Author: everloss

After further review, I have come up with the following changes to Magic Users

by Ramon Perez

Hit Points and the cost of spell casting are as follows:

• d4: Zero level spells = 0 HP, Other spells cost 2 HP -1 per spell level
• d6: Zero level spells = 1 HP, Other spells cost 2 HP per spell level
• d8: Zero level spells = 1 HP, Other spells cost 2 HP +1 per spell level

In other words, if you’re a d4 Hit Die Wizard, and cast a level 3 spell, it will cost 5 hit points. If you’re a d6 HD Wizard, and cast a level 3 spell, it will cost 6 hit points. If you’re a d8 HD Wizard, a level 3 spell will cost 7 hit points.

The number of spells a character starts with also varies by hit die. 

• d4: Starts with 4 zero level spells, 2 first level spells, and 1 second level spell.
• d6: Starts with 3 zero level spells, and 2 first level spells.
• d8: Starts with 2 zero level spells, and 1 first level spell.

Spell progression in Strathos is limited in that new spells are not automatically learned. New spells can be gained by purchasing them from a more experienced magic user, converting a spell scroll or book, making a deal with a higher (or lower) being, or figuring them out through research and trial and error.

A Magic User can trade 3 spells of any level to gain a single Fighter or Specialist ability. This is only possible during character creation, and not available after the character has been used in play. This is my crappy version of multi-classing.

Magic Users suffer penalties to encumbrance (NOTE: I use Lamentations of the Flame Princess’ encumbrance system):

• Armor of +2 or higher uses 2x the amount of encumbrance slots.  
• Weapons inflicting more than d6 in damage use 2x the amount of encumbrance slots. 
• If the Magic User is more than lightly encumbered, all spell casting costs double the amount of hit points than normal. This makes having loyal (or paid) retainers/servants a necessity.

Magic Users saving throws are based more on individual character concept than set-in-stone class mechanics

• A traditional Wizard would have Intelligence as a Prime attribute, with associated saves having that benefit.
• A traditional Cleric would have Wisdom as a Prime attribute.
• A Bard would have Charisma as a Prime.
• Other builds can be argued if necessary. 

Army of God, by Draegg

I have never been a fan of “Vancian” magic systems. I’ve never read Vance, and never even heard of him until less than a decade ago. I’m sure some nerd’s head just exploded somewhere. I don’t really care.

Maybe in its original context it was hip and cool and edgy and neat. But Vancian magic hasn’t been any of those things in the 25 years I’ve been gaming. It isn’t fun; it’s an arbitrary handicap. It isn’t balancing, and even if it was, fuck that; balance is bullshit. And the worst part of it is that in spells are written down in spell books and have components you must possess… But you still forget them after casting.

(Yes, I know Gygax or Arneson or some Steven in Dragon magazine explained exactly why this is the case back before I was born. I’m sure that explanation made perfect sense, too. I don’t care. You will not convince me that it isn’t a ridiculously bad system)

So what’s the alternative? Point-based systems? Well, I’ve always preferred point based systems over the, “oops I forgot my livelihood,” spell slot system of Dungeons and Dragons. I’ve looked at many alternatives created by many people over the years, and none of them gelled with me.

The problem with point based systems is that while it offers the player character more choice and freedom, it also makes for more book keeping and an additional stat to keep track of. 

So, I’ve been working on something different.

Wizards and Clerics and Druids and Witches and Sorcerers and Warlocks and Wu Jin and whatever the hell you want to call your magic users all work pretty much the same way.

First step: Choose to be a magic user.
Second step: Choose your hit die.

Waaaaait… what? Choose your hit die?

Yep, choose a d4, d6, d8, d10, or d12.

Third step: Roll attributes, choose equipment, pick spells.

That’s it! You’re done!

Okay, it’s a little more complicated than that. Going back to to choosing your Hit Die, the HD represents what kind of magic user you want to be.

If your hit die is…

• d4, then you start with 1 additional spell, in addition to Ability/Attribute bonus. Spells cost 1 HP per level of spell to cast. Zero level spells cost 0 HP, making them “at will.”
• d6, Spells cost 1 HP per level to cast, Zero level spells cost 1 HP.
• d8, Spells cost 2 HP per level of spell to cast, Zero level spells cost 1 HP, start with 1 less spell.
• d10, Spells cost 3 HP per level of spell to cast, Zero level spells cost 2 HP, start with 2 less spells.
• d12, Spells cost 4 HP per level, Zero level spells cost 3 HP, start with 3 less spells.

