How about some Order of the Stick style character portraits for Roll20?

Okay, so my buddy Bill is setting us up for doing a Pathfinder game using the Roll20 program.  Now I'm pretty excited because I've always been interested in trying an online game with sort of technology.  Those of us who will be playing are putting our characters together and we're most of the way there.  But last Monday as our semi-regularly scheduled Castles & Crusades game was breaking up, Bill casually suggested that I might do some character portraits in the style of the Order of the Stick web comic.

Challenge accepted!  The primary limitation was a maximum size of 64 by 64 pixels, so I opted to do facial portraits rather than overhead or full-body images.  I figured anything less than a face would be impossible to recognize at that size. So here are the first five portraits so far, displayed a bit larger for ease of viewing.

Elf Paladin (also a prince)

Elf Bard (also a princess)

Halfling Rogue (not a princess)

 
Human Adventurer (psst, he's really a fighter)

Half-Orc Druid (and ladies, he's available)

StarCraft School Hack: a StarCraft hack of Old School Hack

Right, so probably my favorite computer game of all times was the old StarCraft and the Brood War expansion from Blizzard Entertainment.  Thus it seemed only right, since I'm currently on an Old School Hack hack rampage, to do up the basic units from StarCraft in OSH form.  I'm figuring for a game the players decide on one of the three factions and play one of the "classes" for that faction.

A word on speeds and ranges.  Rather than get bogged in exact speeds and distances, I created simple relative categories.  Speed categories are slow, medium, or fast.  Range categories are melee, short, medium, long, and very long.  Also, a special thanks to the StarCraft wiki for making all the info for this posting way easier to make than digging it all out on my own.

Terran

Marine "Gimme somethin' to shoot!"
HP: 5
AC-12
Speed: medium
C-14 rifle: 2 x 2d10 ranged attacks, 1 wound, long range

• U-238 Rounds/constant: increase range to very long
• Ah! That's the stuff!/encounter: inject a stimpack and lose one HP but get one additional attack per round for 3 rounds
• Ground Armor/constant: add 1 to armor class (maybe taken up to 3 times)
• Ground Weapons/constant: add 1 to attack rolls (may be taken up to 3 times)

Firebat "Wanna turn up the heat?"
HP: 5
AC-13
Speed: slow
Perdition flamethrower: 1 x 2d10 ranged attack, 3 wounds, short range

• Ah! That's the stuff!/encounter: inject a stimpack and lose one HP but get one additional attack per round for 3 rounds
• Ground Armor/constant: add 1 to armor class (maybe taken up to 3 times)
• Ground Weapons/constant: add 1 to attack rolls (may be taken up to 3 times)

Medic "Where does it hurt?"
HP: 5
AC-12 (AC-10 and +2 shield)
Speed: medium
Cadeuceus Wand: you have a nanite healing instrument which works great, but not as reliably as people would like; roll 1d10, on 3-10 you heal an injured person of 1 wound, on 1-2 nothing happens

• Cadeuceus Reactor/constant: upgrade to Cadeuceus Wand making it reliable, no roll necessary on use.
• Restoration/constant: upgrade to Cadeuceus Wand so you can heal more status effects such as neutralizing poison, and curing blindness.
• Optic Nerve/encounter: you acquire an A-13 grenade launcher with flash grenades; all creatures near the grenade must make a Commitment save or be blinded for one hour
• Ground Armor/constant: add 1 to armor class (maybe taken up to 3 times)

Protoss

Zealot "Honor guide me!"
HP: 8
AC-12
Shield HP: 5
Speed: medium
Psi-blades: 2 x 2d10 melee attacks, 3 wounds

• Ground Armor/constant: add 1 to armor class (maybe taken up to 3 times)
• Plasma Shields/encounter: add 1 to HP (maybe taken up to 3 times)
• Ground Weapons/constant: add 1 to attack rolls (may be taken up to 3 times)
• Leg Enhancements/constant: increases speed to fast

Dragoon "Make use of me!"
HP: 8
AC-12
Shield HP: 6
Speed: medium
Phase Disrupter: 1 x 2d10 ranged attack, 4 wounds, long range

