Thugs and cutthroats in every port lay claim to the title ‘pirate’, but actually making a fortune through piracy is no easy task. Some dread pirates make their living through fear, while others manifest a curious code of ethics. What is common is that their reputation is as powerful a tool as their weapon.
This archetype may be selected by a Rogue on reaching 3rd level. By Hook or By Crook At 3rd level, when you select this archetype, you gain proficiency in either Intimidation or Persuasion, as well as tool proficiency with Vehicles (water). If you already have these skills, you may choose an additional skill or tool proficiency. Dread Title Starting at 3rd level, when a creature knows your title, you gain a bonus on Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion checks made to influence them equal to your proficiency bonus. Note that creatures which do not understand your language cannot be affected by this ability. Scourge of the Seas From 9th level, when you use your Uncanny Dodge ability to reduce damage from an attack, any allies adjacent to you may use their reaction to halve the attack’s damage against them as well. When you use your Cunning Action ability to take a Dash, Disengage, or Hide action, any ally adjacent to you can use their reaction to take the same action that you take. Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again until you have finished a short or long rest. Impossible Luck At 13th level, when you make an ability check, you may choose to treat the d20 roll as a 20. If you do so, you take 1 level of exhaustion after completing the action. Once you have used this ability, you must finish a long rest before you can use this ability again. Motivate the Crew From 17th level, your crew are inspired by witnessing your prowess. As a reaction when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you and allies who can see you within 30 feet regain a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + your Charisma modifier (minimum +1), and have advantage on their next attack roll. After you use this ability, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 31 March 2021. In a remote, forsaken place of the world, it is said that there is a place where the borders of reality are thin, where a portal leading to another realm can be found, and that a secretive group of blasphemous monks guard it. If the correct offerings are brought to them, it is said that one can cross over into another world, one where reality's rules no longer apply, where one cannot be constrained any longer. This place, the site of the Forbidden Portal, leads to the alien shores of the Far Realm- and to the monsters that dwell in such a place.
How you can use the Forbidden Portal in your games: - The Forbidden Portal is such a place that might lead crusading souls to halt a villain breaching the veils of reality forever, journeying through and perhaps bringing back some being that does not belong. - Perhaps a player who serves one of the Great Old Ones may feel a pull to the Portal. This may be something that empowers them, or a betrayal which will steal their power. - Even those who do not serve the Great Old Ones might feel a need to consult the denizens of the profane monastery that watches over the portal. Their knowledge may be necessary for some quest, but dealing with their strange requests may push the friendship a little. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 31 March 2021. Illertiphine, the Glorious Sentinel, is a well-loved and respected deity. It is known that her role is in protecting the world from external threats, and that once in each Age she must battle the Night Serpent to keep the world safe. It is through continued sacrifices to build her strength that she can protect it from ruin. Images of Illertiphine reflect her as a dazzling multi-hued creature of blazing light, hands resplendent with golden fire.
Those who serve her gather resources which are offered up in supplication to She Who Guards Us All. Although her priests bear the title of 'Protectors', they are often absent from action in local political struggles, preferring to view the long-term consequences of their actions. They wield dazzling powers in battle against their foes, and are rightly feared. It is whispered that the Knights Incandescent were a progressive offshoot from their faith, but they refuse to answer questions about this. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 30 March 2021. Varada is a city on the edge of the frontier- wealthy, burgeoning with those reaping the benefits of exploration, and poulated with those profiting from travel through it. It is a place of change and progress, as well as long-held privilege and archaic traditions. The wealthy of Varada have built upwards, expanding their homes into steeple-like needles of strata. It is a mark of one's own station that they can claim multiple storeys to their home, and 'looking down' on others has never been quite so literal.
This has led to a thriving trade in thievery, and conflicting guilds or gangs, often clashing on rooftops during the night. The people of Varada keep their windows shuttered and ignore loud noises at night, allowing the gangs to have their way. It is an expression nearby to have "Varadan blinders on", meaning 'to ignore things going on around you'. It is in this way that the people of Varada have entirely failed to notice the nest of Vampires making the city their home, passing of their victims as merely victims of thieves, cultists, or missing persons. Varada is a thrilling and dangerous place to live or inhabit, and could be transplanted easily into almost any campaign setting. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 29 March 2021. The Actuary of Fates is an Inevitable, assigned to their role by the creators of Mechanus itself. Their role is as an observer, an independent assessor of all the factors that lead to fate being cut short. As such, they have delegation to select and nominate subordinates, and to empower them to contribute to the overall pool of knowledge. These warlocks use their powers to measure fate, and occasionally, to intervene.
