Earlier this year, we started sharing a new batch of signature characters. These new characters focused on humans and the human experience, helping us all see ourselves in our fantasy games. Today we want to share with you a new one. Allow me to introduce you to our new signature paladin.
Thando Xolani’s name means “Love and Peace.” Like most parents, Thando worked hard to provide a good life for his wife and kids. He missed his son’s first steps and his daughter’s first words; he was working at the time. He worked hard to send them to a good school. When a monster attacked the school, Thando and his wife were left childless. Thando swore vengeance upon the creature and prayed to any deity that would provide him the power to do so. Obhejane, the Stubborn One, deity of Strength, Persistence, and Loss answered. He and others that lost their children that day tracked down the monster and killed it. When he returned home, he and his wife found moving on difficult. Within a year, they separated. They still love each other, but they need time apart. Now a paladin of Obhejane, Thando rededicated his life to stop monsters from causing the pain that he endured and continues to endure.
Let us know if you are enjoying our new signature characters, and download our Pathfinder products at DriveThruRPG and the Open Gaming Store.
Yesterday saw the release of the D66 Compendium 2 on Fantasy Grounds. We are thrilled to have such an awesome easily available for Traveller gamers to have access to all these tables in an easy to use format. We were asked if there is a listing of all the tables in the book. I looked and we had not posted that anywhere previously. That is a serious oversight on our part so let’s correct that now. Here are all the lists within, in order in which they appear.
Character Creation
Home Overview
Background Events
Agent Events
Army Events
Citizen Events
Drifter Events
Entertainer Events
Marine Events
Merchant Events
Navy Events
Noble Events
Prisoner Events
Psion Events
Rogue Events
Scholar Events
Scout Events
Life Events
Contact’s Main Use
Crime and the Law
Biometric Security Devices
Gambling Games
Criminal Hideouts
Famous Space Battles
Interstellar War Names
Military Base Names
Military Base’s Main Purpose
Pirate Bases
Scout Base Names
Prison Facility Names
Prison Inmate Nicknames
Narcotics/Recreational Drug Names
Things Customs Won’t Allow on Planet
Exploration
Atmosphere Taints
Corrosive, Flammable and Insidious Atmospheres
Desert Names
Large Bodies of Water
Native Fruits
Disease Names
Reasons Why the Planet is Dead
Ships
Cargo Ship Names
Criminal Ship Names
Generational/Sleeper Ship Names
Medical Ship Names
Personal Spacecraft Names
Pirate Ship Names
Research Ship Names 1 and 2
Warship Names
Reasons Why the Ship is Crashed
Traveller Life
Escalations of a Panicked Crowd
Gossip About a Ruler or Noble
Mine Names
Planetary Bureaucracies
Spaceport City Names
Random Spaceport Events
Reasons for an Amber Travel Zone
Reasons for a Red Travel Zone
Reason Why the Starport is Closed
Reasons Why Your Ally Cannot Help Right Now
Ways Your Contact Was Killed
Medical Equipment
Things Stuck in the Pipes After Water Refueling
Local Fashion
Stores in a Spaceport
Pets (Common)
Pets (Uncommon)
Dog Breeds
Cat Breeds
Bird Breeds
Sports Team Names
Terra System
American Colony Names
American Warships
French Colony Names
French Warships
Chinese Warships (Capital Vowels are Long Pronunciation)
Luna City Names
Mars Cities and Places
Outer System Bases and Stations
Third Imperium
Aslan Male Names (Pronounced)
Aslan Female Names (Pronounced)
Darrian Male Names (Given, Pronounced)
Darrian Male Names (Chosen, Pronounced)
Darrian Female Names (Given, Pronounced)
Darrian Female Names (Chosen, Pronounced)
Darrian Last Names 1 & 2 (Pronounced)
Droyne Male Names (Pronounced)
Droyne Female Names (Pronounced)
K’Kree Male Names (Pronounced)
K’kree Female Names (Pronounced)
Vargr Male Names (Pronounced)
Vargr Female Names (Pronounced)
Vilani Male Names
Vilani Female Names
Vilani Family Names
Zhodani Male Names
Zhodani Female Names
Zhodani Family Names
Download the D66 Compendium 2 at the Fantasy Grounds Store. If you haven’t grabbed this book in PDF or in Print, do so now at DriveThruRPG.
I love me some 13th Age. It is a well built game and highly enjoyable, one you should check out if you are not familiar. I’d describe it as D&D 4th Edition without all the compromises that held 4e back from being a truly awesome game. Having said that, I know plenty of groups that will only play D&D 5e or Pathfinder.
For GMs in such a group, I recommend doing a bit of stealing from 13A. There’s plenty of goodness in this game that is relatively easy to add into other games. Here are a few ideas.
1) Icons
If there is a single mechanic that is truly iconic to 13th Age that is highly stealable, it is the idea of Icons. Every setting has more powerful persons that may take an interest in the player characters. These powerful persons have allies all over the place, and they will help you where you can.