You may be asking, “Why?” 

Well, this allows the player to have a sorcerer-supreme type of wizard in the classic sense; few hit points, lots of magic. It also allows for the battle-priest type of the classic cleric. It allows for the tough outdoorsy druid. It allows for a barbarian shaman with a couple of ringer powers. You could choose to be a gigantic muscle man who uses a couple low level spells to help him win body building contests. It leaves a whole lot of room for the player, rather than force them into an archetype.

The higher the hit die, the less practiced of a magic user the character is, so the fewer spells they have and the harder it is to cast those spells. They were too busy working out, hunting critters, punching things, or standing under waterfalls to spend a lot of time practicing magic. Or they just didn’t have an aptitude for it, but Dad paid for the education, so they had to learn a little bit. Maybe they worship a warrior goddess who grants some powers but considers reliance on magic to be for weaklings. 

The backstory is up to the player.

Spell lists are whatever the player wants to fit their character concept. I’m building a spell list combining AD&D, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and Castles & Crusades, with some Palladium Fantasy thrown in there for the Strathos setting I’m working on.  

Spells costing hit points was something I’ve thought about implementing for a while, and then I bought Maze of the Blue Medusa and the NPCs all spend HP to cast spells, and it sold me on the idea. It gives a point-based feel, without an addtional stat to keep track of, and makes magic more interesting by increasing its rarity due to the personal effects of wielding it.

I don’t like the “Clerics can cast any spell of an available level,” while Wizards can only cast spells they know. That doesn’t make sense to me. A cleric’s life is about their religion and belief system. Their spells should reflect the values of their god(s), religion, or religious sect/order. Since cleric spells are complicated prayers that call upon higher powers to act on the cleric’s behalf, they should be learned and passed on the same as wizard spells. Clerics have hymnals and prayer books and scrolls and prayer beads and holy symbols and altars and incense and drugs and alcohol for the same reason wizards have spell books, laboratories, crystal balls, wands, staves, pointy hats, robes with the cosmos printed on them, etc. It is for studying and recalling knowledge to perform magic.

So, if you choose d4 HD, you get a bonus spell, you get freebie spells, and your spells are very cheap to cast. You are rewarded for playing a weak, easily killed character.
With a d6 HD, you’re kind of like the “average” magic user, with no special bonuses or penalties.
At d8 HD, you’re entering Fighter territory, but with a magical edge.
With d10 and d12, your magic abilities are severely hampered, and you have a lot of potential Hit Points, but what spells you can cast will eat up those HP pretty fast. 

Fighting type characters get their own special abilities, so don’t think of a d12 magic user as a Barbarian bad-ass with magic powers, cause it is not. Far from it, actually.

One thing I forgot to mention was Ability scores for magic users. In D&D, Wizards get extra stuff from Intelligence, Clerics from Wisdom. In Castles & Crusades, those would be the Prime Attributes. Same thing here. If you have a player that wants to be a Bard, and you haven’t kicked them out of your group yet, they can choose Charisma for their Prime Attribute for their bonus spells. 

Let me know if I missed something glaringly bad or something is poorly written.

As per the norm, I’m overthinking things.

I’m going to nix my size-level/race determines Hit Points idea, and stick with the classic Class determines HP.

I’m going to revise the Yon Race, making them less powerful, but also removing one of their hindrances.

I’m working on a revised Barbarian class, and the format for the Barbarian will also mean that I will revise the previously posted Fighter and Ranger.

I may get rid of the Ranger entirely as I think it is redundant.

I’m going to go for a more Sword and Sorcery feel for the Strathos setting. Meaning, that magic is going to be more rare, and mostly in the hands of NPCs, rather than player characters.

Along with the Barbarian, I’m also currently reworking the Cleric class and making a new Cleric spell list.

Fungoids are a playable race I’ve been working on for some time. They are a pet project at this point, and I’m kind of in love with them. For a teaser, Fungoids are mushroom people that start at a tiny gnome-like size, and as they increase in level, they get larger and larger, until they become colossal and root themselves into the ground, becoming part of the landscape.

