Misc. Ideas

Creating game materials? Monsters, spells, classes, adventures? This is the place!
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SmootRK
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Re: Misc. Ideas

Post by SmootRK »

laDracykei wrote:A player of mine wants to play a hunter character. I really like this idea, since incidentally hunting is especially significant to the theme of the setting I've been hacking together for the campaign. I considered importing the ranger class from AD&D for her, but I have no idea how that would affect balance, and after looking over the class descriptions, she said that she could easily just play a hunter as a thief that doesn't care about picking locks or pockets.

To make things more interesting, I brewed up "hunter" as a variant of the thief class:

The skill Remove Traps is generalized into the skill Traps, which in addition to finding and removing traps, may also be used to create and set any trap of the type that would be used by a hunter or other outdoorsman.

The skill Pick Pockets is replaced with Track Quarry, which allows the hunter determine what creatues have recently been present in the vicinity, and to determine which way they have gone. (This is easiest in the case of natural animals, but may also be used to pursue monsters and men.) The skill Listen is refocused to be used to detect the current presence of creatures, especially in the wilderness, but may still be used to listen as the thief would at a penalty of -20 percentage points.

The skill Open Locks is replaced with Snipe, which can be used to perform a sneak attack with a missile weapon (normally not allowed). Such a snipe, if rolled successfully, receives no long-range penalties. The skill may also be used in lieu of an attack roll to make very difficult shots at non-enemy targets (e.g. performing such stunts as splitting another arrow down the shaft or shooting an apple off the head of another) or to disable a specific body part of monster with a called shot.

How does it look in terms of balance? Does anything stand out?
Check out the Thug class. Designed as a tougher Thief, and with the option to take alt-skills such as Ranger Track. You might work with that as a base.
http://www.basicfantasy.org/showcase.cgi?sid=23

Also, check Quasi-class Hunter (aka Ranger sort of add on). Layer on qualities of the classic ranger onto other classes.
http://www.basicfantasy.org/showcase.cgi?sid=51
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Dimirag
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Re: Misc. Ideas

Post by Dimirag »

I thought a variant on the Assassin could be a possibility, so, I did this:
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BF-Hunter-Supplement-r1.pdf
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Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
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Clever_Munkey
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Re: Misc. Ideas

Post by Clever_Munkey »

laDracykei wrote:A player of mine wants to play a hunter character. I really like this idea, since incidentally hunting is especially significant to the theme of the setting I've been hacking together for the campaign. I considered importing the ranger class from AD&D for her, but I have no idea how that would affect balance, and after looking over the class descriptions, she said that she could easily just play a hunter as a thief that doesn't care about picking locks or pockets.

To make things more interesting, I brewed up "hunter" as a variant of the thief class:

The skill Remove Traps is generalized into the skill Traps, which in addition to finding and removing traps, may also be used to create and set any trap of the type that would be used by a hunter or other outdoorsman.

The skill Pick Pockets is replaced with Track Quarry, which allows the hunter determine what creatues have recently been present in the vicinity, and to determine which way they have gone. (This is easiest in the case of natural animals, but may also be used to pursue monsters and men.) The skill Listen is refocused to be used to detect the current presence of creatures, especially in the wilderness, but may still be used to listen as the thief would at a penalty of -20 percentage points.

The skill Open Locks is replaced with Snipe, which can be used to perform a sneak attack with a missile weapon (normally not allowed). Such a snipe, if rolled successfully, receives no long-range penalties. The skill may also be used in lieu of an attack roll to make very difficult shots at non-enemy targets (e.g. performing such stunts as splitting another arrow down the shaft or shooting an apple off the head of another) or to disable a specific body part of monster with a called shot.

How does it look in terms of balance? Does anything stand out?
I like the idea of changing the skills, but I think generally your hunter will be more powerful than the average thief. Two of the skills have been broadened. Meaning a hunter will be more versatile in many (non-urban) areas. In addition two have been replaced with skills that are roughly equal. (or better?)

I have a few questions about the snipe skill. Does a success allow for an attack roll to be made, or is it replacing the attack roll. If it allows an attack roll, then what happens on a failed snipe roll? Does the attack roll receive the +4 sneak attack bonus, or just the usual +2, or any at all?
Call me Joe. Mr. Munkey is my father.
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laDracykei
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Re: Misc. Ideas

Post by laDracykei »

Core mentions that in order to make a sneak attack, a "Hide" or "Move Silently" check may be required. When used as a ranged sneak attack, the "Snipe" skill is similar -- except it is always required; there are no circumstances where sniping wouldn't require a deadeye aim and a steady hand, while there might be circumstances where an enemy has no chance of noticing you as you sneak up.

Here's how snipe works: you make a Snipe check. If you succeed, you get to make a ranged attack with all the same advantages of a sneak attack (this attack may still miss.) If you fail the snipe check, you make a normal ranged attack instead (and alert the enemy to your presence.)

When it's being used as a "called shot", the called shot is declared, and an attack is resolved. The Snipe check is made after a successful to-hit roll. If you succeed the check as well, the called shot is successful, otherwise, it's just a normal hit. The problem I can see with this is that it would give the hunter no reason not to do a called shot. Maybe an unsuccessful called shot deals only half damage (or even a successful one)? I've yet to work out the wrinkles in that.

As for the generalized "Traps" skill, I would probably apply the -20% penalty to attempt to find and disarm "dungeon traps" -- complex mechanical devices, chest traps, etc. For the generalized "Listen", there wouldn't be much you can do with it that you can't do with the thief's Listen. It's just more focused on the things that a hunter would listen for rather than a what a thief would listen for. I'd let a thief listen for all the same things, but apply the -20% to them if they tried to listen for something other than the sorts of things thieves listen for.
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Dimirag
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Re: Misc. Ideas

Post by Dimirag »

New idea! This time, about ability score values
Some players don't like rolling for them, others don't like using an array nor points as it lets minmaxing or stereotyped characters, so, here is a mixed rule, a randomized stat array...

Option 1
-Set a stat array
-Roll a d12, d10, d8, d6 and d4 and note the results while keeping this order of dice
-Halve the values rounding up
-Count the attributes in order a number of time equal to the d12 result, that attribute get the first value of the array
-Count the abilities again, but:
--Use the result of the d10 throw
--Don't the attribute that already has a score
-Repeat using the result of the next die on the chain

Alternative you can roll one die at a time:
1st ability- roll a d6
2nd ability- roll a d5
3rd ability- roll a d4
4th ability- roll a d3
5th ability- roll a d2

Example: Using an array of 16, 14, 12, 10, 10 and 8
Die - Roll - Halved - Ability
d12 - 7 - 4 - Dexterity
d10 - 5 - 3 - Wisdom
d8 - 8 - 4 - Charisma
d6 - 3 - 2 - Intelligence
d4 - 1 - 1 - Strength

Here is a table showing the rolls and which ability they fall into
table.png
table.png (4.15 KiB) Viewed 3344 times
The final scores then are:
STR 10; INT10; WIS 14; DEX 16; CON 8; and CHA 12
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
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