Peanuts Not Included

Today I bring you another archetype, this one for barbarians.

Jotunkin

The jotunkin are barbarians whose bloodlines contain a trace of giant. When these barbarians rage, their giantish heritage manifests itself in greater size and strength.

Jotunrage (Su): A jotunkin can call upon supernatural sources of strength and ferocity, granting him greater size and prowess. Starting at 1st level, a jotunkin can jotunrage for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Constitution modifier. At each level after 1st, he can jotunrage for 2 additional rounds. Temporary increases to Constitution, such as those gained from rage and spells like bear’s endurance, do not increase the total number of rounds that a jotunkin can jotunrage per day. A jotunkin can enter jotunrage as a free action. The total number of rounds of jotunrage per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive.

While in jotunrage, a barbarian increases in size by one size category. He gains a +4 size bonus to Strength and Constitution, a -2 size penalty to Dexterity (to a minimum of 1), and a -1 penalty on attack rolls and AC due to its increased size. He also gains a +2 natural armor bonus. The increase to Constitution grants the jotunkin 2 hit points per Hit Dice, but these disappear when the rage ends and are not lost first like temporary hit points. While in rage, a jotunkin cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration.

A jotunkin whose size increases to Large has a space of 10 feet and a natural reach of 10 feet. If insufficient room is available for the growth, the jotunkin attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using his increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If he fails, he is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing him.

All equipment worn or carried by the jotunkin is similarly enlarged by the jotunrage. Melee weapons affected deal more damage (see Table: Medium/Large Weapon Damage). Other magical properties are not affected by this ability. Any enlarged item that leaves a jotunkin’s possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown and projectile weapons deal their normal damage. Magical properties of enlarged items are not increased by this ability.

A jotunkin can end his jotunrage as a free action and is fatigued after rage for a number of rounds equal to 2 times the number of rounds spent in the jotunrage. A jotunkin cannot enter a new rage while fatigued or exhausted but can otherwise enter rage multiple times during a single encounter or combat. If a jotunkin falls unconscious, his jotunrage immediately ends, placing him in peril of death.

Jotunrage does not stack with magical effects that increase size.

This ability replaces rage.

Fear’s Friend (Ex): At 3rd level, a jotunkin gains a +1 competence bonus to Intimidate checks. These bonuses increase by +1 every three jotunkin levels thereafter (6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level). The jotunkin also receives an insight bonus to saves against fear effects equal to one-half the competence bonus to Intimidate checks (drop fractions).

This ability replaces trap sense.

Greater Jotunrage (Su): At 11th level, when a jotunkin enters jotunrage, his size bonus to Strength increases to +6 and his natural armor bonus increases to +3.

This ability replaces greater rage.

Jotunrage Form (Su): At 14th level, when a jotunkin enters jotunrage, he may choose to assume the form of a frost giant, fire giant, hill giant, or stone giant. Once he assumes his new form, he gains the following abilities (instead of those normally granted by jotunrage): +6 size bonus to Strength, -2 size penalty to Dexterity, +4 size bonus to Constitution, +4 natural armor bonus, low-light vision, rock catching, and rock throwing (range 60 feet, 2d6 damage). If the giant has immunity or resistance to any elements, the jotunkin gains resistance 20 to those elements. If the giant has vulnerability to an element, the jotunkin gains that vulnerability.

Every round in jotunrage form counts as 2 rounds against the jotunkin’s total number of rounds per day for jotunrage. In all other respects, jotunrage form is the same as jotunrage.

This ability replaces indomitable will.

Mighty Jotunrage (Su): At 20th level, when a jotunkin enters jotunrage or jotunrage form, his size bonuses to Strength and Constitution increase by a further +2, and his natural armor bonus increases by a further +1.

This ability replaces mighty rage.

N.B. The 17th-level ability tireless rage applies to jotunrage but not to jotunrage form.

In other news, Dodeca Weather gets a 5-star review! Huzzah! Here’s an excerpt:

“This is one of those little pdfs that could easily be overlooked, which would seriously be a pity, for the pdf is stellar: It’s logical and Mark L. Chance’s writing is easy to understand, structured and fun. Plus, this pdf makes the whole endeavor of creating weather forecasts simple and yet varied. A great pdf, professionally presented and cool – essentially a “So what’s the weather like, anyway?”-book of the highest caliber – for less the a buck!”

June 9th, 2012  in RPG, Spes Magna News 1 Comment »

Oh, Snap!