• Ground Armor/constant: add 1 to armor class (maybe taken up to 3 times)
• Plasma Shields/encounter: add 1 HP (maybe taken up to 3 times)
• Ground Weapons/constant: add 1 to attack rolls (may be taken up to 3 times)
• Singularity Charge/constant: increase range to very long

Zerg

Zergling
HP: 3
AC-10
Speed: slow
Claws: 1 x 2d10 melee attack, 1 wound
Burrow/encounter: burrow quickly into the ground to hide; cannot be attacked while underground but is still aware of the presense of ground units nearby

• Carapace/constant: add 1 to armor class (maybe taken up to 3 times)
• Melee Attacks/constant: add 1 to attack rolls (may be taken up to 3 times)
• Metabolic Boost/constant: increases speed to fast
• Adrenal Glands/encounter: two extra melee attacks per round

Hydralisk
HP: 7
AC-10
Speed: slow
Needle spines: 1 x 2d10 ranged attack, 2 wounds, long range
Burrow/encounter: burrow quickly into the ground to hide; cannot be attacked while underground but is still aware of the presense of ground units nearby

• Carapace/constant: add 1 to armor class (maybe taken up to 3 times)
• Missile Attacks/constant: add 1 to attack rolls (may be taken up to 3 times)
• Muscular Augments/constant: increases speed to medium
• Grooved Spines/constant: increase range to very long

How Torathiel-yng-Ulathual-min-Calaisse IV decided to become a paladin

 Here's the short background story for the elf paladin character Torathiel-yng-Ulathual-min-Calaisse IV I'm putting together for our Roll20 game starting next month.

The crystal goblet shattered on the exquisite Torathian marble floor of the formal breakfast chamber.  There was a sharp intake of breath.  "Yes, it's true", I said.  "I plan to take up the Shield of Light and follow in the footsteps of uncle Balanath."  There was another tinkling of glass as my step-father's monocle joined the remains of the goblet.  For the first time in his life the old boy was actually speechless.

It had all started the day before yesterday.  A messenger from the Academy finally arrived with the reply from the regents on my application.  I didn't really need to open it.  House Torathiel-yng-Ulathual was generally regarded as Third Rank, due mostly to that tawdry affair of my great-aunt Torathiel-yng-Ulathual-min-Alariel who went out to slay a dragon but ended up marrying him instead.  We are officially not on speaking terms with that branch of the family but reputations simply don't recover from something like that.

So there it sat, on the antique engraved silver tray which my uncle found in a vampire's castle on one of his crusades against evil, resting atop the side table in the East Foyer.  Above it hung the portrait of my uncle in full paladinite regalia, with armor shining and sword flashing.  I was always fascinated by it but my step-father thought it tacky and inappropriate for a family like ours.  I had his shield up in my room.  After mother passed away my step-father had the servants hide it in the deepest recesses of the attic.  But I bribed one of the house-halflings to retrieve it.

 (Cover of Aenarion audiobook by Gav Thorpe)

Uncle Balanath's Portrait

Yesterday I'd finally opened the letter in the Blue Jade Parlor where the family had gathered before dinner as usual.  The contents were as expected, couched in very civilized fashion and written in a refined calligraphic hand, but still utterly disappointing.  I couldn't bear to read it aloud so my cousin Suomralie did the deed for me.  The others made some polite comments to soften the blow but step-father turned quite red and shouted, actually shouted, at one of the house-halflings to serve dinner immediately.

The next morning I spent an hour or so out on the Autumn Lilac Terrace shooting illusionary targets with my longbow.  Old Tarky-Lark was particularly creative with his targets this time around, no doubt trying to get my mind off things.  The little gnome had been with the family for over a century now and looked just as wizened and wrinkled as the day he'd arrived.  Unfortunately his arcane stylings had quite the opposite effect to what he intended.  I was instead reminded of my trip two summers ago to visit the famous wizard Hinurial-yng-Toluala-min-Simnar VII.  One of my aunts got me an interview with him to become apprenticed so off I went.  He was quite haughty, but one expects that of a famous wizard.  Alas, after a few tests and trials he declared my level of aptitude to be "ineffable" and that was that.  When I got home mother had one of her episodes and spent the next week in bed.

