in a playable state, meaning your attacks should be listed with all the relevant information and calculations made, not just the name. This is a tremendous help for me if I have to NPC you, especially if you're using stuff from books I don't own. (See Cailte's sheet of Andrezi for an example of how that could look like.)
Also be sure to note any information that the character builder doesn't indicate, e.g. languages known, gold left over, etc.
The main point is that your character should have a connection to Professor Lorrimor such that he would conceivably mention you in his will.
Harrow points are being ignored, backgrounds adapted (see below).
Assume that any races not listed in the player’s guide are an uncommon sight. (For eladrin read the elves section. Dragonborn live in the Cinderlands – a harsh semi-desertic plateau and are referred to as Shoanti.)
If possible pick up a social skill: diplomacy, bluff, intimidate or insight; and a knowledge skill: arcana, religion, history, streetwise, nature or dungeoneering. Perception, stealth and athletics should also come in handy.
It shouldn’t be a secret that radiant damage will be useful in a module called the Haunting of Harrowstone.
Edition: 4e
Setting: Golarion (by Paizo) (You do not need to know the setting, but you can read about it here.)
Level: 1st
Point Buy: 22 points, custom method or array (PHB p. 17/18)
Alignment : any good or unaligned (team players please)
Classes: PHB1,2, hybrid, swordmage, artificer, asassin (no essentials)
Races: PHB1 and 2 races plus changeling, kalashtar, revenant, shadar-kai and orc
Background: General background fitting your character or player’s guide background (see below).
Player’s Guide background benefits are changed as follows: Chance Savior: +1 feat bonus to initiative Subject of Study: +1 damage vs either elemental, fey, shadow, aberrant, natural, immortal or undead Inspired by Greatness: gain one wizard multiclass feat for free Making Good on Promises: +2 feat bonus to saves vs fear On the Payroll: 150gp or +2 on monster knowledge checks Teacher’s Pet: same as general background with associated skills: arcana, dungeoneering, history, nature, religion
Feats/Powers/Items: You can use pretty much anything, plus essentials stuff, but I don't have that material so you'll have to provide the information to me. You get a free expertise feat at lvl5 (the vanilla +1/+2/+3 to attack feat without other boni). Usual gold for starting out.
Rituals: The transfer enchantment ritual is free and has no cost attached.
I reserve the right to veto any combination that’s utterly broken.
A character is not complete unless he has a background, appearance and personality.
Ka'alith Mar was a researcher at Lapidstadt and a colleague of Professor Lorrimor. He specilized in divinity research, a countert point to Lorrimor's arcane activities. Ka'alith's pet project was always Pharasma. He was fascinated by the goddess of Death, Life, Fate, and Rebirth.
He and Lorrimor would have long talks on the nature of divinity, on the arcane arts and sciences, on life and death, on the mundane joys of the world. Over the course of their professional relationship they became rather good friends via the bonds of mutual respect and interest.
Both men eventually retired from the realm of academia. The wizard knew that Ka;alith was planning on doing "experimental" research into the subject of Pharasma and very much wanted to find out the results. In what was to be their final face to face conversation Professor Ka'alith promised to visit Lorrimor one day, to share his coming research.
Ka'alith dove straight into his passion. He consulted other scholars, priests, clerics, mystics, and madmen. He found nothing to enlighten him any further as to the nature of the godess. He began to experiment with necromancy and black arts His skill at the arcane was never very strong and he made a fatal error very soon. Something went wrong and his spirit was pulled out of his body and into the netherworld. Little true memory remains from that time. Mostly it is jumble of feelings and pervasive loneliness. The only things he knows for sure are that he was given his life back by the godess for a singular purpose. He is to hunt down undeath in all its forms and eliminate it from the world.
Upon his return to life he found his body and mind greatly changed. He was now part of Pharasma's power, a being animated by it in fact. He could hurl bolts of searing light from his fingers and call lighting from the sky.
Immediately the need to find the undead consumed him. Luckily he had been travelling a great deal and him being gone for long periods of time was the norm. He left quickly, but not before sending a letter to Lorrimor explaining that he had found something amazing, that he would visit soon. But he never did. During all the ghost hunting and zombie unbinding he always meant to vist but never had the strength to talk about what had truly happened. Besides, the NEED was too great. As soon as one abomination fell he could feel the urge to find another.
The undead were rare though. He searched far and wide but only found a few in all the years. By the time he recived the letter he had not fought an undead in over a year and his skills had grown a bit rusty. The realization over came Ka'alith that he had, infact, deprived Lorrimor of knowledge by not seeing him. He had deprived his friend of his most basic joy. Overcome with grief he undertakes a pilgrimage to visit his dead friend and tell him everything.
Ka'alith was once a charmingly frantic man, content to study and ponder. No longer. Upon the return to his body his demeanor, his very soul is changed. He is now a dour, somber man. He is supremely confident in his own abilities but looks down over his spectacles at others, at least until they prove their worth.
A tall man, Ka'alith cuts an imposing black figure. His heavy chain armor is enclosed within 2 layers of supple, black leather. A long, leather overcoat drapes his tall, thick frame. Spectacles rest on his nose below black eyes and a bald head, covered in pale white skin. On his belt are two glass vials, stoppered with cork and filled with what appears to be water. I his hand is a tall staff made of gnarled black wood.
Bharhas, Level 3 Human, Warlord | Sorcerer Human Power Selection Option: Bonus At-Will power Languages: Common, Elven Theme: Gladiator
CURRENT STATUS: Phase of the Sun: *At the start of your turn, each enemy adjacent to you takes fire and radiant damage equal to your Strength modifier. *You also gain resist 5 cold.
VITALS AC: 18 Fort: 18 Ref: 15 Will: 17 HP: 40/40
Surges: 6/6 Surge Value: 10
Initiative: +1 Speed: 6
CURRENT ABILITY SCORES STR 18, CON 10, DEX 11, INT 10, WIS 8, CHA 17
At-Will, Standard, Melee. You may shift one square before or after the attack; +10 vs. AC, 1d4+5 damage. On a hit, you may escape a grab if you are in one.
Encounter, Standard, Range 2. Create a harmless magical effect. Turn a handheld item invisible for one round, clean, soil, flavor, warm, or chill 1 cubic foot of material for an hour, make a small mark appear for one hour on a surface. This power cannot be used as a tool, to deal damage, or to duplicate the effect of a power.
Encounter, Minor, Melee 1. Until the start of your next turn, the next ally who hits the target and has combat advantage against it deals 2d8 extra damage.
+5 HP (also increases surge value) +1 to half-level (attacks, skills, defenses, initiative) Feat: Melee Training (Dex) Utility Power: Sneak in the Attack
Jack was born into a travelling Szcarni circus which contained an odd bundle of his relatives. His mother was the only direct family member involved, but Jack was often surrounded by numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins. His father was taken by slave drivers when Jack was young. He was trained as an acrobat from a young age and performed in the circus. Uncle Wellby, who acted as a father figure for Jack, was a popular knife juggler within the circus. He began to train Jack in the art around Jack’s twelfth year and Jack turned out to be a natural. Around this time Jack also became aware of the ring of con artists, pickpockets, and hired thieves that permeated the circus. Jack learned the trade though watching these individuals do their work, by and large for the ringmaster himself.
Uncle Wellby and Jack did a show together for a few years, but Jack hated answering to the ringmaster, a cold and callous human male. Around seventeen Jack planned to run away from the circus, but just before he did, a fateful encounter occurred.
In his travels Professor Lorrimor happened upon this circus and attended a show one night. He was impressed with the show; as a man of fairly great renown he was allowed ‘backstage’ to speak with the performers. Uncle Wellby had a warm conversation with the Professor, introducing Jack to him. This was Jack’s first encounter with a human he liked; Jack toyed with the idea of asking to leave the circus with him.
Before he left, the ringmaster had marked the Professor as a target for his thieves. Jack realized what was happening. He didn’t want this to happen to the only decent human he had met in his life. So to keep things quiet, Jack pickpocketed the stolen goods from both of the thieves, and attempted to deposit them back into the Professor’s belongings…but the professor caught him. Before his anger could arise however, a thief that the professor had hired approached from a hidden position. The hired thief had seen the thieves and Jack, so he lay in wait, curious. he relayed the information to the Professor and noted how impressive a feat it was for someone Jacks age. The Professor immediately took a liking to Jack after this incident. Understanding that the ringmaster would punish Jack severely, the Professor allowed Jack to accompany him.
Jack went on to help him with a number of jobs as an informant and scout. He honed his skills under the teachings of Pectas, the hired thief who vouched for him that night. He even learned a bit of spellcraft in his time with the professor, though he still prefers his daggers when things get dicey. Pectas disappeared a few months before the Professors death, and Jack received the summons to his funeral between odd jobs. The Professor has been a source of inspiration for Jack, as well as the man who provided the opportunity to hone his talent.
