Thursday, January 25, 2018

Character Crunch: Sorcerer: The Alien

A sorcerer gets their arcane power from their lineage. Some get their power from dragon's blood or fey marriage. Others get their powers from celestial ancestry or elemental entanglement. The Alien Sorceror gets their magical heritage from beings from beyond the known space. Perhaps their ancestor was a sentient planetoid or star, perhaps they are the last member of an alien race that crash-landed on this planet long ago or perhaps they were gifted their power from a traveler who the helped get home.

Alien sorcerors are filled with starlight and their abilities reflect this power.

Star Child

At 1st level, you gain your guardian star. The star is about 3 inches in diameter and orbits your body with a small mote of dust behind it. You can summon or dismiss your star as a free action. You can command the star, as a free action, to move. It has a movement speed of 60 feet and can move up to 300 feet away. You can command it, as a free action, to shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. As a bonus action you can command it to streak towards one creature or object within 150 feet of you. When you do so, make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 radiant damage. Whenever you hit, the star is dismissed. After hitting a number of targets equal to your charisma, the star cannot be summoned again until you finish a long rest.

The damage increases to 2d8 at 5th level, the damage increases to 3d8 at 11th level, and the damage increases to 4d8 17th level. The range you can command it to strike increases to 300 feet of you at 11th level.

Also, as a reaction, which you take when you are hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell, you can cause your guardian star to explode into a barrier. When you do so, it is dismissed and until the start of your next turn, you have a +5 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, and you take no damage from the spell magic missile. When used this way, you must take an action to summon your star again.



Alien Origin
 
Starting at 6th level, it becomes clearer that your lineage is from beyond the stars. You do not need to breathe air, you can survive indefinitely in a vacuum, and you gain resistance to cold, fire and radiant damage.

Galactic Body

Starting at 14th level, you can use a bonus action to summon your own gravitational forces that manifest as an aura of swirling energy. While the aura is present, you gain a flight speed of 30 feet and you cannot fall prone.

The aura lasts until you're incapacitated, you die, or you dismiss your aura as a bonus action.

Cosmic Power

Starting at 18th level, you learn to tap into the powerful cosmic energy and can use it to repel enemies that would harm you. You can use a bonus action you spend 5 sorcery points to begin to glow brightly and radiate deadly energy on an up to 30-foot radius centered on you While the aura is active, you shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet, and if a creature moves into the affected light for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion and emits a dim alien light in a 5-foot radius. This light makes it impossible for a creature to benefit from being invisible. The light and any levels of exhaustion caused by this spell go away when you end the aura.

The aura lasts until you're incapacitated, you die, or you dismiss your aura as a bonus action.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Character Crunch: Changelings

Changelings are the result of a doppelganger-- lazy but cunning monstrous humanoids capable of taking the shape of other humanoids-- and a humanoid having a child. Changelings, often called half-doppelgangers by those that would persecute them, are a race without a culture that simultaneously has no place in society and can perfectly assume any form to fit in.

There are several types of changelings: some changelings refuse to hide their true form and use it primarily, others take on a single persona and disguise as long as they can, others take on any number of convenient identities and it is believed there are isolated communities of changelings who have bonded together and refused to take on any other form.

Changelings can look like anyone at any given time and often prefer to do so. Their true form can be unsettling due to their lack of defined features. With skin ranging from white to grey, with hues of pink or blue, their eyes are large, white, without pupils, and circled by dark rings. Their noses are small and often flat. Their hair is often silver or white, but some have even more exotic hair colors such as pink or blue. Similar to elves, they are slim and lack body hair.

