Character Creation

[sirravd]

Got it. I'd like my one magic item to be a wand (lesser presumably).

[The_Wanderer]

sirravd:

Kit 1:
Epithet ...the Sagely
Class Theme: Eyebiter; This mage enjoys giving people the (magical!) evil eye. He inflicts curses, causes diseases, and causes fear and insanity. As a game advantage, he can cast spells that have a vocal component without using his voice, as long as can make eye contact. (This makes him quite dangerous if he is sneaking around, surreptitiously casting spells in a city, or captured.) As a downside, due to his cursed nature spells which have a material component have a 3% chance of fizzling with no effect.
Initial spell repertoire: Charm Person (You are guaranteed this spell...will roll for others)
Secondary Skill: Farmer
Fighting Style: Wizard’s Solace. Staff (+1 to hit and to damage)
Familiar: Dog*

Kit 2:
Epithet ...the Wit
Class Theme: Astrologer. This is the classic wizard in a robe, with a pointy hat, newfangled spectacles and an owl familiar. He is a diviner and sky master by trade, and he knows everything there is to know about the stars … particularly as they relate to both dimensional gates and zodiacal prophecy. After he gets over the adventuring life, he will settle down as some noblewoman’s advisor.
Initial spell repertoire: Detect Magic (You are guaranteed this spell...will roll for others)
Secondary Skill: Freighter / Pack Handler
Fighting Style: Caster’s Bolts. Throwing Daggers (+1 to hit and to damage)
Familiar: Cat*

Kit 3:
Epithet ...the Creative
Class Theme: Savant. This wise wizard is a sage-mage. He collects books, scrolls, information, code words, runes, languages, old maps, and especially trivia. The only reason he is adventuring is because he doesn’t yet know enough about the world to retire as a full-time sage. He’s getting there, one lost city and one arcane treasure trove at a time.
Initial spell repertoire: Read Languages (You are guaranteed this spell...will roll for others)
Secondary Skill: Trapper
Fighting Style: Caster’s Barbs. Darts (+1 to hit and to damage)
Familiar: Raven*

Magic Items:
A scratched and tarnished copper wand (of Mirror Image, 5 charges)
Potion of Healing (cures 1d8+1 hit points of damage)
Potion of Clairvoyance

*Familiars are pretty limited in power. You can see through their eyes up to a limited distance. They die...and when they do you're not sure how you'd get another in a place like Broken Valley.

[sulldawga]

Should we roll HP or are you handling it?

Also, are we using the single save number or the alternative method?

Do non-Fighters get the STR bonus? Does it apply only to H2H weapons or ranged as well?

[The_Wanderer]

-You can roll HP's. My advice is to avoid 1's.
-Single Save with adjustments as listed by class and race (i.e. by the book)
-S&W Complete P. 7: "For Fighters only, high strength gives bonuses to hit and to inflict damage.: Thanks for the reminder on this. I had totally forgotten this one.

[Paladin]

Stats: STR:13, INT:13, WIS:16, DEX:13, CON:12, CHR:9

I will swap STR and WIS. I'll sacrifice four points of INT to raise my 16 STR to 18.

That'll leave me with the following stats, if math hasn't failed me:

STR 18
INT 9
WIS 13
DEX 13
CON 12
CHR 9

Thinking I'll play a fighter. Those kits sound interesting, if you don't mind posting a few.

[sirravd]

I'll choose Kit 3, though I'll also stick with my epithet of the Puissant.

[thirdkingdom]

I think I'll go with the Armsmen kit.

[The_Wanderer]

STR 18
INT 9
WIS 13
DEX 13
CON 12
CHR 9

Thinking I'll play a fighter. Those kits sound interesting, if you don't mind posting a few.

Nice roll! You need to go to Vegas with that luck...or maybe you should have gone to Vegas if that was going to be your luck!

Kit 1: ...the Bulky
Theme: Legionnaire. This is a Roman-themed fighter. He prefers a large shield, breastplate, sword and spear (or javelins, or plumbata darts). Potential legionnaire role-playing hooks include fatalistic gravitas, abhorrence of chaos (as an ethos), stern discipline, and strict obedience to a leader.
Fighting Style: Skirmisher. Longsword, Javelins and Shield (+1 to damage with each, +1AC from shield)
Secondary Skill: Armorer

Kit 2: ...the Hammer
Theme: Archer or Crossbowman. This fighter likes bows. Archers tend to be accustomed to indirect fire, and so in dungeons they might favor oil flasks and grenade-like weapons. Crossbowmen tend to favor fighting in formation (due to reload times), and may exhort their parties to fight in strict lines of battle instead of just running everywhere (and forcing ranged weapon users to fire into a wild melee where friendly targets might get hit.
Theme: Imperial Regalia. Two-Handed Sword and Long Bow (+1 to damage with each)
Secondary Skill: Weaver

Kit 3: ...the Substantial
Theme: Gladiator / Gladiatrix. This fighter is either a mercenary professional, or a freed / escaped gladiatorial slave. He is the rare warrior who despises killing although he’s probably the best at it. You can add a strong Roman theme if you like; there were dozens of gladiator types which you can choose from, and the background on some of them is quite fascinating.
Fighting style: Gladiator’s Panoply. Trident, Short Sword and Shield (+1 to damage with each weapon, +1 to AC with shield)
Secondary Skills: Woodworker and Miner

Let me know what kind of magic item you want to start with.

