Blog Archive

Thursday 26 March 2015

Nysarian Military Ranks

These are the military ranks that I use in my game. It's mixed with real world and stuff I picked up from other settings...

Nysarian Military Ranks

1st Rank – non-trained, usually volunteers not-soldiers
2nd Rank – trained, low level soldiers (1st – 2nd level)
3rd Rank – trained, med level soldiers (3rd – 4th level)

Constable – leader of small groups, often highly specialized, usually from 5-50
individuals, rarely work as a full unit; usually 4th-7th level. Often an inherited title.

Riding Knight – Allied but not a part nation’s standard military, under a Commander

Standing Knight – exist outside of nation’s standard military, help with defense

Sash Knight – specialists that are outside of a nation’s military, (e.g. giant slayers)

Left Hand – special agent, independent officers or spies, rarely soldiers

Man of Arms: Lead groups of constables, usually 6-7th level.

Captain of Arms: Leads 2 – 20 groups of Constables, (Also called Right Hands); 8+ level

Mayor or Warden: Leads a specific portfolio in a city, may lead small towns or forts

Commander: NCOs, command unique divisions not part of standing army

Solomo: usually NCOs; a Wizard officer, assume 10+level unless ceremonial

Battle Captain: Leads ten Captain of Arms; Usually 12+ level

Battle General: military leader of an army; Usually 14+ level
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Barbarians: not part of standing armies, they do not accept Rank, even unofficially
Bards – left hands, very rarely are in official military ranks
Clerics: usually constables, mayors or commanders; Never Solomo
Druids: left hands, or as Clerics
Fighter and Paladins: any except for Solomo
Monk: may be left hand, warden or commander
Rangers: not part of standing armies, often act as left hands or Commander
Rogue: may be left hand, warden or commander
Sorcerer: may be left hand, warden or commander; rarely act as a Solomo
Wizard: may be left hand, warden, commander but when Solomo are usually 11+ level.

Friday 20 March 2015

Vottinna - Blue Skinned, Magic-Item Destroying Humanoid Monk

This creature was slowly developed as an antidote for magical trapped areas in my dungeon, essentially if using standard rules, either the traps would be too much why would the areas still be around? This race is a way for lower level adventurers can go through these areas because the Vottinna cleared the magical traps. They are sometimes still in the dungeon but most often as strangers to this world, they reside in monasteries where they may be expected to follow the rules but not to talk a lot, which helps them to avoid giving unpopular information.

Vottinna                                                                                    CR 5
Medium-Size Humanoid LN 
Init +7; Perception + 8

DEFENSE

AC 18 (+3 dexterity, +4 wisdom, +1 Monk AC Bonus), 18 Touch, 18 Flat-foot
hp 32  (5d8+10)
Fort: +6 Ref + 7 Will + 7
Morale 16

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.
Attack: +3 Unarmed Strike (1d8)
Full Attack: +2 Unarmed Strike X 2 (1d8)
Special Attacks: Stunning Attack, Ki Strike (Silver, Magic)

STATISTICS

Abilities: Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis: 18, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB 13 CMD 16
Feats: Blind Fight, Improved Initiative, Dodge
Skills Appraise +5, Diplomacy +10, Perception +8, Disable Device +8, Sense Motive +5, Knowledge (Arcana) + 5
Special Qualities: Nullify Magic, Evasion, Still Mind, Pure Body, Curse Magic and Drain Magic
Languages: Common, Elf

ECOLOGY

Environment: Monastery or Obelisk
Organization: Solitary or Band (2-7)
Treasure: Half Standard

The Vottinna are an elusive and mysterious light blue-furred race with a severe hatred of magical items. Most have long, overflowing bluish-black hair, large ears tipped both on top and below, and small black orbs for eyes. Their long arms end in hands, whose fingers are always curled, they are unable to straighten them. They are able to mate with almost any other humanoid, but their children are never Vottinna half-breeds, only when two Vottinna mate does the blood line run true.

They are often trusted members of peaceful monastic or religious orders, but few people suspect their motivation. They usually have complex plans to cause misery to the cause of arcane magic but strangely not to individual casters of magic. Adventures may encounter a Vottinna if they acquire a cursed magic item and need to rid it from their possession.  Many times there is a trade-off, getting paid in a powerful arcane item in payment for retrieving a cursed item.  While they abhor a wizard’s created items, they sometimes use clerical ones in the most dire of circumstances, but they will feel need to purge their bodies of the unholy action.

Generally, they are peaceful and friendly but they never willingly share information or their beliefs. It is strongly assumed they come from another world or dimension, and they gravitate towards monasteries because those places are open to strangers.

Combat
They fight as monks at the same level as their HD. They use their stunning blow as often as possible, and never hesitate to use their unique abilities to counteract magic.

