Recommended Level: middle (6th-11th) This rod bearing a large ruby is part of the royal regalia of Zandri. He was an ancient sorcerer-King who fought undead which had plagued his nation, and ended the life of his mother. He forged this rod himself, and bore it til the end of his days. How and why it was removed from his tomb is unknown. Statistics: when held in the hand, this rod grants the wielder a Hide from Undead (DC 17) effect. Even undead who make their save against this effect, or are attacked by the wielder, take a -2 penalty on attack rolls against the wielder due to the sorcerous emanations. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 30 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: low (2nd-4th) This ring looks to be made of copper or brass, and is made in the shape of a tiny dragon with a chip of sapphire for its eyes. The first known ring of this kind was given to a Druid named Jadella Moonshine, by her longtime friend, a Pseudodragon who admired her. Statistics: Small dragons (Hatchlings of any type, as well as Pseudodragons of any age) are fascinated by the ring, giving the wearer a +4 circumstance bonus on any Charisma-based skill check concerning them. This drops to a +1 bonus for any dragons who are older. Side effect: young dragons will generally not mind being distracted in this manner. Older dragons will certainly object to being manipulated, if they become aware of it. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 29 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: low-middle (6th-9th) This stately staff of office is finely decorated, and thrums with a clean, soothing light. When the wielder grasps it with both hands, they are protected as by a Sanctuary spell (Will DC 12). In addition, the staff has 50 charges, which can be used to power the following spells: 1 charge each: * Protection from Chaos * Calm Emotions (DC 13) 3 charges: * Order’s Wrath (DC 16) (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 28 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: middle (9th-11th) This heavy mace forged of black iron has a small, constantly burning flame within the head. It emits only a little heat, but when grasped, the weapon seems to seethe with hatred, and amplifies the desire to cause violence. Statistics: +2 Flaming Burst heavy mace. If the wielder truly hates the target, or is in a Rage (similar to a Barbarian’s Rage), it becomes Vicious as well, inflicting 2d6 bonus damage per hit, and the wielder takes 1d6 points of damage per hit. Hooks: * Due to its appearance, it makes a terrifying weapon for a champion of evil to wield against your PCs. * For a change, have a Lawful and Good figure wield it “in righteous anger”. Evildoers will certainly beware, but is the mace influencing their behavior, and their actions? Who truly determines who is an evildoer? (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 27 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: low-middle (6th-9th) This truly ancient weapon belongs to a long-gone culture, dating to a time when an ancient queen battled undead for the safety of her kingdom. This axe, and a few scrolls, are all that remains of the kingdom, vanquished by time where enemies could not win out. Statistics: +2 battleaxe, Bane vs. Undead (against undead, this axe becomes +4, and inflicts an extra 2d6 damage per hit). (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 26 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: low (1st-4th) This small crystal container holds a lightly fizzing, slightly luminescent liquid. It is worn on a necklace, and has a tiny aperture, similar to a perfume vial. Statistics: The vapors inside the phial can be inhaled once per day to grant an Aid effect to the recipient, giving a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and saving throws against fear effects, as well as 1d8+1 temporary hit points for 1 minute. If used sparingly, the phial does not empty. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 25 June 2018) Categories All Powerful magic, exposure to planar emanations, or just plain radiation is often used as a method of mutation. Rapid, uncontrolled mutation can leave its victims twisted in body and mind, mere shadows of personality remaining with an overwhelming desire for murder. These creatures often wear tatters of their original clothing and armour, but eschew weapons for their powerful claws and clublike limbs. Statistics: As the base creature, but they become Aberrations, and gain 2+ HD. Their limbs turn into natural weapons inflicting 1d4 - 1d8 damage per hit, and their Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are boosted by +4, though their Intelligence and Charisma take a -6 penalty. Hooks: * A ruin once belonging to an arcane experimentation facility is now abandoned and in ruins, haunted by these shambling and toothsome monsters. * A wizard accidentally triggers a wave of planar radiation from her tower, turning the townsfolk nearby into ravening and vicious beasts. She sends a desperate message to anyone who can hear her. * A Demon Lord finds a way to build ‘bombs’ which cause everyone in a nearby radius to become corrupted, loosening the seals on dimensions and speeding the way for the Demon Lord to be freed. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 24 June 2018) Categories All Looking at a big full-page dungeon map makes things look very cramped, and a bit dull. Construction takes a long time and a lot of effort (admittedly, not so much if you have summoned magical help), and making everything on the same level makes the map quite sprawling, and causes issues for water runoff, and similar problems. Plus, as anyone who’s played Minecraft can tell you, evening out a large area of terrain to build on is a MASSIVE pain. For this reason, it’s useful to break up your map (even for a full-page map) into smaller ‘zones’, with distinct entry and exits from each, and different physical heights (ether underground or above ground). This way, your players get a sense of when they’re going on to the next section, or can screw around investigating side passages and so on, can plan for where to fall back and rest, and so on. For a GM, this is also handy for working out where particular groups of enemies fit- soldiers at the bottom, priests at the top, and so on (or kobolds at the top, oozes in the sewers, and orcs on the little alcove off to the side, or something). Breaking your map up into smaller chunks makes it more accessible, make more sense physically, and easier to keep track of. Think of it being like suburbs of a town, or rooms in a building. (Originally posted on Game Masters stash on 23 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: low-middle (7th-10th) This weapon was forged by a dragon-slayer, who placed the petrified gallstone of a blue dragon in the pommel of this blade. It crackles with electrical power, and dragons bearing scorch marks on their flanks were often remarked upon in his lifetime as having been marked with “Caramor’s Brand”. Statistics: +2 Shocking Burst longsword. In addition, the wielder takes only half damage from any Electricity effect if they are touching the ground. