Sharing a World

A few months back...Wow. Back in March of 2014, nearly a year ago. Wow. Well, I promised it would move slowly, and damn if I wasn't honest. We got through basically an adventure, maybe two depending on how you look at it. But, I've been thinking over the last six months or so.

First, I've done a ton of map making, world building, and setting development. Stuff that will almost never be used and almost certainly never be appreciated by any player. Mainly, because I didn't do it for my players. I did it for me. In fact, the entire setting has nothing to do with my players. I don't even want them to really read the history and setting stuff. It will likely bore them to tears or remind them of some other setting that did it similarly and likely better. That's okay... It's not for them.

Second, that begs the question. If the setting is almost entirely for my own enjoyment, why am I making my players play in it? It's next to impossible to share the depth I have into the world with them. I don't plan on writing a novel (which would be agonizingly derivative and familiar). That would be the easiest way to share it, but I don't want to ask my players to labor through a novel to be able to enjoy a D&D game. That's dumb.

Third, I like to be a player-centric GM. I have good reason to be, and I think that makes the most sense. So I should use a setting that was player-centric. A homebrew setting *can* do that, but it puts more pressure on the player. They have to learn your setting after you share it. They have to read or listen or somehow experience the setting in a way similar to how I develop it to know what the hell is going on. That's annoying. I mean really, who enjoys reading the 7-page history or someone's homebrew setting. Hell, I rarely enjoy reading my own.







And...That's what I've been thinking about. Over the past couple months I stepped back and thought about what I was trying to do with the Elohim setting. What I ended up with was a list of games, book, movies, and so forth that I enjoyed and wanted to play in. Some are popular and well know, others are very obscure.

At first I believed this sort of thinking was taking me nowhere, so I stopped and tried a new approach. I asked myself if I was going to run a different kind of game, like say the mirror of fantasy RPG...Science Fiction (or fantasy, argue among yourselves), what would I run? Took a whole two seconds for me to say "Star Wars". Because of course Star Wars.

Wait. Why of course? Okay. Well. Hu. After some thought I came up with the following.

First, it's wide open for exploration and adventure. It's a universe with magic. Just about *everything* is on the table. Dragons? Sure, several already in the setting (granted the expanded universe, but whatever). Angels? Yup, those too. Elves? Yup, two times in fact. Plus room for just about everything else. Limits are for whims.

Second, it's shared with just about everyone. Certainly everyone who I might play with. Plus, even if I go drag something crazy into the game that is not in the movies, it takes a google search to get up to speed.

Third, It's not mine. One thing that happens with a homebrew setting is a tendency to be attached to it. You can idealize it and changes can be painful to watch. If you intentionally design the setting to be wrecked by your players, that's fine, but hard to do. If you don't, you can find yourself either lamenting the changes or resisting them. Neither is helpful to a game.


Okay. Fantastic. If i was running a space-game, I'd do Star Wars for good reasons. But, I'm not. What would be the fantasy equivalent of Star Wars. Short answer: there isn't one I can think of. Nothing has that kind of history, that kind of following, that kind of exposure, or that kind of open-ended-ness.

Longer answer: No, Middle Earth doesn't work. It is relatively small, linear, and limited. You don't toss steam-punk into Middle Earth. Anything from the Far Realm or Lovecraft is tough to fit into Middle Earth and have it make sense. Plus, the difference between the movies and the books causes all sorts of issues. Basically, it has all the same problems of playing a home-brew setting...because it is Tolkien's home-brew setting. Star Wars, by comparison, has been out of Lucas's hands and open to others since forever. It hasn't been 'his' in a long time. It is shared. It is everyones.

There are other contenders. The world of Avatar the last Airbender is widely known enough to be easily recognize and certainly accessible. It's more or less open-ish. But adding elves and orcs and stuff like that is tough. Azeroth is likely the strongest contender. It's open enough to allow almost anything, and has introduced most of it anyway. It's well known enough that most people who would play D&D would know enough to call it shared. Just slapping a medieval fantasy skin on Star Wars could work. But, weirdly and you may as well just play star wars. Conan would work, but only because it is generic, but it's not exactly well known like the others are. I mean, do you know the name of the world of Conan. I do, but I bet I'm rare among my friends on that point. I'm sure there are others.

