Mawg of Druidia [d6 Star Wars]

(a serious work full of silly references)

The Mawg are a race of semi-canine humanoids from the Tatoyo System, inhabiting planet they call Druidia (Tatoyo-3). They are moderately integrated with the galaxy at large, with a belief system somewhat resembling that of the Ithorian conception of the “Mother Jungle”; they consider Druidia to be a living planet, and attempt to live in harmony with it. As such, modern Druidia has very little galactic-level technology on its surface, relying on space elevators and a few, limited, landing facilities, with most of their industry being located in orbit. Many Mawg live out their lives upon Druidia, but even those have a basic familiarity with tech; they are not technologically deprived, like the Ewoks, simply somewhat reticent to make use of extensive technology when other solutions are available.
Physically, the Mawg tend to be a hair under two meters and about 100kg, with extensive body hair (except for their face, neck, and the palms of their hands), meter-long, non-prehensile tails, and expressive ears on the top of their heads. Their feet are plantigrade, and they often wear shoes when not on Druidia. They lack either claws or significant, biting, teeth. Some believe Mawg are near-humans, possibly the result of genetic manipulation in the distant past, granting the species the traits of some local canines, but this is not confirmed (and the Mawg themselves do not believe it; for them, they were raised upon Druidia, by Druidia).

The Mawgs are led by a caste of ennobled priests, with a hereditary “King of the Druids” as their head of state. All their leaders must be sensitive to the “Spirit of Druidia” (known in the galaxy at large as the Force), and exceptional ability with the Force can ennoble a Mawg of any social order (simple Force sensitivity does not automatically ennoble one, however). Those born to the noble caste without sensitivity to the Force become members of the bureaucratic class. As a result of this, the Mawg also have a bent towards mysticism; those without Force sensitivity often seek to gain it, and those with Force Sensitivity seek to learn to “commune with the Spirit of Druidia” and learn Force powers. Many teachers of both exist within Mawg society, of varying ethics and efficacy, and while almost all Mawgs revere Druidia, their approaches to her worship vary considerably, from the meditative to the ecstatic.

Mawg
Dexterity 2D/3D+2
Knowledge 2D/4D+1
Mechanical 2D/3D+2
Perception 2D/4D
Strength 2D/4D+1
Technical 2D/4D

Special Skills:
Mawg may also learn the Thrown Weapons and Primitive Construction skills of the Ewoks.

Special Abilities:
Superior Senses: Though Mawg are not particularly Perceptive creatures, they do have impressive senses of smell and hearing; they may add +1D to search rolls when smell or hearing are relevant (Gamemaster’s discretion).

Story Factors:
Tied to Druidia: While Mawg have a generally galactic-level of technology, they do not travel extensively outside the Tatoyo system, and their religious beliefs mean that many return to Druidia frequently. While it does not have a precise mechanical effect on non-Force users, a Mawg who has not returned to Druidia within a standard year will frequently find themselves homesick, unless they can connect with other Mawgs, which lessens the effect.

Mawgs and the Force
The Mawg conception of the Force is of something that emanates from Druidia herself, and suffuses the galaxy; to a Mawg Force-user, the Force is the spirit of Druidia, and long separation from Druidia makes use of the Force more difficult. Mawg force-users are known as Druids, and they are under the rule of the King of the Druids, just as the civil society is.

Beginning study of Druidism starts with Sense, and the Sense Force power, followed by Life Detection. These powers must be mastered by a Druid before others will be taught. Sense is followed by Control, which always begins with Concentration, then Emptiness. One must feel the Spirit of Druidia, and how she flows in life, and then to clear one’s mind and feel her flowing through you. Despite this, some of the Druid’s most impressive powers are based on Alter. Three of note are Call Lightning, Control Winds, and Wind Buffet, described below.

Proximity to Druidia plays a role in the Mawg’s use of the Force; unsurprisingly, as they consider Druidia to be the source of their power. Direct contact with the planet of Druidia (including both land and sea, and within the atmosphere) adds +1D to all Force Skills. Being in the Tatoyo System results in no modification to Force Skills. Leaving the Tatoyo System, however, causes the connection to Druidia to slowly degrade. For every standard month a Druid is away from Druidia, their Force skills will suffer a -1 penalty, capping at -2D.