A lot of real life stuff has been happening that has slowed my output, but I’ve been working on all of this as time permits. The lack of posts reflects that.

When all is said and done, I plan on putting everything together into a player’s guide/gazetteer in pdf form.

These are some bits of C&C I am fiddling with. I guess you could surmise that I don’t like C&C from all the changes I’m making, but the fundamental part, the SIEGE engine, I am keeping as is.

Anyway…

Hit Points

I don’t like hit points being based on class. I prefer it to be based on species. Probably because I grew up playing Palladium. Regardless, I’ve taken it a step further and am basing HP on size level.

• Tiny size = d4 HP
• Small = d6 HP
• Medium = d8 HP
• Large = d10 HP
• Huge = d12 HP

This actually isn’t really a huge change; creatures in the C&C Monsters and Treasure book have HD based on size. I’m simply extending that to player characters.

Skills

I think it is stupid for Rogues to have an exclusive bunch of skills, many of which are necessary for anyone in the party to survive for any amount of time. Rules as written though, no other class gets those skills. So, the fighter can’t climb, the wizard automatically falls into every pit trap, and the cleric is suddenly deaf when they want to listen at a door.

So all classes get Rogue/Thief skills. The caveat is that all skills, regardless of associated attribute, have a base of 18. Attribute modifiers apply, but level bonuses do not. In other words, your 5th level Fighter’s +1 Dex mod will apply to their climb skill, but they will not get a +5 from being 5th level.

For a Rogue, Prime attributes and level bonus does apply, so they keep their advantage with skills over other classes.

Decipher Script is ridiculous, so I’m replacing it entirely with Language. When you encounter a new language, roll against this skill to determine if you know it. You must roll separately for speech and literacy.

The list of skills is as follows:

• Climb (Dexterity)
• Language (Intelligence)
• Hide (Dexterity)
• Listen (Wisdom)
• Move Silently (Dexterity)
• Open Lock (Dexterity)
• Pick Pocket (Dexterity)
• Traps (Intelligence)

Secondary skills

I’m not sure if I want to use secondary skills. I like the idea, and originally I was all about using them, buuuuuuut… I dunno. I was going to use them with a table for character backgrounds (I spent a stupid amount of time working on said table), but with Humans, Yon, Fungoids, Hobgoblins, and whatever else, a single background table seems pretty stupid. And I don’t want to make a separate table for every species. That would take forever! Maybe someday. I mean, really, I wouldn’t have to make extensive tables for each one.

So for now, no secondary skills. 

Hi there!

Today I was thinking about Clerics and how their spells are actually prayers and then I thought about spell scrolls, and how they are actually prayer scrolls.

And prayer scrolls don’t disappear after you read them.

Scrolls are fragile, and can be affected by heat, moisture, tearing, cutting, age, smudgy ink, and on and on. There is also the language barrier; a reader must be able to read the language, pronounce words, have a basic understanding of context, etc

If you’re trying to read a scroll in combat, then good luck! Arrows can go right through it, swords and axes can slice it, fire can burn it, water will make the ink run… a battlefield is no place for a scroll. Nor are mildew-filled humid caverns or dry tombs sealed for centuries. If it isn’t a moldy mess, it will turn to dust when it is handled.

They get wet when you ford a river or get caught in a downpour. They burn up when you’re running from the fire breathing dragon. They disintegrate when you get splashed with acid. They become illegible when you’re chest deep in the muck of an otyugh’s den. 

Scrolls, while powerful and useful tools, are far from awe-inspiring magic items.

The only mythology I know of that has one-use magic scrolls is Dungeons and Dragons and the various spin-offs.

I assume it has something to do with game balance, or Gygax being a dick, or some other reason born out of a basement 50 years ago. I don’t really care.

I don’t like it, so I’m changing it.

