Oriental Adventures styles for Castles and Crusades

 One of those things I thought I'd posted, but apparently had not.

As I've talked about before, I like the system of martial arts laid out in AD&D's Oriental Adventures; it fits well in the system, and allows warriors, even those with the same equipment, to be very different, and pick up some special abilities to make them stand out from the hoi polloi. 

And, so, I worked out a way to use them in Castles and Crusades.

And here it is. 

Briefly, you receive the basics of a martial arts style at your first +1 BtH, and a maneuver from it at every even BAB. Monks, despite starting at +0 BtH, get a style at 1st level, and get their first maneuver at 3rd level, and then follow on the same upgrade schedule as everyone else (at +4, 6, 8, etc. of BtH).

Unlike AD&D, Castles and Crusades does not (by default) have a fungible character advancement resource like AD&D's proficiency slots. Thus, this is presented as a bonus, not just an option. Obviously, if the CK is using styles in their game, it is best to use them for everyone... the wizard will never get GOOD at the martial arts, but by the time they finally get a +1 BAB, I would guess they've been in enough fights that they have some semblance of their own style. However, if you want to limit the classes that have access to it, I would include both the rogue and assassin, in addition to the likely Barbarian, Bard, Fighter, Knight, Monk, Paladin, and Ranger mix you are likely thinking of; rogues and assassins don't need to get left yet further behind.

Warlock in Castles and Crusades

Warlock (Charisma)

Alignment: Any
HD: d6
Weapons: Broadsword, bows, club, dagger, dart, hand axe, hammers, javelin, longsword, rapier, scimitar, short sword, sling, spear, staff
Armor: Leather armor, leather coat, and padded
Abilities: Eldritch Blast, Invocations

Eldritch Blast: At 1st level, a Warlock receives the ability to unleash an eldritch blast, a bolt of energy with a range of 35', that does 1d4 damage. This requires a touch attack or ranged touch attack, with a bonus from Dexterity. At levels 2, 4, and 7, the blast improves in damage (to 1d6, 1d8, and 1d10, respectively). At levels 3, 6, and 10, the blast improves in range (to 40', 50', and 60', respectively). At level 6, a secondary bolt may be fired at a target within range; this secondary bolt does 1d4 damage until level 9, when it is enhanced to 1d6 damage.
The Eldritch Blast normally does Force damage. If the Warlock chooses at 1st level for it to do Fire, Cold, Lightning or Acid damage, it does +1 damage, and an additional +1 each time the die size improves, but uses that sort of damage permanently. The Eldritch Blast may be enhanced by spells, invocations, and abilities which improve weapons, and is subject to Spell Resistance. It has a Casting Time of 1, but cannot be interrupted like a normal spell.

Invocations: At 1st level, a Warlock learns a single invocation. Invocations are equivalent to spells, but may either be cast repeatedly, or function indefinitely. Every three levels thereafter (at 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, etc.), the warlock gains another invocation. At 1st and 4th level, the invocation chosen may be a 1st level spell from any spell list. At 7th and 10th level, the invocation may be a Cantrip, 1st level, or 2nd level spell from any spell list. At 13th level, 3rd level spells may be chosen. Once chosen, Invocations cannot be changed, unless the CK agrees that an invocation is being "upgraded", and a lesser invocation is put in the place of the upgraded one (so, if Bless were learned at 4th level, at 13th level that might be upgraded to Prayer, and Bless would be replaced with another 1st level spell as an invocation). If an invocation is not constantly in effect, it requires the standard casting time to enact.
Warlocks likewise know a number of Lesser Invocations; these are Cantrips from any spell list, equal to their Charisma Modifier. They are otherwise subject to the same rules as Invocations.

War Wizard for Castles & Crusades

War Wizard (Strength)

(For Castles and Crusades)

While the pursuit of magic is an intellectual activity, the use of magic is often a very practical application; the War Wizard is one such application, mixing force of arms with mystical might. Compared to a traditional wizard, a War Wizard is often poorly educated, enacting spells by rote, but with training in the use of weapons and armor, and physical conditioning to remain on the front lines of combat. In a way, their lack of understanding of magic is a boon; they learn some spells from both wizard and illusionist spell lists, in their own unique combination.