Jack is a stout halfling, standing just under four feet tall. He keeps his hair short, which brings out it’s reddish brown hue as it tends to plaster to his head on top. He sports the sideburns common for male halflings, and almost always is wearing traveling clothes in earthy colors, a habit from his circus days.
Most people don’t see Jacks true personality; after leaving the circus he has learned to caution himself in dealing with others. When he is beginning to get to know someone, Jack is sardonic, loves to make fun at others expense, and a show off; traits that he developed from a life among a family of circus performers and freaks. Those who truly earn his respect, usually by showing genuine and wholesome personalities or through feats of skill, he quickly befriends and will help them in a heartbeat.
Jack has a strong dislike for most magic. While he recognizes its utility and usefulness at times, he sees magic as a ‘cop-out’ for those without martial-inclined skill. This dislike is not enough for him to refuse to ally with magic users, but may be enough to cause him to poke fun at them a little more often. A partial exception goes to divine magic, as Jack is reverent, and fond of his god Erastil. At this time, Jack is just over 22 years old.
Januarius, the Human Shaman (Elemental Spirit), multiclass Swordmage. Character SheetShow
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== Januarius Argaos, level 2 Human, Shaman Companion Spirit Option: Elemental Spirit Human Power Selection Option: Heroic Effort Geography - Mountains (Dungeoneering class skill)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES STR 10, CON 13, DEX 8, INT 16, WIS 18, CHA 11
STARTING ABILITY SCORES STR 10, CON 13, DEX 8, INT 16, WIS 16, CHA 11
Spirit Boon: Your allies gain a +2 bonus to saving throws while adjacent to your spirit companion. In addition, if your spirit companion is not present at the start of your turn, you can summon it once during that turn as a free action.
POWERS Melee Basic Attack Weapon {S} +4 vs AC, 2d4+1 damage Ranged Basic Attack Heroic Effort {N} Trigger: You miss with an attack or fail a saving throw. Effect: You gain a +4 racial bonus to the attack roll or the saving throw. Spirit's Wrath Implement/Primal/Spirit {OA} melee spirit 1, Trigger: An enemy leaves a square adjacent to your spirit companion without shifting. +6 vs RD, Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage, and the target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn. Call Spirit Companion Conjuration/Primal {m} close burst 20, Defenses as mine (+2 from resilient spirit feat), any ranged or melee hit that deals 11 or more damage will cause it to disappear and deals 6 damage to me. Otherwise the spirit is unaffected by the attack. effectShow
Effect: You conjure your spirit companion in an unoccupied square in the burst. The spirit lasts until you fall unconscious or until you dismiss it as a minor action. The spirit occupies 1 square. Enemies cannot move through its space, but allies can. When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed. The spirit can be targeted by melee or ranged attacks, although it lacks hit points. If a single melee or ranged attack deals damage to the spirit equal to 10 + one-half your level or higher, the spirit disappears, and you take damage equal to 5 + one-half your level. Otherwise, the spirit is unaffected by the attack.
Healing Spirit Healing/Primal {m} close burst 5, Effect: The target can spend a healing surge. If the target does so, one ally adjacent to your spirit companion, other than the target, regains 1d6 hit points. Speak with Spirits {m} Effect: During this turn, you gain a bonus to your next skill check equal to your Wisdom modifier (+4). Spirit Infusion Primal/Spirit {S} melee spirit 1, Effect: Your spirit companion disappears, and the target (one ally) can make a basic attack with a +2 power bonus to the attack roll and a power bonus to the damage roll equal to your Intelligence modifier (+3). Spirit of the Tempest Implement/Primal/Thunder {S} melee 1, +6 vs FD, 1d8+5 thunder damage. Effect: One ally within 2 squares of either you or your spirit companion can make a saving throw. Ironbreaker Claws Implement/Primal/Spirit {S} melee spirit 1,+6 vs RD, 1d10+5 An ally adjacent to the target can make a melee basic attack against it as a free action. Great Watcher SpiritSpoiler:Show
Primal {S} area burst 1 within 10, Target: One or two allies in the burst, Effect: Each target can make a basic attack as a free action. Until the end of the encounter, any ally adjacent to your spirit companion doesn’t grant combat advantage.
Spirit of the Healing Flood Healing Primal {S} close burst 5, Target: enemies in burst. +6 vs FD, 1d8+5 Miss: 1/2 damage Effect: you and allies in burst gain regen 2 while bloodied. individuals can end the effect to regain 10 hp as a minor action. Spirit's Sacrifice Primal, Spirit {m} area burst spirit 5 Target: me or 1 ally in burst. Effect: Dismiss spirit to grant target a saving throw, or temp hp equal to my Wis mod (4).
FEATS Heart of the Blade: Multiclass Swordmage- Training in Athletics, Sworbond feature, and Implements. Spirit of Vigor: When you use call spirit companion as a minor action, one ally adjacent to your spirit companion when it appears gains temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (+3). Resilient Spirit: Spirit Companion gains +2 to all defenses.
ITEMS Scythe of Shared Wrath +1 1d8 crit Daily {IR} Trigger: enemy bloodies you. Effect: ally within 5 sq makes RBA/MBA as a free action. Leather Armor x1 Adventurer's Kit Scythe x1 ====== End ====== Languages: Common and Giant (figured that'd be most likely living near the orcs.) GP: 55 (Wondering if I should buy an everburning torch. Suppose I'll stick with sunrods for now though.)
Januarius was raised in Barstoi in a small village near the Furrows. His life was simple. As a child he grew up among the foothills exploring the land, and as he grew older he joined his father in working the land for food. Life was typically mundane in Barstoi as most citizens went out of their way to stay out of trouble as any crime could mean death. Januarius expected to live a normal life as his father and grandfather have done. He began courting a young woman in the village of the name Alena. At the age of 17, he was almost ready to move out on his own and begin his own family. However, Fate, Destiny, or perhaps just Chance intervened and ruined his ideal life.
During a particularly brutal Autumn that year, a sickness spread over the area. Many men got sick and there weren't enough workers to take care of the farm properly. With his father ill and in bed, Januarius went out into the fields to work, the harvest had to be brought in after all. There were few other workers and they divided up the fields so each had their own for the day. He worked hard, desperately trying to get as much harvested from the field as he could before the day was out, but he found himself not quite half done when the sun was already beginning to set. Suddenly realizing his peril, should he be caught outside after dark, Januarius hastily gathered his work together and made his way home. He was much too late and dusk was fully settling into the area before he could reach his home.
He was found by an imp, and the quick creature cut him off from his path. It jabbed him with its stinger, injecting a powerful poison into his body. Januarius was unable to resist the poison and collapsed to the ground where the imp taunted him and struck him repeatedly with its claws. Januarius lay there helpless his voice gone from screaming, unsure of how much time had passed. The imp began to peel away some of the boys skin and the pain caused something inside him to snap and he released a scream unlike anything he had heard before. But this scream provoked a response. The wind swirled and the earth rocked, the motion giving pause to the imp. When a spirit coalesced into form, the shocked imp uttered one word before fleeing: Necromancer! The spirit gave Januarius the energy to heal the worst of his wounds and shake off enough of the poison to resume his journey. It walked with him as he traveled back to his home and guarded him when he collapsed again at his doorstep. He awoke in the morning shaking uncontrollably, the only thing he had managed to bring home with him was his scythe. The spirit was nowhere around. He walked into his home, astonishing his family who were beginning to mourn his loss. No one survived the night outdoors when this close to the Fallows.
He told them his story, but he had no scars to show them from the fight. "Who could believe such a story of a spirit aiding him, the boy must've been hallucinating, look at how he shakes! He's come down with the sickness," was all they said. In frustration, he recalled the scream from deep inside him of the night before and he felt it reverberate through his being, though this time, he recognized that it was not an audible scream, but something deeper. The spirit responded immediately. And the house was thrown into a panic. He summons the dead! A necromancer, he's marked by the Whispering Tyrant! Most of the family scattered, trying to get away from him, but his grandfather stood up and with a grave look of disapproval, he told Januarius to leave, and never return. Januarius looked shocked, the spirit had saved him, he stuttered trying to make them understand. This spirit wasn't dead, he knew it, but how could they not? But looking over the group huddled together for protection and at the stern look on his grandfather's face, he knew the result of the argument. If he pressed it, they would summon the knights, who would understand even less and deal with him even more harshly. Grabbing his scythe on the way out the door, he fled into the wilds looking for a way out of Barstoi.