As a mark of their servitude (the contract to which is available and lengthy), these warlocks bear glowing blue vertical script on their skin, marking them to Inevitables. They are often logical and usually meticulous, although some are less impressed by the powers granted to them. In terms of tasks, they are often assigned to investigate large numbers of deaths, to track the source of their deaths and the reasons. Their patron often insists upon exact analytical detail- how many are left-handed, which lived in houses painted yellow, how many paces from the nearest well were their beds? Expanded Spell List The Actuary teaches you from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you. 1st level: Detect evil and good, Sanctuary 2nd level: Detect thoughts, See invisibility 3rd level: Clairvoyance, Speak with Dead 4th level: Compulsion, Freedom of movement 5th level: Legend lore, Telekinesis Ordered Mind From 1st level, when you agree to this Pact, the Actuary teaches you to compartmentalize your mind. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid becoming charmed or frightened. In addition, you gain the Spare the dying cantrip. Disciplined Ward At 6th level, you learn to magically ward yourself against attack and to turn an enemy’s failed strike into fortune for yourself. When a creature makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on that roll. If the attack misses you, your next attack roll against the creature has advantage if you make it before the end of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Shielded Mind From 10th level, your mind is protected against magical intrusion. Your thoughts can't be read by telepathy or other means unless you allow it. You also have resistance to psychic damage, and whenever a creature deals psychic damage to you, that creature takes the same amount of damage that you do. Subject to Actuarial Examination From 14th level, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can use this feature to instantly subject the target to review by the Actuary or its higher subordinates. The creature disappears and is subject to a nightbarish barrage of examination, confounding and shattering their mind. At the end of your next turn, the target returns to the space it occupied, or the nearest unoccupied space. If the target is not an aberration, it takes 10d10 psychic damage as it reels from the confounding experience. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 28 March 2021. Inspired by the burtality, the might, the inherent rejection of order that titans represent, some deranged mortals build shrines to their magnificence. These mortals may recover pieces of their bodies, grind them up, eat their flesh to gain their power, and do whatever it takes to gain the might they think they deserve. These mortals often transform into monsters themselves, becoming warped by the primal energies of the beasts they serve.
This may be a way to explain all the 'wierd monsters' that exist in your world- if some kind of Tarrasque-like abominations are the end-state of such monsters, this can also assist with giving your villains a way to 'level up' into stronger forms as they continue to develop. Perhaps these effects start off small for mere cultists- twin irises within their eyes, flesh growths, or other concealable signs- but then grow as they ingest or absorb more of the Titan's energy. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 27 March 2021. DISCLAIMER: This is absolutely not a paid post, and no consideration has been given for this. I'm just passing on feedback about a service I've paid to use.
I tend to run narrative-heavy games with lots of locations, NPCs, and information, and sometimes (for both myself and my players), all of that becomes a little hard to track. Having read recommendations on Facebook, Reddit, and tried a few different services, I decided to try a website called Obsidian Portal. This has let me establish a wiki for my campaign, uploading pictures, maps, and even statistics, and keeping some information as 'GM-only' so my players can't read it. It takes a bit of work and upkeep to do, but it's been a miracle for me in terms of being able to cross-link characters and items, write up adventure logs of each session and track how much XP and treasure is awarded, and start populating in my own stuff for later, like a Pinterest board. After putting in the details of my first 6 sessions, I invitied my players to contribute as well, which lets them upload details of their own backstories if they like, and even create their own NPCs as well. You are able to access this for free, but the storage space is a bit limited. I upgraded to one of the paid options, which let me upload a whole bunch more stuff. If you're just doing this casually, it may not be the best option for you, but if you're GMing multiple games, plotting a lot of stuff out, or invested professionally, this is a really good service, and worth considering. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 27 March 2021. The apogee of the Sorcerer-Kingmaker adventure path conversion, the battle with the legendary Pyreen princess Nyrissa will be a thing of legend, one that shakes both the First World and Athas alike, and either outcome will lead to change in the burnt world forever. This confrontation has been millennia in the making, and sadly no honeyed words or assurances can set aside Nyrissa's plans. A cataclysmic battle is set to take place.
