The Tabaxi as an Old-School PC Class

User Sivinus at the OSR Pick-Up Games Discord server offered up to host a character class contest. 

It has been decided that we would run a contest to see who could make the best class! The way this contest works is that you sign up below and make a class, very simple. The start date (May 30th) is when you should have submitted your class and voting stars and the end date (June 2nd) is when voting closes. Anyone can join, the only requirement is that you sign up below and then make your own class, which you will submit by sending it @sivinus (me).

Good enough - I've done a few character classes in the past, some more serious than others. And it's a fun exercise to build out a class, typically with some help from random inspiration and some math help by Building a More Perfect Class.

And as much as I wanted to just enter The TechnoViking, I figured new class for new contest.

What to do... what to do...

Serendipitously, I've been perusing the Fiend Folio for some other inspiration on a writing prompt. And I noticed this somewhat familiar critter:

So yeah, the tabaxi have been around since 1981, but weren't an official character class until they were ported into the the current edition, as far as I can tell. There were a couple of other playable cat-folk races, but "tabaxi" as a player race appeared in 5e. And from occasional perusing of 5e actual plays - people apparently like to play cats.

Source

Ok, so back to the source material. I'm not a 5e player, so other than watching some cat PCs, I'm not a subject matter expert. But I do like to convert or create player classes back to B/X. And I have the Fiend Folio.

So here we go.

Cat - so obviously a DEX-based race. The "tabaxi rogue" is pretty much redundant. Let's grab some elements from the FF, and just because, add some climbing/falling qualities for a feline. 

Let's let this cat out of the bag...

The Dragonborn for your Old School Tastes.

Well, haven't been creating for a bit. After the winter 'break' of entertaining myself during flight cancellations, I started a new job. While still burned out from the last one. So it's been an adjustment, retooling myself to a different clientele and returning to a business sector I haven't worked in for a few years. And having to commute more than 20 feet. The Horror.

So my brain has not been in a creative space. I owe a review, and I have a couple of notebook pages of a mini-adventure outlined out. But that's all that's been rattling around up there, mostly.

Ok, get to work, you. 

Character class revisions and reinterpretations are always fun. So let's return to the Dragonborn. I previously ginned one up for The Black Hack, but realized that I hadn't modded up the race for the B/X-OSE rulesets. An obvious oversight.

www.deviantart.com/savedra

Moar Minotaur. And the Shaman class!

Well, figured I should give my minotaur the Advanced Version of ye olde game treatment, and give them a little class, or classes, as well. So here's our bovine friend kitted out for 1e/OSRIC/OSE Advanced Fantasy/etc. 

Download Me

Gave them the fighter and thief, of course, because apparently anyone can do that. And barbarian, because uncivilized. But felt like I needed a bit of a spellcaster too. Not being satisfied to just toss them the cleric/druid class, I wanted to perhaps give them something a bit hybrid. So the shaman class came to be. Now I know that there are likely plenty of shaman/witch/druid/nature-priest classes out there, but why not one more? 

Besides, I had this guy for inspiration:

www.deviantart.com/eoghankerrigan

The Minotaur Player Class

Well, I haven't done up a character class in entirely too long, so a quick and dirty writeup of that labyrinth denizen and antagonist of disoriented heroes everywhere: The Minotaur! 

by www.deviantart.com/calebcleveland

(Made up for OSE-B/X, or similar old-school flavored games)

HD: D8

Saves: As dwarf

Allowed armor: Light or medium, shields

Allowed Weapons: Single or two-handed melee

Requisites: STR, CON 12

Prime Attribute: STR/CON

A denizen of the labyrinths and dark, twisting places, your chimeric, monstrous appearance keeps you on the edge of the civilized world. 

Unless, perhaps, some serious muscle is needed, a spectacle is demanded for the gladiator ring, or a party needs someone who does not get turned about in the underground. And then, who do they call? Your bull-headed self of course... Hulking and outcast, you tend to be a loner, but will join up if the coin is good and the maze is worthy of your nose for direction.

Your native habitat is the mazes and winding passages, either engineered or natural. You have an inherent sense of direction underground, and can readily track back to the last known exit or passage to a level change.

You’re a big boy (or girl). Your height is six feet+1d12 inches (watch your head). Armor costs 25% more to fit your majestic physique. That bullishness, though, has made you tough as nails. Add your CON bonus to your armor class.