2) Ignore XP and Level Where Appreciate
Old school players will remember having to find a teacher to train you and having to pay them, which ate the gold you found. So even if you got enough XP to level up, you didn’t level up until you got back to town and trained. By today’s standards by players use to modern versions D&D or Pathfinder, that can feel a little punishing. So instead, steal from 13th Age and just ignore the XP gained and level up at an appropriate place in the story or between arcs. There are many good justifications for this: leveling up is too fast, less mechanics for the GM to keep track of, or you feel it makes more sense in the story are just a few.
3) One Unique Thing and the Skills
Player characters are unique, even among adventurers. They should have an idea about them to help crystalize the idea of their character and emphasis their uniqueness. Steal the one unique thing and help them have their character’s personality shine through.
And if you want to take this one a step further, steal the skill system. If you can justify using your skill of bring a “Noble” to add your proficiency on Charisma checks when trying to influence people, the “Rebellious Youth” skill to explain how you add your proficiency to Strength or Dexterity checks that would normally use Acrobatics or Athletics when climbing a rope or walking across a narrow rooftop, and the “Royal Education” skill to why you are better with Intelligence checks when trying to unravel historical, religious, or arcane mysteries you encounter.
This past weekend during my home 5e game, I threw something in a dungeon I never had before: a deva. Depending on your game and edition of the game, this is an angelic outsider or celestial. It was standing in the room with a curtain for a door. The characters listened at the door and (somehow) the cleric got the highest roll. I described the sound of large, feathery wings. The barbarian peaked around the curtain; before she got a description of what she saw, I terrified the group by making her roll a Charisma save. She passed and I described it as her being able to hold back the tears of joy for seeing such a calming and wonderful sight.
I put it in there to give them something different: hope. All too often, we gamers just see problems in the next room. Literally, I’ve heard players cringe before opening the next door. Everything is doom and gloom. New horrors are behind every single door. So this time, I gave them a reason to hope. He healed their wounds and spoke some kind words to them. But mostly, just seeing that there is good still in the world was a breath of fresh air to the players.
This wasn’t just for the characters but also for the players. We’ve been living under quarantine for a year now. Playing in a regular D&D game has helped keep us connected to other people and kill evil things. However, it is easy to get discouraged and see nothing but doom and gloom. So I added the deva as a way for them to offer them rest. The group seemed to relax when they first saw it. There seemed to be a tension break at that moment. I think it helped their characters as well as the players.
How Can You Use That in Your Game?
The short answer is put in a non-combat encounter that doesn’t want or ask anything from them. Monsters need killing. Innocents need rescuing. Masses need rescuing. Everywhere the characters go, something is asked of them. Instead, let them role play with something that not only asks nothing of them but also gives to them. And I’m not talking treasure. Give them a reason to hope.
What are some examples? Well, you can steal my idea and have them talk to an angel they’re sworn to protect a location. If they’re in a ruin, perhaps they find a fountain still flowing water that heals those that drink it (1/person per day) that also keeps evil creatures away, affording them a safe place to rest for the night. Maybe a forgotten shrine to a deity one of the character’s worship that is other than the cleric.
We commission some beautiful artwork here at JBE, and we hope you enjoy them as well. If you enjoy them,put one in your computer desktop or as zoom background. Download these high resolution images you want and add it to your life today.
Few things bring me joy like making Pathfinder monsters. I take a beautiful piece of artwork and forge it into something new and terrifying. It’s like alchemy. I take something and I forge it into something new, something that never existed before. Well, it did exist before, but only as an idea. Take this week’s monster, the Memory of Anger. Plenty of people have gone through angry streaks in their life. Quite often, remembering their anger brings them shame afterward, but they cannot stop themselves at the moment. And even after the angry streak is over, remember what caused that anger still sends them into random rages. I thought I would make a monster that represented that anger. Similar ideas around this concept are rage elementals and fury demons, but I don’t have artwork for them at this exact moment. Perhaps another day for them.
Image by Widodo Pangarso published by 1manstudio.de and Bruno Balixa
XP 4,800 CE Medium undead (incorporeal) Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +3
Defenses
AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 12 (+2 deflection, +6 Dex, +1 dodge) hp 78 (12d8+24) Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +11 Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2, incorporeal; Immune undead traits
Offense
Speed fly 40 ft. (perfect) Melee incorporeal touch +15 (5d6 negative energy plus dark memories)
Statistics
Str —, Dex 22, Con —, Int 6, Wis 17, Cha 15 Base Atk +9; CMB +15; CMD 28 Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (touch), Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Stand Skill Skills Fly + 14, Intimidate +23, Stealth +21 Languages Common; any others it knew in life
Ecology
Environment any Organization solitary, pair, 3-8 (collection) Treasure half
Special Abilities
Dark Memories (Su) A touch from a memory of anger brings up feelings of uncontrollable anger in someone, making one no longer able to recognize friend from foe. Those touched must succeed a DC 18 Will saving throw or become confused and gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Strength for 1d4 rounds. The affected creature can attempt a new saving throw at the end of every round. A successful save ends the confusion and the bonus to Strength. The save DC is Charisma-based.