Druids can combat this through several methods. Many will carry the soil of Druidia with them, with each kilogram of soil providing an additional month of connection (provided the Mawg can touch and interact with the soil regularly, and the soil is kept “living”, such as growing a plant from Druidia). As the soil itself is separated from Druidia, it, too, loses connection. It does not die; barring other circumstances, it remains viable soil; but it loses the ability to offset the Druid’s loss of connection. Druids may also slow the loss by communing with other Mawgs; spending at least six hours in close proximity and fellowship with other Mawgs will erase 1 point of penalty, but only if the Druid’s current penalty is -1D or above. Return to the planet of Druidia will heal this rift in time, reducing the penalty by 1 point per standard week, or by 1 point per standard hour if spent in emptiness. If limited to the Tatoyo system, the penalty reduces by 1 point per standard month, or 1 point per standard week if spent in emptiness.

Druidic Powers
Call Lightning
Alter Difficulty: Difficult in actively stormy conditions; Very Difficult if no storm is present, or the target’s Dodge roll, whichever is more difficult.
Required Power: Absorb/Dissipate Energy, Sense Force

By reaching out to the Force, the Druid can create a connection between a target and the primal power of the skies. This connection serves as a conduit, discharging a lightning bolt upon the target, which inflicts damage equal to the Druid’s alter skill. Armor provides is usual energy protection against this power, but droids are at -1D to resist it.
This power requires an open path to the sky and, unlike Force Lightning, does not necessarily result in a Dark Side Point.

Control Wind
Alter Difficulty: Difficult in a natural setting; Very Difficult in a ship or closed building
Required Power: Sense Force
This power may be kept “up”.
The Druid touches the Spirit of Druidia, asking her to redirect the winds over a large area. Outdoors, the wind is redirected in a direction of the Druid’s choice within 100 meters of the druid, changing the wind speed by kilometers per hour equal to the Druid’s alter roll. If the Druid is directly opposing a wind, those winds are reduced; if aiding a wind, or changing its direction by less than 90 degrees, the winds are increased. Many Druids working in concert can significantly alter the course of a storm, though they do not do so anymore; modern knowledge of weather patterns shows that such manipulation can have deleterious effects.
When inside, the power's area of effect is limited to three meters, and the alteration can be no more than 1 kilometer per hour unless a significant unnatural wind is present (such as in a wind tunnel). When the power is no longer kept up, the wind strength and direction returns to local conditions

Wind Buffet
Alter Difficulty: The opposed Strength or control roll of the Target
Required Power: Control Wind, Sense Force
Wind Buffet is a more limited form for Control Wind, providing a blast of air directly at a target. While not enough on its own to damage a person, it can slow their progress or knock them down.
The target opposes this power with either Strength or, if they have force powers of their own, Control. Armor provides no defense against this, and certain clothing (such as a poncho) might provide penalties to resist the wind. The Druid’s own Alter is rolled as if it were damage, but no damage is directly inflicted. Instead, a result of Stunned means that the target is unable to move against the force of the wind this turn, though they may move back or to the side. If the result is Wounded, the target is knocked prone. If the result is Incapacitated, the target is knocked prone and back a number of meters equal to the Druid’s Alter dice, while Mortally Wounded or killed will knock them prone, and back a distance equal to the Alter roll. Again, no actual damage is inflicted by the wind; the levels of damage are only used to determine the effect.

AD&D Style Draconians for 5e

Dragonborn (Draconian)

Ability Scores: All Draconians begin with +1 to Constitution. Other ability score modifiers are determined by their subrace.

Age. Young draconians grow quickly. They walk hours after hatching, attain the size and development of a 10-year-old human child by the age of 3, and reach adulthood by 15. They live to be around 80.

Alignment. Draconians are the possession of a good dragonling's body by an evil spirit. As such, most tend towards evil but, with experience, they may become neutral, or even good. Their ethical alignment tends to mirror that of their draconic ancestor, but does not need to.