As a truly ancient Pyreen, and one of Rajaat's contemporaries, Nyrissa's power is well beyond any individual mortal. However, she lacks the use of Rajaat's Obsidian Lens, and has not yet fully transcended mortality. Her mastery of druidic magic and psionic power is extraordinary, and over her thousands of years in the First World, she has been able to observe and learn almost any skill that has crossed her mind. She can turn her mind to swordplay techniques or grappling combat as easily as the specific local varieties of basketweaving common to the northern villages bordering the Sea of Silt, and has forgotten more artistic style than the PCs have ever witnessed. She is not to be trifled with or confronted lightly, and is rarely alone, even when at her weakest. Although Nyrissa is willing to take thousands, even millions, of lives, she expresses conflict over this choice, and sincerely believes that this will restore more life, better life, to a world in its dying throes. If she were to be quizzed against the old alignment chart, her powers of nature and psionics combined mean that she would reject the concept of the question "we're out of water, who gets the last of it?"- she would create more, use her psionic powers to establish a lower metabolic rate in everyone so that they needed less, and then also invite strangers in to share in what little remained. Her cause could be considered good (restoring a world that has long since scorched away), but the means she has chosen now are undoubtedly evil, even in the dubious ethics of the Burnt World. For this reason, her alignment has not been listed as normal - she is the final challenge to be overcome, and her cause sets her terminally at odds with the PCs' cause. Her death will doom the First World and everything that lives within it, the last elements of the Green Age swept away. The only alternative, however, is an ecological catastrophe which will cost countless lives. Unless the PCs can agree wholeheartedly and undoubting to her cause, the Pyreen princess must die. In battle, Nyrissa wields the Staff of the First World, an artifact which she forged even before her exile. It is an elegant creation of steel, crystal, and pale wood, and she uses it to discharge a clap of thunder each time it strikes, with a flash of brilliant green energy. She fights furiously when challenged, weaving magic and weapon strikes almost interchangeably. Nyrissa wears life-shaped armour which has long since become a part of her, shifting forms as necessary to appear like an archaic and cultured robe in times of calm, and thickening to grant thick bark-like hide as it senses hostile proximity. Informed well by her former servant Castor Irovetus, and from watching the PCs' progress over the last months, Nyrissa will be well-informed of the PCs' capabilities, and will use and exploit every weakness she can think of, without mercy. Nyrissa, Princess of the Pyreen, Mistress of the First World Medium fey (Pyreen) Armour Class 19 (natural armour) Hit Points 304 (32d8 + 160) Speed 40ft., fly 40ft. (hover) Str 22 (+6); Dex 21 (+5); Con 20 (+5); Int 25 (+7); Wis 25 (+7); Cha 27 (+8) Saving Throws Int +14, Wis +14, Cha +15 Skills Arcana +14, Insight +14, Nature +14, Perception +14, Persuasion +15 Damage Resistances Poison, psychic Condition Immunities Blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses truesight 120ft., passive Perception 24, communion with nature 1,000ft. Languages All spoken languages after hearing them for at least 1 round, telepathy 120ft. Challenge 22 (41,000 XP) Communion with Nature. Nyrissa is constantly aware of the natural world surrounding her to a range of 1,000 feet, as a Commune with nature spell. She knows of the presence of any creature touching the ground or water, or breathing the air, within 1,000 feet of her at the start of her turn. Legendary Resistance (3/day). If Nyrissa fails a saving throw, she may choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. Nyrissa has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects created by any creature that has ever defiled. Pyreen Magic. Nyrissa commands druidic magic as a 20th-level caster. Nyrissa's druidic spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 22, +14 spell attack modifier). Nyrissa can maintain concentration on one druidic power as well as one psionic power at a time. For the purposes of this encounter, she can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At-will: Charm person, druidcraft, produce flame (4d8), thorn whip (4d6) 2/day each: Call lightning (4d10), conjure elemental*, healing word (14 hit points). 1/day each: Feeblemind, sunbeam, sunburst, storm of vengeance. As the PCs approach, Nyrissa will have conjured two CR 5 elementals of her choice to assist her. Pyreen Psionics. Nyrissa commands psionics as a 20th-level manifester. Nyrissa's psionic manifestation ability is Charisma (power save DC 23, +15 psionic attack modifier). Nyrissa can maintain concentration on one druidic power as well as one psionic power at a time. For the purposes of this encounter, she possesses 150 PSPs, and can manifest the following powers, with a maximum PSP limit of 15: Psionic Attack/Defense modes: All Sciences: At-will devotions: Ballistic attack (4d8), combat mind, disengaging sidestep, psionic blast (4d8/4d12), sapping twinkle (4d4). 1st level (PSP cost 2): Beast mastery, deflect 2nd level (PSP cost 3): Biofeedback, conceal thoughts, false sensory input, strength of the land 3rd level (PSP cost 5): Accelerate, awe, ejection, kinetic control 4th level (PSP cost 6): Control body, dimensional door, precognition, synaptic static 5th level (PSP cost 7): Body control, spatial distortion 6th level (PSP cost 9): Domination, energy containment, mass suggestion 7th level (PSP cost 10): Nerve manipulation, time shift 8th level (PSP cost 11): Mindwipe, psionic vampirism 9th level (PSP cost 13): Gravitational void, mindflame Regeneration. Nyrissa regains 20 hit points at the start of her turn. If she takes necrotic damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of her next turn. Nyrissa dies only if she starts her turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate. Teleport. As a bonus action, Nyrissa can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space she can see. Unknowable Mind. If a creature tried to read Nyrissa's mind or deals psychic damage to her, that creature must make a DC 21 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned for 1 round. Actions Multiattack. Nyrissa makes two attacks with the staff of the first world, and either casts one of her at-will druidic spells or manifests one of her at-will psionic devotions. Alternately, Nyrissa casts one spell or manifests one psionic science, and makes one attack with the staff of the first world. Staff of the First World. Melee weapon attack: +13 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage and 4 (1d8) thunder damage. Legendary Actions Nyrissa can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a timeand only at the end of another creature's turn. Nyriss regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn. Cast Spell (2 actions). Nyrissa casts a spell. Manifest Psionic Science (2 actions). Nyrissa manifests a psionic science. Rejuvenation Revenge (1 action). Nyrissa rejuvenates an area of nature which has been defiled that she can see within 100 feet, restoring the defiling damage to it, and causing the defiler to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 21) or take 1d6 necrotic damage per level of the spell used to defile. Staff of the First World (1 action). Nyrissa makes one attack with the Staff of the First World. Next week's post should wrap up the final details and epilogue, bringing this long journey to its end. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 26 March 2021. For some, a mount is more than just a ride- it is a friend, it is freedom, it is life itself. For barbarians, the Path of the Outrider is a path of companionship and unrivalled speed.
