New Skill: Trapping
Relevant Abilities: Intelligence and Dexterity
Cost: 6 BP
Universal: No
Prerequisite: Novice level Hunting, Novice Level Animal Empathy
Materials/Tools: Yes
Trapping is the skill of placing pre-made hunting traps, and creating snares, deadfalls, pits, and other natural traps. Trapping requires some basic knowledge of hunting, but is developed separately. A skilled trapper not only makes a snare, but knows exactly where to place it to catch the game they’re after; like hunting, trapping is limited to a specific climate. Also, like hunting, trapping does not always provide you with a dead animal, merely the opportunity to kill one.
Traps are oriented towards a certain size of creature; a pit trap that will catch a bear might be safely hopped over by a rabbit, and a snare that will catch a rabbit will do little more than annoy a bear. Depending on the size of creature sought, and the skill of the trapper, a trap can be created in minutes to hours. The difficulty of trapping varies with local conditions, but trapping for meat is usually an Average check. If you wish to preserve a saleable fur, it becomes Difficult; an Average trap will destroy (5-DR)d10p% of the pelt.
Novice Tiny: 60 minutes, Small/Medium 60 minutes, Large 4 hours, Huge 8 hours
Average: Tiny: 45 minutes, Small/Medium 45 Minutes, Large 3 Hours, Huge 7 Hours
Advanced: Tiny: 30 Minutes: Small/Medium 45 minutes, Large 2 Hours, Huge 6 hours
Expert: Tiny 15 minutes, Small/Medium: 30 minutes, Large 90 minutes, Huge 5 hours
Master Tiny: 10 Minutes, Small/Medium 15 minutes, Large 1 Hour, Huge 4 Hours
Note: Huge creatures are generally only vulnerable to pit traps or deadfalls; effectively creating a pit trap for a Huge creature requires Mining. These times are in addition to the necessary time to excavate enough earth or stone to create an effective pit trap. Deadfalls for Huge creatures often involve dropping hillsides on them.
Materials required vary, but usually start with a knife or hand axe, and some wire or twine. Not having these bare requirements increases the difficulty by one step. Having a premade mechanical trap makes the base difficulty Easy, and reduces the time for all mastery levels to 10 minutes per trap, regardless of size (though premade traps are seldom made larger than Large).
Hunting snares can be effective mantraps, but are relatively easy to spot. Observation checks to locate mantraps set by trapping are +50% if the trapper is Novice, +40% if they are average, +30% if Advanced, +20% if Expert, and +10% if Master. This bonus does not apply to wild animals, but domesticated animals trained for hunting do receive this bonus, as do humanoids and any creature with an Intelligence of 7/01 or higher.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Outdoorsman
The Outdoorsman is a woods-wise warrior, similar to both a ranger and a barbarian, but with key differences. Unlike the ranger, they do not necessarily have a dedication to the health and safety of others… outdoorsmen might be poachers, smugglers, or marauders, happy to devastate a township or simply quickly move illegal goods over the land. Unlike the barbarian, however, there’s no necessary component of chaos in their alignment; an outdoorsman could equally be a King’s Forester, responsible for catching those poachers and smugglers, or stopping marauders along the road. Or an outdoorsman may be a tribesman, not quite so tough or superstitious as a barbarian, but still capable of living off the land and surviving the wilderness.
While able combatants, most Outdoorsman favor tools over weapons; they might learn to use a sword, but facility with a hand axe, spear, or bow is a lot more practical. While they benefit greatly from the physical attributes of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, they also find Wisdom to be of great use, given its relation to key skills such as Hunting, Survival, and Weather Sense.
Unsurprisingly, those Outdoorsmen who are religious favor deities such as The Traveller, The Great Huntress, and the Bear, but there’s not restriction on their following other deities or no religion at all. Most are moderately suspicious of magic, especially those of a tribal background, but it seldom manifests as a true phobia, as one sees amongst barbarians; it is simply something beyond their ken, and so they may have little use for it.
