2014年7月24日木曜日

5e Race II: The Illithids

Illithids
Emerging from Darkness
Illithids are not born, they are made: a host body is implanted with a mature illithid larvae and transformed in a process known as ceremorphosis. The newly made illithid remembers little of its former life and only occasionally retains some quirk or behaviour from the original host.
An illithid pose-down party.
Illithids are not usually filled with the wanderlust that overcomes other races. Their path to adventure usually emerges out of service to or rebellion against an Elder Brain. Perhaps you are on a mission of some deep importance to your Elder Brain master or maybe you were part of a rebellion against the strictures of the community and feel that eating other humanoids (okay, even just the brains) is wrong. It is possible that you may be a rare Adversary illithid, which possesses all of the memories and personality of the original host body.
Whatever your reasons, you find yourself outside the safety of your community and in need of a very good disguise. Most up-worlders regard you with outright hate and disgust. They know the reputation of your kind and will usually be extremely hostile.
Illithid Names
Illithid names are widely varied and adopted from many cultures.
Male Names: Sangalor, Zoidberg, Chuul
Female Names: Marianne, K’thula, Geverstrem
Family Names: Illithids do not have families or clan identifiers. All illithids usually belong to an unnamed Elder Brain. Adversary illithids may resume the use of their pre-ceremophosis name.
Illithid Traits
Powerful minds are the hallmark of the illithid. They are mostly psions (currently wizards, I guess) or wizards, though clerics and fighters do exist among their ranks.
Thoons love to flex.
Ability Score Increase: Your Intelligence score increases by 2.
Age: As humans.
Alignment: Tend toward lawful evil.
Size: Medium
Height: 4’8”+2d10 inches. Weight: 100 +1d4 x height modifier result in pounds.
Speed: 30
Mind Bolt: As blast of psychic energy that briefly stuns foes.
Mind Blast: At level 9, the illithid has mastered the mind bolt and can now produce a cone of stunning mind energy.
Psychic Prowess: Intelligence is your ability for illithid psionic powers. Psionic save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + intelligence modifier.
Telepathy: An illithid can communicate telepathically to any other intelligent creature within 100 feet.
Tentacles: Illithid tentacles are incredibly strong and are used in the feeding process, rending flesh and cracking skull to reveal tasty grey matter. You can you add your Intelligence modifier (instead of Strength) to grappling checks with tentacles. You may only grapple one creature at a time.
Extract: An illithid that has grappled a target can make an automatic extraction attack on the following turn. Extraction deals 1d6+Intelligence modifier damage as you dig into the head of the grappled victim seeking those sweet sweet brains. Extraction will instantly kill an unconscious victim.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of the underfolk (drow, kuo-toa, undercommon). Illithids have no spoken language of their own, but they do have elaborate body language based upon the movements of their tentacles and the hissing and gnashing of their maw.
Subrace: There are two types of illithid: the mind flayer which is more numerous and the thoon, which is rare.
Mind Flayer
Devious and cruel, keepers of thralls. Psychic sensitives.
Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 2.
Sense Thoughts: This power acts like a radar ping, other creatures may not realize that you are near but they will feel uneasy as your probe for their thoughts. The Mind Flayer can make an Intelligence check to detect the presence of intelligent creatures (Int 5+) within 100 feet. This does not detect other forms of unintelligent life. Intelligent creatures can resist detection with a contested roll of Wisdom or Charisma. (DMs should always roll several times, regardless of the presence of intelligent life). This power acts like a radar ping, other creatures may not realize that you are near but they will feel uneasy.
Read Thoughts: The mind flayer can attempt to read the thoughts of one creature it can see within 30 feet. The target creature makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you can read the target’s surface thoughts for 1 minute. During that minute, you have advantage on Charisma (deception) checks to deceive the target and Wisdom (insight) checks to sense the target’s intentions.
Enthralling Charm: A mind flayer can enslave the mind of another creature. You can cast Charm Person (DC equal to 8+proficiency bonus+intelligence modifier). This spell can not be cast again until you have had a short or long rest.