Bonus Proficiency When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Intimidation, Performance, or Survival. Born to the Saddle Starting at 3rd level, your mastery as a rider becomes apparent. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid falling off your mount. If you fall off your mount and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you’re not incapacitated. Finally, mounting or dismounting a creature costs you only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed. Loyal Steed Starting at 3rd level, you can call a beast of up to CR ½ as your loyal steed. If you are riding this beast, you can spend a bonus action to make it attack or move on your initiative. Your loyal steed gains the benefits of your class abilities when you gain them: unarmoured defense, danger sense, fast movement, feral instinct, and brutal critical. If your loyal steed is dismissed or killed, you can train another one from a mundane animal in one day. Warding Maneuver At 6th level, you learn to fend off strikes directed at you, your mount, or other creatures nearby. If you or a creature you can see within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can roll 1d8 as a reaction if you’re wielding a melee weapon or shield. Roll the die and add the number rolled to the target’s AC against that attack. If the attack still hits, the target has resistance against the attack’s damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. Stormclouds, Fire, and Steel At 10th level, your presence on the battlefield is a thing that terrifies enemies and inspires the desperate. As a bonus action on the first round of combat, you and up to ten other creatures of your choice within 60 feet gain advantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn. Ferocious Charger Starting at 14th level, you can run down your foes, whether you’re mounted or not. If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line before attacking a creature and you hit it with an attack, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 25 March 2021. This spell imbues you with tremendous force, perhaps enough to topple buildings or foes.
PUISSANT PUNCH 5th-level evocation (Artificer, Wizard spell) Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S, M (a cylinder made of tin, a leaf of spinach, and an ounce of whey) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute You instill one of your arms with mighty power. While this spell is active, when you make an Attack action, you can use a puissant punch as a melee attack using your spell attack modifier, which deals 5d6 bludgeoning and 5d6 force damage on a hit. The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it is knocked prone. This attack deals double damage to an object. While this spell is active, you have disadvantage on attack rolls made with any other weapon or spell attack. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 24 March 2021. This spell counters a spell so thoroughly that it is burned from the caster's mind, rendering them unable to cast it again soon.
SIEZE DWEOMER 4th-level abjuration (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard spell) Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell or using an innate spell ability Range: 60 feet Components: S Duration: Instantaneous You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell. If the creature is casting a spell of 3rd level or lower, its spell fails and has no effect. If it is casting a spell of 4th level or higher, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a success, the creature's spell fails and has no effect. If you are successful at countering the spell, the creature removes that spell from their list of prepared or available spells, or is not able to use the ability for 1 hour, if it is an innate ability. Once during the next 1 hour, you can cast that spell using at its minimum spell slot, without expending a spell slot of your own. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the interrupted spell has no effect if its level is less than of the spell slot you used. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 24 March 2021. These vicious creatures are possessed of a fiendish intelligence and nearly unmatched cruelty. A conjoined horn forming a ring at the base of their skull tops a long, eel-like neck, and their mouths are crammed full of needle-like teeth which tear and shred at their prey. Their skin is fish-pale, and lit by their multiple brightly-glowing eyes. No-one is sure where these creatures came from, and posit that perhaps some enormously cruel mage or race of devils bred or created them. Although they superficially resemble dragons, true dragons reject any connection to them, and consider them some kind of horrific perversion of nature.