While able combatants, most Outdoorsman favor tools over weapons; they might learn to use a sword, but facility with a hand axe, spear, or bow is a lot more practical. While they benefit greatly from the physical attributes of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, they also find Wisdom to be of great use, given its relation to key skills such as Hunting, Survival, and Weather Sense.
Unsurprisingly, those Outdoorsmen who are religious favor deities such as The Traveller, The Great Huntress, and the Bear, but there’s not restriction on their following other deities or no religion at all. Most are moderately suspicious of magic, especially those of a tribal background, but it seldom manifests as a true phobia, as one sees amongst barbarians; it is simply something beyond their ken, and so they may have little use for it.
Monday, March 5, 2018
HackTrade [Hackmaster]
HackTrade:
Basic Investing for HackMaster
There comes a point in many games when the characters simply have too much money. They may have purchased everything the GM will let them purchase, may be on the move and unwilling to buy real property (houses, bars and the inevitable stronghold), or may simply be wanting to make more money when they’re in that limbo between being having to scrape every last copper and being able to destabilize the local economy without half trying. Some mercantile-minded players may turn their minds towards investing some of their rewards in commercial ventures, hoping for a return in wealth and influence. Unless you truly wish to be playing HackTrade, however, most GMs will seek to abstract this process a little, letting the game flow without preventing the character from spending his wealth as he sees fit.
For the purposes of this article, Investments are of two different types: caravans and in-place businesses. Caravans are limited-duration ventures, and investment money usually goes to hire guards, drovers, and stock, moreso than the actual goods for sale. In-place ventures tend to be investments in existing businesses, either letting a business owner expand, hold a special event, or start up. Many of the same principles apply to each, but some modifiers will have different effects depending on whether or not the business venture travels.
Lastly, these rules are designed primarily for PC investment in NPC businesses, but it is possible to adapt them to PC (or detailed NPC)-run businesses; there are some notes at the end on using them as such.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Illusionists (Hackmaster)
As mentioned in the post about psionics, Dave Kenzer has said he's done a lot of work on Illusionists. As such, here's the version I came up with before he said that.
Illusionists
Illusionists supplement basic mage spellcasting with a powerful, flexible ability to create illusions… false images of light, sound, smell, even the perceptions of touch, taste, and heat… that fool the senses.
There are two basic types of illusions, with some very key differences. Mirages, also called holograms or, more confusingly, “true illusions” create and manipulate actual light, smells, and sounds for all to hear; a holographic thunderclap can be heard for miles, and might have people checking the skies briefly to see if rain is coming. It is not necessary for someone to believe a mirage for it to have an effect on them; even if you know your opponent is an illusionist, you are still being buffeted by light and sound; they simply do not have the sources you may be led to believe. Targets may realize that the image they are being shown is false, but that does not dismiss the image; an Illusionary Mural that you can’t see through still conceals anything behind it, even if you know it’s not real. Mirages are very poor at tactile sensations and heat; they can create the impression of them, but cannot generate scorching heat or the violent blow of a sword. This type of illusion is known to mages, with the simplest being Illusionary Mural and Audible Clamor.
The second type, variously called fictions, hallucinations, and phantasms, target a single individual with the perception of their senses being stimulated. Little is actually created; outsiders watching someone fighting a phantasmal warrior may see shapes and shadows engaging their ally, but will more likely see nothing at all, even as the target reels backwards from a mighty blow or curls up under a blast of phantasmal flames from a fictional fiery foe. Fictions can kill, but seldom cause wounds; a successful saving throw against them frequently dismisses the effect entirely. A simple mage spell that makes use of fictions is Phantom Irritation; no one else will hear the buzzing or feel the tickle, but it will be enough to distract the target.
