I'm feeling creative.
Reading The Divine Spark , as well as the anniversaries of the deaths of two of my cats approaching, and really suffering emotionally as I struggle with a new job that's a lot harder than I ever anticipated it would be, I'm motivated to be creative as a cope. I'm back to work at defining the world of my novel, as well as house rules and supplements I have in mind for Pits & Perils.
I'd like to share with you a rough draft of Cat People, a house rules Race-as-Class for Pits & Perils. If I can perfect it, I will format it appropriately and submit it lawfully per their licensing rules to the archive. I invite your criticism. I appreciate criticism. How do you envision playing a cat person? View the attached pdf file below.
Tag: P&P
Race-as-Class in Fantasy RPGs
Race-as-class is an old school concept from the early days of the hobby. Creatures such as Elves, Dwarfs and Halflings were assumed to be very similar in inclination and abilities due to being somewhat insular, distinct minorities in a world populated by humans. Also, these fictional creatures from folklore represent archetypes of the human psyche, natural or paranormal phenomena, and as such lend themselves to simple stereotypes (though there was nothing to stop the player from role playing them in a non-traditional way). They were mostly variations on the Fighter class, but with some added abilities.
For example,In Basic D&D, the Dwarf advances as a fighter, but with superior saving throws and the ability to analyze stone construction and find traps. They were limited in how many levels they could advance, and as such a human Fighter would eventually overtake a Dwarf’s advantages, provided the human survived long enough to do it.
The Halflings were limited fighters. While having superior saving throws and advantages on missile attacks, as well as the ability to hide in wilderness, they also could not advance to a high level, and their weapon choices were severely restricted. They are very fun to role play due to the childlike nature of Halflings in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books and their love of food, drink, and pipes of tobacco.
Th Elf was essentially the hybrid fighter and wizard. In the early era of D&D, the Elf would either advance as a warrior or a wizard, depending on what he chose to do that day. Later versions allowed them to do both simultaneously, but were required to earn a lot more experience to go up levels.
There was nothing to stop folks from combining race and class, and many folks did this before official material sanctioned it. Those who read The Hobbit and The Lord Of the Rings wanted to play halfling thieves, and creative referees bolted on the thief class rules (with their unwieldy d100 ability tables) or created their own versions.
Gaming and cultural sensibilities have changed over time, and modern editions of the classic role playing game allow any race-class combination, such as Orc Clerics, Elf Thieves, Halfling Wizards, and so on. Life goes on and tastes evolve, but I still enjoy creating character classes and as such got to thinking: most race-as-class variants, including my own Cat Men, Rhino Men, and goblins, were variations of the fighter. What if someone made a race-as-class variation on the Magician for Pits & Perils?
How does one offer something unique to the Magician class of P&P to make it a viable alternative to the Magician?
For simplicity’s sake, if I wanted to play a non-human Magician, a referee could just make a ruling on it any we could move on without changing anything. There’s nothing to say I can’t play a dwarf magician. Perhaps he was just more bookish than the typical dwarf, and spent more time studying magic and lore and less studying stonework and mechanical devices. Please do not construe the following as a suggestion that you cannot do these things. For those who like tweaks and variants on existing classes, the following is what I have to offer.
What I have is a different kind of magician who has one ongoing spell effect, guaranteed high Intelligence, and an ability to fly. The downside is they take longer to advance and have fewer hitpoints than Human Magicians.
Vulture Men, version 0.1
An ancient hybrid of Vultures and Elves, Vulture men are long lived hybrids with a penchant for scholarship and magic. They were created to be the lore masters that span generations, but also found their own niche as seers, magicians and adventurers. They never forget a verse, and as such make excellent instructors in colleges and schools of all kinds. Being awkward hybrids of humanoid and bird, they are unusually frail compared to humans and elves. They make up for it with their natural talent for magic.
As Class
Vultures have Intelligence, plus anything else they roll. They cannot take Strength or Constitution, but can choose from the other four stats if these are rolled.
They wield only staffs or daggers as weapons, and lack the physique to wear armor.
Vultures have an automatic, ongoing spell of URGE, that allows them to manifest minor cantrip effects without spending Spell Points.
Vultures, if not burdened, can fly for 1d6 rounds, and may slow falls if they have the chance to extend their wings.
Vulture Advancement Table
XP Level HP SP Title
0 1 4 2 Scribe
300 2 +1 3
600 3 +2 4 Scholar
1,200 4 +3 5
2,400 5 +4 6 Investigator
5,000 6 +5 7
10,000 7 +6 8 Proctor
20,000 8 +7 9
40,000 9 + 8 10 Lore Master
80,000 10 +9 11
Vulture Background 2d6
2 – Trivia Master, re-roll one failed Intelligence save per day
3 – Spiritualist, extensive knowledge of supernatural entities
4 – Anthropologist, extensive knowledge of sentient humanoid species
5 – Zoologist, extensive knowledge of non-sentient species
6 – Astrologer, can navigate as a sailor per the standard P&P rules
7 – Scholar, Broad baseline knowledge on all subjects
8 – Architect, evaluate and design structures of all kinds as a Dwarf per the standard P&P rules
9 – Alchemist, identify potions, make all potions at half cost
10 – Antiquarian, extensive knowledge of magical artifacts
11 – Engineer, design and build complex mechanical devices
12 – Warrior, gain a combat maneuver at level one, and every third level thereafter
At ninth level, a Vulture Man can found a College. It will attract ten vulture men, and twenty humans. Of the vulture men, there will be two scribes, seven scholars, and one magician. Of humans, there will be five footmen, five bowmen, and ten laborers. The college can generated 200gp per month in profits from educating humans enrolled in the school.