He found himself living the life of a beggar, his body unable to do the same work it once had. The poison of the imp had left him with sporadic shaking that made the simplest of tasks monumentally difficult. On the road out of Barstoi, he met a traveler who was kind enough to share a meal. The man asked how someone so young could have ended up begging and crippled in such an odd manner. Januarius vaguely described the imps attack, but was afraid to reveal anything of his new gifts. The stranger seemed more and more intrigued by the youth and introduced himself as Professor Lorrimor. He offered the boy a chance to stay with him and learn something about the creature that had attacked him, food and shelter provided as well. All he wanted in return was to learn more about the boy and his story.
A promised trip out of Barstoi and a warm place to stay with meals included, sounded like a dream to Januarius at this point and he readily accepted. It seemed his destiny may have grander plans for him yet. Januarius Proved an insatiable student, learning not only about imps and devils, but about all kinds of other creatures. He had a particular curiosity about the undead and how they related to the spirit companion he had gained. Under the direction of the Professor, his abilities became more natural and stronger, though his body itself, never fully recovered. Eventually he moved on from the Professor's home as he sought greater knowledge and larger libraries to study from. Though he did often return to visit the Professor as he considers that the only home he has left.
Januarius appears much as any commoner of the Barstoi county. His skin is bronzed, his hair is dark, and he is about average for height and weight. His equipment has become a bit better than most commoners would have, since he has been under the care of Professor Lorrimor. He's had the handle of his scythe remade of stouter wood, and he now wears a leather jacket and breeches when he travels. His most notable feature would have to be his shaking which occurs at odd moments. His garments are often stained with spilled drinks or food, his journal has many sections filled with scratches or scribbles from where the shaking has gripped him when he tries to write. It's something that has made his life generally more difficult, but he has managed to come to terms with it.
Januarius is slow to trust most people who he has no connections with. He is cool towards strangers, but not rude or gruff. He is mostly a scholarly type, always looking for new books to read or stories to hear. He keeps quietly to himself for most of the time, prefering to watch and gather information before he acts or speaks his mind. He knows a lot about many different subjects, particularly on various types of creatures. If he hears rumors of a chance to learn more about any creature, he will go to great lengths to get ahold of the information.
Since coming to live with the Professor, he has developed a great enjoyment of pasteries among other sweets. Something he had not been exposed to as a commoner.
In battle, he is almost a pacifist due to the constant threat of his shaking fits. Instead, he relies on his spirit and his allies. He has learned that others are more accepting of the spirit if he simply uses it to infuse them with energy rather than strictly attacking with it, so he has modified his battle tactics to compensate for others comfort levels.
47 Years ago the living god Razmir returned to Xer and began his campaign to assume the mantle of rule of the land and eventually he succeeded in becoming ruler of what is now Razmiran, Theocracy of the Living God. Not everyone in Xer was convinced of the divinity of Razmir but his power was undeniable and the wise quickly learned to remain quite. Among those that did not believe and learnt more than Razmir would like was one Sir Kess S'mane. Sir Kess was smart enough (and protective of his family enough) to stay quiet and watch, he knew that there would be an opportunity in time to attack Razmir but in the middle of his ascendancy was not the time. The events of the following months saw the destruction of the nobility of Melcat (or their conversion to the faithful) and Razmir's ascension to control of the land and these events led to Sir Kess leaving the Sir behind. There are those that would call Kess a coward, including his grandson Marc, but his choices made certain that Marc has lived to be the man he is today.
Marc is the last scion of the S'mane family and he knows little of use about Razmir, but he does know that the "Living God" is not all that he claims. Realising that it would take more than his grandfather’s mutterings about Razmir being just a man and that some other power is the source of Razmir’s “divine” powers Marc began searching for ways to defeat the “Living God”. In pursuit of this Marc has adopted the new "magic" of guns, hoping that the weapons will be harder for Razmir to defend against.
Realizing that Razmiran was probably the worst place to conspire to kill the “Living God” Marc decided to leave Razmiran to hone his skills and see what he could learn that would allow him to defeat Razmir and maybe find some allies in the cause. Ustalav was a good destination as it teems with wild places and dangerous foes he can test his mettle against and was close enough that he could actually afford passage to the closest port. It took him a little while to learn how things worked in Ustalav and establish a name as a competent man with his odd weapons. It was during this time that he first had dealings with members of the Lepidstadt University and through them he was referred recently to Professor Lorrimor, as somebody welcoming of strangers and who would know information that would be of use to Marc. If Marc were to show the Professor his guns, he'd surely get a few tips in return. Unfortunately, the good professor has now died - but there's a group of non-locals who seem to be sticking their noses in all sorts of trouble so he might as well help them and thus get better at the handling of his guns.
The Gunslinger is a refluff of the Artificer combining a Hand Crossbow with the powers to represent the Gunslinger mechanics.
While strictly a Leader Marc isn't a particularly good one due to low Wis and lack of boosting for that area of the character. His ability to give out 2 surgless heals a day is all that makes him particularly Leader-like. However I mostly intend that he will use the other funciton of the currative admixture to get himself a bunch of Temps a couple of times a day. His powers are mostly self or ally and will be used on self mostly.
The rogue multiclass is necessary to enable getting all the weapon options needed to properly set the character up, rather than as a sign he is particularly rogue-like.
Arcana should be considered "Engineering" rather than "Magic" in terms of his expertise.
FEATS Ritual Caster, Sly Dodge (1/Enc +1AC vs OA), Crossbow Caster (Crossbow is an implement), Versatile Duelist (Prof. all 1-H Heavy Blades)
POWERS Thundering Armor Close Burst 10; Self or Ally in Burst gets +1 AC EoMarcNT. Attack 1 creature adjacent to target: +5 vs Fort Hit: 1d8+4 thunder damage and push creature 1 square. Magic Weapon (Hand Crossbow) Range 10/20 +8 vs AC Hit: 1d6+4 damage and allies adjacent to Marc get +1 to hit EoMarcNT. (Dagger - Melee or Ranged 5/10) +9 vs AC Hit: 1d4+4 damage and allies adjacent to Marc get +1 to hit EoMarcNT. Healing Infusion: 2x Per Encounter use one of Resistive Forumla or Currative Admixture, Marc or an ally can give a surge to reset the power during a short rest; - Resistive Formula - Currative Admixture Close Burst 5; Self or Ally in Burst. Effect: Target regains HP = Surge Value + 1 (no surge used). Heroic Effort: Give a save or attack roll +4 after it fails/misses. Scouring Weapon (Hand Crossbow) Range 10/20 +7 vs AC Hit: 2d6+4 acid damage and target gets -2AC EoMarcNT. (Dagger - Melee or Ranged 5/10) +8 vs AC Hit: 2d4+4 acid damage and target gets -2AC EoMarcNT. Swift Mender:Range 5: Target makes a saving throw. Life-Tapping Darts Ranged 10 +5 vs Ref Hit: 2d10+4 damage and an ally within 10 of Marc gets 10 temps. Miss: half damage and ally within 10 gets 5 temps.
Flaming Weapon (Hand Crossbow) +1 (yay make the crossbow more of a gun ) Armor of Sudden Recovery +1 - check the power level, Armor of Cleansing +1 is the same level and the alternative (Regen 5 for an encounter is a big deal even if only daily.) Cloak of Distortion +1 Arcobat Boots
Andrezi is long limbed and lithe with the dusky skin, platinum hair and scarlet eyes all of which betray his heritage as a Varisian. As a Varisian he is not unattractive, if anything he is considered handsome enough certainly so that he can attract the gaze of Varisian ladies.
Andrezi is everything you expect of an Ardealian; cold, haughty, arrogant. A persona that keeps others away from him despite his attractive appearence. Others whisper that his heart has been burnt away by the fires he commands. Neither is entirely true or false. His passions are hard to stir now with mortal concerns, the realms of the spirits and elements on the other hand concern him greatly as does the corruption of Ustalav by the abominations of the Tyrant that still haunt the land. In this way he is still a caring man and it is not impossible to raise concerns for humans in his heart, but it will take some effort.
Druids with connections to nature spirits, animal totems and such are uncommon in Urstalav as it is due to the effects of the Tyrant's reign but a druid whose connection is with fire elementals was novel, special enough to bring the Professor to speak with him. While it would be an exageration to say that the two men became friends their mutal interest (not just in Andrezi) transformed a cooly professional association into something more over the few months that the Proffessor spent with Andrezi. Since that time Professor Lorrimor and Andrezi maintained frequent correspondence until several months ago. For all of that the instance with the Professor is just a minor mater in Andrezi's life.
Andrezi has a talent for poetry and is not a bad singer, so he has made his living in Ardeal. Born in the small town of Berus his talent with poetry and flames has lead him across Ardeal, to Ardis and Chastel. It is in Chastel where he lives now, spending his time between the small settlements around the town and in the town. Here his patron, Ionacu Mersan, a wealthy merchant supports his endeavours in poetry. His time in the settlements and nearby Shatterwood however are different from the time he spends in Chastel and much of his correspondence with the professor has much to do with his activities. It is not the occasional encounter with undead that they speak of, though Andrezi has certainly benefited from the knowledge of the Professor in that regard, instead it is the blossoming of Andrezi's understanding of his own powers and the command and connection to fire Andrezi has that dominated their correspondence. However because of a few instances with undead he is well regarded among the folk of the settlements.