Why study illusion magic? The magic of a regular mage is very powerful, and has real effects. But it is also relatively inflexible. If you do not know the spell, you cannot do the effect. A mage who does not know Illusionary Mural will not be able to create an illusionary mural. If they know it but have not prepared it, they will be unable to use it to its full effect. Illusionists, by contrast, have studied the fine art of illusioncrafting, and are able to create the mirages and fictions they wish, at the expense of the higher secrets of mage magic.
Marshal
Marshal
The Marshal is envisioned as a fighter/rogue; someone who combined martial talent with the ability to command troops, be it a brigade of warriors or a small unit of tomb-robbers and temple-despoilers. Many Marshals will be officers, commissioned or non-commissioned, but others will have gathered their knowledge more haphazardly, in kobars and barracks, wherever warriors congregate, talk shop, and look to others to make the decisions and take the blame.
Marshals tend to be Lawful, but are not restricted from other alignments. Many favor the Old Man, but his worship is likewise not required.
MindHacks [Hackmaster]
Prefatory note: Dave Kenzer has said he's done extensive work on the official version of Hackmaster psionics, so I figured I'd post my own version.
Psychic powers are accessed via first possessing the Psychic Ability Talent. This talent costs 30 BP, and represents a character having a glimmer of psychic ability, but not having any specific, developed abilities. This glimmer of psychic ability manifests as a touch of precognition, and an inability to roll the highest number on the initiative die (i.e. if their initiative die is 1d12, they will be considered to have rolled an 11 on an 11 or 12; if their initiative die is a d3, they will be considered to have rolled a 2 on a 2 or a 3).
Manifesting more potent psychic powers, however, requires development and training in one of several psychic disciplines. Those psychics who have developed their talents more fully are able to achieve more, while those who devote themselves to several endeavors can achieve a wide variety of effects. Much like a fighter must choose between becoming a master of a single weapon, or competent with several, so must a psychic choose whether to focus their powers, or be widely capable. Much like a craftsman must choose between working in several mediums or specializing only in one, so must a psychic choose between becoming a virtuoso of a single psychic art, or a handyman capable of getting by in several.
MindHacks
Making the Most of the Least Mental Powers
Psychic powers are accessed via first possessing the Psychic Ability Talent. This talent costs 30 BP, and represents a character having a glimmer of psychic ability, but not having any specific, developed abilities. This glimmer of psychic ability manifests as a touch of precognition, and an inability to roll the highest number on the initiative die (i.e. if their initiative die is 1d12, they will be considered to have rolled an 11 on an 11 or 12; if their initiative die is a d3, they will be considered to have rolled a 2 on a 2 or a 3).
Manifesting more potent psychic powers, however, requires development and training in one of several psychic disciplines. Those psychics who have developed their talents more fully are able to achieve more, while those who devote themselves to several endeavors can achieve a wide variety of effects. Much like a fighter must choose between becoming a master of a single weapon, or competent with several, so must a psychic choose whether to focus their powers, or be widely capable. Much like a craftsman must choose between working in several mediums or specializing only in one, so must a psychic choose between becoming a virtuoso of a single psychic art, or a handyman capable of getting by in several.
Monday, January 29, 2018
HackChoice
HackChoice is an alternate character creation method designed to allow players to choose their race and class in almost any allowed combination, at the expense of the possibility of fantastic, or even above mediocre, attributes. If the Gamemaster allows HackChoice, then it replaces steps one through five of character creation; beginning with Step 6: Calculate Starting Honor, character creation begins as normal.
Step One: Receive Building Points. A HackChoice character receives 90 building points.
Step Two: Receive Ability Scores: A HackChoice character begins with three ability scores of choice at 11/01, and four ability scores at 10/01. Choosing HackChoice precludes exercising the Shopkeeper rule; a great many HackChoice characters will fail to have an attribute above 13.
Step Three: Choose a race. This race may alter the attributes received in step two.
Step Four: Purchase a class. Based on the race selected, pay BPs from your initial allotment to receive the class of your choice. Note that, if the character wishes to play a barbarian and their race does not modify the attributes sufficiently to meet minimum requirements, then attributes must be raised during step five to meet those requirements.