Thoon
Physically powerful, built for combat and protection. Trained in the construction of psychic weaponry and body manipulation.
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Psychic Shield: A thoon with a free hand can construct a shield of psychokinetic force. This shield improves AC by 2 and doesn’t require proficiency to use.
Psychic Weapon: A thoon can manifest a weapon of psychokinetic force.  This weapon can take any shape (and has all the properties of such a weapon). The weapon requires proficiency to be wielded effectively. When inspired (using inspiration), you can imbue the weapon with +1 magical bonus for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier. (You give up the advantage roll in favour of the +1 bonus to rolls).
Mind Bolt
0 level cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: None, occasional somatic components.
Duration: Instant
A surging bolt of psychic energy lashes out at the target, very briefly stunning them. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, it takes 1d8 psychic damage and can not use reaction abilities until the start of your next turn. This power increases by 1d8 damage at 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8) and 17th level (4d8).
Mind Blast
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet, cone
Components: None, occasional somatic components.
Duration: Instant
A stunning wave of psychic energy blasts each target in the area of effect, assaulting the mind and causing extreme mental anguish. Targets make a Intelligence saving throw (DC equal to 8+proficiency bonus+intelligence modifier). On a failed save, targets suffer 2d6 damage and are stunned for 1 minute. On a successful save, targets take half damage and are not stunned. However, the target can not use reaction abilities until the start of your next turn. Stunned targets make saving throws each round to overcome the stunned condition.
Once you complete a short or long rest, you may use this power again.


Everything you need to know about illithids
5e Psionicist at Cross Planes
Art credits sadly unknown... Google Fu... you have failed me again.
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2014年7月19日土曜日

The Collected 5e Homebrew Index

Update: With holidays, schedules, illnesses and the rest of life's interrupt buttons, I have been decidedly remiss in my duties here. However, a new torchbearer has risen! The Three Hs of Gaming (welcome to the blog-o-sphere, my friend) has taken on duties since mid-December.
I recommend you check out the much more up-to-date post HERE.

 Looking for a 5e Homebrewer/DIY Gamer signal boost!

 +Ramanan S and +Corey Brin were talking over on the G-Plus just yesterday when it was suggested that someone compile all the fantastic 5e homebrew resources. It just so happens that I had already started doing that through private posts to myself on G+, slowly compiling everything into a document on Google Docs.
In my efforts, a couple of problems have cropped up... I am just not awake 24 hours a day and my eyes are not scouring the web for these gems in those few hours I am wakeful. I propose that our little army of DIY gamers band together as much good stuff as we can; to that end, I promise to update and maintain a list for all to access links to any homebrew resources, races, classes, backgrounds, house rules... whatever! I just need more links!
So! Please feel free to PM me, tag me into anything you find, post links here OR even edit the original document:

 Google Doc!
Thanks to Tsojcanth at Lost Pages for starting this way before me. (Had no idea!)

The Collected 5e Homebrew Index


The Rules:

Monster Conversion:
Generators:


Races:
Classes:
Backgrounds:
Monsters:
Evangelist of Torment at games with others (so many creepy eyes... a Devil monster)
Spells:
Adventures:
Mind Blast by Will Doyle (Winner of the D&D Next adventure contest at EnWorld)
House Rules:

More stuff always needed!
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2014年7月18日金曜日

