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.