[The_Wanderer]

Just a note to everybody - Please take a look at encumbrance in the House Rules section and make sure your gear follows. This is the first time I think I've codified the way I play at home so let me know if something isn't clear.

Alternatively - if you think this is a dumb house rule, feel free to share your feelings. Especially when it comes to house rules, the intention is to simplify the game and if we need to tweak things to make them more playable, I'll always listen.

[Paladin]

The Hammer looks fantastic. Could I have a magical bow?

[The_Wanderer]

Paladin:

Caden's Reach: A meticulously crafted longbow of an unidentifiable wood of a fine dark grain. Acts as a Longbow +1 and on an attack roll of a natural 20, will knock prone even the largest of foes (things like oozes would be immune). Interestingly, the string is not magical and can be damaged or destroyed by forces both magical and mundane. Fortunately the bow can be restrung with little effort outside of combat.

Potion of Invisibility

Potion of Heroism: The imbiber gains +2 to attacks and damage

[Paladin]

Excellent! Thank you. I will try to get my sheet posted and begin filling things in tonight.

Do we also need to post our HP rolls here, as well?

[The_Wanderer]

Excellent! Thank you. I will try to get my sheet posted and begin filling things in tonight.

Do we also need to post our HP rolls here, as well?

Nah. Just roll them in the roller and then add them onto your character sheet.

[Paladin]

Pardon the million questions. Just trying to get myself straight.

On page 7 of S&W Complete, I noticed this under the strength table and wanted to ask before I made notations on my sheet.

Your Referee might also rule that only hand-to-hand weapons gain the strength bonus, but the bare-
knuckles Original Game allowed Fighters to be deadly archers – and so does Swords & Wizardry.

Are we using the STR bonus to-hit and dmg solely for melee weapons or applying it to all weapons?

[The_Wanderer]

Pardon the million questions. Just trying to get myself straight.

On page 7 of S&W Complete, I noticed this under the strength table and wanted to ask before I made notations on my sheet.

Your Referee might also rule that only hand-to-hand weapons gain the strength bonus, but the bare-
knuckles Original Game allowed Fighters to be deadly archers – and so does Swords & Wizardry.

Are we using the STR bonus to-hit and dmg solely for melee weapons or applying it to all weapons?

Never worry about asking questions in this game. Yes, the bonus to strength and damage does apply to all weapons for fighters. I suddenly worry about giving The Hammer a magic bow.

[Paladin]

Thanks! Just making sure.

He's kind of a glass cannon. That vegas luck ran out rolling for HP. I got 10.

Aaand one last question. At least I think it's the last.

How many days of dried rations would equal one slot?

[sulldawga]

The rules don't mention thieves tools at all as a requirement for removing traps or picking locks. And they're not on the equipment list. Do I need them?

EDIT: I'm ready to go, or I would be if the US site would stop timing out on me when I try to add my equipment. This is two nights in a row that it's messed up.

[sirravd]

Haha, I got 3 hp...I'm fine with that, but should I reroll? (I'm an MU with a Con mod of -1, so not surprising!)

[ybn1197]

To give you a feel for the Dungeon Delver Enhancer that I mentioned in the character creation rules, I saw you turned this character into a Human Male Fighter named Nymandus Lehmann.

Kit 1
Epithet: ...the Hideous
Theme: Shield Bearer - This protective fighter is all about the heavy armor. If he has to choose between chain mail and a two-handed sword, or plate mail and a rusty knife and shield, he’ll take the knife every time. He occasionally acts as a bodyguard (above), but his sense of self-preservation is much higher. He loves one-handed weapons, shield slams, great helms and fighting in close formation.
Fighting Style: Axeman's Gear - Battle Axe, Throwing Axe and Shield; +1 damage with both weapons, +1 AC with a shield
Secondary Skill: Woodworker
...

I'm going with kit #1 and the Battle Axe as my magical weapon. Let me know the other two please.

[sulldawga]

Haha, I got 3 hp...I'm fine with that, but should I reroll? (I'm an MU with a Con mod of -1, so not surprising!)

Did you roll 1d4-1, 2d4-2, and 3d4-3? You may get a little boost from rolling that way versus rolling 3d4-3 once and calling it a day.