Roleplaying in the Nippon-Ichi verse

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 2:19 pm

So in a month or so I'm PERMANENTLY MOVING BACK TO MELBOURNE, FUCK YES.

I intend on putting a D&D game together to run for my peeps there - specifically, the one in the "Do my work for me" thread

You are a merry troupe of planehopping adventurers trying to get piles of asymmetric power and have fun doing so. Lately, you've been visiting some of the nicer demon-cities in the abyss. While you were visiting the famous statue garden of Krotavrick (all people petrified for various reasons, then altered or reposed with magic and tools), you saw the Overlord of the city, Pretty Demon Queen Vurasel*. She seemed fairly distressed over something, and had decided that it was all a random underling's fault. Perhaps scenting an opportunity for work, perhaps feeling some sympathy for the poor Cambion**, you approached to ask what up.

Vurasel is concerned. She was planning this awesome magical tea party in a couple months, but a number of people didn't respond to her letters, and she wouldn't be so gauche as to teleport up and ask them herself. Besides, that might be seen as an attack. The demonic emissaries she sent haven't come back either, maybe getting killed or distracted. Wait, you people are adventurers? Then you could go and make sure all the cool people come to her party. She'll give you directions, and if you meet with any success, she'll let you attend too. Get a substantial number of guests, and she might give you a nice house to use as a base of operations, a pile of souls, or a kiss on the cheek that grants Basic access to a Sphere.

So I was thinking "I should go all-in for the N1 stuff. Everyone likes Disgaea etc."

So I want to cover a few things. The races I'm listing as common (ie shown to the players, with pictures, for those who don't have an idea yet, before everyone says they want to be a Warforged* or Dragonborn of Bahamut or import their [insert type here] Elf from ____ game) are, so far:
[*]Humans (the extra feat is fine for representing the fact that humans have the most variety in N1 and can be all the different classes)
[*]Empusa (that's where I stole the term "Empusa" from)
[*]Aranea because why not
[*]Vaxt (the Shroomish is totally the Eringas from La Pucelle Tactics)

I think a few more should be added. Prinnies are not appropriate as PCs as they are very stupid, and explode when thrown. But which of the following should be included?
[*]Sabre Kitties (Makai Kingdom makes them crazygood samurai)
[*]Nekomata (easy to convert one of the "likes the wild" races)
[*]Ghosts (would give them a "move through terrain as though Ethereal" ability)
[*]Flora Beasts
[*]Slug Monsters
[*]Mothmen
[*]Marionette

What do people think would be best?

Next, Reincarnation. Should that just be handled as "Great, you have downtime, you can rebuild your character from the ground up"/"You died, when the group gets back to base you can reincarnate as yourself or a new character who happens to still be you in some way that means the party just accept you and move on"?

*My solution to this is to put them in a figure-4 leglock until they apologise for liking Warforged.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:26 pm

Nippon-Ichi style reincarnation should just be handled as letting players remake their characters between sessions.

-Username17

TheFlatline · Post by **TheFlatline** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 11:32 pm

Prinnies are *especially* suitable to PCs... if you make an all-Prinnie game in the spirit of Kobolds Ate My Baby.

Quantumboost · Post by **Quantumboost** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 11:51 pm

I thought I read somewhere that the exploding thing only happened to Prinnies with human souls sewn in, and didn't happen with Prinnies who have demon souls. Wikipedia article also says that.

Also, I thought SOP was pointing people who want to play Warforged/robots to the Robot Girl race. Or does that happen after the leglock?

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:28 am

Yes, leglock then robot girl. You have to be firm with your players (not that anyone in my group likes Warforged anyway).

As for Prinnies... I didn't know that. Hmm. Well, I could see that working out well then.

Prinny
Usually Chaotic Stupid Small Construct [Extraplanar, Dood]

HP: as normal, do not adjust to d10s or add size modifiers.
Ability Scores: no adjustments because Prinny Wizards sound too hilarious to penalise. The Prinny has a Con score.
Speed: 20'
Vision: normal and low-light vision and Darkvision 60'
Skills: +3 Racial bonus to all Craft skills and to Bluff
Natural Weapons: Beak (1d4+Str*1.5)

Demonic Sweat Shop (Ex): Prinnies are built, not born, yet they still live. Although Constructs, they are not immune to Critical Hits, Ingested Poisons, Sleep or [Mind Affecting] effects. They need to sleep as often as humans, and although they don't need to eat, many do for the enjoyment of it. Prinnies suffer/enjoy only half the effect of any Cure, Inflict, Heal or Harm spell, but gain the full effects from Repair spells. Additionally, an appropriate Craft check (DC 20) can restore HP equal to the amount the check exceeds the DC by. If killed, a DC 40 Craft check can restore it to life (at 1 HP, plus the amount the check exceeds the DC by).