First, an announcement: A to Z is a collection of Spes Magna Games blogposts written during the April 2012 A to Z blogging challenge. All 26 blogposts have been subjected to revisions, edits, and other improvements. The end result is a 40-plus-page, printer-friendly PDF featuring fluff and crunch such as:

* Alternate rules for channeling energy, energy drain, exploding dice, jumping, monks, outsiders, and x-ray vision
* Bromantic poetry
* GM advice about how to motivate your players to be more invested in your game
* Luck, a new ability score
* New archetypes, one each for the magus and the rogue
* NPC villains such as an awakened psionic gorilla

All of this and more can be yours for less than a cup of gourmet coffee at both DriveThruRPG and Paizo.com.

Next, a big turtle!

The methoataske is a truly enormous ambush predator, very much resembling an alligator snapping turtle larger than a house. It tends to strike from camouflage, lunging forward to swallow its prey whole. If harrassed after gulping down a victim, a methoataske is likely to retreat to deeper water.

Methoataske
CR 13; XP 25,600
N Colossal animal
Init +4; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +32

DEFENSE
AC 26, touch 2, flat-footed 26 (+24 natural, –8 size)
hp 319 (22d8+220)
Fort +20, Ref +11, Will +12

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +24 (4d8+22 plus grab)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Special Attacks swallow whole (4d6+22 bludgeoning, AC 26, 62 hp)

STATISTICS
Str 40, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 1, Wis 17, Cha 10
Base Atk +16; CMB +39 (+43 grapple); CMD 49 (53 vs. trip)
Feats Blind-Fight, Improved Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Lunge, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Perception +32, Swim +29; Racial Modifiers +8 Swim
SQ armored stomach, camouflage, hold breath, shell

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Camouflage (Ex): The rough shell of a methoataske is particularly well adapted to camouflage the creature in its native environment. Creatures must succeed on a DC 28 Perception check to notice an unmoving methoataske. Anyone with ranks in Survival or Knowledge (nature) can use one of those skills instead of Perception to notice the methoataske.

Armored Stomach (Ex): A methoataske’s body is difficult to cut through—its stomach gains a +4 bonus to its AC and has double the normal hit points when determining the success of a creature attempting to cut its way free.

Shell (Ex): As a move action, a methoataske can pull its extremities and head into its shell. It cannot move or attack as long as it remains in this state, but its armor bonus from natural armor increases by +4 as long as it does.

ECOLOGY
Environment temperate or warm water or shore
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure none

June 8th, 2012  in RPG, Spes Magna News 2 Comments »

The Dragon Warrior

If you’re not clear on which dragon types correspond to which energy types, check out the sorcerer’s draconic bloodline.

Dragon Warrior

The dragon warrior’s dedication to ancient practices rooted in martial dragon cults grants him a small portion of draconic power. When a character gains a level as a dragon warrior, he must select one of the chromatic or metallic dragon types. This choice cannot be changed, and it determines the dragon warrior’s resistance and the energy damage inflicted by his dragon bite (see below).

Draconic Resistance (Ex): At 2nd level, a dragon warrior gets a +2 bonus to Reflex saves against attacks that inflict damage of the same energy type of the warrior’s chosen dragon. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd, to a maximum of +5 at 14th level. Every four levels beyond 14th, the dragon warrior gains 5 points of resistance to the appropriate energy type (maximum 10 points of resistance).

This feature replaces bravery.

Draconic Prowess (Ex): At 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th levels, a dragon warrior rolls 1d12 for his Hit Die instead of 1d10 to determine hit points. The dragon warrior also gains other abilities, as explained below:

At 3rd and 15th levels, the dragon warrior gains a +1 increase to natural armor bonus.

At 7th level, he gains a bonus feat from the following list: Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, or Toughness.

At 11th level as a free action, a dragon warrior can gain a bite attack. This is a primary natural attack that deals 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if the dragon warrior is Small), plus 1-1/2 times the dragon warrior’s Strength modifier. He can use his dragon bite for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + his Constitution modifier. These rounds need not be consecutive.

At 19th level, the dragon warrior’s bite attack deals an additional 1d6 points of damage of his energy type on a successful hit.

This feature replaces armor training 1-4 and armor mastery.

June 7th, 2012  in RPG No Comments »

Drakobolds & Troglodrakes!

I retool two more reptilian humanoids.

Black Drakobold
CR 2; XP 600
LE Small dragon (reptilian)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7

DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+2 armor, +3 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 8 (1d12+2)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3
Defensive Ability acid evasion; Immune paralysis, sleep
Weaknesses light sensitivity

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee spear +3 (1d6+1/x3), or
Ranged sling +5 (1d3+1, range increment 50 ft.)

STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 12
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 14
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Bluff +5, Climb +5, Craft (trapmaking) +7, Intimidate +5, Perception +7, Profession (miner) +3, Stealth +11, Survival +5, Swim +9; Racial Modifiers +2 Craft (trapmaking), +2 Perception, +2 Profession (miner), +4 Swim
Languages Aquan, Common, Draconic
SQ crafty

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Acid Evasion (Ex): If a drakobold makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an acid attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, it instead takes no damage. Acid evasion can be used only if the drakobold is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless drakobold does not gain the benefit of acid evasion.

Crafty (Ex): Craft (trapmaking) and Stealth are always class skills for a drakobold.

ECOLOGY
Environment temperate underground or swamp
Organization solitary, gang (2–4), or nest (5–30 plus equal number of noncombatants, 1 sergeant of 3rd level per 20 adults, and 1 leader of 4th–6th level)
Treasure NPC gear (leather armor, spear, sling, other treasure)

Drakobolds come in four colors: red, green, blue, or black. A drakobold’s coloration determines what energy type its evasion applies against as well as grants certain other abilities, as explained below:

Black: Widely dispersed in forests, swamps, and underground, the black-scaled drakobolds are better swimmers than their brethren and gain a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.

Blue: The blue variant of drakobolds appears most often within tribes dominated by other scale colors. They are said to be among the best diabolists and schemers, and gain a +1 inherent bonus to their Wisdom. Many are powerful clerics of Asmodeus.

Green: These are the standard forest drakobolds, well camouflaged in leafy undergrowth. They gain an additional +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks.

Red: These drakobolds are pyromaniacs and make extensive use of fire, especially the alchemical and magical kinds. These kobolds gain a +2 bonus to the DC of any spell they cast with the fire subtype and a +2 bonus on saves made against fear effects. Most are a bit more arrogant than average drakobolds.

White: Like the blues, white-scaled drakobolds are a little less frequent than other types. They are often powerful sorcerers, gaining a +1 bonus to the DC of any spell they cast with the cold subtype and a +1 inherent bonus to their Charisma.

Black Troglodrake
CR 3; XP 800
CE Medium dragon (reptilian)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 90 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7
Aura stench (30 ft., DC 14, 10 rounds)

DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+1 Dex, +8 natural)
hp 19 (2d12+6)
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +5
Immune acid, paralysis, sleep

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee club +5 (1d6+3), claw +0 (1d4+1), bite +0 (1d4+1), or
Melee 2 claws +5 (1d4+3), bite +5 (1d4+3), or
Ranged javelin +3 (1d6+3)
Special Attacks tail sweep (1d6+4 plus trip)

STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 15
Base Atk +2; CMB +5 (+7 trip with tail); CMD 16
Feats Great Fortitude
Skills Bluff +7, Climb +8, Intimidate +7, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7, Stealth +9 (+13 in rocky areas), Survival +7; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth (+8 in rocky areas)
Languages Draconic, Undercommon

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Tail Sweep (Ex): As a full attack, a troglodrake can sweep its tail through any two adjacent squares that touch each other. It makes separate attack rolls against targets in those squares. A successful tail attack inflicts 1d6 + 1-1/2 times its Strength bonus, plus the trip ability. It gains a +2 racial bonus to its trip attempts.

ECOLOGY
Environment any underground
Organization solitary, pair, clutch (3–6), or squad (7–12 plus 1 cleric or druid of 3rd level and 1–2 monitor lizards)
Treasure NPC gear (club, 3 javelins, other treasure)

June 5th, 2012  in RPG 2 Comments »

Wanted: Playtesters & Proofreaders

Do you want a small slice of fame? How about a small slice of fame with a side of free PDF? If so, I need playtesters/proofreaders for three PDFs:

Dodeca Decor: In this PDF there are many tables, 12 of which have more than 20 different dungeon details each. Most of the dungeon details don’t come with any specific game effect. They’re merely decorative or inspirational. In the former case, a merely decorative element may inspire your players into fits of speculation and investigation that lead nowhere. In the latter case, you the GM may have one of those great aha! moments and what started as merely decorative may become functional or even dangerous.

The Swamp Isle of the Croaking Priestess: This short adventure pits the PCs against a boggard army led by the Croaking Priestess herself. The PDF includes full stats for the Croaking Priestess, links to d20pfsrd for quick rules references, tips for running the adventure, and a cross-section map of the isle. Let the blood flow, and don’t fall off your lilypad!

A to Z: All 26 of my A to Z Challenge blogposts are collected in one volume. Edited, revised, and improved, these blogposts feature foes for your PCs to fight, alternate rules, two archetypes, as well as advice, wit, and wisdom.

All playtesters/proofreaders get credit on the table of contents page and a free copy of the completed PDF. If you’re interested in helping, please email me at mark at spesmagna dot com.