When anger consumes a person’s whole existence and they die with that anger unsated, they can come back as a memory of anger. Most memories of anger haunt the place where they died or a place where the person’s anger is centered around. A few, however, roam around, causing chaos and death wherever they go.
Like I said not long ago, making Pathfinder monsters is something that I do just for fun. Give me an image and I can make a monster from it. This is one of the reasons why I love Gennifer Bone’s Patreon. By supporting it, she makes new monster art, and I get an image to make a new monster from. If any other artists have a similar set-up, please let me know. Today’s monster comes from another of Bone’s images. I hope you enjoy it.
Cave Chupacabra CR 4
XP 1,200 CE Medium magical beast Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +2
Defenses
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural) hp 37 (5d10+10) Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3 Resist cold 2
Offense
Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +8 (1d6+4 plus 1d6 cold and poison) Special Attacks breath weapon (15-ft cone, coughing poison, Fort DC 14, usable every 1d2 rounds)
Statistics
Str 17, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 15, Cha 9 Base Atk +5; CMB +8; CMD 22 Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Stealth) Skills Stealth +15 Languages understands Undercommon
Ecology
Environment cold underground Organization solitary, pair Treasure normal
Special Abilities
Cave Chupacabra Poison (Ex) Bite–injury; save Fort DC 14, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds, effect 1d2 Con, cure 2 consecutive saves. Coughing Poison (Ex) Breath weapon–inhale; save Fort DC 14, frequency 1/round for 2 rounds, effect the living creature collapses into fits of coughing, falling prone. The creature can take no actions while coughing, but is not considered helpless. After the poison wears off, the creature can act normally, cure 1 saves.
Not related to a true chupacabra, the cave chupacabra is named so because of its vague resemblance. The dwarven name for them translates as “bat-faced crawler.” It hides in the darkness and attacks those it deems weak and vulnerable. Mostly a solitary hunter, it occasionally fights in pairs to take down larger targets or when it is especially hungry.
As those that follow me on Twitter know, I recently started watching Critical Role. I’m still working my way through Campaign 1. I got to the point where a shadow demon was possessing someone (I’m trying to be as obscure as a I can to avoid spoilers) and it was much bigger than your typical shadow demon and it inspired me to make a monster that would fill that same role but in Pathfinder, in honor of the game they were playing before they went on the air. I hope you all, including the Critical Roll crew, enjoy this.
XP 38,400
CE Huge outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal) Init +12; Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Perception +34
Defenses
AC 25, touch 25, flat-footed 16 (+8 deflection, +8 Dex, +1 dodge, -2 size) hp 144 (17d10+51) Fort +10, Ref +20, Will +16 Defensive Abilities incorporeal; DR 10/cold iron and good; Immune cold, electricity, poison; Resist acid 10, fire 10; SR 24 Weaknesses sunlight powerlessness
Str –, Dex 26, Con 17, Int 19, Wis 22, Cha 27 Base Atk +17; CMB +27; CMD 46 Feats Acrobatic, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dazzling Display, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Bluff) Skills Acrobatics +32, Bluff +34, Disguise +28, Fly +36, Knowledge (arcana, local, planes) +24, Perception +34, Sense Motive +26, Stealth +20; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
Ecology
Environment any (Abyssal) Organization solitary, pair Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Sprint (Ex) Once per minute, a shadowlord demon increases its fly speed to 240 feet for 1 round. Shadow Blend (Su) During any conditions other than bright light, a shadowlord demon can disappear into the shadows as a move-equivalent action, effectively becoming invisible. Artificial illumination or light spells of 4th level or lower do not negate this ability. Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex) A shadowlord emon is utterly powerless in bright light or natural sunlight and flees from it. A shadowlord demon caught in such light cannot attack and can take only a single move or attack action. A shadowlord demon that is possessing a creature using magic jar is not harmed by sunlight, but if it is struck by a sunbeam or sunray spell, while possessing a creature, the shadow demon is driven out of its host automatically.
Shadow demons that possess a body and force it to act in a manner that is contrary to their nature are quickly defeated by adventurers. Those that possess a person and just whisper in their mind, slowly corrupting them from the inside last a long time, bending them towards evil over years. It is these shadow demons that feeds upon their possessed victims for a long time. They grow in power, size, and importance. When they do show themselves, they are true demonic terrors.
The GM’s Day Sale is going on now at DriveThruRPG and the Open Gaming Store. We’ve got products on sale now for 10-40% off. You won’t want to miss this. Check out these highlights
I’m not sure which game masters, dungeon master, referees, etc. of role playing games need to hear this, but you are doing ok. These are difficult times, and you are giving your game your best. Give yourself a break and know that you are doing ok.
Even if any issues you are having has nothing to do with the pandemic, larger societal issues, or whatever, even if anything going on in your life is purely personal in nature, you should give yourself a break and accept that your game may not meet as often as you like, or you may not be as prepared as you would like. It is ok to give yourself a break.
Remember, this is supposed to be fun for both your players and yourself. Take a step back, take a deep breath and remember that you are doing ok as a GM.
Share this post with all your GM friends, and give them virtual hugs.
Jon Brazer Enterprises 