Saturday, September 28, 2013

New Playable Race - Varger

The Varger

During the Kin Wars, powerful casters among the giants created a number of living weapons and servant races. The Varger, bred from the great mountain wolves and giant stock were living weapons used to hunt down the creations of their masters enemies. Eventually the Kin Wars ended for lack of living Giantkin to continue the fighting. The Varger and their allies the Jotun migrated southward seeking friendlier climes.

The Varger are large demi-humans standing 6 1/2' to 7' tall on average. Their hair is thick and the color is typically silver, white or gray with streaks of tawny mixed in. Most Varger have icy blue eyes though some few individuals have amber or golden eyes. The Varger are uncomfortable with domesticated animals and will very rarely own any.

Varger Custom Classes

The varger were created by lawful giants to hunt the beastmen creations of chaos. Though the giants are nearly extinct the varger continue to hunt the forces of chaos wherever they find them. After the kin wars the varger settled in the lands of the northwestern shores of the Sea of Strife. There they have become an important bulwark protecting the rich cities of the Sea Kings from incursions of hostile races from the west. In return, the Sea Kings trade with the varger on generous terms, particularly the trade in arms and armour.

Varger character classes are created using the varger racial category and experience points. Requirements, class category values, hit points per level after 9th, and experience point progressions are modified as noted below.

Requirements

All varger classes require a minimum Constitution of 9 or better.

Class Category Values

Fighting: Varger will never willingly restrict their run speed or encumber themselves with heavy armours. Regardless of points spent in the fighting category varger classes are restricted to the narrow armour selection, leather armour or lighter and shields. Varger classes that have a Fighting Value that would normally have the broad or unrestricted armour selections still receive the benefit from the Fighting Value Trade-Offs table (Player's Companion, page 79); one of the custom powers from this benefit must be Wolf's Quickness (see below)

Thievery: Any build points allocated to the Thievery Value stack with build points allocated to the Varger value for purposes of determining the classes choice of thievery skills. Varger can taking Tracking (same as the Tracking proficiency) as a thievery skill.

Varger Value

ValueVargerXP Cost
4Varger + 4 racial powers + 10 thievery skills1350
3Varger + 3 racial powers + 7 thievery skills950
2Varger + 2 racial powers + 3 thievery skills650
1Varger + 1 racial power + 2 thievery skills450
0Varger250
When building a varger custom class assign between 0 and 4 build points to the class's Varger Value. At Varger 0, all varger gain the following four varger custom powers:
  • Animal Reflexes: The character gains a +1 bonus on surprise rolls and initiative rolls. This does not provide a bonus to casting spells. While Animal Reflexes is similar to taking the Combat Reflexes proficiency selected as a custom power, for game balance purposes, consider Animal Reflexes a separate power at let it stack with Combat Reflexes.
  • Infravison: Varger have the superior night vision of their wolfish ancestry granting them Infravison to 60'.
  • Run with the Pack: Varger are swift and tireless runners. The character does not need to rest every 6 turns. He can force march for one day without penalty, plus one day for each point of Constitution bonus. The character's base movement speed is increased by 30' when wearing leather or lighter armour. The custom power can stack with the Running proficiency.
  • Varger Tongues: All varger speak four bonus languages: Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Wolf.

Additional points allocated to the Varger Value stack with points allocated to the Thievery Value for purposes of thievery skills, strongholds, and magic item usability. Use the combined values, up to a maximum of 4 points, to determine the number of thievery skills received, varger racial powers are treated as custom powers traded for from the thievery skills available. 

EXAMPLE: A varger custom class has Hit Dice 1, Fighting Value 2, Thievery Value 1, and Varger Value 2. Adding the effective Thievery Values together (1 + 2) yields 3. The class has an effective Thievery Value of 3. The class would have 8 thievery skills to choose; 10 skills from the Thievery Value of 3 less the 2 varger racial powers. The class will also get access to any magic items usable by either fighters or thieves since both have an effective value of 2 or better.

Varger 1: A Varger Value of 1 gives the class the Smoke on the Wind (see below) racial power. The class will have a number of thievery skills appropriate for their effective Thievery Value less 1 for the racial power.

Varger 2: In addition to the power above, a Varger Value of 2 grants the Alertness (Player's Companion, page 93) custom power. The class will have a number of thievery skills appropriate for their effective Thievery Value less 2 for the racial powers.

Varger 3: A Varger Value of 3 gives the benefits of Varger Value 2 plus the racial power I Can Smell Your Fear (see below). The class will have a number of thievery skills appropriate for their effective Thievery Value less 3 for the racial powers.

Varger 4: A Varger Value of 4 gives all of the abilities of Varger Value 3 plus the racial power Wolf Hide (see below). The class will have a number of thievery skills appropriate for their effective Thievery Value less 3 for the racial powers. The class will have 11 thievery skills to choose from in addition to the racial powers.

Experience Point Progression After 8th Level

Varger increase the amount of experience required to gain each level after 8th by 30,000XP.

Wolf's Quickness: Works as Blade Dancing (Player's Companion page 93). Given a different name for flavor.

Smoke on the Wind: Varger move with the natural grace and stealth of a wolf. Opponents suffer a -1 penalty on Surprise rolls when encountering the character.

I Can Smell Your Fear: The character always knows the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creatures attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with Charisma greater than the character's Wisdom are immune to this power; and the character will know it.

Wolf Hide: The character has a base AC of 1 instead of 0.

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