Size. Draconians vary in size according to subrace. Baaz are roughly human size, but stocky. Kapaks are human sized but slender. Bozak, Auraks, and Sivaks are all slightly taller than humans, standing well over 6 feet tall and averaging almost 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Natural Armor: Unarmored Draconians have an unarmored AC of 13 + Dexterity modifier. If they wear armor additional armor, they may choose the better of the two Armor Class, and add +1 to it for the additional armor. Whether they add dexterity, and how much, is determined by the artificial armor. They maintain their AC regardless of form.

Draconic Ancestry: You have the ancestry of one of the metallic dragons, which determines which subrace you belong to.

Baaz (Brass Dragon)
Ability Scores: Baaz Draconians are bred as soldiers, and as such have +1 to Strength and Dexterity.
Common Troops: During the War of the Lance, Baaz Draconians were all proficient in the disguise kit, as they often had to pass unnoticed in hostile lands. After the War, Baaz will be proficient in one type of tool.
Trained to War: All Baaz draconians, regardless of class, are proficient in light and medium armor, as well as with scimitar, Halberd, Heavy Crossbow, and Net.
Death Throes: Baaz Draconians turn to stone upon failing their third death save, then crumble to chunks of stone after 10 minutes. They may be brought back to life, but first must have Stone to Flesh cast upon them.

Kapak (Copper Dragon)
Ability Scores: Kapaks are bred as assassins, and as such have +2 to Dexterity
Poisonous: Kapak are skilled in the use of poison of all sorts. They are proficient with a poisoner's kit, have advantage on all saving throws against poisons, and possess poisonous saliva, which they may smear upon their weapons as a bonus action. This poison has a DC of 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Con modifier. The poison produced will inflict 3d6 poison damage on a failed save, and half of that on a successful one. The damage increases to 4d6 at 6th level, 5d6 at 11th, and 6d6 at 16th. Once you use your poison, it cannot be used again until you have completed a short or long rest. Poison may be harvested by a kapak with a successful proficiency check with their poisoner's kit. Such harvested poison inflicts 1d6 less damage, and requires your move, instead of a bonus action.
Death Throes: Kapak draconians, upon failing their third death saving throw, explode in a 10' radius pool of acid. This does acid damage to all within the area of effect equal to the kapak's poison. Kapak draconians can be raised, but must first have Neutralize Poison cast upon them.

Bozak (Bronze Dragon)
Ability Scores: Leaders within the Draconians, Bozak have +1 to Intelligence and +1 to Charisma
Spellcasters: Bozak Draconians know a single cantrip from the Bard, Sorcerer, or Wizard list. They receive an additional cantrip at levels 6, 11, and 16. Regardless of the list, Intelligence is their casting stat for these spells.
Trained to War: All Bozak draconians, regardless of class, are proficient in light and medium armor, as well as with Shields, Long Swords, War Hammers, and Battle Axe
Death Throes: Bozak Draconians turn into a bolt of lighting upon failing their third death saving throw, and inflict 1d6 damage per character level in a line 60' long, directed towards their killer, or in a random direction if the killer is not within 60'. Bozak Draconians cannot be raised from the dead.

Sivak (Silver Dragon)
Ability Scores: Sivak Draconians receive a +1 to Dexterity and a +1 to Charisma.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you can't be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Shapeshifters: As an action, you can change your appearance and your voice. You determine the specifics of the changes, including your coloration, hair length, and sex. You can also adjust your height and weight, but not so much that your size changes. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your game statistics change. You can't duplicate the appearance of a creature you've never seen, and you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs that you have. Your clothing and equipment aren't changed by this trait.
You stay in the new form until you use an action to revert to your true form or until you die.
Death Throes: Sivaks who fail their third death saving throw mimic the shape of whoever killed them, or maintain their current shape if they were killed by misadventure (q.v falling from a high place). They may be raised from the dead if they can be identified, but return to their natural shape upon returning to life (which can be a problem if they were raised by their enemies, believing them to be the person they mimicked upon death)

Aurak (Gold Dragon)
Ability Scores: Aurak receive a +2 to Charisma.
Dimension Door: As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Spellcasters: Auraks know two cantrips from the Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard list. Regardless of the list, Charisma is their casting stat for these cantrips.
Death Throes: Aurak Draconians turn into a ball of fire upon failing their third death saving throw, and inflict 1d6 damage per character level in a 15' radius. Aurak Draconians cannot be raised from the dead.