Dood (Ex): Prinnies are compulsive, irresponsible and generally moronic, even though they're not entirely stupid. As such, they take a -4 racial penalty on all Will saves against [Compulsion] effects.

Past Lives (Ex): no Prinny has a soul that was originally their own. As such, they have vague memories from their past lives. At character creation, select one of the following:
[*]The Prinny gains an extra spell slot per day for its highest spell level in all spellcasting classes it possesses
[*]The Prinny gains an extra daily use of all Spell-Like Abilities it has access to via a single Sphere
[*]The Prinny gains the +1 BAB ability of a single [Combat] feat that it doesn't possess. At 8 HD, it may also gain the +6 BAB ability and at 14 HD it may also gain the +11 BAB ability.
[*]The Prinny gains a bonus [Skill] feat.
[*]The Prinny may cast a single 1st level spell, Cantrip or Orison as a Spell-Like Ability 3/day. At 6 HD, it may either upgrade this to At Will, or gain a single 2nd or 3rd level spell (from the same class list) 2/day. At 12 HD, it may gain a single spell (from the same class list) up to 6th level 1/day.

Pringer Beam (Su): Prinnies are masters of the pringer beam, which is just a fancy laser. Wait, just a fancy laser? Once per hour, a Prinny may make a single Ranged Touch Attack, which is compared against the Touch Armour Class of all creatures within 10' of it. Those hit take 1d10 Light damage per hit die of the Prinny.

Special: if someone Reincarnates into a Prinny to atone for their sins, then everything stays the same except they gain the following:

Death Throes (Su): if reduced to zero HP, the Prinny explodes in a 30' radius. This deals 2d6 Fire damage per hit die of the Prinny, with a Ref save (DC 10 + half HD + Con) for half. The Prinny is killed.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:49 pm

In general, the latest incarnation of Disgaea has a very nice set of races. Some of them, like the Slugs and Cockatrices, do not seem like they would go well in a role playing game. There are a couple of monsters that didn't make the cut from other versions that are needed.

But yes:

Human
Orc
Nekomata
Empusa (Succubus)
Alraune (Dryads)
Mothman
Marionette
Ghost
Vampire
Jack
Angel

You do not need or want to have both the Nekomata and the Slumbercat. Those are obviously the same thing. It's a cat girl with blinding speed and martial prowess. Prinnies and Shroomish exist, but making them playable is retarded. Those things are minions. Cockatrices, War Slugs, and Dragons are mounts. And Wood Golems and Rifle Demons are equipment.

As for classes, you're going to want a fair number of crazy ones. The Nippon Ichi verse totally has Totemists in it, for example. But you basically got four kinds of magician:

Red (Use Fire Mage)
Blue (I think there is a functional Snowscaper somewhere)
Green (not sure. Possibly could write one up)
Star (use laser warlock).

Other than that, the class list doesn't have to be that long:

Fighters and stuff use the Knight class.
Fist Fighters use the Monk class.
Samurai and stuff both use the Samurai class.
Rangers, Gunslingers, and Thieves use the Assassin class.
The stuff that the default Marionette does is the Jester class.
Beast Masters and Cheerleaders and stuff are the Totemist class.
Clerics use one of the White Mage variants.
Geomasters and Druids use the Elementalist class.

So I think you can do the entire Nippon-Ichiverse with like 12 classes. Maybe let in Barbarians and True Fiends.

-Username17

Maxus · Post by **Maxus** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 1:49 am

FrankTrollman wrote: [*] Blue (I think there is a functional Snowscaper somewhere)

Me. It's linked to on the repository thread.

[*] Green (not sure. Possibly could write one up)

Please do. Koumei's PrC for that Plant Race has some cool abilities. But it could work as a base class. Bring on the thorn mines and medicine-creation and building destruction and sexual subtext towards earth mages!

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 3:04 am

Nah, in N1-verse, Green is Wind magic. If you want to go all LPT, Green+Red = Yellow (Lightning), Green+Blue = Cyan (Healing), Blue+Red = Magenta (Support/Poison) and RGB = White (Holy == Star/Laser).

But we don't want to go all LPT, because that's just a terrain effect anyway and isn't some cool "I cast Giga Flame, you cast Giga Ice, if we time it right we get a Braveheart effect! If we time it wrong, we get burned and frozen" thing.

Anyway, that should be easy enough to put together. I figure I'll probably be lenient on the classes, just because, but will specifically list the ones mentioned as "the ones that are Core for N1, other classes are like playing a Warlock in Iron Kingdoms: you can do it but it's rare".

Is the Laser Warlock something that someone here has actually made, or would I just need to take the Warlock variant of choice and turn it into a laser mage?