Nullify Magic: Each spell has a maximum potency (DC or effective level), if a Vottinna can overcome this by making a full round attack and treating this as a target AC, they cancel the spell effect out immediately. A 10th level wizard, with a 16 intelligence casting a 2nd level spell will have a normal DC of 15; this would be the target AC the Vottinna would have to beat. Any feats or magical devices which increase the DC, likewise increases the DC the Vottinna needs to beat.

Curse Magic: Any item used on to cast a spell on a Vottinna has a chance to be temporarily cursed to either backfire or simply not work (DM to decide, based what is the worst possible outcome.) The likelihood is a Will DC based on the level of the Vottinna (10+ effective level of the Vottinna.) There is no effect on passive magic items, such as a sword or item of protection.

Drain Magic: Once a day, if a Vottinna can grasp an item for one full minute, they can permanently drain the magic from the item. There is no save if the item has an effective level less then the Vottinna. Otherwise, it is a power check based on the Vottinna’s level.

Monday 16 March 2015

Nyssian Druid

Here is the druid found in my game worlds. I created it awhile ago with the intention of getting rid of
the shape-shifting ability.

Druids regardless of alignment are loosely connected and very rarely attack each other. They are all bound by mission, it`s just the way they take steps to complete their duties will differ. They usually organize themselves in Circles, all are bound to a group, equivalent to a church or Obelisk. Many Circles are specific to a single race, alignment or other feature. Non druids often join a Circle in remote areas, if the Circle Elders are open to this.


Nyssian Druid

Alignment: Any Neutral

Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills: As per Player`s Handbook
Weapon and Armor Options:  As per Player`s Handbook
Spells: Per the druid spell list. They cannot cast spells from the Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells domains

Bonus Languages: A druid’s bonus language options include Sylvan, Faerie, & Druid.

Animal Companion, Nature Sense, Wild Empathy: Per PhB at 1st level

Woodland Stride: Per PhB at 2nd level.

Animals Step (Ex): A druid can make their footprints to match any medium sized animal at will.

Brew Draught (Su): At 6th level a druid can create simple natural potions in ten minutes for any first level spells that they can cast. At 8th, 10th & 12 they learn how to make potions of the next spell level. They can brew only one spell draught every day which can have from one to six sips and last 24 hours.

Adaptation (Su): Can change their body to better handle the dangers around them mimicking an animal’s natural properties (Some examples: Legs to run faster, Gills to Breathe Underwater, Wings for limited flight, etc). Each adaptation is a free action to enact the change.

Speak with Animals (Ex): Can speak with animals as the spell at will if within 10 feet of the animal.

Venom Immunity (Ex): Gains immunity to all natural poisons found in the wild or can be created from natural sources. They gain +6 to all other (non-natural) toxins.

Druid Grove (Su): Magic Circle Campsite affects 50 feet in circular radius with fire in the center, Lasts 12 hours, Natural Healing Rate Doubles, +4 on all re-rolls to avoid negative magic affects, +6 spotting strangers approaching, Natural resources available.

Speak With Plants (Ex): Can speak with plants at will as per spell if within 10 feet of the plant

A Thousand Faces (Su): Can change their appearance at will as if using the alter self spell

Animate Plants (Su): Can animate plants once per day.

Greater Druid Grove (Su): Magic Circle Campsite affects 100 feet circular radius with small fire in the center, Lasts 24 hours, Natural Healing Rate Triples, +10 on all re-rolls to avoid negative magic affects, Automatic spotting strangers approaching, Natural resources available, 50% chance of magical merchant (friendly to the Druid's cause) available

Eyes of the Forest (Su): Can commune with all animals within a region, the spell is similar to commune with the forest except the distance is 20 miles per druid level

LevelBABFortRefWillSpecialZero1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st+0+2+0+2Wild empathy31







2nd+1+3+0+3Woodland Stride42







3rd+2+3+1+3Animal’s Step43







4th+3+4+1+41st Adaptation531






5th+3+4+1+4Speak w/Animals542






6th+4+5+2+5Brew Draught543






7th+5+5+2+52nd Adaptation6531





8th+6+6+2+6Venom immunity6542





9th+6+6+3+6Druidic Grove6643





10th+7+7+3+73rd Adaptation66531




11th+8+7+3+7Speak with Plants66542




12th+9+8+4+8A thousand Faces67543




13th+9+8+4+84th Adaptation676431



14th+10+9+4+9Animate Plants676542



15th+11 / +1+9+5+95th Adaptation6865431


16th+12/+2+10+5+10G Druidic Grove6875432


17th+12/+2+10+5+106th Adaptation68764421

18th+13/+3+11+6+11Eyes of the Forest687654321
19th+14/+4+11+6+117th Adaptation6886553321
20th+15/+5+12+6+12Perfect Self6887554332