The Blastlock (A GLoG Class)

So I tried to make a thing...

 

The Blastlock - We shall never forget Thee...

Starting Equipment: dagger, tattered robes, tiny relic (can be jewelry(connection to patron, no value, 0 slots)).

Skills: You were a normal someone, until you made a pact with.... something maddening to even try to explain, you had your reasons (it did too...). Alternatively, pick any profession and explain why you made your pact.

Roll 1d8 -

1. Gongfarmer (Sack of Nightsoil) (has potential guild connections).
2. Astrologer (Book of Star Tables/Charts).
3. Architect (plum bob) (has potential guild connections).
4. Gravedigger (wooden grave marker).
5. Fisherman (10' net). (has potential guild connections)
6. Gambler (loaded dice, 0 slots).
7. Clock-maker (File & hammer). (has potential guild connections)
8. Poet (book of poetry).

Now you're, well... you're still you, but you're different, there's things you need to do, a deal is a deal, right?

Blastlock Templates:

A) Pact of Madness - You can now "blast" eldritch energy from your palms. Make an attack roll, on a success deal 1d6+CHA damage (minimum 1), Treat a natural 20 as a mishap (see below). You also gain an Eldritch Gift (see below), as a result your eyes now glow/fluoresce a color you choose (no benefit). You can touch a creature and make an opposed CHA test, on a success you know their darkest fear/deepest secret. On a failure they know yours.

B) Repulsive Bargain - Your mind and/or body react to the presence of Eldritch energies, for better or worse...You now deal 1d8+CHA damage. You can choose to roll 1 step lower (so 1d6) and push the target a reasonable amount.

C) Patron's Gift - Your damage is now 1d10+CHA. You also gain another Eldritch Gift. You can now "Soulburn": Roll 2d3, add both to your damage and take the lower as damage to yourself, if you roll doubles, you take no damage (Soulburn damage you take can't be healed magically).

D) Eldritch Blast - Your damage is now 1d12+CHA. You can now charge inanimate objects with Eldritch energy, they explode on significant impact (requires an attack roll if used as a projectile), causing 3d4 damage (DEX save for half). You now Soulburn with 2d4. You can Soulburn your Eldritch Blasts. At your GM's discretion you might get to choose another Eldritch Gift.

Eldritch Gifts - Roll a 1d8 If you already have the gift, re-roll, or discuss enhancements with the GM.

1. Your Patron lets you choose your gift. Roll twice and pick, re-rolling any further 1s.
2. Choose a small creature known to you, you can shape your Eldritch energy into this creature and leave it somewhere for up to a number of days equal to your templates. If someone comes within 10ft of it, you will be alerted, on a successful CHA check you will also be able to see and hear them briefly.
3. You can manifest your Eldritch energy as a tome, anything you say while holding it open and not reading from it will be written down in it.
4. You can form your Eldritch energy into up to 50' of rope with a grappling hook on one end, it is insubstantial to any creature you don't wish to have use it unless they pass a save against your CHA.
5. You can use your Eldritch energy to disguise yourself (as Disguise spell) (your eyes still fluoresce/glow). You can do this a number of times a day equal to your HD, the effect lasts 15 minutes per template in this class.
6. You can record a short message into your blast (it does no damage). When it strikes the target (no attack roll needed), they make a CHA save, on a success, they hear your message, on a failure they hear raving gibberish for 1d3 minutes.
7. You can form your Eldritch energy into a pole of any length up to 15' and and reasonable diameter, it is insubstantial to any creature besides yourself unless they pass a save against your CHA. Alternatively it can be formed into fully functional fishing gear.
8. Choose a small instrument, you can shape your Eldritch energy into this instrument, and are highly skilled at playing it, this does not translate to real versions of the same instrument.

Blastlock Mishaps - Roll 2d4

• 2 - Suffer a Doom.
• 3 - Hallucinate for 1d6 rounds (Deaf + Blind).
• 4 - Visions from The Master (Blind 1d6 rounds).
• 5 - You hit something you shouldn't.
• 6 - Whispers from The Master (Deaf 1d6 rounds).
• 7 - Take 1d6 damage.
• 8 - Random mutation 1d6 rounds then save. Permanent if you fail. Resembles your Patron.

Blastlock Dooms:

1. You disappear for 2d6 hours (except your relic), your Master called. You return to a point near your relic. You're shaken, but unharmed. It is difficult to find the right words to accurately convey what you experienced.
2. You disappear for 1d4 days (again, except for your relic), again you return to a point nearby to your relic, however this time you're at 0HP and your appearance has been permanently altered. You are unable to find or create the words to describe what happened to you.
3. You finally understand everything! Your head explodes for 4d6 damage in a 5ft radius (save for half). You can finally rest.
    

(Still...) Not Dead Yet!

 I fell off the wagon again...

Life got very interesting for a while, and I didn't have the time I wanted to focus on TTRPG games.

I've made it through and back though, and I have lots of ideas for lots of (hopefully) interesting posts (and even a few ttrpg creations!).

I have definitely come to a point where OSR/NSR-type games that aren't rules-heavy are my thing, I was realizing this as I sat reading "Shadow of The Weird Wizard" From Schwalb Entertainment. I still love Rob's work, he has a very evocative writing style, and creates amazing things.The rules *are* definitely lighter and less complex than many other "crunchy" games, but my brain kept saying "does this really need to be an explicit rule?" while looking at various things.