You much prefer to get up close and personal for bashing, stabbing, and slashing, so missile weapons are not on your shopping list. That said, you can use two-handed weapons single-handedly. 

That whole man-eating thing is a myth... Isn't it? Whatever. You can forgo your weapon attack to bite or gore (1d6 damage) an opponent.

You may be big, but you're surprisingly light on your feet. You may move silently in the tunnels as a thief of the next higher level.

And, of course, you can see in the dark (infravision to 60'). Not much good underground otherwise, eh?

Download the maze-runner here (includes XP table and Move Silently matrix)

Wormkin

Glynn drew this. I wrote up some slapdash words...

Original Sketch by Glynn Seal

Hailing from the Boglands of the south, or found creeping about in the temperate rainforests of the Northwet, the secretive wormkin make their way in their silent, mysterious societies...

Annelid-humanoids ranging in height (length?) of four to six feet, with spindly arms, their moist skin ranges from a translucent pale to dark red in color. Other than than light-sensitive organs around their head regions, the wormkin are essentially blind. Compensating for this, the wormkin have finely-attuned 'tremor-sense' for vibrations and an acute sense of smell. Because of their thin skin, wormkin require moist environments and are found in rainforests, humid caverns, and bogs. Some "invasive" wormkin have been encountered in city sewers and cesspools, although their reason for occupying such spaces in a mystery.

Their society is divided into three classes - Aporrectodea (Priest), Lumbricus (Royal), and Eisenia (Soldier). One will never encounter a single wormkin, as they always travel in groups, or 'congregations' of at least four individuals and up to 100 in verdant, humid locales.

Wormkin communicate via a subtle combination of vibrations and scents, and communication with outsiders is exceptionally difficult. There is a 20% chance that a Priest may have a rudimentary form of ESP, allowing communication with the Aliens, as they refer to any non-wormkin intelligence. Contact with these creatures is almost always a discomforting interaction, as any collection of wormkin seems to act as a hive-mind.

Wormkin:

AC 8/11, HD variable (see below), Att: 1d3 corrosive, or by weapon (hand weapon only), Move 30, Save variable per HD, Al neutral.

Wormkin variable HD (roll 2d6)
2-5	1 HD
6-8	2 HD
9-11	3 HD
12	4 HD

Special: Due to their squishy nature, blunt attacks cause half damage. Wormkin are highly resilient, though, and are immune to disease, including such things as vermin bites, molds, and mummy rot. Wormkin also have prodigious healing capabilities, recovering 1d6 hp per night of rest. Subsisting on vegetative matter, wormkin have evolved powerful gut enzymes, which can degrade natural fibers (cloth or leather) similar to a jelly or be spat in combat (15' range) for 1d3 hp damage.

Using their tremor-sense and sense of smell, wormkin can discern the distance and direction of a target accurately, and may may track humanoid or larger creatures at distances of up to one-quarter mile. Wormkin are exceedingly difficult to sneak up on, and any thief attempting to do so will make their rolls at two levels lower.

Soldiers and Royals may reinforce their bodies with a chitinous armor of unknown manufacture (AC6/13), and there is a 10% chance for individuals to be wearing ceramic armor (AC3/16). Because of the wormkins' anatomy, this armor may not be transferred to another species, nor will they manufacture, modify, or sell the armor to a non-wormkin. The secrets to these lightweight non-metallic armors is a hard-sought goal.

A congregation of wormkin may commune to effect a number of spell-like abilities - their so-called "Dirt Magic." At least one Priest is required for any spell ability, and a Royal is required for 7th level spell-equivalents:

# wormkin/"Spell" (1e equivalent)

2/"Quicksand" - cause a 10x10' area of soil to 'quick' enough to engulf a humanoid. If the target is not extricated, they will sink and suffocate in one turn. Each additional wormkin increases the diameter of the affected area by five feet.

4/Plant Growth (3rd Druid)

4/Speak with Plants (4th Cleric)

5/Transmute Rock to Mud (5th Druid)

6/Move Earth (6th MU)

7/Conjure Earth Elemental (7th Druid)

8/Earthquake (7th Cleric)

This post is biologist-approved.