Vertex Wyrm Huge aberration, neutral evil Armour Class 19 (natural armour) Hit Points 189 (18d12 + 72) Speed 40ft., fly 60ft. Str 19 (+4); Dex 17 (+3); Con 18 (+4); Int 17 (+3); Wis 14 (+2); Cha 19 (+4) Saving Throws Dex +8, Cha +9 Skills Arcana +8, Perception +7, Stealth +8 Damage Resistances Psychic Senses Blindsight 20ft., darkvision 120ft., passive Perception 17 Languages Common Challenge 14 (11,500 XP) Alien Mind. Whenever an attack would cause the vertex wyrm to take psychic damage, the attacker takes one-half the damage that the vertex wyrm does. Innate Spellcasting. The vertex wyrm's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17, +9 spell attack modifier). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: At will: charm person, message, sleep, suggestion, vicious mockery. 1/day each: compulsion, dream, modify memory, sending. Actions Multiattack. The vertex wyrm makes two claw attacks and one bite attack. Claw. Melee weapon attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) slashing damage. Bite. Melee weapon attack: +9 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6+4) piercing damage. Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). With a silent scream, the vertex wyrm magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw or take 40 (8d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns with advantage, ending the effect on itself with a success. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 23 March 2021. This alien race have natural command of arcane magical energy, although they have a surprisingly gentle nature. They possess two pairs of humanoid arms, as well as hundreds of small insectile feet. Their 'face' is almost featureless, with several small sensory organs, but no visible eyes. For these reasons, humanoids often find them sinister and alarming. Vermages hail from the Ethereal Plane, although it is unclear where they originally came from. They have incredible understanding of arcane energies.
Vermage Medium monstrosity, neutral Armour Class 13 (natural armour) Hit Points 25 (7d8-7) Speed 20ft. Str 12 (+1); Dex 16 (+3); Con 9 (-1); Int 17 (+3); Wis 14 (+2); Cha 14 (+2) Saving Throws Intelligence +5 Skills Arcana +5 Senses Blindsight 30ft., passive Perception 12 Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Innate Spellcasting. The vermage's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The vermage can innately cast Detect Magic and Identify at will, and has the following spells prepared, requiring no material components: Cantrips (at will): Dancing lights, mage hand, message, prestidigitation. 1st level (4 per day): Chromatic orb, illusory script, shield, sleep. 2nd level (3 per day): Detect thoughts, levitate, mirror image, Nystul's magic aura, scorching ray. 3rd level (3 per day): Bestow curse, counterspell, dispel magic. 4th level (1 per day): Arcane eye, phantasmal killer. Actions Spellcasting. A vermage may cast two spells with a casting time of 1 action each. A vermage can maintain concentration on up to two spells at once. Claw. Melee weapon attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) slashing damage. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 22 March 2021. In times long past, a great danger threatened, and a brave band of heroes united to forestall its advance. At a time-honoured arch of rock, they made their stand, and there each of them fell in turn. History does not record the danger they faced, nor the results of their campaign. However, the heroes somehow remained, their spirits bound by the enduring oaths they swore to one another. They stand as silent sentinels, ghostly guardians warding the rock and one another against foes who have long since ceased.
How you can use the Final Watch in your games: - Some secret of the Final Watch might aid the players in a more modern quest - finding a lost artifact, the weakness of an ancient foe, the location of a forgotten place. Trying to commune with the spirits to learn the secret might awaken other foes, too. - If the ancient enemy that slew the heroes rises again, the rock arch is still a valuable tactical position, a place where a military advance can be stalled. Trying to defend its location against the same foes might stir the spirits to ultimately fulfil their oaths. This can be a crowning moment of glory for your players, standing among heroes whose names and deeds they know. - If the ancient war has ceased, the people who the heroes struggled against may have peacefully integrated into the local society. These spirits may not understand the amount of time that has passed, and their vengeance upon the unsuspecting descendants of their killers might be unpredictable. Perhaps these ghosts only arise on a full moon, or the anniversary of their deaths. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 21 March 2021. Today's Game Mastery tip is about improving the narrative flow for your combat encounters. I mean, ou can have everything just take place in a 10-foot by 10-foot room with a single Orc guarding a chest, but it gets dull really quickly. So how can you make your combat locations more interesting, easily?