So in the end there was little choice but to act upon my boyhood imaginings.  Thus it was that I presented myself to the family in the Lesser Drawing Room after dinner with uncle Balanath's shield and announced my intended path.

A Pathfinder Paladin for Our Next Campaign

Okay, so my group is getting ready to try doing a game using Roll20.  Over time our group has become more spread out geographically.  For our Monday night games we already have one player Skype in.  Naturally that brought up the idea of doing a totally virtual game.  My buddy Bill volunteered to run one with Roll20 and the rest of us are working up our characters.  This time I've decided to try a paladin.  In general I like the idea of the paladin.  But when I look at the actual structure of the class in D&D/Pathfinder my enthusiasm wanes.  However, I've never actually played one and so I thought I'd give it a try.

Here's the design for the character up through level 5.  In the old days I just picked a class and started playing.  But with all the feats and other options for a Pathfinder class, you really have to look ahead a few levels.  Note that this is not meant to be an "optimized build".  This is more about the flavor

Torathiel-yng-Ulathual-min-Calaisse IV (or "Cal")
Paladin (hospitaler archetype)
Male elf, Lawful Good <--Lawful Good elf? What's wrong with this picture? No wonder he left home.

STR 14 (+2)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 16 (+3)
*Note: the GM had us start with an array of 16, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12 for the stats, placed as desired; at the first session we will get an extra 1d4 of points to play with.



FORT    2 + 0 = +2
REF    0 + 3 = +3
WIL    2 + 1 = +3

Elf Favored Class Bonus: Per level, add +1/2 hit point to the paladin's lay on hands ability (whether using it to heal or harm).

Elven Immunities: Elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.

Keen Senses: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.

Skills: (2 points/level)
Knowledge (nobility) (Int): 1 + 3 + 2 = 6
Ride (Dex): 1 + 3 + 3 = 7

1st Level
Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/Day
Feat: <see ideas below>

2nd Level
Divine Grace (add CHA bonus to all saving throws), and Lay on Hands (1/2 Paladin level + <CHA mod> times per day, heals 1d6 per 2 paladin levels)

3rd Level
Aura of Courage (immune to fear/+4 to ally saves), Divine Health (immune to diseases), Mercy
Feat: <see ideas below>

4th Level
Channel Positive Energy (3 + <CHA mod> times per day for 1d6)
Spells: one 1st level paladin spell
+1 to ability score

5th Level
Divine Bond (mount or weapon; maybe I can talk the GM into doing shield instead of weapon)
Feat: <see ideas below>

Feat Ideas
Pathfinder has probably way too many feats now.  Picking feats for your character is half the work of leveling up.  I went through the feats on the d20 Pathfinder SRD site

Arcane Talent (Cast a 0-level spell 3 times per day as a spell-like ability: maybe detect magic, dancing lights, or light) this is just to add some elf/magical "flavor"
Disarm, Improved (+2 to disarm) this character will fight for good, but he's not a natural born killer so disarming fits
Dodge (+1 AC) elves are supposed to be quick and a bit of extra AC helps keep him alive in battle
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) I just like the idea of an extra huge sword, but maybe this is an expensive use of a feat
Extra Channel (+2/day) this is a hospitaler type paladin, so healing channels fits well here; channeling comes at level 4, so this would be good for the level 5 feat
Lightning Reflexes (+2 to REF) this one would be to represent elvish quickness, but he's pretty quick already in this area
Mobility (+4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity) this allows him to be mobile in battle, elf style, rather than standing in one place battling it out, but as the only fighter type so far he have to play that role
Persuasive (+2 bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks) "Now see here old chap, you really must put your weapon down or I shall be forced to smite you..."
Point-Blank Shot (+1 hit and damage within 30') as an elf he'll likely be shooting a lot and this is the "must have" basic feat for archery
Scholar (Gain a bonus to two Knowledge skills) represents his well-educated family background
Sharp Senses (+4 racial bonus on Perception checks) more elf flavor, but maybe a waste of a feat on top of the existing racial bonus
Shield Focus (+1 to shield AC) part of the character background is the shield of his uncle who was a paladin
Toughness (+3 HP and +1 per level) just a generally good feat for keeping any character alive
Weapon Focus (+1 attack with a weapon) a good basic feat for fighty types, but longsword or long bow...hmm