I'm not going to include Galaxy Mages because the idea is you want the PCs to be different, and "You get all magic types" goes against that, while being fine for a vidya game.

As for the races, that actually sounds like a good way to do it. So I can print out a nice document with:
[*]the intro and basic rules (level, "refer to Book of Gears for what your magic item is", how reincarnation works etc.) on one page
[*]a page for each of the common races (including a picture - the idea here is for people to go "Oh, I want that one!")
[*]a listing of the classes (each could get half a page: name, some flavour text, a picture and where to find it)
[*]one page total to cover the minions available, another page for the mounts available...

And then make sure I have print-outs for the classes (as separate bundles, so people only need look at them if interested, rather than think the whole lot is required). Cool. I can have everything made by the time I arrive there.

Human: I think this obscure race is covered in a splatbook somewhere?

Orc: obviously the real Orc, not the "50% Orc, 100% worthless!" Could they do with a modification at all? Typically takes levels in Barbarian.

Nekomata: I'll either make it up or copy-pasta something from Races of Rabbitfucking or whatever. Typically takes levels in Monk.

Empusa: I'll use the actual Empusa (Succubus). At level 8 or 9 or whatever, I guess I'll allow the option to reincarnate into a full Succubus. Typically takes levels in True Fiend/Conduit or Jester or something.

Alraune: good point, extra flowery dryads who are their own tree works. Typically takes levels in Elementalist or something.

Mothman: shouldn't be hard to cook up. Typically takes levels in... I have no idea. They specialise in fast movement, hit&run (or "run to the exit quick!" in Item World. Admit it) and status effects. So a modified Rogue or Thief Acrobat or Assassin, or even one of the above multiclassed with Monk could work.

Marionette: again, shouldn't be a problem. As mentioned, is totally a Jester.

Ghost: easy to make. It's a support caster (largely), so could be a White Mage with no trouble. Or a Totemist for the weird body-morphing.

Vampire: could be either [anything] with the Vampire PrCl, or just some race that is vaguely vampiric. Typically a Samurai or [Colour] Mage.

Jack: ...I forget what the Jack is. Is it something from D3, or a jack-in-a-box monster from LPT/Makai Kingdom or what?

Angel: Empusa (one of the Celestial ones). Done. Typically takes levels in Knight or White Mage.

---

Minions:
-Shroomish will be a minion that casts annoying status effects and dies easily
-Prinny will be a minion that explodes when thrown

Mounts:
-Dragons will be "RAA RAA BREATHE ELEMENT" beasts
-Cockatrices will be weird status effect flying beasts
-Slugmas will be monsters that slowly carry the rider around and boost the rider's magic and deal lightning damage.
-The Wolf Things will be really fast land mounts that charge people.

Leress · Post by **Leress** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 4:05 am

I believe Frank is talking about these jacks

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 4:14 am

Oh right, of course, Jack O' Lanterns/Pump Kin. From Makai Kingdom.

I suppose they'd have some spooky fear powers, and would often be Elementalists, Totemists or Assassins.

Ganbare Gincun · Post by **Ganbare Gincun** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 4:34 am

No Majin, then?

Leress · Post by **Leress** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 4:40 am

Ganbare Gincun wrote:No Majin, then?

There really is nothing special about Majin except for bigger numbers. I personally like the design of the ones in the first Disgaea. Good at everything isn't really something for a PnP game.

Count Arioch the 28th · Sat Jun 26, 2010 5:27 am

I might have to try this Disgaea game. I'm a sucker for cute monster girls.

Mask_De_H · Post by **Mask_De_H** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 5:44 am

There isn't a laser warlock, as far as I can tell. My Bullet Mage shoots lasers and is a pseudo-Spherelock, so that might be it.

Maxus · Post by **Maxus** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 5:44 am

Count Arioch the 28th wrote:I might have to try this Disgaea game. I'm a sucker for cute monster girls.

I've heard good things but haven't yet invested the effort to grab it.

Crissa · Post by **Crissa** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 5:49 am

I bought it for my mom...

-Crissa

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 6:42 am

Disclaimer: I haven't actually played any of the Nippon Ichi games besides the first half hour of Makai Kingdom. I have read through several Lets Plays.

Soul Nomad and the World Eaters had some interesting stuff in it. I would totally like to see a Schemestress prestige class or something, just because that is an awesome name. And in general, magic that directly or indirectly messes around with souls seemed to be pretty important there. With what I remember about Phantom Brave, it seems like a minion-based Incarnum class could fit into the setting pretty well.

Ganbare Gincun · Post by **Ganbare Gincun** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 6:57 am

Leress wrote:
Ganbare Gincun wrote:No Majin, then?
There really is nothing special about Majin except for bigger numbers. I personally like the design of the ones in the first Disgaea. Good at everything isn't really something for a PnP game.