The lack of a letter from the Professor for months did not concern Andrezi, there was nothing unsual about it, after all the professor had better things to do with his time than just write letters to a mediocre poet who happened to be a druid tied to the fire elements. However the arrival of the short letter informing him of the professor's demise has left Andrezi confused. In part because of the summons and in part because he finds himself saddened by the demise of perhaps his only actual friend...
POWERS Beast Power Wild Shape: Minor - change form to a medium animal or back to human and shift 1. Animal is usually a Eurasian lynx. Grasping Claws MBA +4 vs Ref 1d8+5 and the target is slowed EoNT. Human Powers Fire Hawk Ranged 10 +5 vs Ref 1d8+5 fire damage & can use the attack again as an OA against the target until EoNT. Flame Seed Ranged 10 +5 vs Ref 1d6+1 fire damage and squares adjacent to the target become a firey zone until EoNT. Enemies that enter the zone or start their turn their take 4 fire damage (max: 1/turn). Wall of Smoke Wall 5 within 10: +4 vs Fort 1d10+4 poison damage and slide target 1. Effect: Until EoNT; squares are lightly obscured and creatures that end their turn in them take 3 poison damage. Heroic Effort: Give a save or attack roll +4 after it fails/misses. Fires of Life Area Burst 1 within 10. +5 vs Ref 1d6+5 fire damage and ongoing 5 fire damage. If the target drops to 0 hit points before it saves against the ongoing damage, one creature of your choice within 5 squares of the target regains 6 hit points. Aftereffect: One creature of your choice within 5 squares of the target regains hit points equal to your Constitution modifier. Miss: Half damage.
FEATS Surging Flame: If the target has DR vs fire, fire attacks have +5 damage Ritual Caster, Implement Focus (Staff)
Lucinean Galdana is Count of Amaans, a mostly wilderness County, and more relevantly, a perennial bachelor who's famous for going on big-game hunts. Khavarian is his illegitimate son. Rumors abound that his mother is a lich-queen from Virlych. Fringe-element rebels even portend that the supposed mother now exercises influence over the Count. It was a political nightmare for the Count, as you can imagine, so Khavarian is well-paid by his father to keep his distance, for the sake of the stability of Amaans. The truth is, however, that Khavarian's mother was a Vampire witch that discovered the Count in the wilds after he had been felled by some great beast, and nursed him back to health in her cave. Widely renowned as a proud and peerless hunter, the Count was unwilling to reveal his failure to his entire County, not to mention the further scandal of having sired a Dhampir, so he was unable to soundly explain the nature of Khavarian's birth.
Obviously, the subject of Khavarian's birth is a matter of some debate amongst the people of Amaans, and the scandal of course reached the learned Professor's ears. The idea of a potential Lichborn walking Golarion intrigued him to no end. So he traveled to the village in which the Viscount was presently holed up, and found him in a(nother) tavern brawl sparked over his suspected heritage.
Apparently this had become such a basic part of Khavarian's life that he had become rather talented at dealing with. Cast out from his father's house, Khavarian should've been a casualty of Ustalav's fearful bigotry long before he reached adulthood. However, through a mixture of natural athleticism and sheer moxy, Khavarian survived. Sure, he'd become a jaded alcoholic, but that's better than a dead one.
So Professor Lorrimor came to study just what he was, and it didn't take him long to figure it out. Khavarian was not the first Dhampir that the Professor had seen in his day, however, he was certainly the most willing subject of that nature. The Count had long since stopped paying his son hush money, and the Viscount had long since stopped asking, so he welcomed the Professor's coin in exchange for private studies. So essential were these studies that the Viscount was directly credited in the Professor's landmark publication on the subject: Vigor Mortis: The Physiological Qualities of the Half-Undead.
Now, five years and forty-something mercenary jobs later, the bitter and (mostly) sober Viscount Khavarian has received a most unfortunate correspondence. The late Professor had been one of the very few positive influences in Khavarian's life, showing him nothing but kindness amidst innocent, wistful curiosity. Khavarian had developed a certain familial bond with Lorrimor during their meetings. Apparently, the Professor had shared this opinion, as Khavarian, one of the most famously disinherited persons in all Ustalav, had found himself written into the old man's will.
Viscount Khavarian Galdana, noble only in name, has lived a pretty hard life for someone supposedly of noble birth. This has left him a rather jaded being, prone to answer violence with violence. That said, his bitter facade, a cornerstone defense mechanism, hides his truly good heart and deep-seated sense of justice. In particular, he will not suffer violence to be inflicted on the innocent. Of course, this has been the cause of nearly as many tavern brawls as his own heritage, but no one would ever accuse the 'lichborn bastard' of heroic intent.
I figured I'd include anything not in your books, for example, his Brawler style. Class Feature: Brawler StyleShow
While you wield a weapon in your primary hand and your off hand is free or grabbing a creature, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Fortitude.
In addition, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to the attack rolls of unarmed attacks and a +2 bonus to the attack rolls of grab attacks and attacks to move a creature you're grabbing. These bonuses increase to +4 at 11th level and +6 at 21st level.
Opportunity Action, Trigger: An enemy adjacent to you takes an action that provokes an opportunity attack; Effect: The triggering enemy completes the action, you shift 3 squares. You must end the shift closer to the target than you were when you began the shift. Then make the following attack:
Spiked Gauntlet: +8 vs. AC, 1d6+4 damage, and you knock the target prone; OR Trident: +6 vs. AC, 1d8+4 damage, and you knock the target prone.
Immediate Interrupt, Effect: Whenever an enemy marked by you is adjacent to you and shifts or makes an attack that does not include you as a target, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy.
Standard Action, Primary Target: One Creature. Spiked Gauntlet: +8 vs. AC, 1d6 damage; OR Trident: +6 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Effect: Make a secondary attack, targeting one creature other than the primary target. Note that this attack is made with Off-hand, so if Trident was used for Primary attack, it can't be used for this one. However, since each hand has a Spiked Gauntlet on, you can use Spiked Gauntlet again.
Standard Action, Target: One Creature. Spiked Gauntlet: +8 vs. AC, 1d6+4 damage and you grab the target. The grab ends automatically at the end of your next turn; OR Trident: +6 vs. AC, 1d8+4 damage and you grab the target. The grab ends automatically at the end of your next turn.
When making an OA, you can (Editor's Note: And usually will) use this power in place of a melee basic attack (or Combat Agility).
Standard Action, Primary Target: One Creature. Spiked Gauntlet: +8 vs. AC, 1d6+4 damage, and you gain 1 THP; OR Trident: +6 vs. AC, 1d8+4 damage, and you gain 1 THP. Effect: Make a secondary attack, targeting one creature other than the primary target. Spiked Gauntlet: +8 vs. AC, 1d6+4 damage, and you gain 1 THP (does not stack with THP from primary attack); OR Trident: +6 vs. AC, 1d8+4 damage, and you gain 1 THP (does not stack with THP from primary attack).
Standard Action, Reliable, Target: One Creature. Spiked Gauntlet: +8 vs. Reflex, 2d6+4 damage, and you grab the target. The target cannot attempt to escape the grab until the end of its next turn; OR Trident: +6 vs. Reflex, 2d8+4 damage, and you grab the target. The target cannot attempt to escape the grab until the end of its next turn.
Necrotic, Trigger: A creature within 5 squares of you is reduced to 0 hit points. Effect: One creature of your choice that you hit with an attack before the end of your next turn takes 1d8+1 extra necrotic damage.
Father Jean-Louis Bouchard, level 2 Vryloka (human turned vampire), Cleric|Sorcerer Hybrid Cleric: Battle Cleric's Lore Sorcerous Power: Sorcerous Power Strength Hybrid Talent: Soul of the Sorcerer Soul of the Sorcerer: Soul of the Cosmic Cycle Background: Inspired by Greatness
FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 18, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 18.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES Str 16, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 16.
Your study of warfare and divine magic has granted you the gods' blessings in battle. You can choose this class feature in place of Healer's Lore. You gain a +2 shield bonus to AC and you have proficiency with scale armor. In addition, whenever you use a cleric healing power to allow a target to spend a healing surge, that target gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
You gain a bonus to the damage rolls of sorceror powers and sorceror paragon path powers equal to your Strength modifier. This bonus increases by 2 at 11th level and by 2 again at 21st level.
You can use your Strength modifier (+4) in place of your Intelligence or Dexterity modifier to determine your AC while you are not wearing heavy armor.