• Reusable
• very fragile: If it isn’t properly stored, a scroll will be irreparably damaged by travel and weather. I’m thinking of a 1 in 10 chance of the scroll becoming illegible per week of travel, with modifiers for weather and geographic obstacles. Like +5 (making it 6 in 10) if a body of water was crossed, +3 if climbing was necessary, +1 if a light rain was encountered. These can be used for hex crawling or for mid adventure spot checks.
• Not useful in combat: If you’re in combat and get hit while reading a scroll, there is a 5 in 10 chance the scroll is destroyed. Add modifiers for weather and conditions. 
• The reader must know proper language and/or cryptography (if encoded) to use the scroll. Finding a scroll in an ancient tomb may be useless because no one can read it. This can lead to further adventure. This also encourages the use of different languages, and I love that. I’ll probably write a post about language at some point in the future.
• Scrolls can be memorized and added to the cleric or magic user’s spell list. This requires study and takes some time. The regular rules apply. I’ll probably use the rules from Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

 So all that kinda makes scroll cases actually important, instead of just crappy background imagery.

• Scroll cases can be made of whatever, but here are some guidelines
• Leather is soft and won’t be broken, protecting from wear and tear. However, it isn’t waterproof. It’s better than nothing, though.
• Wood is tough but crappy in every other way. It can be sealed with wax.
• Metal is the strongest and can be hermetically sealed.  

Making Clerics the sole providers of health is kinda sucky. It makes the party think that someone has to be a cleric to be the healer of the group. I don’t like that. I don’t like anyone feeling like they’re forced to pick a class.

So, we need alternatives.

Healing potions are an option, but are so cliche. I did make a healing potion table a long time ago with names and potencies, and tables are always fun.

The other easy option is food. Specifically, lots of food. Like Goku eating after a battle against some alien menace amount of food.

To make it simple, everyone needs to eat a days worth of food. With DnD’s built-in system of rations, this is pretty easy to follow.

Eat a day’s rations, and you stay healthy and happy. Eat two days worth of rations in one sitting, and heal d4 hit points. Eat three days worth and get 2d4 HP, and so on.

This also makes the players take an active interest in keeping track of their rations, something I’ve found just about every player ever fails to do unless pushed by the GM (who has bettter shit to do). 

So when a Barbarian goes into battle and loses a lot of hit points, they’re going to have to eat a LOT to regain their HP.

Speaking of Barbarians, that is my next project: a new Barbarian class similar in construction to the previous Ranger and Fighter.

In my ongoing quest to make Castles & Crusades classes feel more right to me, here is my take on the Ranger. Inspired by the Ranger class found here, I feel that this is more interesting than the standard and makes player characters a little more unique.

Prime Attribute: Strength
Hit Points: d8 for human sized, d6 for smaller, d10 for larger.
Bonus to hit:

Saves: C&C standard; based on Prime attributes.

Roll twice on the following table for special abilities. Many things listed are stackable, but if you roll something that isn’t stackable more than once, just roll again for something different.