Godspawn and Immortal Descended [Hackmaster]

A couple character options I created for Hackmaster. These are not races, per se, but rather akin to skill suites; a group of related abilities that help customize characters. They are, however, quite powerful... the equivalent of purchasing a second class. This will place them beyond the reach of most characters. The only ones likely to be able to use them are humans, or those who are adhering to the more typical classes of their race... easy for a dwarf fighter, not easy for a dwarf magic-user.

The Godspawn

The gods walk the roads and fields of Tellene from time to time, some say. On these occasions, they are suspected of physical unions with mortals, perhaps resulting in offspring. The Vicelord and the Laugher are most frequently associated with these unions, but the Great Huntress, the Raconteur and the Founder are all associated with stories of offspring with unusual talents.

Godspawn are different from their peers in some obvious way. They might glow with an ambient light when angry or excited. The music of stringed instruments might accompany their voice when they speak. The air around them might feel tense and charged, like an impending storm. Their body might radiate uncomfortable warmth at all times.

The history of Tellene has produced a rare few godspawn. For example, it is said that a godspawn Dejy sorcerer from the Khydoban led a short but eventful life within living memory, while a godspawn sage attempted to gain complete control of a secret society some one hundred years ago, bringing a terrible focus and dedication to this group of recluses. Even further in the past, before the division of the Brandobian Empire, a half-elven godspawn wizard of exceptional beauty and grace led the Empire's armies to war against the hobgoblins of the Odril Hills.

The character known as a Godspawn has divine blood somewhere in their heritage. Whether first-generation or merely a pure descendent through many generations, the character is especially blessed with the power of his immortal forbearer.

Punk's Not Dead: An Excerpt from Mutant Rise

An excerpt from Mutant Rise, a cyberpunk mutant animal setting for Savage Worlds that I've been working on.

 
For the three linked settings I've been working on (Mutant Dawn, which is mutant animals in the modern day; Mutant Rise; and the forthcoming Mutant War, which will be post-apocalyptic), I'm including a Life Path system to help create characters. The system can be ignored without much penalty... the only nominal advantage is that, in certain configurations of Birth, Upbringing, and Education, you will get skills that exceed your attributes or Edges you don't technically qualify for.

Musician is one of those Educations, along with Drone Monkey, Hacker, Infiltrator, Mechanic, Reporter, Salary, Scavenger, and Security.

"Musician: Punk’s not dead, it’s just louder and the growls are a bit more realistic when they come from a Were's throat. Musicians gain a bonus die in Spirit, as well as three dice in Performance, and one in Common Knowledge, Persuasion, and Taunt. Making a living as a musician means you have Fame, but also a Minor Habit, and either Poverty or a Minor Obligation (i.e. the dreaded Day Job)."

AD&D Psionics Unification

 So, 2e Psionics had a couple different versions, the Complete Psionic/Will and the Way version, and the Skills and Powers/Way of the Psionicist version. This system is somewhat of a compromise between the two, heavily favoring Complete Psionic/Will and the Way, but making psionic combat, especially a combination of the two. Attacks against other psychics deplete PSPs, but contact doesn't require them to be without PSPs... just sufficiently overmatched (or unlucky) to be hit several times without getting any hits in return. This required a rewrite of attacks and defenses. I also rewrote Telekinesis, because the Complete Psionics version really sucked... it was not worthy of being called a science.

As I have changed the way power scores are calculated, I refer you to this spreadsheet, compiled by garhkal, then adapted to my new system.