You gain the Soul of the Cosmic Cycle Class feature, and are considered to have the Cosmic Magic spell source for the purpose of meeting prerequisites and using the benefits tailored for it in certain powers.
At the end of a short rest or an extended rest, you choose a cosmic phase from those described below and gain its benefits. The first time you become bloodied during an encounter, your phase immediately changes to the next higher numbered phase (or back to the phase of the sun if you are in the phase of the stars). In addition, each time you use a daily arcane attack power, you can choose to change your phase to the next higher numbered phase immediately after resolving the effects of the power.
1) Phase of the Sun: At the start of your turn, each enemy adjacent to you takes fire and radiant damage equal to your Strength modifer (+4). You also gain resist 5 cold. 2) Phase of the Moon: You gain a bonus to AC equal to the number of conscious enemies adjacent to you. You also gain resist 5 psychic. 3) Phase of the Stars: Whenever an enemy's attack misses you, you can teleport a number of squares equal to your Strength modifier (+4) as a free action. You also gain resist 5 radiant.
The resistance granted by this class feature increases to 10 at 11th level and to 15 at 21st level. While you have resistance from this class feature, your arcane powers ignore all target's resistance to that damage type up to the value of your resistance.
Because your soul is tainted by undeath, you are both living and undead. If a power has different effects on living creatures and undead creatures, you choose which effect applies to you.
When your class grants you a utility power after 1st level, you can forgo taking that power. Instead, you gain a vryloka utility power of the same level or lower.
At-Will * Divine, Healing, Weapon Standard Action Melee Weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier (+4) damage, and the next ally who hits the target before the end of your next turn regains hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (+4).
At-Will * Arcane, Fire, Implement, Radiant, Zone Stanadard Action Area burst 1 within 10 squares Target: Each creature in the burst Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex Hit: 1d4 + Charisma modifier (+4) radiant damage. Cosmic Magic: The burst creates a zone bounded by burning ground that lasts until the end of your next turn. The first time each turn that an enemy within the zone leaves it, the enemy takes fire damage equal to your Strength modifier (+4).
Encounter Free Action Personal Trigger: You kill or bloody an enemy Effect: You gain one of the following benefits. * You shift up to your speed. * You gain temporary hitpoints equal to 5 + one-half your level. * You gain a +2 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Encounter * Healing Minor Action Close burst 5 Target: You or one ally in the burst Effect: The target can spend a healing surge and regain 1d6 additional hit points.
Encounter * Divine, Healing, Radiant, Weapon Standard Action Melee Weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier (+4) radiant damage, and you mark the target until the end of your next turn. In addition, you or one ally within 5 squares of you can spend a healing surge.
At-Will * Arcane, Charm, Enchantment, Implement Standard Action Ranged 10 Target: One enemy Attack: Intelligence vs. Will Hit: Choose one of the following effects: * The target uses a free action to make a melee basic attack against a creature of your choice, with a +4 power bonus to the attack roll. * You slide the target up to 3 squares.
Daily * Divine, Healing Immediate Interrupt Ranged 20 Target: The triggering ally Trigger: An ally within 20 squares of you fails a death saving throw. Effect: The target succeeds on the death saving throw and can spend a healing surge.
Gain +1 feat bonus to weapon and implement attacks with staves. Ranged and area attacks made with staves don't provoke OAs. Melee staff attacks now have +1 reach.
Encounter Powers [_] Second Wind [_] Lifeblood [_] Healing Word [_] Healing Strike [_] Hypnotism
Daily Powers [_] Action Point [_] Dazzling Ray [_] Return From Death's Door
HP: HS: AC: Fort: Ref: Will:
Core 28 6 20 15 12 17
RndX 28 6
0 THP Surge: 7hp (5 bloodied) Init: +1 Speed: 6
Resist: 6 Necrotic Saves: none
*In-effect* MBA: +8 vs. AC, 1d8+4 damage. Battle Cleric's Lore:Whenever I use a cleric healing power to allow a target to spend a healing surge, that target gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn. Blood Dependcy:While I am bloodied, my healing surge value drops by 2 points. Human Heritage:You gain a +5 racial bonus to bluff checks made to pass as human. Staff Expertise:Ranged and area attacks made with staves don't provoke OAs. Melee staff attacks now have +1 reach. Soul of the Cosmic CycleShow
At the end of a short rest or an extended rest, you choose a cosmic phase from those described below and gain its benefits. The first time you become bloodied during an encounter, your phase immediately changes to the next higher numbered phase (or back to the phase of the sun if you are in the phase of the stars). In addition, each time you use a daily arcane attack power, you can choose to change your phase to the next higher numbered phase immediately after resolving the effects of the power.
1) Phase of the Sun: At the start of your turn, each enemy adjacent to you takes fire and radiant damage equal to your Strength modifer (+4). You also gain resist 5 cold. 2) Phase of the Moon: You gain a bonus to AC equal to the number of conscious enemies adjacent to you. You also gain resist 5 psychic. 3) Phase of the Stars: Whenever an enemy's attack misses you, you can teleport a number of squares equal to your Strength modifier (+4) as a free action. You also gain resist 5 radiant.
The resistance granted by this class feature increases to 10 at 11th level and to 15 at 21st level. While you have resistance from this class feature, your arcane powers ignore all target's resistance to that damage type up to the value of your resistance.
Panitari is a male human of 19 years. He stands 5' 8" tall and weighs roughly 180 lbs. His years as a farmhand have kept him fairly lean and muscular, though he has lost some of his muscle in the past year during his studies. He has short red-orange hair and brown eyes, a combination common in the farmsteads he grew up in, and he is somewhat tanned from all his time spent outdoors.
Having very few pairs of clothes, Panitari still wears either his university robes or his orchestra garments most of the time. These are much nicer than the work clothes he used to wear as a farmhand, but they are in no way fancy or ornate. He carries with him a mage's staff which he uses as a walking stick, a habit he picked up watching many of the other professors and students at the university. In his belt he keeps his flute, which he is now much more proficient in than when he first got his job as a flutist.
Though more mature than in his youth, Panitari is still a bit of a trickster and always loves to play pranks if they are harmless enough. He has spent much of his free time practicing the ability to mimic the voices of others, and uses this skill often with his telepathy to mess with peoples' heads. He only really gets serious when it comes to his studies, though he has not had the opportunity to do so recently. He ultimately desires to continue studying at the academy, though, so many of the things he does revolve around this goal.
Currently Pan is in a state of grief over the loss of Professor Lorrimor. The man was a great inspiration and teacher to him, even if he only knew him for a week, and until hearing of his death Pan had hoped one day to work for or with him in the field. Now that dream is long gone, and with no money to continue his studies he is at a loss for what to do with his life.
Panitari was born a farmer's son, blessed by the gods - or cursed, who's to say? - with the ability to speak to others telepathically. For most of his childhood he was unable to control the ability, and thus often broadcast his thoughts unknowingly to his parents or whoever else was around. As a child this was not such a good thing for the boy, as anytime he got away with something he was quickly found out. Eventually he figured out what his parents already knew, and figured out how to control the skill as well. This led to much mischief as a result.
As an adolescent, Pan (as he is often called) used his skill to torment the other youths. He would speak to them while disguising his voice, imitating their parents or claiming to be a god, and inciting the others to do things they wouldn't normally do. Oftentimes this would lead to disaster, with crops being ruined or property being damaged. When his parents found out that Pan was the one causing the boys to act out of line he was punished, and as such he was not allowed to play or work with the other boys if it could be helped.
Mostly isolated from others after that, he took up learning song, particularly the tales of the undead armies that once plagued the lands. His skill at singing was one day noticed as he was working the fields by a strange passerby, a man in a robe who didn't seem to be from any of the surrounding farms. The boy thought he'd show off to the stranger, and switching to humming aloud he began to sing telepathically to the man. He seemed impressed, now not only by the singing but by the boy's inate magical ability, and after the song was done he came up to speak with Pan.
After some introductions and brief questioning the man revealed himself to be the famed and beloved Professor Lorrimor, the travelling scholar. He offered to teach the boy how to harness his magical talents, and with permission from his parents the professor brought Pan to the inn he was staying at in the nearby city of Karcau. It was there that the Professor taught Pan the basics of harnessing his magical talent, combined with his singing, to influence the emotional state of others. This, combined with his telapathic ability, would make for a potent combination of magical skill.
After only a week or so of basic instructions the Professor had to leave Pan and continue on his travels, but as a sign of his faith in the boy's progress he enrolled him in the local arcane university and paid for his first year's tuition out of his own pocket. Panitari took up studies immediately, greatly inspired and indebted to his new mentor.