I'll still recommend the products from Schwalb Entertainment as better options than other famous and well known publishers to people who enjoy more crunch in their games, but my head is most definitely in a space where games like "GLoG", "Into The Odd", "The Black Hack", "Mork Borg", "1pot", and their various hacks suit my tastes so much more.

What is it about these games that tickle my brain? It's the fact that they provide a framework where rolls are focused on making the fiction interesting, they don't "drive" the fiction,  they "flavor" it. They either explicitly or implicitly focus on letting the GM and Players create an interesting story instead of the Players focusing on creating an optimized character sheet, and the GM tracking the things required to "counter" that behavior.

Being in the OSR/NSR-space, they tend to be lower-powered, encouraging Players to employ creativity and "smart" tactics/approaches instead of just brute forcing their way to their objective. Maybe it is because I cut my teeth on games of this nature, or because most rgp-style video games that I've played usually just turn into "get more powerful stats" for defeating higher level foes, that the idea of being creative just appeals more to me as a GM. It also tends to avoid having to make Monsters with ridiculous amounts of HP or other gimmicks to keep them in a fight long enough to have impact on the PCs more than "oh he's a BBEG!"

This leads to another bonus to me as a GM in that it allows mundane things to be very interesting to the  Players, because any advantage is something they'll look into. It creates a more natural framework for this concept (which is what I wanted to blog about in the first place):

All "+" equipment should be unique in the world, not just "stat sticks". They should focus on being interesting to use and not just "more/easier" damage. My general template for translating this is:
A +1 item has a quirk or oddity to it, and occasionally provide a benefit in combat.
A +2 item has a knack, and be useful regularly (but not always) in combat.
A +3 item has a purpose, and will generally be useful any time it has to be used.

I have never liked the idea of equipment making hitting something or dodging something easier, so I tend to avoid letting them effect stats (of course I have exceptions for this when thinking up items, but they tend to be for non-combat uses), I also don't like the idea of them just adding to damage. At +2 or above adding +1 damage (+3, situationally +2) is reasonable.

I like this approach because it allows me to give PCs gear that does improve their capabilities, but still requires them to use their brains. With this approach I tend to make +1 items somewhat common, +2 items rare, and +3 are the things of myths and legends. This leads to an increase in immersion for the Players as they have unique things that they earned through their own sweat, blood, and tears, as well as creating lots of hooks for those that want to seek out the more powerful equipment.

That's all for now, hopefully this is a solid return to blog-space for me and I hope to deep-dive into a lot more things in the near future.

Incredible Sandbox Modules Pt. 1

Having mentioned The Gardens of Ynn and The Stygian Library in a (not-so)recent post. I would like to give a mini-review of each. However, I'll be reviewing them one-at-a-time!

I'm going to start with The Stygian Library since I feel that it is a bit more "mentally compact" and "easier to grok" than The Gardens of Ynn (even though I very slightly prefer the garden to the library).

I've done my best to not spoil anything, but you've been warned!

The Stygian Library - DTRPG (opens in new window).

First quick note/impression:
I love the art and type for this, it fits and helps establish the "mood" of the library. As a GM I find this very helpful. I'm not looking for "expensive" art, but art that fits the tone/mood of the game/setting.

What is it?
The module is a wonderful example of a randomly generated mini-megadungeon. It is self-coherent within the "walls" of the world, and encourages more than just a "smash and grab" approach to problem solving.

I say "randomly generated" because while the "end goal" is defined, and will always be reachable (in theory), the path will most likely be very different every time, as the mechanics provided to accomplish this are both "sound" and "easy to use." In fact, 5 pages are dedicated to how to handle different common adventuring situations such as "Adventurers sitting around with their thumbs up their arses" or "fleeing" and how this effects their path through the Library.

The tables themselves are only 5 pages (we're at a grand total of 15 pages so far, including 5 describing the settings, and common reasons for adventurers to end up there), leaving the rest of the 71 pages to flesh out those tables. This is exactly what I want from a module. Details and nuances for the locations, what makes this room memorable/unique, the author includes a lot of sensory cues besides just visual/tactile, which really help a lot in creating immersion at the table (one of the reasons I like Veins of the Earth so much is because the bestiary includes what each monster smells like (which makes sense in an underdark where darkvision isn't "cheap/free" (a rant for another time...)).

What it is:
The Stygian Library is described as a "pocket realm" connecting libraries that have achieved a certain "critical mass" of books. The pocket realm itself is a labyrinth of constantly-rearranging rooms ("laid-out much like a traditional dungeon"). The vibe is very "OSR"/"Steampunk/Gaslight" (so, awesome) inside the library (and since it is a pocket realm, one isn't beholden to having that same vibe outside the library). I'm going to cut this part short so as not to provide spoilers, but trust me, it really is an awesome place!

Why use it?
The Stygian Library is a masterful module, not only for presenting a unique area, which can be re-used (even with the same players/same campaign) many time, a great value/dollar ratio. It also offers a lot of opportunities for player interaction in more ways than just smash/kill/loot their way through the dungeon. In the same vein, it offers GMs a great way to sprinkle lore knowledge/development on the players (after all, it is a library (in which "any" book can be found with enough time/patience)). Not only this, it makes it incredibly easy to do all of this, and track things GM-side without having to be putting a lot of mental effort into it.

One key thing is that the players are encouraged to make a map, but that they should never see the GM's map, since certain actions can lead to their "official" path being broken.