Lihiy Div (Marsh-men) for your old-school gaming joy

One of our favorite neighborhood haunts is a Russian-themed bar owned, in part, by an emigre, and where we often find ourselves eating potatoes and dumplings, drinking Baltika, and watching Russian movies. The ironic thing is that the subtitles are also in Russian, so most plot interpretation is via inference. One of the rotating films on the playlist is the Tale of Tsar Saltan based on a poem/fairy tale by Alexander Pushkin.

Anyway, a plot hook to remove the Tsar from his capital involves going to war against this bunch of clownish marsh-dwelling folk.

For all the set-up and pomp, they are fairly easily defeated by putting the marsh grasses to the torch and some rather comical cannon-fire. In the end, hostages are freed and several of the marsh-men who didn't beat a hasty retreat are ended up captured...

(Pardon me if I don't have a correct name for these miscreants – They aren't named in the film, and my usual Google-fu prowess came up with limited info – so they are named for wild men of the marshes in Ukrainian lore....)

Lihiy Div (Marsh-man)
HD: 1+1
AC: 7 [12]
Atk: 1 weapon (1d6+1)
Move: 12
Save: 17
AL: C

Periodically erupting from the marshes at the edge of civilization, the Lihiy Div bands are stunted, primitive humanoids.  Their appearance is almost a parody, appearing to be swathed in marsh grasses and furs, and almost headless, with bulging eyes, although this may be a mask worn to frighten foes and increase their own morale. Low-technological, they will tend to be armed primarily with bone and wood weapons. While Lihiy Div primarily raid farms and similarly poorly-defended areas for foodstuffs and livestock, they will occasionally kidnap people for unknown rites or sacrifice. 

Lihiy Div may be typically encountered in groups of 12-24 raiders with a 3rd to 5th level leader (60% fighter/40% shaman).  However, on rare occasions, larger congregations of the marsh-folk will form for raiding and kidnapping, although the impetus for these eruptions from the marshes is not clear.

 ***

Ok, so what if you want to run a PC as one of these illiterate, hide-and-grass wearing yahoos?

Lihiy Div 
Requisites: None
Prime: WIS
HD: D6
Move: 12

Advance/save as cleric.

You speak your own, guttural language, and may speak a max of two others at a competency of pidgin to simple conversational, with no written knowledge/literacy.  And math is hard!  You can count to ten.

You are proficient in the simple weapons of the hunter-gatherer: dagger (stone), club (wood or bone), spear (stone), staff, hand axe (stone), and sling. As a “primitive,” you eschew steel.  However, you can craft exceptionally keen blades of stone/glass that cause +1 damage to unarmored/lightly armored opponents.  You may create 1d6 of these per day, depending on available resources.  The 'blade' may be a dagger, spear point, or axe blade. 

Allowed armor includes hide (leather) armor, and perhaps a wood/rattan shield.

You maintain a healthy suspicion and fear of magical forces: +2 vs magic
You've eaten some weird shit and drank nasty water: +2 vs poison/disease

Lihiy Div with Wis >15 may be attuned with Nature and may cast druid spells at -1 level if desired.  You may use a magic item usable by a druids.  You may use potions, but must save vs. poison for them to be effective.

Option: Perhaps you don't want to be a simple mud-footed marsh-dweller.  You can pick/roll a Favored Terrain to be a simple dweller from elsewhere... In your “home” terrain, you have only a 15% chance of becoming lost. You have a 3 in 6 chance to provide sustenance for yourself per day, and a 2 in 6 chance to provide sufficient victuals for a party. This increases by one per five levels. Pick/roll one, PCs with a WIS>15 may choose a second:
1. Plains
2. Forest
3. Mountains
4. Tundra
5. Jungle
6. Desert

Original Edition Role Playing Appreciation Day Contribution - The Fairy Gladiator

Another self-imposed creative deadline based off yesterday's 'notebook' post and cobbled together to support the Original Edition Role Playing Appreciation Day coordinated by +RJThompson.

So here you go, a small silly character class, done somewhat in the style of +JamesVWest, although without the whimsical art.

"Heralding from the mysterious arboreal fighting arenas of the fey, as a fairy gladiator, you are a raw yet skilled fighter with your own racial talents… Unlike your flighty kin, you are a tough little bugger, able to dish out a beat-down with style and aplomb! May Mars guide you!"

Download this flying freak

Inktober 24

...Caught up, for the moment....