To quote EDI from Mass Effect 2: That was a joke.

Ganbare Gincun · Post by **Ganbare Gincun** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:00 am

Count Arioch the 28th wrote:I might have to try this Disgaea game. I'm a sucker for cute monster girls.

Holy fuck, you've never played Disgaea? It's on the PS2, PSP, and DS. The PSP and DS versions have extra content to boot. The PSP version is probably the best version of the game based on what I've heard from others that have played it. Just try not to spend TOO much time playing it...

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:25 am

Human:
Completely unchanged, except:
Medium Humanoid [Human] (it's never actually specified).

Orc:
Medium Humanoid [Orc]
Speed: 30'
Reach: 5'

Attributes: +2 Strength

Darkvision 60'

Skills: +2 Racial bonus to Intimidate, Gather Information, and Survival checks.

Dogpile (Ex): Orcs gain an additional +2 (for a total of +4, usually) to hit when Flanking.

Favored Classes: Assassin and Barbarian

Nekomata:
Medium Humanoid
Speed: 40'
Reach: 5'

Skills: the Nekomata is pretty skilled, gaining a +2 Racial bonus to Balance, Jump, Climb, Listen and Escape Artist checks.

Pounce: the Nekomata may make a full attack when charging, but becomes Fatigued afterwards, and cannot do this when Fatigued.

Natural Weapons: the Nekomata gains a secondary Claw attack as long as it has at least one free hand (1d6+Str*0.5).

Gains the Scent ability (Ex), just like all creatures with Scent.

Typical Classes: Monk

Empusa:
Medium Outsider [Extraplanar]
Additional Alignment subtypes: those of the Empusa's actual alignment. Yes, she can change subtypes by stabbing the right people in the face.
Speed: 30'
Reach: 5'
Wings: provide no flight, but the ability to glide and slow-fall. At level 4, the Empusa may fly at 60' (Poor) for a total number of consecutive rounds at a time equal to her Con modifier (minimum 1), with a 3 round break in between, at level 8 she may fly (Average) as much as she wants.

Attributes: +2 Charisma

Sexy (Su): Empusae are all innately attractive (by the general, average standards of where they come from, as well as psychically seeming slightly tweaked to the preference of those who see them), personable and good at pushing the right buttons. They may cast Charm Person once per day as a Supernatural ability (DC 10 + half HD + Cha), gain a +3 Racial bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy. At 8th level, her Charm Person upgrades to Charm Monster. At 12th level, it can be used once per day per point of Charisma Bonus she has.

Tiresome (Su): a kiss or other intimate act with an Empusa can be very tiring as they take a little energy to power themselves. This causes the target to become Fatigued for three rounds, and to take 1d8+Cha nonlethal damage. The Empusa gains temporary HP equal to her Level or her Constitution modifier (whichever is more) when this ability inflicts any damage to a humanoid. These temporary hit points last 1 hour and do not stack. She may elect not to use this ability. If the target is unwilling, it requires a successful Grapple check.

Telepathy (Su) out to 30' as a constant effect

Disguise Self (Su): 1 use per level per day.

Typical Classes: Beguiler, True Fiend or Jester

Alraune:
Medium Fey [Plant]
Speed: 30'
Reach: 5-10'

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Charm Person and Entangle 1/day

Natural Armour: +1

Speak With Plants (Ex): An Alraune can speak to plants and use Diplomacy to change the attitude of monsters with the plant type as if they were coherent.

Skills: Alraune get a +3 bonus to Survival and Craft checks.

Typical Classes: Totemist or Elementalist.

Mothman:
Medium Vermin
Fly Speed: 25' + 5' per level (Poor)
Reach: 5'

Flight (Ex): at 5th level, the Flight becomes (Average). At 9th level it becomes (Good) and changes to 50' + 5' per level. At 15th level it becomes 50' + 10' per level.

Senses: Low-Light Vision, Darkvision 120' and Tremorsense 30'

Skills: the Mothman gains a +3 Racial bonus on Spot, Listen and Search checks.

Swoop (Ex): when a Mothman charges from a higher vantage point than its target, it deals double damage for that attack.

Moth Power (Ex): the Mothman can duplicate the following once each per day: Daze, Dancing Lights, Touch of Fatigue and Lullaby. At 5 Hit Dice this becomes Daze Monster, Hypnotic Pattern, Stinking Cloud and Sleep. The Save DCs are Con-based.

Hell Pollen (Ex): with a Swift action, anyone adjacent to the Mothman must pass a Fort save (Con-based) or take Acid damage equal to its Hit Dice.