At the university he learned of many schools of magic, some more interesting than others - some he excelled in and others he fell flat in. In the end the most interesting for him were the ones that he was mostly naturally gifted in - the musical magic of bards that Lorrimor started teaching him in, and the alchemical school of potion- and poison-making. He focused primarily in these two schools, but by the time his second year was coming around he did not have the tuition to pay for further studies. As a way to earn money he sought a job performing with the Karcau Opera, figuring his talents would be perfectly suited. His naïveté was not to be rewarded as he'd hoped. He got a job, but it was only as a flutist in the orchestra - an instrument he had little skill in, but had to learn quickly if he wanted to continue his studies.
While a flutist, he occasionally lost control of his thoughts and transfered them to the other orchestra members or the conductor. This proved a great distraction, but for the first few months no one knew the source of the strange voices in their heads. Eventually Pan was found out, though, and the conductor was furious. He was fired from his job without making nearly enough to continue his studies, and so he was left to wander the streets of Karcau with no place to return to. He could no longer live at the university since he wasn't a student anymore, and there was no way he was going back to the dull life of a farmer after his past year as a student.
He took to playing his flute in the street for others, occasionally singing subtly to spectators telepathically in a way that seemed like their own subconscious singing the words to a known tune in their heads. He became somewhat popular and enigmatic among a few of the locals for this reason, and eventually earned a small amount of coin as a street performer. However, before he could really make use of this newfound outlet for his skills he recieved word of the passing-on of his dear mentor, the man who made his current life possible and gave him hope for a better life than that of a simple farmer. Heartbroken and grief-striken, the still young Panitari took what little coin he had made with his performances and used it to pay for transportation to Ravengro to witness the funeral of a man who had become, in just a short time, like a second father to him.
At the start of my turn, I can make saving throws versus each effect rendering me dazed or dominated. If I fail the throw I don't roll against it at the end of my turn.
At-Will * Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psychic Standard Action Ranged 10 Target: One creature Attack: +7 vs. Will Hit: 1d6+4 (Cha mod) psychic damage, target takes -2 to attacks til the end of my next turn.
At-Will * Arcane, Implement, Thunder Standard Action Ranged 10 Target: One creature Attack: +7 vs. Will Hit: 4 (Cha Mod) thunder damage, and I push the target 2 squares. An ally of my choice can make a free MBA against the target before, during, or after the push.
Encounter Immediate Interrupt Close Burst 5 Target: Me and each ally in burst Trigger: An enemy hits or misses vs. my Will Effect: All targets get +4 to Will til the end of my next turn.
Encounter * Arcane, Healing Minor Action Close Burst 5 Target: Me or an ally in burst Effect: Target can spend a healing surge, gaining 4 (Cha mod) extra HP. I can also slide the target one square. Special: Can use twice per encounter but only once per round.
Encounter * Arcane, Charm, Implement Standard Action Ranged 5 Target: One creature Attack: +7 vs. Will Hit: 1d6+4 (Cha mod) damage and I slide the target 2 squares. During the slide, me or an ally can make a free MBA against the target with +5 to attack.
Daily * Arcane, Healing, Implement, Psychic Standard Action Ranged 10 Target: One creature Attack: +7 vs. Will Hit: 2d6+4 (Cha mod) psychic damage. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, allies gain 4 (Cha mod) hp when they hit the target.
Gain +1 feat bonus to weapon and implement attacks with staves. Ranged and area attacks made with staves don't provoke OAs. Melee staff attacks now have +1 reach.
Component Cost: 20gp Time: 15 minutes Key Skill: Heal or Nature (no check)
Power (Consumable): Minor Action. Gain +2 to saves vs. Poison from a source of 10th level or lower. This lasts til the end of the encounter or the next 5 minutes.
Vitals: Medium, 5' 8" tall, 180 lbs. 19 years old, hails from near Karcau Languages: Common
Senses: 18 Insight, 16 Perception, Normal Vision
Encounter Powers [_] Second Wind [_] Bastion of Mental Clarity [_][_] Majestic Word [_] Words of Friendsip [_] Blunder [_] Moment of Escape
Daily Powers [_] Action Point [_] Stirring Shout
HP: HS: AC: Fort: Ref: Will:
Core 30 8 18 12 16 16
RndX 30 8
0 THP Surge: 7hp Init: +3 Speed: 6
Resist: none Saves: none
*In-effect* Virtue of Cunning: Once per round, when an enemy attack misses an ally within 9 squares of me (5 + Int mod), I can slide that ally 1 square as a free action. Song of Rest: When I play an instrument during a short rest, everyone gains +4 extra hp (Cha mod) back per healing surge spent. Dual Soul: At the start of my turn, I can make saving throws versus each effect rendering me dazed or dominated. If I fail the throw I don't roll against it at the end of my turn.
Level 2 Human, Swordmage Human Power Selection Option: Bonus At-Will Power Class Feature (Swordmage Aegis): Aegis of Assault Class Feature: Swordbond Class Feature: Swordmage Warding Languages: Common and Elven Background: Chance Savior
FINAL ABILITY SCORES STR 14, CON 13, DEX 10, INT 18, WIS 12, CHA 11
STARTING ABILITY SCORES STR 14, CON 13, DEX 10, INT 16, WIS 12, CHA 11
POWERS Basic Attack: Melee Attack: 1d20+8 vs AC for 1d8+4 damage
Implement Blade
Swordmage Feature: Warding: Gain +3 AC unless knocked unconcious.
Swordmage Feature: Aegis of Assault (At-Will): (Minor action) Mark one target within a close burst 2 radius. The marked target recieves a -2 attack penalty to all attacks against other targets. If the attack hits within 10 squares, use an immidate reaction to teleport next to the target and perform a basic attack.
Swordmage Attack 1: Greenflame Blade (At-Will): (Standard Action) 1d20+9 vs. AC. 1d8 + 4 (Intelligence Modifier) fire damage, deal 2 (Strength modifier) fire damage to enemies adjacent to target.
Swordmage Attack 1: Sword Burst (At-Will): (Standard Action) Close Burst 1, each enemy in burst. 1d20+6 vs. Reflex. 1d6 + 4 (intelligence Modifier) force damage.
Swordmage Attack 1: Flame Cyclone (Encounter): (Standard Action): Close burst 3. 1d20+7 vs. Reflex. 1d8 + 4 (Intelligence Modifier) + 2 (Intelligence Modifier) Fire Damage. Note: Running all this through the Character Builder, I'm getting an extra damage point. Not srue where it's from but it's there, so sorry, that's how I got the damage in my attack on the executioner.
Swordmage Attack 1: Burning Blade (Daily): (Standard Action) 1d20+9 vs. AC. 2d8+4 + 4 (intelligence Modifier) Damage Attacks deal 2 (Strength Modifier) fire damage until end of encounter.
Swordmage Utility 2: Eldritch Speed (Daily): No Action Use before rolling intiative, then add +5 to that roll and gain an extra move action during the first turn.
FEATS War Wizardry Expertise: Gain your normal Expertise feat bonus with Arcane attacks and basic attacks using a Light Blade (or Heavy Blade), and you gain the benefit of War Wizardry one tier earlier.
Alertness
Intelligent Blademaster: Swap STR (+2) for INT (+4) when performing MBAs.
Leoben Shieldheart came upon the proffessor entirely by chance. He had been passing through on his travels and witnessed a seen of Professor Lorrimor and a rival. The proffessor was injured and his rival was challenging him to a duel. After the rival left, he decided to walk over and offer to be the professors second in the duel so he could tend to his wounds. When the opponent and his second stepped forward, it appeared as if he anticipated that there would be a second challenger, and prepared himself with a skilled duelist of his own.
The duel began there in the manor, with both duelists performing well, neither having struck a blow on the other until Leoben started to use his swordmage training. His bond with his sword was strong and he started to move faster than his opponent, causing blow after blow to rain down on his opponent. Every oppening and slip was quickly taken advantage of, finishing off with disarming his opponent and plunging his blade through his chest. Leoben stood victorious, and the rival fled soon afterwards.
The professor promised to reward Leoben for his personal risk, and through his travels he always stopped by to see how the professor was doing, soon becoming good friends. The professor taught him what he could of swordplay and magic whenever he visited, and they became not just friends but student and mentor. As such, Leoben always felt that whenever a threat against the professor appeared, he'd drop whatever he was doing at the time and rush out to aid him.
When word of his death reached him, Leoben was sorry he couldn't have been there at his friends side, but resolved to be there when the funeral and the will was read as a way to make ammends for that fact.
As a wanderer Leoben has studied all kinds of types of blade and magic styles for swordmages, and has adopted this into his personality. He feels that depending on not just the situation but the person that if he responds just right things tend to go a lot smoother, and it has earned him more than one ally in the past. But like his studies, he feels that that personal input is missing, and that once it is added in he'll feel like a true master of his own life. For the moment, this might be in combat, the only time when he shows only one emotion, determination for the defeat of his enemies. Not quite rage, just between rage and contempt really. Otherwise friendly to those around him, despite heading to a dark and dreary place he's sure to keep a smile close by.