In Sublanarya, changelings face harsh discrimination. Doppelgangers are often exploitative monsters, selfish and unscrupulous, and kill people to take on their forms. With their unusual appearances and abilities, changelings are often forced to hide their true selves and create false identities. Changelings are perfect chameleons and could take on any life without being revealed until death. Their abilities make them apt assassins and thieves but also incomparable actors and performers. Changeling adventurers are as rare as changelings but use their shapeshifting for subterfuge and stealth. They make excellent rogues and bards.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma increases by 2, and your Dexterity increases by 1.
Age. Changelings have lifespans equivalent to humans.
Alignment. Changelings are usually neutral, with a tendency towards chaotic nature due to the freedom of being able to become anyone and yet, many changelings have a tendency towards reflecting the alignment of the people they choose to surround themselves with or become.
Size. A changeling's normal form is similar in size and build to a lean human. Your size if medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Dark Vision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Grey Mind. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Duplicity. You gain proficiency in the Deception skill.
Shapechanger. As an action, you can polymorph into any humanoid of your size that you have seen, or back into your true form. However, your statistics and your equipment does not change with you. If you die, you revert to your natural appearance.
Mimic. Mimic. Changelings can use their observational skills to make their disguise complete. After observing someone for at least 1 minute, you have advantage on Charisma (Deception) skill checks to imitate that person.
Doppelganger's Trick. You can cast the detect thoughts spell as a level 2 spell. You regain this ability on a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and two other languages of your choice.

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Naryan Class Options: The Urban Ranger


Rangers are often found guarding the barriers between civilization and wilderness: they are masters of their terrain, their senses are superhuman and have learned skills that allow them to be the best hunters in the world. They are warriors of the wilderness, independent and adventurous, but what if they were to make the rooftops, alleys and sewers of a city their domain?

The urban ranger is a mix of mercenary and vigilante, often working for the highest bidder or the city guard, and supplement their survival skills with street smarts. Urban rangers have mastered the skills to blend into any city's background,

The Urban Ranger is assumed to work in conjunction with the Revised Ranger.

Sewer Immunity

You move through a sewer with the confidence that most move through an empty hallway.

Starting at 3rsd level, you are immune to poison and disease.

Parkour Master
Your finger and toe tips manage to find every nook and cranny in the masonry of the city and you are extremely apt at finding your footing. This allows you to chase your prey through the rooftops and back alleys with impressive speed and agility.

Starting at 3rd level, when you are prone, standing up only used up 5 feet of your movement. Also, your movement speed is not halved when climbing and you can make a running long jump or a running high jump after moving only 5 feet on foot, rather than 10 feet.

Also, you can move through your allies squares at full movement speed and you can move through enemy squares at half speed.

Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

"I've Seen **** You Wouldn't Believe!"
There are horrors in cities that they have witnessed: crime scenes, monstrous mutants and cruelty only imaginable in humanoid minds.


Starting at 7th level, you gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.

City Sentinel
You blend into the city masonry like a gargoyle and can slip out of sight in the blink of an eye.

Starting at 11th level, you can use a Hide as a bonus action on your turn. Also, you gain double advantage* on Stealth checks while hiding in dim light or darkness.

*When you have double advantage, you roll three times and use the highest result.

"This Is My City!"
You can claim a city as your territory. It is your city. There are many cities, but this one is under your protection.

Starting at 15th level, you claim a city as your domain. When you do so, you create a permanent teleportation circle in a safe location in that city as if casting the teleportation circle spell. You can open a portal to this location as an action and keep this portal open for up to 1 minute. To open another portal, you must first take a short rest.

To claim a new city as your domain you must first spend 24 hours in the city.

While in your city, you have advantage on all ability checks, attack rolls or saving throws in the city.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Character Crunch: Mousefolk

Mousefolk are a subspecies of ratfolk.

Physically, they are similar to ratfolk but have distinctive differences. They are at least a foot smaller than their ratfolk cousins with rounder features, fluffier and lighter colored fur, and brighter eyes. They are omnivorous, like ratfolk, but prefer fruit, vegetables and grains. They are less cautious than most ratfolk, often characterized as overly curious and gregarious. They are nimbler than ratfolk but do not have the subterranean survival skills of ratfolk since they live in agricultural and metropolitan environments.

Mousefolk live on the elven isle of Saesun. "Wild" mousefolk live in small forest communities that ally themselves with their Sylvanar neighbors. "Domestic" mousefolk live in small farming communities or settle in Iaurdin towns and cities. While ratfolk are often mistrusted and marginilized by humans, mousefolk are welcome neighbors. Mousefolk often get jobs as street cleaners, chimney sweeps, house servants, carriage drivers and gardeners.