Typical Classes: Assassin and Monk

Marionette:
Medium Humanoid [Construct]
Speed: 30'
Reach: 5'

Made of Wood (Ex): Marionettes have DR X/Slashing (where X is equal to their Hit Dice), as they are made of wood. Additionally, they may make unarmed strikes as natural Slam Attacks (1d4+Str).

Poison Immunity (Ex): Marionettes fucking love poison, as such they are immune to poison themselves.

Puppet (Ex): being puppets, Marionettes are flexible. They gain a +3 Racial bonus on Balance, Tumble and Escape Artist checks, as well as on Intimidate checks because they're spooky. However they take a -3 Racial penalty on saving throws against [Compulsion] effects.

Marionettes gain Improved Feint as a Bonus Feat.

Typical Classes: Jester

Ghost:
Medium Fey
Speed: 20'
Reach: 5'

Pseudo-Ethereal (Ex): Ghosts are kinda' sorta' Ethereal, but not fully. They interact normally with the normal world, although they gain Damage Reduction X/Magic where X equals their Hit Dice.

Additionally, a Ghost taking a Move action can move their speed through intervening objects, ignoring terrain and walls and furniture (and whatever else may be in the way), though not [Force] effects, and this does not protect it from attacks and so on.

The Ghost always benefits from a Featherfall effect.

Ghost Body (Su): a Ghost can hold items like a Handy Haversack. In an Anti-Magic Field, it simply cannot be accessed, it does not burst open.

Typical Classes: White Mage and Totemist

Vampire:
Medium Undead
Speed: 30'
Reach: 5'

Blood Drinking (Ex): The character can drain blood from a helpless or willing victim, inflicting 2 points of Constitution Damage per round. The character heals 5 points for each point of Constitution Damage in this way, and consuming 4 points of Constitution from intelligent creatures is considered enough "food" for one day (and the vampire gains no sustenance from any other food). Humanoids slain by this Constitution Damage may rise as vampires or vampire spawn (though the character has no control over them unless granted by another ability). Any excess Constitution, to a maximum of 1 per hit die, is stored as "Blood Points".

Vampiric Weaknesses (Ex): Vampires are "vulnerable to Sunlight" and are Fatigued whenever in actual sunlight. Also, they can take Critical hits, but only from Wooden weapons. Vampires do not get immunity to Ability Damage/Drain, Sleep or shape changing just because they're not quite alive. Note that these are mostly just limitations on Undead strengths as opposed to true weaknesses.

Blood Power (Su): a Vampire may spend 1 Blood Point to generate a Daze effect, or 4 to generate a Daze Monster effect or Widen a Spell-like or Supernatural Ability.

Typical Classes: Samurai or any [Colour] Mage

Angel:
Medium Outsider [Extraplanar]
Additional Alignment subtypes: those of the Angel's actual alignment. Yes, she can change subtypes by stabbing the right people in the face.
Speed: 30'
Reach: 5'
Wings: provide no flight, but the ability to glide and slow-fall. At level 4, the Angel may fly at 60' (Poor) for a total number of consecutive rounds at a time equal to her Con modifier (minimum 1), with a 3 round break in between, at level 8 she may fly (Average) as much as she wants.

Attributes: +2 Wisdom

Tongues (Su) as a permanent effect

Protective Aura (Su): Standard action at will, create a double-strength Magic Circle Against Evil, Light and Minor Globe of Invulnerability, all out to 20' from self

Smite (Su) Cha/day (min 1). Adds her Cha to the attack roll (min +1) and her hit dice to the damage. This can be used on anyone, regardless of alignment, race, creed or religion.

Typical Classes: White Mage or Knight

Jack:
Medium Construct [Plant]
Speed: 30'
Reach: 5'

Pump Kin (Ex): the Jack gains a +3 Racial bonus on Intimidate checks, and may use the Intimidate skill as a Swift Action.

All Souls Day (Su): Each morning, a Jack has about one half of a leftover pumpkin that they aren't using any more. Other creatures could eat it - or just smash it against a wall. Once it dries, it's super hard to clean up.

Yard Worker (Ex): the Jack is made for yard work, so gains a +3 Racial bonus on all Craft checks. All Jacks get Profession: Farmer for free.

Bonus Proficiencies: A Jack is inherently proficient with shovels, rakes, hoes, and scythes. In addition, these weapons in the hands of a Jack are treated as their most closely analogous martial weapon (a hoe is treated as a pole axe, a scythe is treated as a war scythe, a shovel is treated as a battleaxe, and so on).

Deep Roots (Ex): A Jack has Tremorsense out to 5' per point of Constitution Bonus they have (minimum 5'). The DC to Trip a Jack is increased by +4.

Typical Classes: Assassin, Jester or Samurai

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:07 am

Disgaea 3 is a game about teleport ambushes. It also is incredibly grindy. Fun. But a titanic time sink. Titanic.