Ka'alith Markelhay was a researcher at Lapidstadt and a colleague of Professor Lorrimor. He specilized in divinity research, a countert point to Lorrimor's arcane activities. Ka'alith's pet project was always Pharasma. He was fascinated by the goddess of Death, Life, Fate, and Rebirth.
He and Lorrimor would have long talks on the nature of divinity, on the arcane arts and sciences, on life and death, on the mundane joys of the world. Over the course of their professional relationship they became rather good friends via the bonds of mutual respect and interest.
Both men eventually retired from the realm of academia. The wizard knew that Ka;alith was planning on doing "experimental" research into the subject of Pharasma and very much wanted to find out the results. In what was to be their final face to face conversation Professor Ka'alith promised to visit Lorrimor one day, to share his coming research.
Ka'alith dove straight into his passion. He consulted other scholars, priests, clerics, mystics, and madmen. He found nothing to enlighten him any further as to the nature of the godess. He began to experiment with necromancy and black arts His skill at the arcane was never very strong and he made a fatal error very soon. Something went wrong and his spirit was pulled out of his body and into the netherworld. Little true memory remains from that time. Mostly it is jumble of feelings and pervasive loneliness. The only things he knows for sure are that he was given his life back by the godess for a singular purpose. He is to hunt down undeath in all its forms and eliminate it from the world.
Upon his return to life he found his body and mind greatly changed. He was now part of Pharasma's power, a being animated by it in fact. He could hurl bolts of searing light from his fingers and call lighting from the sky.
Immediately the need to find the undead consumed him. Luckily he had been travelling a great deal and him being gone for long periods of time was the norm. He left quickly, but not before sending a letter to Lorrimor explaining that he had found something amazing, that he would visit soon. But he never did. During all the ghost hunting and zombie unbinding he always meant to vist but never had the strength to talk about what had truly happened. Besides, the NEED was too great. As soon as one abomination fell he could feel the urge to find another.
The undead were rare though. He searched far and wide but only found a few in all the years. By the time he recived the letter he had not fought an undead in over a year and his skills had grown a bit rusty. The realization over came Ka'alith that he had, infact, deprived Lorrimor of knowledge by not seeing him. He had deprived his friend of his most basic joy. Overcome with grief he undertakes a pilgrimage to visit his dead friend and tell him everything.
Ka'alith was once a charmingly frantic man, content to study and ponder. No longer. Upon the return to his body his demeanor, his very soul is changed. He is now a dour, somber man. He is supremely confident in his own abilities but looks down over his spectacles at others, at least until they prove their worth.
A tall man, Ka'alith cuts an imposing black figure. His heavy chain armor is enclosed within 2 layers of supple, black leather. A long, leather overcoat drapes his tall, thick frame. Spectacles rest on his nose below black eyes and a bald head, covered in pale white skin. On his belt are two glass vials, stoppered with cork and filled with what appears to be water. I his hand is a tall staff made of gnarled black wood.
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== Ka'alith Markelhay, level 2 Human, Invoker Divine Covenant Option: Covenant of Wrath Human Power Selection Option: Bonus At-Will Power
FINAL ABILITY SCORES STR 9, CON 15, DEX 10, INT 14, WIS 18, CHA 10
STARTING ABILITY SCORES STR 9, CON 15, DEX 10, INT 14, WIS 16, CHA 10
POWERS Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack Invoker Feature: Rebuke Undead Covenant of Wrath Power: Armor of Wrath Invoker Attack 1: Visions of Blood Invoker Attack 1: Hand of Radiance Invoker Attack 1: Avenging Light Invoker Attack 1: Execration Invoker Attack 1: Thunder of Judgment Invoker Utility 2: Miraculous Fortune
FEATS Level 1: Power of Death Level 1: Ritual Caster Level 1: Staff Expertise Level 2: Battlewise
ITEMS Ritual Book Hand of Fate Create Holy Water Magic Quarterstaff +1 x1 Chainmail x1 Adventurer's Kit Holy Water (level 1) Comprehend Language ====== End ======
Notes: • When using Divine Encounter or Daily Attack, +1 bonus to damage per enemies attacked. • Ranged attacks (using Staff) don't provoke Opportunity.
Actions: MBA: Quarterstaff +1 (Melee 2), +4 vs AC, 1d8 RBA: Avenging Light (Ranged 10), +7 vs Fortitude, 1d10+5 radiant (+2 if adjacent to bloodied ally) [_]Channel Divinity
Standard: [A]Avenging Light, [_]Execration,[A]Hand of Radiance,[_][_]Holy Water, [_]Thunder of Judgment, [_]Rebuke Undead(CD), [_]Second Wind, [A]Visions of Blood Free: [_]Action Point Immediate Interrupt: [_]Miraculous Fortune Immediate Reaction: [_]Armor of Wrath(CD)
Encounter (Special) • Divine, Implement, Radiant Standard Action • Close blast 5 Channel Divinity: You can use only one channel divinity power per encounter. Target: Each undead creature in the blast Attack: +7 vs. Will Hit: 1d10 + 5 radiant damage. You push the target 2 squares, and it is dazed until the end of your next turn. Miss: Half damage.
Encounter • Divine, Radiant Immediate Reaction • Close burst 5 Channel Divinity: You can use only one channel divinity power per encounter. Trigger: An enemy within 5 squares of you hits you Target: The triggering enemy in the burst Effect: The target takes 2 radiant damage, and you push the target 2 squares.
At-Will • Divine, Fear, Implement, Psychic Standard Action • Close blast 3 Target: Each creature in the blast Attack: +7 vs. Will Hit: 1d6 + 5 psychic damage, and the target takes a -1 penalty to all defenses until the start of your next turn. Bonus +2 damage vs Bloodied targets.
At-Will • Divine, Implement, Radiant Standard Action • Ranged 10 Target: One creature Attack: +7 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d10 + 5 radiant damage. If a bloodied ally is adjacent to the target, the attack deals 2 extra radiant damage. Special: You can use this power as a ranged basic attack.
Daily • Divine, Implement Standard Action • Close burst 5 Target: One or two creatures in the burst Attack: +7 vs. Will Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, or 2d8 + 5 damage if you target only one creature. The target takes ongoing 10 damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Effect: You take ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
Encounter • Divine, Implement, Thunder Standard Action • Ranged 10 Target: One, two, or three creatures Attack: +7 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d6 + 5 thunder damage, or 2d6 + 5 thunder damage if you target only one creature. In addition, the target is dazed until the end of your next turn. You also push the target a 2 squares.
Encounter • Divine Immediate Interrupt • Personal Trigger: You are damaged by an enemy’s attack Effect: The damage is reduced by 5. One ally within 5 squares of you gains a +1 power bonus to attack rolls until the start of your next turn.
You gain a +1 feat bonus to the attack rolls of implement powers and weapon powers that you use with a staff. In addition, when you make a ranged or an area attack with a staff as an implement, you don’t provoke opportunity attacks for doing so. When you make a melee weapon attack with a staff, the weapon’s reach for that attack increases by 1.
Level: 4 Category: Divination Component Cost: 70 gp Key Skill: Religion (no check) Time: 10 minutes Duration: 10 minutes
When you perform the ritual, ask up to three questions about possible courses of action. A translucent blue hand appears and indicates with a gesture what the most rewarding course of action is. If you describe courses of action that refer to directions or specific objects, then the hand points toward the choice that bears the greatest reward. If you ask the hand, “Should we head down the stairs or through the doors?” then the hand responds by pointing either to the stairs or the doors. If you ask the hand, “Which of these three levers should we pull first?” then the hand responds by pointing to a lever. If you describe only a single course of action, the ritual assumes that inaction is your other option. The hand either beckons you (to indicate that you should proceed) or gestures for you to halt. For example, the question “Should we explore the ruins of Solitronia?” results in the hand either beckoning you or gesturing for you to halt. The hand can’t assess events in the far future; its judgment extends only to likely events in the next hour. If the hand can’t indicate a preference, the ritual has no effect and expends no components. There are two drawbacks to using the ritual to aid your decisions. First, fate values rewards over risk, and this ritual provides guidance accordingly. It points you toward a high risk, high reward option before pointing you toward a low risk, low reward alternative. For example, if one tunnel leads to a dragon and great wealth and the other tunnel leads back to town, then the hand points toward the dragon. However, a high risk, low reward alternative is considered less rewarding than a low risk, low reward option. Second, the hand can choose only the most rewarding course of action relative to the alternatives provided. That doesn’t mean that the indicated choice is necessarily a good idea, only that it’s a better idea than the other options you’ve indicated. In the example above, if all three levers activate traps, then the hand points toward the lever that triggers a trap less lethal than the others.