HIRELINGS & HENCHMEN
Type Armor HP Weapon Notes Cost
scribe none 4 dagger record keeper 5
scholar none 6 dagger specializes in subject 10
magician none 6 dagger third level 15
footman light 3 spear human 5
bowman none 3 bow human 5
laborer none 3 improvised menial tasks 3
Boo!
I went back to work on and revise a home brew adventure which occurs in a crossover of Alice In Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh.
I just discovered the copyright to Winnie the Pooh won’t expire until 2026. That’s fine, for if I just play privately with some friends, no problem. But I’d like to release an adventure for Pits & Perils and Blood of Pangea.
If want to release an adventure supplement themed about these living stuffed animals for Pits & Perils or Blood of Pangea, I must change names and species. I can work with this, but it won’t have quite the same appeal.
The odds of getting a Disney license for a small print game is next to zero, and even if I could the cost would probably be astronomical.
So over the next couple months I’ll post bits and pieces of this Not-Pooh adventure as I work on it.
Write While You Can
I went to the Emergency Room last Friday on account of chest pain. The good news is I didn’t have a heart attack, and there’s no obvious blood clots. The bad news is that the pain is still undiagnosed, and I won’t know for some time until my primary care physician can order some more tests. It’s really weird going about life when it feels like a hand is in your chest squeezing my insides. I’m not fishing for sympathy, that is not the point of this post.
The point I’m driving at is I don’t know when I’ll die, none of us do. When I was laying in my hospital bed, my three mains fears were 1) I won’t be there for my cats anymore, 2) I might end up hacked up and disabled, and 3) I won’t finish my writing. If you’ve had an idea kicking around your head for game supplements, fiction, or anything else you would want to write about, then do it now. Don’t wait for an emergency to clarify what you’re meant to do with your life. I’m meant to write. So long as I have a computer, typewriter, or paper and pencil (even a quill and ink well), I’ll write. If I’m reduced to chiseling poetry on stone, I’ll write (let’s pray it doesn’t get there).
After getting home I worked with new zeal to finish my Goblin character supplement for Pits & Perils. In my eagerness to get this thing uploaded, I overlooked one editing mistake, and had to ask them to hold off on posting it until I fix it. I have one last edit to do, and then I’ll submit it again to James & Robyn for the archive.
James and Robyn, if you don’t hear from me for a month, post the draft I sent you so folks can play with it. I’d rather people play with something decent than have nothing because I suddenly took the dirt nap.
–Abraham Gray
Deleted Rough Drafts of Goblin Supplement
I deleted the rough drafts of the goblin supplement for P&P. I’m putting the finishing touches on the final draft, and will post it with the appropriate Open Supplement License and OHR logo after I email it to OHR for the archive.
It will be free, of course, just like everything else I write.
I look forward to sharing it with you.
Goblin Supplement V6
Click the link to download.
The Goblin v6 Notes
I revised the RAIN spell and the Cave Spider.
The RAIN spell was way overpowered. Looking at the assorted spells in the Complete P&P, their range and magnitude are small. World changing magics, while they may exist, are not standard repertoire for spell casters spending one point per spell. Therefore, I changed it so the caster can summon a rain cloud that lasts one turn per level and follows the caster. I removed the text about intensifying the storm. It’s easy enough to make rulings on multiple overlapping rain clouds.
I imagine this might have various obvious uses such as blocking the sun, watering crops or suppressing fires. Being the only successful farmer in a drought-stricken land may well attract unwanted attention.
When creating spells for P&P, I suggest using the power of the spells in the original game as a guideline. This is not like D&D where a high level magician or cleric acquires terribly powerful spells that: create massive quantities of food or drink, raise and shape massive quantities of stone or steel, strike moderately powerful foes dead with one hit, and so on. Such magical effects might be possible if it suits the fiction, but I imagine it would require involved rituals with multiple participating magicians. Furthermore I think bending the rules of existence to that extent might attract supernatural attention with potentially serious consequences.
I revised the Cave Spider to statistically resemble the standard Giant Spider, but noting it was specially bred. It’s faster on flat ground than your typical giant spider, but do note that there is no penalty to saving against its poisonous bite. The selective breeding increased the speed and decreased the poison.
I’m coming to appreciate the importance of study, reflection and revision when creating game content. I’m grateful I have a quiet mindless job that lets me work these things out. I was halfway through my shift when the thought hit me “The rain spell sucks! And so does the cave spider. Fix them!”