These are serious ways to unlock more power in the game:

You can unlock a better version of the Cleric by bringing a Cleric to level 15. If you make the new class, you can access another even better one after you get to level 40, and another breakthrough with the new class to level 80, and again to level 160, and one more time until level 360. Every Class and monster type can be advanced in this fashion.
You can improve items by opening up dungeons inside the items and hammering your way through random levels of increasingly bad ass monsters. Some of these dungeons are one hundred levels long.
You can also improve items by jumping into the dungeons of other items and beating up special monsters in them which then allow you to transfer bonus properties to items you actually want to use.
You can also enter 10 level dungeons inside the heads of your individual party members to give them stat and skill bonuses.
You can restart any of your characters at level 1 of a new class (including monster race class), transferring bonuses from your old class to level 1 (since stat progression is exponential, a tiny bonus at level 1 is a huge deal). This is the primary method of utilizing the higher tier classes.

Anyway...

The Jacks are scarecrow people with pumpkin heads. They go "boogy boogy" at people and also run around stabbing fools. The default Jack would be an Assassin or a Jester. But Totemist and Samurai would be a good fit too.

The Green Mage
Got a bag on my head and the wind at my back.

Green Mags use the power of Wind. Many people think this element is "weak" or "childish" compared to the more visible powers of Fire and Ice. But Wind users suggest that all magic is equally powerful, but that since theirs is the only one you can't see coming, that perhaps you should fear it most of all.

Playing a Green Mage: The Green Mage is a user of magic, and that magic is based on Charisma. But they are also a heavy user of ranged attacks, and those manipulations are Dexterity based. Green Mages have a strong tendency to use staves.

Starting Age: As Sorcerer
Starting Equipment: 5d4x10gp
Alignment: Green Mages favor secrecy and conniving. But since the game rants extensively on how conniving can be Lawful or Chaotic, so can they.

Hit Die: d8
Base Attack Bonus: Medium (as Rogue)
Good Saving Throws: Reflex and Will
Skill Points: 4+Int
Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (Any), Heal, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Survival, Use Magic Device.


Level:	Abilities:
1:	Wind Blast, Wind Resistance, Message, Ghost Sound, Air Magic
2:	Gust of Wind, Shocking Grasp
3:	Wall of Air, Whispering Winds
4:	More Resistance, Clairaudience
5:	Air Walk
6:	Thunder Clap, Silence
7:	Scary Noises, Pin Drops
8:	Slow, Secrets on the Wind
9:	Chain Lightning, Wind Tunnel
10:	Gaseous Form, Sending
11:	Speed of the Wind, Weather Control
12:	Animate Air, Windwalk
13:	Control Winds
14:	Breath of Life, Calming Voice
15:	Storm of Vengeance, Whirlwind

Class Feature

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Green Mages are proficient with Simple Weapons. A Green Mage's Spell-like abilities suffer from Arcane Spell Failure if they are wearing armor with which they are not proficient. A Green Mage may add the masterwork or enhancement bonus (if any) of any staff they are wielding to any attack or damage rolls they make with their Supernatural and Spell Like abilities.

Wind Blast (Sp): A Green Mage can throw blasts of wind as an attack action. A Wind Blast travels out to short range, and inflicts 1d4 of Sonic damage per level. A Wind Blast strikes its target with a ranged touch attack.

Wind Resistance (Ex): A Green Mage has resistance to Sonic and Electricity equal to her level. In addition, she treats wind as being one step less intense.

Message (Sp): A Green Mage can cast message at will.

Ghost Sound (Sp): A Green Mage can use ghost sound at will.

Air Magic (Ex): A Green Mage is considered to have all spells with the [Air] or [Electricity] key word on her spell list for purposes of crap like activating magic items. A Green Mage's caster level is always equal to her character level.

Gust of Wind (Sp): A 2nd level Green Mage can cast Gust of Wind as a standard action, at will.

Shocking Grasp (Su): A 2nd level Green Mage can shock people with a touch. As a melee attack action, the Green Mage can make a touch attack that inflicts 1d6 of Electricity damage per level. The Green Mage can use her Dexterity modifier instead of her Strength modifier on her attack roll. A Shocking Grasp attack can be made with a staff.

Wall of Air (Sp): A 3rd level Green Mage can create a wall of air at will, as a standard action. The Green Mage can only have 1 such wall in existence at a time for every three whole levels she has. If she creates a new wall while she is already at her maximum, one wall of her choice dissipates. The Save DC of any of her effects is DC 10 + ½ Level + Charisma Modifier.

Whispering Winds (Sp): A 3rd level Green Mage can use whispering winds at will.