War gamers may be familiar with the concept of "line of sight blockers", which do pretty much what they say on the tin. They're big objects, often ones that go all the way to the roof (or at least high enough that it doesn't matter), and force people to move around them to get line of sight, which is important for most ranged weapons and spells, and gives people opportunities to hide and sneak. It also means that abilities that don't rely on line of sight, or affect people who are in cover, really shine. You can shake things up by making some things block line of sight, but only for Medium-size creatures (Giants might be able to see over shoulder-height rocks, for example). Another option is to add features that block line of sight, but NOT movement- smoke clouds, fog, or even curtains. These require movement through to the engagement area, but can restrict spellcasters or ranged attackers. You can also have areas that are impassable but don't block line of sight- pits or pools, for example. Access to these areas might be by climbing a rope or a set of stairs further away, meaning that you need to change your options instead of just charging towards the opponent. This benefits creatures that have interesting mobility (like being able to fly over), and creatures with ranged abilities. Stationing a bunch of archers across a pit on a balcony means that they're pretty safe from the fighter on the ground with a halberd, but the ranger can get a clear shot at them without worrying about hitting the fighter - for now. You can even include vertical elements- starting a fight while the PCs are on a high balcony, and enemies are trying to come up a narrow staircase at them can make for a challenging battle. If you add extra enemies who start swinging down through windows or rappelling through a skylight, it changes the standard "fighter at the front, wizard at the back" dynamic totally! And how can you use these easily? Depending on where the fight happens (dungeon, open field, rocky mountain), some fit better than others. If you're really stuck, pick up 3-5 d6s before anything is laid out on the mat, and just go ahead and roll them onto the map, and check each die. If it's a 1-2, put a tall line-of-sight blocking object there (wall, tall rock, cave-in, etc.) If it's a 3-4, put an object that blocks line of sight, but not movement (tall grass, curtain, fog, etc.) If it's a 5-6, put a movement blocker that doesn't block line of sight (pit, water, etc.) Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 20 March 2021. Warlords are accomplished and competent battle-leaders. They stand on the front line issuing commands and bolstering their allies while leading the fight with a weapon in hand. They know how to rally their team to win a fight, and make inspiring leaders for any cause.
Warlord (Fighter archetype) The Warlord gains the following class features. Assess the Field From 3rd level, when you select this archetype, you have the ability to assess the flow of a battle and analyse weak spots. In the first round of combat you may take an action to gain up to three influence dice, each of which is a d4. When an ally you can see and who can hear you within 30 feet makes an attack roll or saving throw, you may roll 1 influence die and add the result to the ally's roll. The number of dice you gain increases by 1 at 7th (4), 10th (5), 15th (6), and 18th (7) levels, and the type of die increases at 10th (d6) and 18th (d8) levels. Any unused influence dice are lost at the end of an encounter. Rally the Troops From 3rd level, you can use inspiring words and confidence to soothe your allies' wounds and weariness during a short rest. If you or any friendly creatures who can hear and see you regain hit points at the end of the short rest, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points. The extra hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d8 at 10th level, 1d10 at 15th level, and to 1d12 at 18th level Lead the Charge From 7th level, any time you make an attack against a creature that is within 5 feet of one of your allies, and that ally isn't incapacitated, you have advantage on your attack roll against that creature. Reposition From 10th level, when you take a Move action, any allies within 10 feet of you may spend their reaction to move up to half their speed. When you take an Attack action, any allies within 10 feet of you may spend their reaction to make a single attack. From 18th level, the range of this ability increases to 20 feet. Master Defender From 15th level, when you use your Indomitable ability to reroll a saving throw if you fail, one adjacent ally can also reroll a failed saving throw, if you choose. One-Person Army From 18th level, when a hostile creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 20 March 2021. Part 3 of the Sorcerer-Kingmaker adventure path conversion, this chapter explores the tower at the heart of Nyrissa's prison in the First World, called the High Folly. This tower was part of the original sub-dimension built by Rajaat to exile Nyrissa, and keeps elements of the original Pyreen architecture. Here, Nyrissa's strongest allies and servants guard her from attacks. The ceilings are 40 feet high per level and vaulted, the angles oddly geometric and organic at the same time, with classical stylings. While there seem from the outside to be no windows, the interior is well-lit by elemental enchantments. (You can add incidental levels if you want mundane areas like sleeping rooms, kitchens, etc.- I've only detailed levels likely to hold enemies or places of special interest)