1. Ability bonus: +1 Strength up to racial maximum. If that is maxed out, add it to Dexterity. If Dexterity is maxed, add it to Constitution. If Constitution is maxed out, roll again.
2. Animal Companion: Completely loyal, slightly more intelligent than average animal of its type, and must be an animal type available in the area you are in when you get this ability. Stackable for additional animals. If an animal companion dies, it is not replaced, unless this is rolled again.
3. You can duel wield like a morlock-y elf. Extra attack with off hand, split your to-hit bonus between each.
4. Create medicine from plants and animal parts. You can create doses equal to 1+Intelligence Modifier per day with adequate ingredients. To get adequate ingredients, you must hunt for 1 day. Each dose will heal d6 hit points. This is NOT considered deific or clerical healing. Not stackable. These organic bandages do not last very long; good only for d2 days, twice that long in cold environments.
5. Create poison from plants and animal parts. Essentially the same as #4 above, but deals d6 damage. Not stackable
6. Bonus to notice: +1 to notice/search in ouotdoor wilderness areas. Stackable
7. Add one to critical range: 19, 20. Stackable
8. Bonus to saving throws: +1 to all saving throws
9. Calm beasts: Can calm a hostile animal ala Crocodile Dundee, with gentle movements and noises. The animal must not have attacked in the last round, and must not have been attacked in the last round. A calmed animal will run away, rather than fight.
10. Supreme hunter: Can hunt twice as fast and uses 1/2 the ammo
11. Bonus against disease and paralysis: +1, stackable
12. Bonus against poison/venom: +1, stackable
13. Automatically succeed a single lore-type check per day, as long as it relates to wilderness type stuff. Like, if someone in the party is about to eat a berry, you’ll know if it is edible and delicious, or poisonous and yucky.
14. Ranged weapon specialization: +1 to hit on a called shot (including disarm), stackable.
15. Bonus to Climb (STR), Track (INT), or Move Silently (DEX), your choice: +1, stackable.
16. Camouflage: In the wilderness, you know how to affix plant matter and use paint and mud and other stuff to conceal yourself. If you aren’t moving, you are effectively invisible, even in daylight. Anyone looking has a -5 penalty to Notice, unless you move faster than 1/2 your normal speed (daytime) or normal speed (night).
17. Bonus to hit: +1, pick either ranged or melee, stackable.
18. You can devour the organs of animals you’ve killed and gain their power! Basically, eat an organ, get an ability mod. Brain = INT or WIS, Kidneys or Liver = CON, Heart = STR, Tongue = CHA. Other organs can be devoured for other effects, if reasonable and cleared with the GM (Which is me, in this case). Bonus is equal to half the animal’s hit die, rounding down. Bonus is dependent on animal’s Prime saves (Physical or Mental). Effects last 8 hours.
19. Pretty good at whittling: In a single day, you can make one of the following; a sling, atlatl, short spear, short bow, or 2d8 arrows. In two days, you can make a long bow, long spear, or 4d8 arrows.
20. Pick an animal, monster, or humanoid you’ve faced in the past. You get a +1 to hit and damage against that species. This is stackable, OR you can pick an additional species to have a bonus against. 

This is my take on the Fighter, made specifically for C&C, and even more specifically for my home game.

It is inspired by this fighter, and because the standard C&C Fighter is so fucking boring that it hurts.

Bonus to hit remains the same: +1 every level.
Experience points remains the same.
Saving Throws are the same: in other words, they are based on ability checks. I list saves separately, though, because I think it is easier to keep track of and everyone is used to seeing saves listed.
Starting money: this will be on a future table because buying equipment takes forever and random tables are fun.

Roll a d20 twice every level, including first, and consult the table. If a result is rolled that isn’t stackable, roll again.

1. Reroll a to-hit roll and take the higher roll: 1x per game session, stackable
2. Bonus to all saving throws: +1, stackable
3. Once per battle the fighter can inspire an ally to receive a single, non-attack action.
4. Extra attack against foes with 0 or 1 hit die
5. Recognize weapon quality; approximate retail value and at least one fact about the weapon’s history and/or powers, if any.
6. Disarm +1, stackable. Need to roll above an 18 to disarm, must be called before roll to hit.
7. Bonus of +1 (stackable) to hit from the following list
1. From horseback
2. with a melee weapon
3. unarmed
4. with a ranged weapon
8. Bonus to damage (choose melee or ranged): +1
9. Additional attack per round, to-hit bonus is divided between them.
10. Intimidate: +1 stackable, this is an opposed check of Charisma +d20 vs wisdom +d20
11. Loyal henchman or animal, stackable
12. Strength bonus: +1 to one above racial max. If Strength is full, it goes to Constitution. If Constitution is full it goes to Dexterity up to racial maximum.
13. Double damage instead of full damage on a critical hit. Yes, this is stackable.
14. Critical range increased to 19, 20. Then 18, 19, 20. and so on.
15. Decapitate enemy with a natural 20, if its HD is less than your level.
16. Spell use: know one random spell, useable one time only, from spell levels 1-8 at a 15th level proficiency. May only know one spell at a time.
17. Attack multiple enemies: your number of attacks equals 1/2 the number of enemies surrounding you in melee (rounding up). Each attack must be used on a separate enemy.
18. Through practice, you’ve gotten a +1 bonus to hit while fighting blind. This is stackable.
19. Get a bonus of +1 to any single Thief skill. Non-Thieves have to roll an 18 for a skill, regardless of Prime attribute, and level/HD does not apply.
20. You hit the hardest. Knock opponent prone on a critical hit. Opposed roll of Strength +d20 vs Strength +d20. Works against same size or smaller. Larger opponents get a bonus of +5 per size level difference.

That’s about it for fighters.