More Resistance (Ex): At 4th level a Green Mage may personally ignore Wind Effects. Also her Sonic Resistance improves to twice her level.

Clairaudience (Sp): At 4th level, a Green Mage can hear things at great distances. She can use clairvoyance/clairaudience at will as a free action, but only the audio version.

Air Walk (Su): From 5th level on, a Green Mage constantly benefits from air walk.

Thunder Clap (Sp): At 6th level, a Green Mage can create a tremendous clap of thunder that damages and deafens. The Thunder Clap can be created within Medium range. It is a 20 foot radius burst, and it inflicts 1d8 + 1d8/2 levels in Sonic Damage (Fortitude save partial for half damage). Those creatures that fail their save are knocked prone and deafened for 1 round/level. At 11th level, the Wind Mage may make her Thunder Clap larger, doing an extra d8 of damage and having a radius of 30 feet.

Silence (Sp): A 6th level Green Mage can create a zone of silence, as per silence. The Green Mage can only have one such zone active for every three full levels she has attained, and if she creates a new one when she already has her maximum she chooses one to be dispelled.

Scary Noises (Sp): A 7th level Green Mage can use fear as a spell-like ability. Once she has used it, she may not use t again for 10 rounds. Scary Noises is a [Sonic] ability.

Pin Drop (Ex): A 7th level Green Mage gains a bonus to her Listen checks equal to her ranks in Listen.

Slow (Sp): A Green Mage of 8th level can cast slow as a Swift Action at will.

Secrets on the Wind (Sp): An 8th level Green Mage can scry at will with a minute's concentration. Unlike a normal scrying, the Green Mage cannot see through to the target, but instead can hear from that area as if sh was there herself. There is no literal sensor in this case, the scrying is entirely passive.

Chain Lightning (Sp): A 9th level Green Mage can use chain lightning as a standard action, at will.

Wind Tunnel (Sp): At 9th level, a Green Mage may invoke wind tunnel (Spell Compendium) once per day as a Swift Action.

Gaseous Form (Sp): A 10th level Green Mage can use gaseous form at will. Gaseous Form used by a Green Mage is permanent until dismissed, and Green Mages often use it to bottle captured enemies.

Sending (Sp): A 10th level Green Mage can use sending at will simply by speaking into the wind.

Speed of the Wind (Sp): An 11th level Green Mage can use haste as a Swift Action once per hour.

Weather Control (Sp): An 11th level Green Mage can control the weather every day.

Animate Air (Sp): At 12th level, a Green Mage can animate the very air. By spending a Standard Action, she essentially creates a Huge Air Elemental that follows her orders. She can only have one at a time, and if she creates a new one, the old one dissipates. She can only create one an hour in any case. At 16th level, her Elemental can be made as a Greater Elemental instead. At 20th level, it can be an Elder Elemental.

Wind Walk (Sp): A 12th level Green Mage can invoke or terminate wind walk at will as a Swift Action.

Control Winds (Sp): A 13th level Green Mage can cast control winds as a Druid of her level. This ability can only be invoked once per hour.

Breath of Life (Sp): A 14th level Green Mage can raise the dead a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier.

Calming Voice (Sp): Once per hour, a 14th level Green Mage can cast charm monster.

Storm of Vengeance (Sp): Once per hour, a 15th level Green Mage can invoke a Storm of Vengeance as per the Druid spell of the same name.

Whirlwind (Sp): A 15th level Green Mage can use whirlwind or greater whirlwind (Spell Compendium) at will.

Quantumboost · Post by **Quantumboost** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:16 am

Koumei wrote:Pseudo-Ethereal (Ex): Ghosts are kinda' sorta' Ethereal, but not fully. They interact normally with the normal world, although they gain Damage Reduction X/- where X equals their Hit Dice. [...]

You could also make it DR/Ghost Touch like Gastly/Gengar, to match the ghostness.

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 10:25 am

Good idea with DR/Ghost Touch, I'll do that.

And thanks, Frank, that was remarkably fast.

Now I was thinking about weapon masteries (and the special attacks), and as awesome as they are, I don't think I'll include them for the most part, as that's adding extra powers onto characters, creating more confusion all round.

But later in the game I will introduce bullshit items with special powers like the Wand (Makai Kingdom, also in my magic items thread), Overlord Sword (with Dimension Slash as a special ability), Inferno Pistol (with Totemkreuz), Beam Sabre and the like.

That said, obviously pistols are in. Guns normally piss me off in fantasy, but we're talking about N1, which has telephones, televisions and the UFO-Yoink!