Step Five: Finalize Ability Scores and other Adjustments. Spend remaining BPs, if you wish, to improve ability scores. Adjust Charisma as necessary according to your Looks. You may make adjustments to your ability scores after this step, but they do not count towards starting honor.
Interaction with Zero-Level Rules: HackChoice characters who are played from zero level are handled somewhat differently from other zero-level characters. They receive the initial allotment of 90 BPs, as all HackChoice characters do, but must pay the entire cost of their class at 0th level, and lose all BP (from the allotment of 90) above this amount. They retain any BP granted by quirks, flaws, or priors and particulars. At half level and first level, they receive one-half of this amount back, rounded down. For example, a HackChoice Dwarf Mage would receive 90 Build Points at 0th level, and immediately spend 75 to purchase their class. They would then lose the remaining 15 build points. At half-level, the Mage would receive 7 Build Points (not 25), and 7 build points at 1st level (not 25). In all other respects, including bonus die rolls for attributes at half level and level one, and the bonus hit die rolls at those levels, HackChoice characters are considered the same as other Zero Level characters.
Sidebar: Why HackChoice?
HackChoice is offered specifically for those players who wish to play a specific race or class combination, but don't want to give up the bonus BPs offered to those who choose not to rearrange their attributes. It is especially useful when a given race or class combination is expensive; to play a dwarven mage or halfling assassin, the player cannot rearrange attributes and still afford the class. HackChoice guarantees that your character will be a shopkeeper before (and likely after) racial modifiers are applied; but they will qualify for the race and class combination you wish in most cases (Barbarians, Knights, and Paladins being the obvious exceptions).
Step One: Receive Building Points. A HackChoice character receives 90 building points.
Step Two: Receive Ability Scores: A HackChoice character begins with three ability scores of choice at 11/01, and four ability scores at 10/01. Choosing HackChoice precludes exercising the Shopkeeper rule; a great many HackChoice characters will fail to have an attribute above 13.
Step Three: Choose a race. This race may alter the attributes received in step two.
Step Four: Purchase a class. Based on the race selected, pay BPs from your initial allotment to receive the class of your choice. Note that, if the character wishes to play a barbarian and their race does not modify the attributes sufficiently to meet minimum requirements, then attributes must be raised during step five to meet those requirements.
Step Five: Finalize Ability Scores and other Adjustments. Spend remaining BPs, if you wish, to improve ability scores. Adjust Charisma as necessary according to your Looks. You may make adjustments to your ability scores after this step, but they do not count towards starting honor.
Interaction with Zero-Level Rules: HackChoice characters who are played from zero level are handled somewhat differently from other zero-level characters. They receive the initial allotment of 90 BPs, as all HackChoice characters do, but must pay the entire cost of their class at 0th level, and lose all BP (from the allotment of 90) above this amount. They retain any BP granted by quirks, flaws, or priors and particulars. At half level and first level, they receive one-half of this amount back, rounded down. For example, a HackChoice Dwarf Mage would receive 90 Build Points at 0th level, and immediately spend 75 to purchase their class. They would then lose the remaining 15 build points. At half-level, the Mage would receive 7 Build Points (not 25), and 7 build points at 1st level (not 25). In all other respects, including bonus die rolls for attributes at half level and level one, and the bonus hit die rolls at those levels, HackChoice characters are considered the same as other Zero Level characters.
Sidebar: Why HackChoice?
HackChoice is offered specifically for those players who wish to play a specific race or class combination, but don't want to give up the bonus BPs offered to those who choose not to rearrange their attributes. It is especially useful when a given race or class combination is expensive; to play a dwarven mage or halfling assassin, the player cannot rearrange attributes and still afford the class. HackChoice guarantees that your character will be a shopkeeper before (and likely after) racial modifiers are applied; but they will qualify for the race and class combination you wish in most cases (Barbarians, Knights, and Paladins being the obvious exceptions).
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