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 22 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: Middle (9th-11th) This heavy war-mace is famous for a warrior who retired as a mercenary and became a priestess. Her monastery was threatened one day, and she took up holy arms against the evil attackers. Although it had previously been a relic of a cleric who had once defeated a Vampire, this mace is now named to commemorate Sister Betha’s brave and mighty exploits in defending the entire monastery single-handedly, slaying scores of demonic attackers and turning back the foe. Wounded, she even braved fire from her opponents to drag wounded priestesses of her Order to safety, ensuring that each of them lived through the terrible siege. Statistics: +3 Holy heavy mace. If the user is attacked by multiple opponents, they gain a +2 sacred bonus to AC. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 21 June 2018) Categories All These powerful undead champions are created by a cabal of Necromancers working together. They are abominations against nature and all that is holy, formed of a murdered spirit trapped in a body created from the cursed bones of traitors. They are powered by hate of living beings, and hunger for vengeance. Their creators often use them as lieutenants, commanding lesser Skeletons and using them to much better effect. Much more dangerous than an ordinary skeleton, many heroes have fallen to their almost fiendish intelligence. They have even been known to hide their forms under cloaks or alongside other ordinary skeletons, in order to evade notice. Statistics: These Chaotic Evil undead have a base of 10 Hit Dice, and are able to attack with all six arms each round, striking mighty blows with their fists. In addition, they can Smite Good creatures three times per day, inflicting an additional +1 damage per HD. Their bones are hardened and armoured with half-plate armour, making them difficult to injure. They radiate a Desecrate aura within 10 feet, making other undead more difficult to Turn. In addition, they can wordlessly control at least 2 HD of Skeletons per HD. Unlike normal Skeletons, they possess an Intelligence score of 16 or higher, and can execute plans of their own device against attackers. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 20 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: lower-high levels (14th-16th) This hefty broadsword is the traditional weapon of the King’s Champion. Its fuller pulses with an orange glow when unsheathed, threatening righteous retribution for an unjust challenge. Statistics: +4 Lawful greatsword. The wielder can call on a Cure Critical Wounds effect once per day as a standard action. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 19 June 2018) Categories All Recommended Level: low-middle (7th-8th) This hideous weapon built by a cabal of necromancers for their undead champion is fearful to behold and to be confronted by. The weapon itself is animated by powerful magics, and seeks out living flesh to burrow within it. Statistics: +2 Wounding exotic weapon with base damage 1d6, critical 20/x3. This weapon has flexible reach from 5 to 20 feet, and grants a +4 bonus on Disarm attempts. As a Wounding weapon, this inflicts 1 point of Constitution damage per hit, and restores 5 hit points to the wielder (as a negative energy-based effect, an undead wielder is not damaged by this healing). (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 18 June 2018) Categories All This ring features heavy carving in a looping fashion, depicting animal claws. They are often worn by berserkers, and allow them limited shapeshifting as they battle. They occasionally take advantage of these by leaving their weapons at the door and seeming unarmed before leaping into action. Statistics: a wearer who enters Rage (as a Barbarian) while wearing this ring has their hands shift into animal-like paws with large talons, allowing them to fight with each as 1d6 light slashing weapons, and a critical range of 19-20/x2. This lasts for the duration of the rage, and prevents them from using weapons of shields while raging. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 17 June 2018) Categories All This bronze quatrefoil brooch with an inset emerald is designed to aid the wearer in staying healthy and healing well. Statistics: the wearer gains a +1 enhancement bonus on Fortitude saving throws, and heals +1 hit point per die from any healing effects they receive. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 16 June 2018) Categories All As GMs, it can sometimes feel really hard to come up with an idea for your campaigns that hasn’t been done to death. Dragons? Check. Demons? Been there. Outerplanar entities? Beat it up, got the t-shirt. Civil war? Eh. Boooooring. And all your players have read Tolkien, and seen The Avengers, now, so you can’t even rip off lesser-known pop culture stuff, because everyone knows it, right? Let’s try looking out of our comfort zone. We have readers all over the world, but for the purpose of this discussion, I’ll assume most of our readership has a mostly-Western upbringing (which means people outside of this demographic have an edge already!). If you look up the mythic stories of cultures relatively far from yours, you’ll find all sorts of Soap Opera Fantasy goodness. Finding a “for dummies” guide may help you pick up the basics and work out some ideas around that. 15 minutes on Wikipedia has given me these (and my apologies if I’ve misinterpreted or missed the point of something) : * The Ramayana is an Indian epic (seriously epic, like 24,000 VERSES long) about the journeys of Prince Rama to rescue his wife from Ravana, the Demon King. * Journey To The West has been turned into a pile of stuff, including the recent New Zealand version of Monkey Magic. It features a monk journeying across the Silk Road (about 7,000 miles, or 11,000km) on foot, with ghosts and other spirits, demons, the famous Flaming Mountains, and more. * Russia’s folk tales often feature a ”player insert character” (who doesn’t have a lot of character themselves, but can be preeettyy much anyone) battling Koschei the Deathless, a Lich who hid away his heart so no one could kill him. He captures a firebird, marries a warrior princess, gains a talking horse, and wins a throne. * Zulu mythology has a monstrous, hunchbacked goddess named Usiququmadevu, who eats children, and a chief who hunts her down to get his kids back. If that can’t inspire you, then I just give up! There are as many more as there have ever been nations on Earth, so finding reference isn’t too hard. It’s important to be appreciative, not appropriating, when taking legends from other cultures. For you, it’s a story, for other people it’s their history. So, as much as you might hate seeing a poorly-pirated Bible rip-off adventure, pay homage to the original and be a fan of the culture. If someone gets what you’re angling at, then great, you’ve done your job well! Let them ‘lean into it’ and enjoy the experience! (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 15 June 2018) Categories All The Swordsman With No Name is a wandering bounty hunter known for his distinctive outfit and quiet, gruff attitude. He is rarely seen without a small cigarillo in his mouth. He started as a farmhand and once got into a fight with a man he worked with, and was rewarded with a bounty when the man was revealed as a criminal. Since then, he has traveled extensively and worked as a bounty hunter through most kingdoms. Hooks: * For a Fistful of Gold: The Swordsman With No Name arrives in a town, and decides to collect bounties by setting rival crime groups against each other, with the PCs being caught in the crossfire. * For a Little Gold More: A pair of rival bounty hunters arrive in an area along with the Swordsman With No Name, at around the time as a major jailbreak happens. Some of the bounty hunters want to recapture the criminals, while others would prefer to kill them outright. * The Good, The Evil, and The Ugly: During a bitter civil war, the struggle over a cache of stolen gold draws in a variety of interested parties including the PCs, and the Swordsman With No Name. The Swordsman should be higher level than the PCs, and more than a match for any one of them, but might be overwhelmed by a party acting in concert. Suggested statistics: Neutral human Fighter 6/Duelist 6. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 14 June 2018) Categories All This ring is cast of silver, in the shape of a small cat hanging from the wearer’s finger. It has tiny garnets set in the eyes, and bears an inscription on the inside: “pendet ex modo”, in Celestial. Statistics: the wearer gains a +5 bonus on Climb checks, and a +1 bonus on Will saves against stress effects. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 13 June 2018) Categories All This weapon is the ancestral blade of the Callathorne family, handed down for generations. The steel is a dull grey which shines brightly on the edges, and is adorned with curled quillons to guard the hand. As it moves through the air, it makes a soft fluttering noise, which occasionally rises to an ear-shattering keening cry which sounds like a diving sea-gull. Statistics: +1 Thundering bastard sword. The sword itself benefits from a Feather Fall effect, not enough to entirely affect the wielder, but it does reduce their falling damage by 1d6 points. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 12 June 2018) Categories All In RPGs, it can be hard to get people to understand the “lethality” of the game (depending on the style of game you play). So it’s important to have that discussion with your players early, or set some encounters up at the start of the game, to give them an idea how grim and dark your game is. If your players are expecting that each encounter will be a by-the-numbers cakewalk, and you’ll fudge dice to let them live, then they’ll have no frame of reference for when you actually throw and encounter at them that they *should* run away from, or at least buy some time (without you specifically saying “you’re not going to beat all of these- you need to run”). Pathfinder’s Rise of the Runelords started well with a Goblin raid on a farming village. It broke up into some little vignettes that let you set expectations for the game- by the time the players get to the right house, the small children caught by the goblins might be cowering in a corner, captured in a feed-bag, or messily carved apart on the floor, depending on where the GM wanted to set their game on the sliding scale of lethality. Not everyone wants to play a horrific Grimdark experience- for some of us, Friday night’s gaming is a chance to chill with our friends and do heroic stuff, so reaching kids from a bag is going to be much more fun than venting rage onto little green guys. When you’ve got this established, and your players understand that sometimes it’s better to retreat than just to charge headlong into every encounter, you get some really interesting and exciting ways of dealing with things- your players may (shock, horror) *PLAN* for an encounter. If they do, try to reward that! Let them be successful, because no-one is turning up just to get repeatedly ground into the floor and spend their weekend making yet another new character. TL;DR: talk to your players. Establish how lethal your game will be. Encourage them to run away sometimes. Let them make plans, and succeed at stuff. Any ideas, or ways this has worked for you? (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 11 June 2018) Categories All |
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