I guess I don't have an answer to this.

For now, I'm gonna plug along with Elohim. None of my players are complaining overtly so It's not a problem I need to deal with directly. Of course, there are several people who are not playing that might if the game was more accessible, shared, and familiar. Not sure. Love to know.


What would be the best setting for a Fantasy RPG? Where do you want to play?

Oath of the Risen Redeemer (5e Paladin Oath)

Typically, the Oath of the Risen Redeemer is only taken by Risen Demons or other kinds of Fiends. However, in rare situations, a mortal can take this oath. 

Risen Demons that swear the Oath of the Redeemer seek to atone for their previous actions by repairing the damage done by the evil forces they once allied with. While the Redeemer is not afraid to put his enemy to the sword, he believes that ending the cycle of violence is the best way to gain atonement and acceptance into the blessed.

Tenets of the Redeemer

Sacrifice – What you once took from others must now be offered back to them, even your very life.

Penitence – Remember where you came from, and why you left.

Compassion – Aid others, protect the weak, lift up the fallen, accept the penitent.

Humility – Do not regard yourself as above anyone. Oppose evil, but recall you were once worse.

Oath of the Risen Redeemer Spells

3^{rd –} Cure Wounds, Sanctuary

5^th – Calm Emotions, Prayer of Healing

9^{th –} Revivify, Beacon of Hope

13^{th –} Aura of Vitality, Death Ward

17^{th –} Greater Restoration, Circle of Power

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3^rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Channel Demonic Essence – The Redeemer learns to convert his physical form into positive energy that may be used to heal the wounded and cure the sick. The Redeemer uses his own hit points to fuel this ability, taking damage in return for energy to power the healing. As a standard action, the Redeemer can heal any number of hit points to a willing target he touches by converting his own hit points (2hp lost for 1 hp healed.). Similar to the Lay on Hands ability, a Paladin may neutralize poison at the cost of 10 hit points using this ability.

At 9^th level: the Redeemer may now remove a disease or cure blindness/deafness at the cost of 10 hit points.

At 13^th level he heals at an even 1 for 1 conversion, and the cost to remove poison, blindness/deafness, and diseases drops to 5 hit points.

At 17^th level he can cast Power Word Heal at the cost of 50 points from his Lay on Hands pool, (or 75 of his own hit points.)  

Invoke Redemption – As an action, you present your holy symbol and offer peace and healing. Every opponent that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you (and can understand you) must make a Wisdom saving throw. Non-evil opponents have disadvantage on this saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is unable to engage in any hostile action for one round, and at the end of the round they will heal an amount equal to your Charisma modifier. Opponents can make a new saving throw at the end of each round. This effect endures until the opponent is attacked, or succeeds at the saving throw.

Aura of Healing - Beginning at 7^th level, the Redeemer’s mere presence is enough to heal the sick and maintain health. All allies within a 10 foot aura gain advantage to saving throws to resist disease, poison, and death effects, and also gain resistance to necrotic damage. In addition, allies within a 10 foot radius that fail a saving throw against disease, poison, and death effects (or are currently suffering effects from poison or disease) may immediately make an additional saving attempt. This second attempt can only take positive effect, if the save is failed again, the disease or poison do not take additional affect as per a normal failed save.

At 15^th level this aura extends to 30 feet, grants advantage to save vs magical fatigue and exhaustion, and grants resistance to poison damage

Calming Aspect – As the Redeemer masters the ability to transform his body into healing energy, at 15^th level, the Redeemer’s body changes and shifts in response to its exposure to pure positive energy. The Redeemer takes on a more angelic aspect, his demonic features fade, and even his mundane healing seems to be suffused with the divine. The Redeemer gains proficiency on all Persuasion and Medicine checks (or double proficiency bonus if those skills were already selected.) In addition, the Redeemer’s Lay on Hands healing pool is doubled to Paladin level x10

Redeem This World – At 20^th level the Redeemer can take the form of an Angel of Redemption. For one minute. You gain the following benefits:

*You emanate an aura of redemption in a 30 foot radius. The first time any enemy enters the aura or starts its turn there during a battle, the creature must succeed at a wisdom saving throw or become regretful for one minute. Regretful opponents have disadvantage on all hostile actions.

