Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 MaximumPain Jun 25, 2008 18:55:59	I am developing a world to fit 4.0. This world is young and wild with lots of barbarians and primitive cultures in the world. My idea is to allow the players to pick from 3 backgrounds for their character. Each background will receive several bonuses. I have decided to call them civilized, barbarian, savage. Not all the game races in use will have access to each type but players will be allowed to construct an unusual background back story if they wish their character to have that sort of background. Civilized: Literate. Normal starting wealth. Pick 4 skills from the following list: Arcana, History, Streetwise, Diplomacy, Bluff, Heal, Religion, In site. Add +1 to one stat Int, Wis, Cha Skill bonus +2 Streetwise, Bluff Barbarian: Illiterate. Pick 2 skills from the following list: Athletics, Endurance, Heal, Nature, Perception, Stealth. Add +1 to two of the following stats: Str, Con, Dex, Wis. May not add both to the same stat. Gain simple/military melee/ranged proficiency. Gain leather and hide armor proficiency. +2 Athletics, Endurance, Stealth Wizards and ritual caster do not use spell books they use magic charms and totems that must be used to switch spells and cast the appropriate ritual magic. Other then being more cumbersome to carry a lot of them they work the same way. 1/2 starting wealth. (may adjust this some for characters starting at higher then 1st level). Savage: Illiterate Nature skill for free (If you also get nature as a class skill you may take one other savage skill in its place). 1 Skill: Athletics, Endurance, Heal, Perception, Stealth. +2 to one stat Str, Con, Dex +1 to one stat that you did not add +2 to or wis +2 Nature, Athletics, Endurance, Stealth Simple weapons proficiency Free Feat: Improvised weapon building. Using natural materials you may create a weapon (Dms call on time based on the weapon created but not more then an hour or so for most weapons). Club, spear, staff, sling, flint ax (*), flint knife, Stone mace (*), greatclub, Maul, longspear, short bow, Arrows, flail (*), heavy flail (*). Some weapons (*) are fragile and may break more easely as well as possibly receiving a minus to hit and damage (DMs discretion, I have weapon breakage rules as well). Savage characters also use the charm and totems system instead of a spell book. There will be an associated feats for Charm/totem and spell book methods of spell and ritual casting/switching. Savage characters start with a weapon and a loin cloth. There will be possible role-playing problems being from a culture type thats different from that of the NPC you are dealing with. Thanks for taking the time to read this and please let me know how players could manipulate this or what classes it screws or helps to much, thanks. Maximumpain
#2 MaximumPain Jun 28, 2008 14:01:01	Anyone have an opinion on this? It is designed with a specific home brewed campaign in mind. What I was wondering is if people think that one of these 3 options is much more powerful then the other two or if it makes certain classes to strong because of the bonuses? Or do you think its to hard to start with almost no equipment as the savage?
#3 MaximumPain Jun 28, 2008 14:02:12	Please delete mods Double post.
#4 Bobfred21 Jun 29, 2008 3:16:26	I see no reason why people wouldn't just choose Savage everytime. In general ability bonuses beat other kinds of bonuses, at least the bonuses mentioned above.
#5 MaximumPain Jun 29, 2008 13:54:06	That was my first impression as I created this its also why I put it up here for others to take a look at it because I want to know how this could be exploited. Savages and to a lesser extent Barbarians are meant to have a slight physical edge on the civilized folk just as the civilized folk are meant to have a magic edge (and the setting is highly magical) through gear and better access to ritual magic, better spell storage (spell books) and a better chance to use magic items and locations that the party finds in the world (not the mundane items in the books but things like lost spells and ancient areas that exude magic energy). I intend to balance things a bit by making it easier for civilized folk to get better gear and in general deal with the society around them. I also intend to try and use more of the non-combat skills during my sessions. This campaign will feature player death and restarts will be of a reduced level which will make it tougher to start at the reduced wealth given for the Barbarian and Savage culture types. Other players can certainly help their new comrades to buy better armor and weapons if they are in the correct area but this wont always be an option depending on the circumstances. As it stands right now I have one player character being created and from what the player has told me they are going with a Civilized Tiefling Warlock (fey pact).
#6 newtoncain Jul 01, 2008 23:03:12	Sweet ideas. Savage has a great stat pump, but starting w/ a loin cloth and large stick is tough.