So it should probably be something like:
Simple Light Weapon
Ranged Weapon (15' range increments because pistols are shit)
Holds 6 bullets, each can be fired as an Attack action
Takes a Full Round Action to reload
Deals 1d8 damage

Ammunition costs fuck-all, even special material ammunition. You enhance the gun, not the bullets, too. The critical can be 20/x2 or maybe x3. It still doesn't seem very special, but seeing as it's specifically used by people who get extra damage sources and who take all the shooting+ feats, it's probably okay.

Maybe let people craft hollow bullets with Fire Trap cast on, to buff the damage (oh hey, Jesters get Fire Trap), or just be kind with handing out magic pistols if people decide they want to be shooters.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 10:31 am

Or DR/Magic. We're talking about a minor ability being handed out at first level in exchange for not having Elf Ears.

The races should synergize with the classes they are being told to take. Also, they shouldn't be ludicrously powerful at low or mid level. As such, the Nekomata you got is way over board. The free kicks have got to go. A simple bonus natural claw attacks for having free hands is plenty enough incentive to be a monk, since you can then kick people and get free natural weapon attacks to get boosted by your combat style. I do like the pounce mechanics though. The skill list boost is a bit long for being a +3 bonus. But again, whatever.

None of the races should have "rencarnate into monster out of the monster manual" rules written up, because the whole point is that you're making race + class combinations that are more playable than the cazy mouth diarrhea in the Monster Manual.

The Empusa appears to be straight over powered. The Sexy conversation power doesn't make any sense (as in: I can't tell what it does), and Disguise Self and infinite healing at will is pretty dire for what is essentially a zero level ability. I understand that you are probably in favor of convincing two players to play Empusa and then cuddling in order to heal up between combats - but it's still a very good ability. All that, and they still don't do probably the one thing you expect them to do: be good at casting Charm Spells. I'd ditch the Tail Whip attack too, because Disgaea Succubi don't seem to actually be able to do that much with their tails. I like the implementation of the wings and alignment subtypes.

Attributes: +2 Charisma

Sexy (Su): Empusae are all innately attractive (by the general, average standards of where they come from, as well as psychically seeming slightly tweaked to the preference of those who see them), personable and good at pushing the right buttons. They may cast Charm Person once per day as a Supernatural ability (DC 10 + half HD + Cha), gain a +3 Racial bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy. At 8th level, her Charm Person upgrades to Charm Monster. At 12th level, it can be used once per day per point of Charisma Bonus she has.

Tiresome (Su): a kiss or other intimate act with an Empusa can be very tiring as they take a little energy to power themselves. This causes the target to become Fatigued for three rounds, and to take 1d8+Cha nonlethal damage. The Empusa gains temporary HP equal to her Level or her Constitution modifier (whichever is more) when this ability inflicts any damage to a humanoid. These temporary hit points last 1 hour and do not stack. She may elect not to use this ability. If the target is unwilling, it requires a successful Grapple check.

Telepathy (Su) out to 30' as a constant effect

Disguise Self (Su): 1 use per level per day.

Typical Classes: Beguiler, True Fiend, Jester, Assassin

The Alraune is pretty disappointing. They don't need natural Wild Empathy, because they will get Wild Empathy for being a Totemist if that is what they want to do. Again, the races should synergize with the classes that are suggested for them.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Charm Person and Entangle 1/day

Natural Armour: +1

Speak With Plants (Ex): An Alraune can speak to plants and use Diplomacy to change the attitude of monsters with the plant type as if they were coherent.

Skills: Alraune get a +3 bonus to Survival and Craft checks.

Typical Classes: Totemist or Elementalist.

I'd make the Mothman's hellpollen a Swift Action to activate. Don't want him killing his horse. Also, probably want his speed to go up every level. Flight Speed could be 25' + 5'/level, for example. But additional increases over time wouldn't be out of line. By 8th level or so, they should be at least on par with a fly spell (90', Good). Swoop should only work when it is from a higher point charging at a lower point.

The Angel's Smite should just say "Smite" it's confusing to specify an alignment. Also, they should get a +2 Wisdom bonus. The Soothing Presence should probably be dropped. If they want to calm emotions, they can take levels of White Mage.

-Username17

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 10:57 am

Thanks, changes have been made. And you're right, I'm still stuck in a "This is D&D, you want to encourage people to go outside the box." mindset and not "This is Disgaea, where - in a world where you can change bodies at the same rate as you change your socks - there is actually a best job for any given body and you can reincarnate if you don't like your job."

Ghosts: DR/magic

Nekomata skill bonus decreased to +2 and the list shortened a little, and the natural weapons reduced.

Alraune changed completely to what you listed. Ditto for Empusa, who also dropped Assassin from the Typical Classes thing.

Angel has the changes you suggested.

Mothman gets better Flight (speed and type) over time and Hell Pollen is now a Swift Action. Swoop also changed to require a height advantage.

And all the other races now have something written.