*At the start of each of your turns, you and all allies within a 10 foot radius regain 10 hit points.

*During this time, you can Channel your Angelic Essence to remove conditions (do we want to set this as any negative condition, even those that haven’t been included up to this point?) without paying the self-damaging cost.  – sure

*For the duration of this effect, your type changes to celestial. 

Special thanks to John Reddish for his work on this. 

Magori (5e Monster)

Magori
Large aberration, chaotic evil

Armor Class: 13
Hit Points: 32 (8d8)
Speed: 20 feet; swim 60 feet

Str: 20 (+5)
Dex: 16 (+3)
Con: 17 (+3)
Int: 12 (+1)
Wis: 14 (+2)
Cha: 16 (+3)

Damage Vulnerability: Fire
Senses: Blindsense (60 feet), Darkvision (60 feet), passive Perception 12
Languages: Common, Infernal (cannot speak).
Challenge: 4 (1,100 xp)

Acid Blood:  Whenever an opponent within 5 feet of the magori deals damage to it with a slashing or piercing weapon, he must make a DC 17 Dexterity save or take 2d4 points of acid damage as the magori’s blood splatters him. Success negates all damage.
Amphibious: A magori breathes underwater, but can survive on land indefinitely.
Keen Blade: Any manufactured slashing weapon used by a magori scores a critical on a roll of 19.
Fog Cloud: Magori can cast Fog Cloud 1/hour
Smite Law: Magori deal an additional 3 points of damage against lawful creatures.

Actions

Multiattack: A magori makes two attacks. Either a bite and claw or bite and sickle.

Claws. Melee weapon attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d6+5) slashing damage

Bite. Melee weapon attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (1d8+5) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 6 (2d6) poison damage.

Large Sickle. Melee weapon attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (1d8+5) slashing damage. This weapon scores a critical hit on a roll of 19.

Magori are crab-like creatures that know only hate and live to destroy sentient life. 

A magori looks like an ogre-sized humanoid crustacean with a reddish-orange carapace. It is capable of using tools and weapons crafted specifically for use with its crab- like claws and bizarre physiognomy.

Little is known about how the asexual magori spread their numbers, though a popular theory is that once every five years, all adults return to the sea and release an egg sac that will eventually give life to five exact duplicates of the creature in question.

The magori were originally under the guidance of another creation of Chaos known as the Coil, who magically augmented the duration of their obscuring mist ability and caused it to carry the disease known as Coil Cough. The magori have since scattered and make their own wayward paths throughout the world. 

Risen Demon (5e Race)

Risen Demon

Ability Score Increase: +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma

Size: Medium

Speed: 30 feet

Taint of Evil: Risen demons are dogged by the taint of evil that marked their forms. Risen demons have the Fiend type, they are not humanoids. Spells and effects that target Fiends can target them. Spells and effects that specifically target Humanoids do not effect them. 

Darkvision: A lasting legacy of their infernal heritage, risen demons can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Risen demons cannot can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of grey. 

Fiendish Familiarity: Risen Demons have advantage on attack rolls against Fiends. Risen demons are intimately familiar with the various types of fiends. This experience, combined with their hatred for such creatures, makes them more effective in battle against them. Furthermore, direct attacks (including spells) from a risen demon against a Fiend bypass any damage resistance, damage immunity, and cannot be regenerated. 

Knowledge of the Struggle: Risen Demons are proficient in Religion. They are intimately familiar with the Cosmic struggle between good and evil. 

Language: Infernal or Abyssal. 

Saboteur (Rogue Archetype)

So, me and some players discussed switching our game to 5e. Almost instantly, they realized their current characters were not particularly well represented in 5e and new stuff would be needed. I'm all for home-brew since if you are not making home-brew stuff, you are probably a fascist.

One player wanted to play a Rogue, but neither Thief nor Assassin really "fit". He wanted to use technology (traps, bombs, that sort of thing) to screw people up and wreck things. So, here's what we got:

Saboteur

Some rogues are just clever and like to tinker. Others take that to a whole new level. They learn the fine art of destruction. Skilled in the use of bombs, traps, and a keen understanding of just how little it takes to break something. A saboteur can detonate an entire wing of a castle, or remove that one really important part to bring down an Iron Golem. Never let a saboteur near your equipment...it will never work right again.