This ritual infuses astral radiance into a small quantity of ordinary water. The cost to do so depends on the level of the holy water you choose to create. You cannot create holy water of a level higher than your own. Aside from its effect on undead and demons, holy water acts as normal pure water in all ways. It can be distinguished from normal water with examination and a successful DC 15 Religion or Arcana check.
When beginning the ritual, choose a language you have heard or a piece of writing you have seen within the past 24 hours. Using this ritual on a language you have heard allows you to understand it when spoken for the next 24 hours and, if your Arcana check result is 35 or higher, to speak the language fluently for the duration. Using this ritual on a language you have seen as a piece of writing allows you to read the language for the next 24 hours and, if your Arcana check result is 35 or higher, to write the language in its native script or in any other script you know for the duration. Using this ritual on a language you have both heard and seen as a piece of writing within the past 24 hours allows you to understand it in both forms for the next 24 hours, and an Arcana check result of 35 or higher allows you to speak and write the language.
• Ad Hominem— Attacking the person's circumstances, not addressing the argument. • Ad Hominem Abusive (Personal Attack)— Insulting the person, not addressing the argument. • Ad Hominem Tu Quoque— Saying the person's inconsistent, not addressing the argument. • Appeal to Authority/Belief/Common Practice/Consequence of a Belief/Emotion/Fear/Flattery/Novelty/Pity/Popularity/Ridicule/Spite/Tradition— Using emotion instead of Fact. • Bandwagon— Use of peer pressure. • Begging the Question— Assuming premises which haven't necessarily been agreed to. • Biased Sample— Using a sampling which may not properly represent the whole. • Burden of Proof— Shifting it to the wrong side. • Circumstantial Ad Hominem— Attacking the person's interests in supporting their argument. • Composition— Assuming that the whole has the same qualities as individual parts. • Confusing Cause & Effect— Assuming that one thing causes another because they appear in conjunction. • Division— Assuming that the individual parts have the same qualities as the whole. • False Dilemma— Assuming that only two options exist. • Gambler's Fallacy— Assuming the odds have changed because of past occurances • Genetic— Assuming a perceived defect in the origin of a claim is proof of a defect in the claim. • Guilt by Association— Attacking others who agree with the claim. • Hasty Generalization— Assuming a quality based on too small a sample size. • Ignoring the Common Cause— Assuming there is no outside cause of two connected things. • Middle Ground— Assuming the midpoint of two extremes must be correct. • Misleading Vividness— Assuming a colorful anecdote outweighs statistical evidence. • Poisoning the Well— Using unprovable claims about the person instead of addressing the argument. • Post Hoc— Assuming that something caused something else simply because it happened first. • Questionable Cause— Assuming that one thing causes another. • Red Herring— Using irrelevant evidence to divert a discussion. • Relativist Fallacy— Asserting that a claim may be true for some but not for the speaker. • Slippery Slope— Assuming the inevitability of one event based on another. • Special Pleading— Claiming exemption without justification. • Spotlight— Assuming individuals that get the most attention to be indicative of the whole. • Straw Man— Misrepresenting the opposing argument. • Two Wrongs Make a Right— Justifying something unethical/immoral as response or pre-emption to something else unethical/immoral.
Response to those who like to compare 4e to a Video GameShow
Also, I find that the "D&D 4e is like an MMO" argument is often a sign of someone who is deliberately being obtuse and/or is potentially ignorant of actual MMO play. As someone who only ended a 6-year World of Warcraft addiction a year ago, I can say that most of your bullet points actually don't match up to the truth of it.
In D&D 4e, you can choose a hybrid, you can choose to play one class as though it were another (people played Warlords as Bards frequently, when the edition first came out, and Rangers were refluffed to Monks), you can focus your class on its secondary role (a Warlock who is more controller than striker, for instance), you can multiclass, and you can create a particular concept (a mounted lancer, a charger, etc.) within the mechanics via feats, choice of powers, and choice of skills. You decide which set of stats you use--are you a Chaladin, Straladin, or Baladin?--and you have ultimate influence on how your character turns out in the end. Yes, powers require you to be using a particular weapon within your class's available selection, but the powers are not themselves tied to the gear. Powers tied to weapons or armor are typically powers that belong to the item, not to the character class that's most likely to use it.
Yes, there are only so many powers available, and these will be what you do in battle; this is all that the designers created. Yes, there is a time-frame in which they can be used; this has always been the case, even in the days of Vancian casting. Yes, there are suggested builds, but you can routinely ignore those if it pleases you; the only parts of a class you have to take are the class features, and even those have options at this point. But the only way that this can be considered at all conflatable with MMO character building/playing is if you are deliberately ignoring all of that.
In WoW, you choose a class and you're done. No multiclassing or hybridization, no way to mimic one class with careful building of a different one. There is a firm dividing line on what is a WoW class. No secondary roles or creative concepts, either; you're going to be what the class sets out to be, and that's it. You'll always have the same stat allocation as another of your class, because you get set numbers as you level up, and you've got at best four options--and that's only the Druid class--to build, and if you plan on running dungeons, particularly heroic level ones, or raiding, you'd better not even think of deviating from the single defined best build on the talent tree for what you want to do. It was only recently, with the complete tear-down and recreation of talent trees for Mists of Pandaria, that there was a concept of there being anything but the one best build that people who calculated such mechanical advantages (the folks on Elitist Jerks, for example), and the people who did things like achieve "World First" at various top-tier raids set precedent for.
Also, no class will ever not have a specific set of powers; all Priests in WoW have the same baseline, with deviation only based upon their talent tree specialization, where a D&D4e player could take whatever power in their class pleases them. Any Retribution Paladin will be the same as any other in terms of powers, because that is what a RetPally is. Any Assassination Rogue will always have the same powers as another, etc. All powers are always on specific cool-downs, but will always be there when they start a battle, where a 4e PC might enter an encounter with only At-Wills, or without their Daily powers due to what plot has done up until that point. Furthermore, no power that is not already specifically tied to an item will ever "require" you have that item, to my recollection. Classes get all their powers based on class; gear only gives bonuses to stats, possibly cuts down cast times for abilities or cooldowns, grants temporary extra bonuses to stats (the latter two most often on the raid tier equipment), and on rare occassions an extra power that may or may not be valuable, as some are only special effects instead of valuable abilities.
Most honest/open response on why DDN needs to be InclusiveShow
I've always felt it is in the best interests of D&D to be as inclusive across the playerbase as they can be and still have a game. I've never felt though that making a game that was inclusive within a group was very useful or even desirable. DM's and players can decide amongst themselves what options or restrictions they want for their games. I tend to lean to the DM to make most of those decisions but again that is a group specific thing.
Having said that. I get the distinct impression that there are a lot of players on these boards who come from groups that generally ruled against their own desires. It's almost like they are an oppressed minority from a gaming perspective. I also get the impression that they tend to advocate against things that if available their fellow group members might like and vote them down on.
Do a lot of you feel this way?
Just for clarification...here are some examples... 1. Alignment restrictions as an option. 2. Alignment Mechanics 3. Martial healing 4. Races being included or not.
I know my perspective is not that I often play at tables where my likes are not represented. Instead, my perspective comes from the many years I spent being a bad DM. I was a bad DM because my guidance came from the books, and the books gave bad advice. The books told me that alignment was a useful approach to roleplaying, so I went with it even though it felt kind of weird to me. Now I know that, at least in my style of running games, alignment destroys rp. I trusted the books to give good advice, and it messed up my game. Now I'm much more mature as a DM, so I know how to take advice with a grain of salt. And I still learn new stuff every session I run.
I don't want future DMs to go through my problems again. There's a big enough DM shortage as it is. DMing well is hard.
The biggest thing I had to unlearn in my process of becoming a good DM was the idea that the game is a simulation of a world. I understand many DMs prefer a more simulationist approach, although I am always skeptical simply because I would have said the same thing until I learned and grew as a DM. This doesn't mean their approach is completely invalid, but it still gives me a personal twinge when I see a regression back to 3e era sim style gaming.
I also have noticed many groups where one or two old-school players run a whole group's playstyle because the newer players aren't even aware there are other ways of doing things. The newer players tell me stories of things they hated in the session, and I end up explaining to them how those things they hate are very fixable, and in fact are fixed in the newer edition of the game their older players have told them is terrible.
In regard to things like martial healing, I don't think it's necessary for it to be in the game for the game to be fun. However, the attitude that says martial healing is terrible and shouldn't exist is an attitude that, to me, reveals a wrongheaded approach to the game. Therefore, my fight for it to be an option is to help legitimize the more narrative approach that I think is what most players want, but many don't know is possible, because they've never been exposed to it.
Januarius, the Human Shaman (Elemental Spirit), multiclass Swordmage.
Marc S'mane - Gunslinger
)