The original adventure features an outspread manor house, but in converting this adventure path, a single tower feel more thematically appropriate, and is easier to write. Level 1: Grand Atrium This floor's wide and ornate atrium has a height of 100 feet, ringed by torus-shaped balconies at forty and eighty feet above the floor, and encircling spiral staircases, which also lead further upwards. In the centre of the room is a vast mosaic forty feet wide, depicting an incredibly detailed Nyrissa emerging from a pearlescent shell (in the style of Botticelli's Venus). Within this level, a dozen elven Raaigs guard the entrance, kept from death by their supernatural enslavement by Nyrissa. These ancient and incorporeal elves use trained tactics an superior weaponry to defend the entrance to their mistress' tower. One appears at the door, formally denying entrance in a long-dead dialect of the elven language. They retreat instantly if attacked, or if intruders continue inside past the central mosaic. The Raaigs use life-shaped weapons which hurl venomous spines at great distance, attacking from the high balconies with the advantage of cover and their supernatural mobility. Level 2: Statue Display The floor has a large central feature of an ornate black sculpture formed of innumberable sharp curving angles intertwining. The sculpture separates into a pair of Obsidian Retrievers (from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes) forged by Nyrissa and asigned to ward the area against intruders. They are merciless hunters with enslaved elemental spirits, made to slay her enemies. Level 3: Colonnade This floor is ringed with ornate pillars, and a series of psionically animated mosaics on the wall laboriously detail the history of Nyrissa's opposition to Rajaat's plan, his betrayal and imprisonment of her, and then the PCs' defeat of her plans, ending with the figures denoting the PCs reading a circular series of mosaics and then looking backwards over their shoulders towards themselves. The mosaics set up off a psionic trap causing observers to make a Charisma save (DC 18), taking 28 (8d6) psychic damage on a failed save, or half damage on a successful saving throw. Level 4: Shadow Grove This floor is decorated with wall-mosaics of gorgeous white trees against a blue sky. If investigated closely, there are shadowy figures peering from behind the trees and observing any intruders. These figures are former apprentices of Rajaat, and have been spying on Nyrissa's activities for centuries, hidden within the mosaic from her perception. These three Kaisharga have defiling and psionic powers, and have observed Nyrissa's distress. Although they do not wish her plans to succeed, they feel more threatened by the PCs' success against her, and while one attracts their attention, the other two launch a surprise attack from other sides of the room. Level 5: Dancing Trophies This floor features dozens of tall glass domes enclosing Athasian animals which Nyrissa brought back from her periodic visits, slaying them and then animating them with her powers. They have a wide range of bizarre and strange creatures, from gold scorpions, kanks, and even a small Silt Horror. Each moves and scuttles, permanently animated. At the centre of the room is her prize, a perfectly-preserved Gaj which hovers in place, its eyes refocusing and its feathery antennae waving. It moves to attack if anyone gets too close, as a large-sized Animated Object. If destroyed, it causes a colossal explosion of force which shatters the glass domes in the rest of the room in a cascading wave. Anyone in the room is required to make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 22), taking 63 (18d6) slashing damage on a failed saving throw, or half damage on a successful save. Level 6: Gallery of Champions On this level of the tower, Nyrissa has made sculptures of living wood, representing many of her past mortal champions on Athas. The PCs may recognize Eirikk and Castor Irovetus among their number, but they go back for thousands of years, representing many different cultures and beings. Level 7: Well of Blinding Purity This level contains a capped well which descends below the surface of the floor to a depth of 10 feet. It contains a portal leading to the Elemental Plane of Water. However, Nyrissa's enchantments have poisoned the water with blinding sickness, affecting any of the mortal races who drink from it (Constitution save DC 18). Level 8: Salon of Confusing Sounds This level of the tower is sumptuously decorated with vivid frescoes of primeval forests filled with incredible blooms and humanoids of incredible beauty. The sounds of distant celebration can be heard, echoing from place to place. Mortal creatures within the tower level are supernaturally distracted (Wisdom save DC 15). On a successful saving throw, creatures are unaffected and can carry out activities as desired. On a failed saving throw, a creature becomes completely obsessed with finding the source of the sound, and takes 3d6 psychic damage if someone interrupts them. Level 9: Level of Weeping Daemons An empty pool dominates the centre of this level of the tower, made of twisted and chaotically-shaped monsters, each sobbing in terror. Inspecting the faces in great detail (Investigation or Perception DC 25) finds one face which is smiling, and pressing in this face causes each of the other faces to weep tears of blood-red sap for one minute. These can be gathered and ingested, with a total of 10 d8s of healing for the entire minute. The device resets after 24 hours. Level 10: Sights of the Blue Age This level appears to have three vast windows, twenty feet high and fifty feet wide, looking out on vistas of the Blue Age. The 'windows' are psionic enchantments which depict idealized pastoral scenes, even more fantastically alien than the First World outside. Joyful halflings skip and work among life-shaped buildings; trackless seas crash and roll; water falls bountifully from the sky onto lush green vegetation. Each window is accompanied by a soundscape and psionically-stimulated sensations that mimic the surrounds: fat raindrops trickling through hair; vegetation coiling gently around limbs; soft silt giving way underfoot; children laughing and whispering. This will likely be terrifying and instantly put any Athasian on edge. Nyrissa walks this room to relax, and the sensations are entirely harmless. Level 11: Nyrissa's Throne Room This level is rarely used, and is now hung with opaque curtains. Nyrissa's throne room is walled with