Mousefolk have the same suite of features that ratfolk except: they get a bonus to Cha instead of Con, they lose Speak with Beasts and Sewer Dweller but gain Nimbleness and Naturally Stealthy. For your convenience, here are their features:

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Charisma increases by 1.
Age. Mousefolk mature quickly to adulthood at 10 years of age and live to about 40 years.
Alignment. Mousefolk are friendly, generous and helpful creatures. They tend to stay out of larger affairs. They are most commonly neutral good.
Size. Mousefolk are smaller than ratfolk, standing between two and three feet, and are not as hunched as their rat cousins. Your size is Small.
Speed. Mousefolk are slower than other races but can use their front paws to outpace most humanoids.Your base walking speed is 25 feet but, if you drop to all fours, your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Dark Vision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Inquisitive Nose. You gain Perception as a skill and have advantage on all Perception skill checks involving your sense of smell.
Rodent Bones. Your bone structure is impressively flexible and you're used to moving through cramped spaces. You are considered one size smaller when attempting to move through tight spaces and take no movement penalty when doing so.
Nimbleness: You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Naturally Stealthy. You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Extra Languages. You can read, write, and understand the Raskaar language.

Friday, January 12, 2018

Martyrdom: The Twelve Virtues & Sainthood

MARTYRDOM: THE TWELVE VIRTUES & SAINTHOOD

The Nameless God is absent. This is a charge held by heretics and critics alike. Yet, while he is lost, the Lost God is not forgotten. Like all the gods, he has servants. The good gods of Narya are usually served by hosts of spirits and celestial beings. The most famous among humankind are probably angels.

Angels are celestial beings born from the very essence of positive energy found in the Heavens. Typically, they resemble winged humanoids with idyllic features but some are formed into stranger shapes by their god's purpose. Regardless of form, they seek out good gods to serve as messengers, warriors and overseers. Even chaotic good gods rely on lawful good angels to carry out tasks and can rely upon the angel to carry out any given duty.

Angels are incapable of committing acts that stray from the path of order and good. They destroy evil without hesitation and their judgement is supernatural. Still, this superior power and position in the cosmic hierarchy has spelled tragedy for many angels who allow their pride to get the best of them.

Angels that commit evil deeds are marked and cast out of the Heavens by their kind. These are the fallen. The fallen retain their powers but lose their connection to the celestial plane. Some fallen angels seek redemption by committing themselves to undoing the harm they've caused or living humbly until the gods offer them a chance to prove themselves worthy of the heavens but others become resentful of the gods and become corrupted. Some of the most dangerous fiends were once angels that were brought down in this way.

There are three levels of angel most commonly known:

The deva are the messengers of the gods. They often disguise themselves and live lives on the material plane, either as priests or humble do-gooders, until forced out of their form to fulfill some higher purpose such as aiding a chosen hero. In their true form, deva are beautiful humanoids with feathery wings and lustrous eyes.

Planetars are weapons of the gods. They can use their divine power to create miracles or blights upon the land. It is impossible to lie to a planetar. They are difficult to deal with and are disgusted by dishonesty in even the smallest form. When forced to work with mortals directly, they prefer to aid powerful mortals who seek to battle fiends. Their true form is taller than any humanoid and they brandish greatswords with grace.

Solar wield god-like power that strikes fear into the heart of the most powerful fiends. A solar can kill even some lesser gods with a single arrow. They are less human-like than their lesser counterparts with some even taking on warped appearances. After all, solars spend most of their time in deep contemplation far from the struggles of material or even outsider problems. There are only a few dozen solar known to dwell in the heavens. The rest wait in some dimension beyond time and space, contemplating their purpose, and preparing themselves for the final battle.

The Nameless Gods's most powerful servants are the the Twelve. The Twelve are solar, the most powerful type of angelic beings, that have each taken a vow to hold watch over the world and his children until his promised return. These Twelve are more proactive in the religion of their god and are often represented alongside the Nameless God in Xalhoteccan art. They each are said to represent one of the virtues, morallly excellent qualities, that all people should aspire to live out in their actions. Rather than pray directly to their god, it is more common to pray to one of the Twelve or a corresponding saint that represents that virtue. Each saint's story embodies the virtue and the challenges of doing good.