Primary Equipment Ideas
Scale Mail/50gp
Shield, Heavy Wooden/7gp
Longsword/15gp [or Bastard Sword/35gp]
Dagger/2gp
Longbow/100gp
Arrows (20)/20gp

Review: Vornheim

So, I vacillated about buying Vornheim for quite a while.  I was put off by its association with Lamentations of the Flame Princess and left a bit confused by the descriptions of it in reviews I'd read.  It sounded intriguing but probably full of stuff that was weird-and-obnoxious rather than weird-and-very-cool.  But I finally decided to take the plunge (I bought the pdf version) and see what happened.  Happily it turned out to be the weird-and-very-cool variety.

The first thing you notice, right on the cover, is the artwork.  Zak has a style which is very modern and a refreshing change from the typical Hildebrant-based high fantasy or anime-inspired styles one comes to expect in an RPG book nowadays.  One of the first things I do with any gaming book is flip through and check out the art.  Except for the cover and the unusual city map it's all in black-and-white, which I'm fine with.  The city map in the book is also available as a separate downloadable pdf, which is great--I love when handouts, maps, charts, etc. are available like that.

The book is not your typical map with keyed locations, although there are a couple places done up as explorable locations.  I particularly liked the Library of Zorlac, with multiple weird librarians, snakes you can read like books (with a special device), secret doors with specified triggers, and other cool bits.

There is also a little bit of material on the world outside Vornheim which is optional--although they made me want to see Zak do some regional "Vornheim" kits.  I'd also like to know more about the twelve medusa sisters who are said to have saved the world. Zak has lots of stuff on his blog you can rummage through to add in here.

The rest of the book is mostly methods to roll up locations and NPCs quickly mid-play.  Now, I love the idea of a huge, super-detailed "mega-dungeon" style city module.  But I've found that that type of product to be impossible to memorize enough to run smoothly.  The DM spends huge amounts of time reading descriptions during play to keep up with where the players are right now.  This book, however, allows you to roll up only what you need right now and sort of build your version of Vornheim as you go along.  The DM just needs to keep some notes and the city creates itself for future use.

The book also has the Item Cost Shortcut method, which creates five classes of goods to buy named after the penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and dollar [I'd use penny, shilling, crown, pound, and guinea] is fun and perfect for when you don't have (or want) a DM's guide full of prices.  This method is applicable to any game as are most of the lists and rules in Vornheim.

One thing which only gets a little mention is deities and their temples.  When I design up a city for a fantasy RPG one of the first things which go down on the map are all the temples.  For a pre-modern society the temples are big part of the urban landscape.  In many cases the cities are literally built around them, such as in Mecca.  In line with this being a generic city kit, only two deities and their temples are presented.  Both are unique, which is fun, but each only gets a quick description.

Bottom Line: this is a pretty cool book.  If you're thinking about buying it, jump in and get a copy.

So, Legolas started out as a burglar, apparently...

My daughter and I were watching an episode of Midsomer Murders, an old British murder detective series, on NetFlix last night and there was Legolas!  Well, actually Orlando Bloom playing a young punk burglar who gets murdered.  But now that Orlando Bloom is famous as the elf from Lord of the Rings, whenever he appears in anything it's like "Hey, there's Legolas!".

Neo School Hack: Alchemist Class

Several RPGs have an alchemist class.  I'm not generally a fan of them for my fantasy gaming because they feel more steampunk than fantasy.  Nevertheless I thought I'd have a go at an alchemist class for Neo School Hack, based roughly on the Pathfinder version.  The alchemist is a type of wizard, and wizards in Neo School Hack learn from grimoires containing six thematically-related spells.  So I decided to create alchemist talents which contain sets of six related alchemical skills as a sort of organically integrated "grimoire".

Bodger (focus, rested): You're great at improvising mechanical gadgets from random materials.  This includes making on-the-spot repairs and disassembling or deactivating mechanisms, including locks and traps.