The Mole Guards of Baden-Hill....  Stalwart halberdiers, not particularly effective against surface threats, but proof against any annelid-based attacks....

Inktober 11

"Run"

Mirriam-Webster has over 30 definitions of 'run.'  I think I have about 3-4 imbedded here...

Inktober 4

Inktober 04 - 'Underwater'

Download

Inktober 2

Prompt Day 2 - 'Divided', referring back to the Plains Elves.

Download

Building some class

I recently stumbled upon Erin Smale's 'Building the Perfect Class' and updated 'Building a More Perfect Class' procedure for building alternative classes for old school or OD&D variants of the game.

Erin did some serious heavy lifting back-calculating experience point/level builds using the original classes/races to develop a matrix for creating or modifying playable races/classes.  He broke down HD, saves, equipping, skills, and spell abilities, assigning values to the variables.  The outcome is a reasonably balanced approach to class creation, and seems, at face value, to avoid over-powered classes.  (He does go on at some length about how the classic magic-user appears to be very hampered by the assigned XP requirements vs his calculated XP, built out via criteria).

So as a thought experiment - I tried a build-out with my Lizardfolk class that I wrote up a couple years past.

source

Erin lines out the criteria as such:

1. Hit Dice
2. Class Saving Throw
3. Attack/“to-hit” progression
4. Armor availability or restrictions
5. Weapons availability or restrictions
6. Spell-casting ability
7. Special Abilities: the class’s special abilities, (Erin has an inconsistency in this item - he notes that the abilities are not based on race in his summary, but includes racial abilities in his special abilities list.  Since there are no other racial qualifiers elsewhere in the list - I assume this is a typo)
8. Skills: learned skills, not based on race
9. Weapon Mastery: weapon proficiency (from the Rules Cyclopedia, if used, otherwise a generic value)
10. Level Limits - name-level or none?

The individual point options are provided in his document and associated spreadsheet. My lizardfolk-specific notes are summarized below:

1. HD - 400 points (d8 is assigned 300 pts, but I'm adding value for 2HD at 1st level)
2. Saves - 100 points (fighter equivalent)
3. Attack - 500 points ('monster')
4. Armor - 100 points (Restricted to shields)
5. Weapons - 0 points (Racial restriction)
6. Spells - 0 points (this may change, since a 'shaman' class is allowed)
7. Special Abilities - 100 points (Natural armor)
                                100 (Natural weapons)
                                100 (Swimming)
                                100 (Breath-holding)

                                100 (Infravision)
8. Skills - 0 points
9. Weapon Mastery - 0 points (generic)
10. Level Limit - (-100) points (name level)

Total: 1500 points

Seems realistic - comparable to the cleric class.  The target XP is lower than the familiar demi-humans (dwarf, elf, halfling), but this may be representative of the Lizardfolk's perceived primitive or degraded state.  Flexing in a cleric-type spell ability option could add 100-400 points to the buy.

The base XP requirement is extrapolated to the appropriate level goals

Therefore - the Lizardfolk-specific class levels line out as:

Lvl XP Required
1 0
2 1,500
3 3,000
4 6,000
5 12,000
6 24,000
7 48,000
8 96,000
9 192,000 (Name-level limit)

Anyway, the BaMPC system appears to be a fairly robust resource for creating player classes for your own world.  As always comments or tweaks are welcome.

source

Salt Dwarves (and salt golems)

The Salt Dwarves, in contrast with their mountain kin, mine the subterranean salt domes and evaporite basins eschewing their brethren's search for gems and precious ores, instead excavating the "buried ocean."  These mines extend deep into the ground, tapping the halides left by ancient seas and buried under eons of deposits.

source

Like their hard rock mining cousins, the Salt Dwarves hollow huge caverns beneath the earth, for the mines are both their vocation and homes.  The mines are supported by elaborate timber and rope shoring and cribworks, proof against the slowly settling and flowing salt.  Massive water wheels and pumps evacuate the caverns of brackish water.

source

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Source

Periodically, the dwarves, with their salt-encrusted beards and cracked hands, will come to the surface of their mines, hauling their troves of salt to the surface. Salt dwarves, when encountered, tend to be kitted out in leather armor, with a thick, padded skullcap, and wielding a mining or war-pick. They wear no metallic armor due to the corrosive tendencies of the saline atmosphere within the mines.