So You Want to be a Disney Princess [Hackmaster]

Clerics of certain faiths (most often nature-based ones) have access to a series of spells to Enthrall Animals. With a lengthy casting and a failed saving throw, the cleric can bond one or more animals to them for the rest of the creature’s life. The spell grants them an incredible rapport and, even without their own skill in training animals, the cleric is able to teach the animal various tricks and tasks, making them a more useful companion.

For many clerics, this is a means of attracting and connecting with a useful animal companion; a pet and helper. Some within the Brotherhood of the Bear will also raise animals for sale, or to give as gifts to those who will care for them. Priests of the Merry Marksmen are less likely to do so, as they do not like to train their beasts for hunting. A Golden Arrow may enthrall a dog or mountain lion, and may hunt with that animal, but the animal will not be trained to the hunt; rather, they will hunt free of training, and the cleric will hunt with them.

Birthright Bloodline using Oriental Adventures

Birthright Bloodline Using Oriental Adventures Rules

So, I don't particularly like the rules for Bloodlines in the Birthright Campaign setting; bloodlines are the character-level hook of the setting, and but the default rules don't result in a lot of bloodline powers being acquired.

Now, another book I enjoy is Oriental Adventures. It is incredibly problematic, from the name on down, but there's a lot of fantastic mechanics in there. I love the Hengeyokai (which I cribbed to make the Shapechangers for Hackmaster), and I generalized the Martial Arts rules to apply to the rest of 2e AD&D (and have some ideas about applying to other systems, but it needs more work). And, lastly, the family system from Oriental Adventures neatly dovetails with Birthright's bloodline system, replacing it with the notional "Honor" system of Oriental Adventures.

In Oriental Adventures, a character rolls their family, with adjustments based on class; this system is just a 3d10 roll to determine, which the DM may adjust up or down depending on their campaign's needs (I might suggest a bonus to the roll if you are a Regent, for example, or have holdings). Using the table in the link above (and here), you get a base strength, from 3-30. That base strength also determines how many times and what die you roll on the Ancestry tab, and on the Blood Abilities tab; for example, a roll of 16 on the table means you start with a base blood strength of 16, roll five times with a d100 on the Ancestry table, and 4 times on the Blood Abilities table with a d100 (unless their blood strength increases due to Ancestry).

Unlike Oriental Adventures, all modifiers to blood strength on the Ancestry table are positive. If your ancestor was an Infamous Criminal in Kara-tur, that would be a detriment to your family honor; in Birthright, it means your family DID something, and that usually means that you had more blood strength than usual. Our example character, with the 16, gets 74 (nothing), 70 (Folk Hero, +10),  73 (nothing), 38 (Nothing), and 34 (Ancestral Feud +2)... and my dice get side eye, since I rolled in the 70s three times and 30s twice. Their total Blood strength is now 28. This does not alter their rolls on the Blood ability table, just what their current score is. As the descendant of a Folk Hero, the character receives +2 reaction from commoners when their lineage is known, but receives a -4 on reactions with a specific family (who should probably feature in the game, somewhat).

Now, blood abilities. With a 28, they now have 10 rolls of d100: 84 (nothing), 50 (nothing), 73 (Enhanced Sense, Major), 11 (nothing), 26 (nothing), 06 (roll again +10; result is 64, nothing), 07 (minor power of choice), 02 (nothing), 65 (nothing), 32 (Enhanced Sense, Minor). Despite their advantageous rolls, they wind up with only 3 powers. Since they rolled both Enhanced Sense, Major and Enhanced Sense, Minor, they get a second minor power of choice, from those available to their bloodline.

As they play, they will get additional powers, but it should be noted that they don't get all new rolls every improvement of blood strength; going from 28 to 29 will not give them 10 new rolls, and going from 29 to 30 will only give them 1 additional roll.

I feel this makes for more interesting characters. They have more powers, but their families are more detailed, with histories as distinct or indistinct as the dice determine. Of course, the DM might choose some family events for you, or may allow you to describe your family history without rolls, but these also provide guidelines to do so... a DM might decide that you can have X number of points in Ancestry events, for example, letting players tailor their family histories.