5e Race I: The Myconids

Myconids
The Fungal Adventurers
Cathto - DeviantArt
Rare is the myconid adventurer, the sun scorches their bodies and they are often met with confusion and hostility - especially when spraying spores to establish telepathic links.
On occasion, circumstances may force a myconid to leave the comforts of home and seek out adventure - your colony was wiped out and vengeance is the only thing that drives you forward or perhaps, you search in vain for a new family. A scouting mission may have led you deep into the Underdark and now you’ve become lost. Or, you could simply be struck by wanderlust - that awesome desire to seek out the unknown.
Any relief from sunshine is welcome: myconid adventurers often wear cloth veils, turbans or headdresses, some even carry huge parasols and others wear tinted goggles and long-sleeved gloves. How do you try to beat the sun’s hateful rays?
Myconids are incapable of producing spoken words. They can hear and understand other languages but have no spoken language of their own (they rely on telepathy to communicate). Myconid “names” are usually important beliefs or any natural phenomenon that occurred at the time of their birth. Myconid adventurers are usually nicknamed by their allies, since their mycon names have no pronounceable linguistic elements. Myconids have no concept of clan or family names, but have a strong sense of community nevertheless.
Myconid Traits
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age: 4 to 24
Alignment: Lawful Neutral.
Size: Medium, Myconids continue to grow their whole lives. Add 1d4 inches per level, x1d4 pounds per level. Myconids over 8 feet tall are considered Large creatures with all the benefits/drawbacks of their size.
Height: 5’0” +3d6 inches. Weight: 150 +3d4 x height modifier result in pounds.
Speed: 30
Bulby Bludgeon-hands: Myconids tend to have huge, heavy hands and feet. Their unarmed strikes are very powerful. Punches and kicks deal 1d6+strength modifier damage.
Not-so-Spongy Morels: The large, strange shape of myconids means that armour is expensive and custom made (armour built for myconids will cost 5 times more). Myconids do not have a culture that produces armour as other races do because their spongy bodies harden and firm up over time. While unarmoured, you may add your constitution modifier to your armour class.
Sun Bad, Darkness Good: Myconids prefer cool, wet climates and avoid direct sunshine. They suffer -2 to all rolls when in bright sunlight. Little can be done to mitigate this discomfort. Even special clothing does little to help, though they will try anything to protect their moist, spongy hides.
Nearly All Things are Food: Myconids can eat almost anything. Any bio-matter can be consumed by standing atop it and resting, nutrients are consumed through the feet while “sleeping”.
Non-verbal Casters: Myconids lack a spoken language. However, there still exist among them many types of spell casters. Myconids may ignore verbal spell components, but their spell castings are slow and showy. Myconids use combinations of spores and wild gesturing to cast. Casters are -4 on initiative to cast spells.
Rapport Spores: Rapport spores create a telepathic link between you and the affected target (communication is only with the myconid, separately affected targets can not communicate with each other telepathically). Spores have a 10 foot range and establish a telepathic connection up to 200 feet away. You can maintain a link with a limited number of intelligent creatures equal to your level plus intelligence (or charisma) modifier. Rapport spores can be created at will. Rapport lasts 12 hours, or until the link is broken.
Pacifying Spores: A burst of spores with a powerful telepathic command can be emitted once per day. (Functions as Command spell, p.86 Basic Rules)
MacRebisz - DeviantArt
Hallucinator Spores: At 5th level, you can produce a cloud of powerful hallucination spores that cause confusion once per day. (Functions as Confusion spell, detailed below)
Animator Spores: At 9th level, you can animate a corpse with animator spores. The spores grow up out of the head, back, arms and legs of the host like horns of fungus. The spores require 1d4+1 days to reanimate the dead creature, after which it can be controlled through Rapport spores. The “zombie” is not undead and can not be turned. Only one zombie-like creature can be created at a time. The risen body continues to decay and after a period of 1d4+1 weeks will fall to useless pieces.
“Zombies” have one HD no matter the number of original HD, but they keep any natural attacks they had in life. A zombied owlbear would have 1HD (1d10), but make 3 attacks (2 claws and a bite).
Meld: Groups of myconids gather for several hours a day to meld. Melding is a telepathic interlink created by an elder. Myconids depend on the meld for worship, entertainment, social interaction and mental well-being. It is the raison d’etre of a myconid to engage in the meld. When adventuring, the meld becomes more difficult to perform. A 5th level myconid can create a meld with another myconid and gain one of the following benefits:
  • +1 to one type of saving throw roll (constitution rolls only, for example).
  • +1 inspiration point.
  • +2 to skill checks with an untrained skill of their choice.
This benefit lasts only 12 hours.
Myconids that go without the meld for extended periods become depressed and withdrawn. Un-melded myconids die after 1 year, shriveled and in anguish.
Languages: You can understand, read, and write Common and one additional language. You can only “speak” telepathically.
Confusion
3rd level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a dash of mushroom powder or poppy flower)
Duration: 1 round/level
A weirding wave surges forth from the caster landing in a burst of powdery fragrance. All creatures in a 15 foot radius sphere centred on that point make a Wisdom saving throw. A target is confused by strange hallucinations on a failed save (targets are unaffected on a successful save). Their actions become unpredictable. Confused targets should consult the following table at the start of each round (roll 1d6):
  1. Wander away for 1 minute. Do not re-roll each round, this creature leaves the scene.
  2. Cower and whimper for 1 round.
  3. Scream and gibber for 1 round.
  4. Attack nearest ally for 1 round.
  5. Attack nearest creature for 1 round.
  6. Act normally for 1 round.
Any confused creature that is attacked automatically attacks its attackers on its next turn.
Inspirations:
Cathto at DeviantArt: Myconid art
(Check it out. Cute monsters, too.)
MacRebisz at DeviantArt: Myconid art
(More good stuff.)
Wikipedia: Cordyceps
(Seriously, fuck cordyceps. Too creepy.)
OSR Version: Fungal Murderhoboes
(Such great fun, this OSR mushroom-man.)
2e Monster Manual: Myconid
(Invaluable resource! Online!)
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2014年4月18日金曜日