living wood, gone slightly to rot. Behind the tall and elegant wooden structure slinks one of Nyrissa's lieutenants, the Wriggly Man - another of Nyrissa's Pyreen allies and the one responsible for her life-shaped creations. The Wriggly Man has life-shaped himself beyond the point of his own mortal being, and now consists only of various life-shaped creatures which stick together in a hideous approximation of mortality (a Star Spawn Larva Mage). He slithers towards the party hands wide, and offers his aid- he believes that Nyrissa's intent has grown too grand, and wishes to stop her. All he asks is to be allowed to rule the First World when Nyrissa's threat is ended. He is, however, lying - he predictably attacks at the first opportunity. Level 12: Great Hall This hall is Nyrissa's favoured gathering-place for her servants. Its wooden panels are inlaid with mother-of-pearl panels sheets over five feet wide, and incredibly valuable. Living vines adorned with sweet-smelling flowers twine around each of the columns and the staircases. The hall is guarded by another dozen of Nyrissa' elven Raiigs. They hold defensive positions and defend their mistress determinedly against assault. Level 13: Nyrissa's Redoubt This rooftop is ringed with a colonnade looking out over the First World, over a thousand feet from the ground. Here, under the bizarre blue sun of the First World, the desperate Pyreen princess holds her final ground against those who would see her dead. ...Coming next week, of course! Also poste on Game Masters Stash on 19 March 2021. For a variety of reasons, some choose new names for themselves, and it with this spell that they are scribed upon all of reality, changing how others even think of them. Some elect to take a name upon taking a title, or simply one that they would prefer, while others choose to replace their name with something more appropriate, like 'He Who Shall Not Be Named' or 'The Wizard Formerly Known As Primus'. One unfortunate soul who cast this early in their career has been known as Lord Buttface for their entire career, unable or unwilling to shift the prank.
COGNOMINATION 3rd-level transmutation (Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard spell) (ritual) Casting Time 1 hour Range Self Components V, S, M (adamantium powder mixed into a paste worth 100gp, a golden quill worth 50gp) Duration Instantaneous You select a new name or title for yourself, and write it, confirming your new name. All written instances of your previous name which referred to you change permanently and untraceably to reflect your new name, and anyone speaking to or about you may only use your new name. Anyone who attempts to speak your old name when referring to you finds themselves magically unable to pronounce it, and takes 1 point of psychic damage. If you cast this as a ritual spell, the target may be one willing creature in touch range instead of 'self'. They select their own name or title. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 18 March 2021. Anfroy Isenbardus is a potion-seller with a highly shady reputation. A drop-out from the local magical university, he has connections he uses to access a wide variety of borderline-legal components and spoiled brews, selling them on at a thin profit. He's easy to contact, always up to buy second-hand or discovered potions that adventurers are trying to sell on, no matter their provenance or effectiveness.
Anfroy's potions are often watered down or cut with cheap components, but they're available for about half the price of full-value potions from reputable dealers. This means that one of Anfroy's potions has the following rules: - For potions with a duration up to 1 minute, there is a 50% chance each round that their effect ends - For potions with a duration up up to 1 hour, there is a 5% chance each round that their effect ends - For instantaneous potions (like a Potion of Healing), they have 50% of the normal effect, or only have effect for around 1 hour (for example, a Potion of Cure Disease). Anfroy is a big believer that "you get what you pay for", and what you're paying for is bottom-shelf barely-useful trash, but if you wanted good quality, you'd pay for it. He has no patience with those who claim they've been cheated or that the potion didn't do what the customer wanted, and usually directs his bodyguards (a couple of street thugs who are paid decently) to remove those people. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 17 March 2021. These terrible beasts make their home in environments lethal to almost all others- molten rock. They are formed of incredibly dense and hard material, and are able to absorb heat from their surroundings and vomit it forth.
Moltenwurm Huge monstrosity, unaligned Armour Class 19 (natural armour) Hit Points 138 (12d12 +60) Speed 50ft., burrow 30ft. Str 25 (+7); Dex 7 (-2); Con 20 (+5); Int 1 (-5); Wis 7 (-2); Cha 4 (-3) Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +2 Damage Immunities Fire Damage Resistances Bludgeoning Senses Blindsight 30ft., tremorsense 60ft., passive Perception 8 Languages - Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) Absorb Heat. Any time the moltenwurm would take fire damage, they absorb heat, and all of their attacks cause an additional 7 (2d6) fire damage for the next 3 rounds. If they use their fire breath attack, this ends the bonus fire damage. Tunneler. A moltenwurm can burrow through rock or solid lava at half its burrow speed and leaves a 10-foot diameter tunnel in its wake. Actions Multiattack. The moltenwurm makes two claw attacks and one bite attack. Claw. Melee weapon attack: +11 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8+7) piercing damage. Bite. Melee weapon attack: +11 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6+7) piercing damage. Fire Breath (Recharge when subject to fire damage). The moltenwurm exhales fire in a 20-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw , taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 17 March 2021. |
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