Analytic Eye: Saboteurs are good at looking at things and knowing how they work and how best to take them apart. Starting at 3rd level, you can use the bonus action granted by your cunning action to make an Intelligence check to disarm a trap, open a lock, or take the Use an Object action without the use of tools. 

My Tools are my Weapons: Being in the thick of things, a Saboteur has to think quick on their feet and regularly utilize tools such as wrenches, drills, and shovels as weaponry. A Saboteur is proficient in the use of bomb-making and trap-making tools. At 3rd level, a Saboteur is proficient at using tools as improvised weapons. 

Built-in Obsoleteness: At level 9, Saboteurs can take a Use an Object action to make an object fail. It's not entirely broken, it's just disabled in some way. Anyone who tries to use the object takes disadvantage doing so until it is repaired. The Saboteur can sabotage the object in such a way that it will not be immediately noticeable and not break for up to a day or until used in some specific way.

A Trap is a Trap: By 13th level, A saboteur has enough knowledge of how things work that they can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items.

Well, There's Your Problem: Starting at 17th level, you become a master of traps and causing things to critically fail. When a creature is surprised and hit by one of your traps, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, double the damage of your attack against the creature. Against constructs, you need only to attack and hit a surprised construct to force the Constitution saving throw.
 

---Big Thanks to Robert Goodrick for all his hard work on this (he did basically 90% of the work here).

Comparative Red Dragons

First, I love the relatively short 5e stat blocks for monsters. I'm gonna ignore most of the details though and just stick with something that is consistent in every edition and more or less works the same in each.

Here is the 3.5 Adult Red Dragons Ability scores:
Str: 33
Dex: 10
Con: 21
Int: 16
Wis: 19
Cha: 16

Here is the Adult Red Dragon in 4e:
Str: 25
Dex: 19
Con: 22
Int: 13
Wis: 16
Cha: 14

weaker, more nimble, about as tough, and not as bright or charming.

And here we have the 5e Adult Red Dragon:
Str: 27
Dex: 10
Con: 25
Int: 16
Wis: 13
Cha: 21

Little stronger than 4e, weaker than 3.5. Back to 3e nimbleness. Toughest of the three. Not as wise, but relatively smart. Considerably more charming (or more likely awful).

Here's the really interesting note:

Challenge ratings:
3.5: 15
4e: 15
5e: 17

It doesn't look like the dragon got much more powerful, it just seems to have gotten much more relatively powerful.

Mini-6 Marked & Eruption

I'm fluent in d20 rules. I can do that off the top of my head. D6 kinda depends on which version and I've never really got married to any version of D6 (except for Star Wars back in the day). If I run a game today I'd just use Mini-6. It's easy, the core rules are limited and free, and I can add to it on the fly fairly easily. There are few weak spots in the rules, but that is typical for any minimalist system.

BTW, Link here: Mini 6

So, how does marked and eruption work in Mini-6?

A baseline, normal, non-marked human will usually only get 8d for attributes and only 4d for skills. Marked get 12d for attributes and 7d for skills. Marked get access to perks, very few unmarked will ever have a perk and never an esoteric perk. Marked can use Hero Points, unmarked never do.

As you gain character points, you track the total the character has earned. Every time the character earns 10 character points, roll a percentile die (d100). The odds of eruption are equal to your total character points. Do the same thing with hero points, but separately.

If the roll indicates the character is about to erupt, the character can accept a -1d penalty to all future damage soak rolls. This allows the character to delay eruption until they earn another 10 character points or hero points.  You can only do this as many times as you have dice in Might.

If the character is about to erupt and cannot or will accept the penalty, they can delay eruption using character points or hero points. 1 character point delays eruption for 1 round. Hero points delay eruption for 10 rounds.

When a character erupts, everything within a radius in feet equal to the characters total character points takes damage equal to the characters total character points. Additionally, everything within a radius in feet equal to the characters hero point total takes damage equal to the characters hero point total.

Marked within the radius of the eruption who survive gain a hero point. These characters may roll 1d6 and gain that many character points. Unmarked in the radius who survive have a chance to gain a mark equal to the erupting character hero point total.