Map contest and the beaver-folk....

As part of Erik Tenkar's OSR Christmas, +matt jackson teamed up with Erik to offer a collection of his original hand-drawn maps. The entry stipulated that a comment describing how the following map would be used was required for entering the drawing:

It was apparent to me: "Swimming pool and rec center for beaver-men complete with dams, diving boards, sunning platforms and +1 pool floaties."

So, on a quiet New Year's Eve, have a quick and dirty statting and description of the 'pool' and its inhabitants:

Y&Z and done.

Hammered out Y and Z today - whew...

The Yellow Coliseum

Carved out of mother-rock deep within the under-levels of the dungeon complex, the Yellow Coliseum is part of the politics and ritual of the insect-men. The competition area and surrounding viewing gallery are hewn into the hex-form of their hive-city. The ceiling is domed, its pyrite-veined bedrock illuminated by luminous, gas-filled air-cnidarians, which drift and bounce along the stone ceiling. Five stone pillars line the killing floor for the punishment and torture of show-victims, or the ritual insect-man executions by slow carapace-rending.

another application of isometric paper

The insectoid unter-carls line the stone benches to stomp and cheer on the victorious and doomed competitors as they spar, grapple, and bleed into the coliseum's sandy floor. Obsessive gamblers, wagers are thrown, not only for victories, but for more trivial matters as first blood, whether a competitor will stumble, or if one of the wall guards will scratch... Winners of wagers cheer and losers moan. Coins and promissory notes fly from clawed hand to clawed hand as events turn on the killing floor below.

source

Underlying the coliseum floor are four sets of three gladiator-cells, populated by disgraced hive-warriors, political foes, random humanoids, and/or captured adventurers. Singly or in groups, they are forced to climb the spiral steps to their fates above, be it by an executioner's shucking-rake, or the weapon of a goaded foe. Either way, they are fodder for the amusement of the insect-men chattering and wheezing above.

Overseeing this all, is the Hive-Ryss, the necro-elementalist leader of his race.

He sits upon the Zirconium Throne, symbol of power for the insect-ment.  The seat is composed of etched stone and massive jacinth crystals, nearly as old as the world itself. The throne is too massive to be moved, but even a single breadloaf-sized crystal, if somehow pried away without damage, would be worth 5,000 GP to a collector. The crystal would be worth even more to an elementalist, where it would provide enough cut gems to create wands, potions and components to last a lifetime.

Silent and contemplative, in contrast to the boisterous warriors and nobles surrounding him, the Ryss both gained, and holds, his power through political machination and subterfuge. He notes those who cast covetous glances at his throne, as well as intelligence whispered by his many informants.

The Ryss is not above periodically ripping a xorn or earth elemental from its home plane and into the ring. Disoriented and raging, it throws itself against the only visible perpetrators of its violation, crushing and consuming doomed combatants, to the thrill and joy of the spectators. A leader must, after all, provide some amusement, along with a reminder of the powers he commands...

Ninja-Bears

In  honor of the release of Chris Kutalik's Slumbering Ursine Dunes project, and inspired by his War Bears - meet their sneakier, stabbier colleagues...

More than one usurper noble, crooked merchantman, or criminal lord has been caught unawares upon finding a Ninja-Bear padding within their quarters, their guards nowhere to be found. The image of the boisterous, and occasionally bumbling, War-Bear does not correlate to such stealthy actions.

As such, many a final thought/word has been, "Where did that bear come fr...."

although he'd prefer fresh ground

To add insult to injury, they have a tendency to infiltrate and/or escape through palace or manor kitchens, walking off with delicacies and any whole-bean coffee.

A New Race - November 2014 RPG Blog Carnival

Johnn Four took the helm of this month's RPG Blog Carnival with the topic of races.  How are they played? What flavor makes PCs or NPCs of a particular race special, and not just a batch of modifiers?

I think that many of us have doodled with races, either making our own, or modding up canon races.

Even in my brief ruminations, I have a bunch of elves who are nowhere near trees. My lizard-folk are an ancient and perhaps degraded race, seeking renaissance. And I cobbled together a quick mechanism for making any critter an intelligent 'uplifted' class.

*****

So, something new... among the classic creatures of myth (and gaming) are the centaurs.