War Wizards are common among the elves and gnomes, and more common among dwarves than traditional wizards. Halflings lack the interest in martial combat, and half-orcs in rigorous study. With half-elves, it is often those elven-raised who gravitate towards War Wizardry… not only is it common in elven culture, but their comparatively diminished patience and tendency towards increased aggression makes the more immediate and visceral applications of War Wizardry appealing.



Abilities

SPELLS: A war wizard casts arcane spells. War wizards can only cast a limited number of spells, from each spell level, per day. The War Wizard Spells Per Day Table lists the number of spells per day a war wizard may cast of each spell level. War Wizards are poor spellcasters; from levels two to five, they subtract 1 from their level for the purposes of determining the effects of spells (saving throws, duration, damage, etc.). Between levels six and nine, they subtract 2, and they subtract 3 at levels 10 and higher.


A war wizard must prepare spells before casting them by studying from a spell book. While studying, the wizard decides which spells to prepare. Spell memorization and spell descriptions are covered in detail in the Magic chapter (Pg 68). War Wizards do not gain new spells automatically upon levelling up, and attempts to learn new spells are done with a bonus of their Caster Level, not their class level.


BONUS SPELLS: With a high intelligence score, a war wizard gains bonus spells. If the character has an intelligence of between 13-15, they can memorize an extra 1st level spell, when those spells become available. If the intelligence score is 16 or 17, the wizard can memorize an extra 2nd level spell, and if 18 or 19, the war wizard can memorize an extra 3rd level spell. Bonus spells can only be acquired if the war wizard is at a high enough level to cast them; where the spell table reads 0, the war wizard may cast spells of that level if they somehow have a bonus spell of that level. Bonus spells are cumulative.


WAR WIZARD SPELLBOOKS: War Wizards begin play with a book containing 4 Cantrips from either the Wizard or Illusionist lists. A War Wizard is capable of learning any spell available to Wizards or Illusionists (up to 6th level), but should the spell be available at two different levels to the classes, the War Wizard will always use the less favorable. For example, Continual Flame is a 3rd level spell for War Wizards, as it is 3rd level for Illusionists, even though it is a 2nd level spell for Wizards.

CONCENTRATION: War Wizards are used to casting spells in the heat of battle. If the Castle Keeper determines that a Concentration check is possible, the War Wizard makes a Strength check, and may add their level to the check.


WEAPON OF CHOICE: War Wizards train extensively with weapons, and are able to use any weapon that comes to hand, but their training tends to concentrate on a single weapon above all others. With a single type of weapon, the War Wizard receives a +1 to hit, on top of any other applicable bonuses. A War Wizard may change what sort of weapon this bonus applies to at levels 6, 10, 14, 18, and every 4 levels thereafter, but it does not increase.


PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Strength

HIT DICE: d8

ALIGNMENT: Any

WEAPONS: Any one-handed weapon, plus staff

ARMOR: Breastplates, chain shirt, cuir bouille, greek ensemble, hide, laminar leather, leather, leather coat, padded, ring mail, studded leather


ABILITIES: Spellcasting, Concentration, Weapon of Choice

Level	HD	BtH	EPP	Caster Level	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	d8	+0	0	1	2
2	d8	+1	2251	1	2	0
3	d8	+1	5001	2	3	1
4	d8	+2	9001	3	3	1	0
5	d8	+2	18001	4	3	2	1
6	d8	+3	35001	4	3	2	1
7	d8	+3	70001	5	4	2	2	0
8	d8	+4	140001	6	4	2	2	1
9	d8	+4	300001	7	4	3	2	1	0
10	d8	+5	425001	7	4	3	2	1	0
11	+3 HP	+5	650001	8	4	3	2	1	1
12	+3 HP	+6	900001	9	4	3	3	2	1	0
13	+3 HP	+6	1150001	10	4	3	3	2	2	1
14	+3 HP	+7	1400001	11	5	4	3	3	2	1	0
15	+3 HP	+7	1650001	12	5	4	3	3	2	2	1
16	+3 HP	+8	1900001	13	5	4	4	3	3	2	1
17	+3 HP	+8	2150001	14	5	4	4	3	3	2	2
18	+3 HP	+9	2400001	15	5	4	4	4	3	3	2
19	+3 HP	+9	2650001	16	5	5	4	4	3	3	2
20	+3 HP	+10	2900001	17	6	5	4	4	4	3	3