Goblin Class for P&P version 5
Version 5 pdf link above. Revision notes below.
Goblin race-as-class Suppliment version 5 Notes
I finally figured out something with the goblin supplement that was bothering me about the gas filled mushrooms.
First of all was the name bladder-fart. It’s a cute name, something some goblins might call a mushroom, but for me not quite right. What would humans call it? Maybe they have no name for it, but find it among the wreckage of destroyed goblin settlements or crashed balloons.
Second, there was the cost of the bladder-fart versus the utility. One used to give three hours of fly time. It’s not much math, but it’s a lot to ask of the player. If the PCs rent or buy a balloon, they should have very simple choices to make. They shouldn’t have to calculate exactly how many hours of gas they need. A rough estimate should be enough, with the possibility of buying extra gas in case they want additional flight time or a nice bomb to drop on their enemies. Or a nice bomb dropped by NPC goblins on human settlements.
Third, I was unsure about the explosive power of the goblin bombs. How much was enough damage, did it cost enough? Did it cost too little?
I solved all the above when I realized the gas filled mushroom could serve as both bomb and fuel source. When I thought of an analogy to a modern gas bottle, my problem was solved. Why not have a some what tallish mushroom that holds a lot of gas? Why not fit it to a nozzle for balloon use, or fit a fuse for bomb use? And being a big, tall bottle of gas, it could fly a balloon for an easily calculable period of time—say 12 hours (I might make it 24), and give a nice wide area explosion when dropped from above? With this I can increase the cost of the gas bottle, increase it’s area of effective explosion, and decrease the math required in purchasing it.
Doing so, I let the focus of goblin balloons be the fiction of ballooning, rather than the complicated logistics. This will allow for interesting decisions to be made: do I save the extra bottles of gas for flight time, or do I drop them on my enemies?
Not to mention the tempting target of a boom-shroom for a sharp-eyed archer with a flaming arrow!
I think I may have now revised the gas mushroom to be what I want them to be: a useful plot device to facilitate interesting adventures. Be careful carrying your torches in a cave full of these shrooms, so that you don’t accidentally set them on fire! Be careful setting a fuse and dropping them, or you’ll blow yourself up!
I can imagine the diminutive goblins, two or three working together, loading these things into their balloons or onto their crude catapults. It makes for good fiction, which is the point of gaming in my opinion.
It occurred to me that a typical adventuring party will be at least four PCs. Perhaps the basket should be enlarged to carry four human sized or six goblin sized characters. Or maybe part of the fun is figuring you need two balloons, and have to raise the funds get them.
Let me know what you think.
Lastly, I revised the level increments for goblin combat abilities and HEAL spell potency to “every third level” in case you wish to run characters higher than the standard ten levels.
Abraham Gray
Goblin Class v 4.0 for P&P
I keep revising it and adjusting, I really need to stop.
Click the link above to download.
Changes: Updated treasure entry for NPC goblins. Changed Shaman to three starting spells (heal + 2 chosen). Otherwise nothing else changed. I need to playtest the shaman to see how it feels.
If you prefer one version or part of one version over another please tell me.
I’d better stop before I ruin it like George Lucas ruined Star Wars with his re-edits.
The Goblin for P&P
This was inspired by Aaron Gustwiller’s “Durulz” duck race. I mimicked some of the formatting he used for his creation.
Click above link to download the pdf.
And as always my contributions are free for your enjoyment.
P&P Creature – Crystite
CRYSTITE
In ancient caverns and forgotten tunneled halls lurk the creatures made of living crystal. Their dark days are spent patiently looking for victims to propagate their species. Upon slaying a creature, a crystite will deposit an crystaline egg in a bodily orifice. This egg slowly crystallizes the dead body until a new crystite is formed resembling the original host. Crystites therefore have been known to resemble humans, dwarfs, orcs, kobolds, ogres, or even dogs.
Crystites are of low intelligence and speak no known language. They are not social but gregarious around others of their own kind. They cannot heal injuries, and can be demoralized and forced to flee if faced with superior opposition.
Crystites have as many hit dice as the creature they copy. Their stony nature gives them +1 armor per level versus bladed weapons. Being made of stone, their movement speed is ten feet slower than whatever creature they resemble. When destroyed, Crystites shatter mostly to dust, but will leave 1d6 x 10 / level worth of salvageable gemstones.
NAME ATTACKS LEVEL MOVE SIDE NUMBER TREASURE
Crystite 1 * *(-10′) N 1-6 II (gems)
ACID ARROWS
It was out of sheer luck and desperation that a dwarfish chemist discovered a particular weakness of Crystites: A special acid that breaks down their crystal lattice. Fitted with special hollow arrow heads filled with the acid, these arrows deal an additional 1d6 damage to Crystites, and 1d3 damage to other creatures.
Acid arrows are sometimes found in abandoned underground laboratories. An alchemist who knows the formula can create arrow heads at a cost of 5gp per arrow.
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