Might they have a smaller, more canine, cousin?

Centdogs, dogtaurs?

How about Canivirum?

close, but not sure why the artist didn't commit to canine hind legs.

With the upper body of a humanoid and the legs and body of a dog, this liminal creature runs in loose packs in deciduous forest and plains climates. Much smaller than the familiar centaurs, the canivirum have been likened to a halfling-dog melding (much to their disdain). Semi-nomadic, their tribes/packs live by hunting and herding.  They have few industries of their own, but maintain a trade in wool and hides.  They live for the hunt, and love nothing more than a good challenge. To this end, individuals or parties requiring more exotic hides or meats have been known to offer a group of canivirum but a modest bounty to bring back the required beast (or its component parts).

Racial prerequisites: Con 12/Dex 9
Maximum Level: 8th; Level progression and saving throws as per Ranger, with subclasses, as described below
HP/Hit Dice: 1d8
AC: 8/12: any armor allowed, but costs 2X normal for customization. Shields as normal.
Weapons: no polearms or longbows; racial proficiency is with a short, thrusting spear (similar to Zulu assegai) and sling (+1 to hit/damage for both)
Movement: 15
AL: neutral or lawful
Languages: Racial + 1
Special: Pack Attack - when two or more canivirum attack a foe in concert, each receives +1 to hit as they circle and dodge their way through a target's defenses.  Likewise, the foe takes a -1 penalty to hit from the coordinated actions of the canivirum.  See also sub-types, below:

The canivirum generally tend to one of three sub-types.

Herder - Herders hold a natural influence over herd animals. They may tend semi-feral sheep and goats or work in concert with hunters, below, to corner or drive large prey herbivores.  Herders with Wis scores of 13+ may, at 3rd level, access cleric spells in the following progression:

Spell Level/ PC Level	I	II	III	IV
3	1
4	2
5	2	1
6	2	2
7	2	2	1
8	2	2	2	1

Hunters - The seekers and providers of the pack, hunters have increased tracking ability by sight and smell, as ranger, but beginning at 95% proficiency. They also receive an addition +1 to-hit for missile weapons (additive for slings, above).

Guards - Larger stalwarts watching over the pack, with +1 damage in melee or unarmed combat, gaining an additional +1 per two levels. Their natural wariness makes them unlikely to be surprised (1 in 6 chance).

---

As "wandering monsters" or an NPC group, canivirum may be encountered in herding/hunting packs of 2d4+2, with one 'Alpha' leader of one to three levels higher than the remaining pack members. Pack-groups may be exclusive (2/3 chance), or a combination of sub-types (1/3 chance):

Alternatively, nomadic parties will be encountered in family-tribal packs of 12-20 individuals, with males and females sharing hauling duties of travois containing belongings and portable shelters.

(I must attribute this creative exercise to my wife, who came up with 'dogtaurs' during a stream-of-consciousness moment - as I have mentioned before - I do not understand the workings of her mind....)

Lizardfolk as PC class

Source

Lizardman Character Class

Google and OSR Search aren't really turning up a lot of Lizardman as character class entries, although I know that they are out there - Anyway, here's mine, statted out for S&W (although easily convertible to other old-ish systems).

Available Classes:  Fighter, Shaman (as Cleric or Druid)
Max Level: 9
Prime requisites: Str 13, Con 13
HP:  2d8 @ 1st level, 1d8 subsequent levels
AC: 5/14 (natural armor), only shields allowed.
Atk: unarmed: 2 claws (1d3 ea.) + bite (1d6); armed: Melee weapon (variable) + bite (1d6) or thrown weapon (variable)
Allowed weapons: Club, spear, javelin, morningstar (as Aztec macuahuitl), trident (1d8 [+1dam if 2-handed]), sling
Move: 9/swim 12
AL: Any Neutral
Languages: Draconic + 1 additional
Special abilities: Hold breath # of rounds = 4xCon

The Anfauglir, or Plains Elves

I'm hanging in the desert of Bishop, California, so here's more on the elven tribe who made their appearance in this narrative.

source

If an arboreal or "High" Elf is questioned about the Anfauglir, or the Plains Elves, a typical response will be a disgusted sniff, and an under-the-breath comment about "Rustics..." or "Barbarians...", as most High Elves consider them little more than a devolved group of primitives clinging to some distant cultural myth.