FANTASY CORE RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.
Spiritualist, Medium, Gypsy Fortune Teller
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- HD d6
- Fight as Wizard
- Save as Wizard
- Weapons: Simple only, probably only a dagger
- Armor: None
- High Int
- Only has these wizard spells: Comprehend Languages, Detect Secret Doors, Identify, Detect Thoughts, Locate Object, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Scrying, Sending, Telepathic Bond, Legend Lore, True Seeing, Discern Location.
- Will own a special magic focus item, like a crystal ball or amulet, which is needed to cast these spells. Int bonus + 1/2 level vs. DC 12 to use any of these spells, but limited to only 3 failures/day before the medium is unable to cast further spells.
- The best are usually employed by high government officials and rich nobles as political and personal advisors. Lower level mediums sell their services independently, 50 gp/service x level. They often live above their means, sponging off foolish rich patrons, and hanging out with their bohemian friends. Authentic gypsy fortune tellers (as opposed to the multitude of fakes that abound) are revered members of their tribes. They have specialized in divination spells without learning others, but might have the Curse spell available to them.
- Up to 5th level, these are not fully trained magic users.
- With 2 cumulative failures in a turn/encounter, all magic use is suspended pending 1 turn of rest.
Merchant
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- HD d6
- Fight as Wizard
- Save as Wizard
- Weapons: Simple only, likely owns a sword
- Armor: None to leather
- High Int and Cha
- Skills: Fast Talk and Haggle. Add 1/2 level + 1 to ability bonuses.
- Business, Noble, and Underworld connections
- Fence and acquire stolen, forbidden, or rare goods. DC 12 to 18 depending on goods involved. 1/2 level + Int Bonus. 50% markup on rare acquisitions, and at least a 50% cut on illicit fenced goods. (The thieves guild actually offers a much better rate, but will always want favors in return.)
- Up to 10th level
Assassin
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- HD d6
- Fight as Thief
- Save as Thief
- Weapons: Whatever is necessary.
- Armor: None
- High Int and Dex
- Stealth, Fast Talk, Disguise, Charm, and Poison use skills.
- Assassination: The assassin is not normally trying to physically attack their target in melee. They just to need to get close to them or use somebody else (wittingly or unwittingly) to make the attempt. They will use whatever means necessary to accomplish the kill: sniper shot, food poisoning, alchemy device, poison needle ring, acid in the bath, garroting them while they're sitting on the loo, etc.
- Whenever the actual attempt is made, Int bonus + 1/2 level vs DC 12 lower level victim, DC 18 equal or higher level. That DC should also be highly dependent on how well-planned and plausible the plan is. On success, the victim is killed (or hideously scarred or embarrassed in public, whatever the desired effect). On failure, the victim may still take damage, but not in the desired way. Assassins will carefully study their target, make a plan, and will normally only make a single attempt (and might be caught either way).
- Professional assassins are very expensive. 100 gp/level victim x the assassin's level. Usually 60% down, the rest on successful completion. Most are freelancers attached to a thieves guild referral service (who also charge a fee. The amount depends on what the client looks like).
- Up to 10th level. (And that 10th level guy is one scary Mother F'er.)
Nobility
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- HD d6
- Fight as Thief
- Save as Wizard
- Weapons: Simple only, but likely trained with rapier and bow
- Armor: None to leather
- High Cha (though they may be a bore) and Int (though they may be a dullard).
- Personal skills: Fast Talk, Haggle, Charm, Intimidate (psychologically)
- Noble connections (and rivals) and probably has access to lots of money
- Up to 10th level
Court Performer (Jester)/Circus Performer (Acrobat/Animal Tamer)
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- HD d6
- Fight as Wizard (though see below)
- Save as Ninja
- Weapons: Simple only, though a tamer would be good with a whip and a juggler or knife thrower would be good with throwing daggers.
- Armor: None
- High Dex, Int, Wis, and Cha.
- Performance skills: Acrobatics, musical, animal tamer (Wis bonus + 1/2 level), Fighter BAB with performance weapon.
- Professional travelling entertainers charge admissions for open performances and extravagant prices for command performances. Jesters are on a fairly generous salary, given that they're potentially a bad performance or a wrong word away from a beheading.
- Up to 5th level
Torturer/Executioner
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- HD d8
- Fight as Fighter
- Save as Paladin
- Weapons: Simple only, though battleaxe is preferred
- Armor: None to leather
- High Str and Int
- Torture ((Int Bonus + Wis Bonus)/2) + 1/2 level and Intimidation ((Int Bonus + Str Bonus)/2) + 1/2 level skills. Can automatically kill hapless human-ish opponents.
- Typically 50 gp x level per service, though most are simply on retainer or salary by the government, but might be willing to take a side job.
- Up to 5th level
Scholar/Sage
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- HD d6
- Fight as Wizard
- Save as Wizard
- Weapons: Simple only
- Armor: None
- High Int
- Scholarly Knowledge: Int bonus + 1/2 level vs DC 12 for most questions (day's research), DC 18 for only the most specific or esoteric (week's research). May require transit to special libraries or access to specific books or items to do the research. Do not roll if the scholar's knowledge is crucial to a story, just make it difficult to get. Charges start at 50 gp x level for relatively simple, 100 gp x level + expenses for high-level research.
- Up to 10th level
That’s it for the rules up to this point. I’ve made a couple of changes. Gossip/Rumor and Respect skills have been expanded in the Title Level Advancement Section. In the Rules-Damage section, I’ve added Environmental damage and an optional rule for Energy Draining.
Bluntly, I’ve never liked the traditional level draining. It’s too much in-game editing of your character, and it’s a metagaming mechanic that makes the concept of Hit Points look almost realistic. What I originally wrote probably doesn’t make the various undead creatures dangerous enough, so this option should rectify that.
Next up is a set of RPG rules that use a deck of cards instead of dice.
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