OSR Superstar Monster Inspirations and the Reject...

The OSR Superstar contest has been underway for some time over at Tenkar's Tavern. I was fortunate enough to pass through the first round of magic item creation. Now, round two is all about monsters and I wanted to share a little of the imagery that inspired my entry... and also share the entry that didn't make it.


Inspirations...

Inukshuk, Foxe Peninsula



Moai, Easter Island

Totem Pole, Pioneer Square 1907

And the reject...

Aradschai
No. Enc.: 1 (Extremely rare)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 15 (Fly, telekinetic)
Armour Class: 0 (for small size and hardness)
Hit Dice: 3d4+2 hp* (number facets of the crystal form)
Attacks: special
Damage: special
Defenses: immune to normal weapons
Save: MU 10
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: varies
XP: 2900

Background: The Aradschai, also called spite crystals, were formed long before the dragons ruled and only a few of them survive today. Spite crystals are highly intelligent, using deception and subterfuge to attain power and wealth. However, the æons have been unkind and now separated and insane the Aradschai seek vengeance over the dragons and elves that destroyed them. Some seek an end to the curse of their kind, as spite crystals are magically compelled to avoid each other.

Ecology: The Aradschai vary in shape (usually tiny and rough edged) and colour (red, purple, blue and black are common). They are chaotic and mad. Spite crystals are repelled by the Shroud - an ancient elven curse which keeps them apart. Unlike naturally formed crystals, SC do not grow in size. Two crystals could "mate" if they can find some way to overcome their curse.
Spite crystals are powerful magical entities and detect as magical and chaotic. They are capable of casting magic-user spells (and cast as 10th level MU). They use Telekinesis and Telepathy as spell-like abilities at will. Their crystalline shape magnifies charms, enchantments and mind control powers; -2 to save vs these spells.
Conjure Elemental (variant): The Aradschai can gather earth to create a protective form. Given enough material, the spite crystal can generate an earth elemental body at a rate of 4HD per round up to 12HD (as a 12 HD Earth Elemental). The Aradschai is completely engulfed and protected, only becoming vulnerable to attack when the elemental body is reduced to half health.
The Aradschai is incredibly hard and suffers no harm from normal weapons. Even magical weapons can only mar or scuff the surfaces of a spite crystal: magic weapons deal only 1 point of damage, breaking or cracking a facet. Artefact weapons or +5 weapons will deal full damage and completely sunder the Aradschai.

Tactics:
  • Disguise self as a powerful Ioun Stone.
  • Play possum as a small gemstone in a hoard.
  • Charm powerful monsters (like dragons) and use them to overpower others.
  • Conjure an elemental shape to test powerful adventurers before enslaving their minds.

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