Mad Bomber (focus, rested): You are skilled in one discipline of alchemical bomb making: Blastification, Liquidification, or Conjurification.  One of the three disciplines must be specified on taking this talent.  The talent may be taken up to three times, each time granting access to a different discipline.  Also, the alchemist must lug around bombs and materials which count as one Heavy thing.  Only one bomb, jar, or ampule may be used per round.
⦁    Blastification Discipline:

• Nail Bomb: all in 20' radius make a Daring save or suffer a shrapnel wound
• Fire Bomb: all in 20' radius make a Daring save or suffer a fire wound
• Ice Bomb: all in 20' radius make a Daring save or suffer an ice wound
• Lightning Bomb: all in 20' radius make a Daring save or suffer a lighting wound
• Smoke Bomb: creates thick smoke in a 20' radius, blocking all sight
• Thunder Bomb: all in 20' radius make Brawn save or stunned and helpless for two rounds

⦁    Liquidification Discipline:

• Acid Jar: all in 20' radius make a Daring save or suffer an acid wound
• Poison Jar: all in 20' radius make a Brawn save or suffer a poison wound
• Plague Jar: all in 20' radius make a Commitment save or suffer a wound of bursting plague boils
• Grease Jar: creates 20' radius grease patch; Cunning save or slip and fall flat (patch takes one hour to dry up)
• Medusa Jar: all in 20' radius make a Commitment save or paralyzed for two rounds
• Jam Jar: all in 20' radius make a Cunning save or stuck to the floor (or anything else in contact) for two rounds; also sticks equipment in place, such as arrows in a quiver

⦁    Conjurification Discipline:
    - Conjurification is the manufacture of powders or mists in small ampules which may be thrown to shatter and release their contents over an area or broken open to be applied to one specific creature or spot

• Umbral Ampule: creates an area of impenetrable magical darkness 20' in diameter; lasts three rounds.
• Brilliant Ampule: creates an area of bright magical light 20' in diameter; lasts three rounds.
• Nullfiying Ampule: sprays a magical powder over a 20' radius which dispells any arcane spells active there; magical items are neutralized until the powder can be removed (usually taking one round of busy cleaning)
• Restorative Ampule: contains a powder which heals one living creature for 1 wound (no harmful effect if used on undead because it is not holy in nature)
• Ectoplasic Ampule: sprays invisible ectoplasmic extract mist in 20' radius baleful to all etherial, astral, and insubstantial creatures, causing them 1 wound.
• Etherial Ampule: sprays an alchemical extract mist causing all creatures in a 20' radius to temporarly become insubstantial for three rounds unless a Commitment save is passed

Bomb Catapult (constant, item): You can build and repair a clunky crossbow-like catapult which can toss your bombs (not jars or ampules) as far as a shortbow shoots arrows. Counts as one Heavy thing.

Transmogrification Elixirs (focus, rested)
- These elixers can only be used by the alchemist personally, as they draw on attuned internal magical energies.  They transform the alchemist's person and anything worn or held in the hand.  Movement is only half normal walking speed (if movement is allowed) and the effect lasts only one minute, although the alchemist can re-constitute to normal condition any round as a focus action.  The alchemist can only be under the influence of on elixir at a time.
⦁    Oozification Elixer: the imbiber transforms into a thick ooze; in this form it is possible to flow slowly, including up walls, across ceilings, and through gaps as small as 1/2 inch.
⦁    Vaporization Elixir: the imbiber transforms into a vapor; in this form it is possible to fly slowly through the air and slip through even tiny cracks; however it is impossible to maintain directional control in any wind stronger than a gentle breeze.
⦁    Liquifaction Elixir: the imbiber transforms into a liquid; in this form it is possible to flow through small cracks and merge unseen into other liquids (if there is enough space); it is not possible to flow uphill, but movement within a larger body of liquid is unrestricted.
⦁    Petrification Elixir: the imbiber transforms into a stone statue; movement is impossible but it is still possible to see and hear; AC goes to 18.
⦁     Etherialization Elixir: the imbiber becomes etherial like a ghost, allowing passage through solid objects; may move in any direction. Any body part which re-materializes within solid matter when the spell ends is destroyed.
⦁    Astralization Elixir: the imbiber is shifted to the Astral Plane, temporarily disappearing from this plane; the alchemist can still discern the original plane but only dimly, like shadows on a wall; travel while on the astral plane is strange and unpredictable, taking you 1d12 x 10 feet per round.  Any body part which re-materializes within solid matter when the spell ends is destroyed.