Inheritance Campaign Setting (work in progress) - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Inheritance Campaign Setting (work in progress)

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi
Jan 25, 2009 12:42:05 Yes, this is my attempt at making a setting based off Alagaësia from Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle. It's a work in progress, but I should have a fair amount of free time next week to flesh it out better. For now, some of the basics:

Races:
human
elf - most likely I'll favor elf stats over eladrin stats
dwarf
urgal - the easiest route seems to be to use minotaur stats and change the skill bonuses to +2 Athletics and +2 Nature (ie., exchange the perception bonus for an athletics bonus). Or I could drop Ferocity and Oversized in favor of +1d6 damage on charges, and the make the racial power like the orc's Warrior's Surge. That may not be as balanced though.
shade - more of a monster race than a PC race, shades are probably shadar-kai warlocks and swordmages. As for the "can only be killed by a blow through the heart" thing, I'd just require a successful Arcana check to realize this, and if the killing blow is delivered by an attack with the Weapon keyword and can also hit its Reflex defense, then the attack slays it. If not, it's defeated (and vanishes) but can recur as a villain. I'm kind of sad that they have to be a villain's only role, because I think it would be awesome to play a PC shade. But they're definitely not a standard race.

Classes:

dragon rider - I'll be working on a homebrew. It's a defender, secondary controller. I'll probably start with the tempest fighter, give it a beast companion, and replace any attacks with a second weapon with a beast (dragon) attack. The dragon uses lizard companion stats, except it is only trained in Arcana, and it is treated as having the Ritual Caster feat. I'll probably also draw on some paladin powers and some wizard powers (but toned down and with more impediments added, so they take on a defender feel). If I can borrow a friend's Forgotten Realms guide, I'll draw on some Swordmage as well.
mage - really just a renamed wizard.
sorcerer - renamed warlock, these are the dealers in spirits that are prone to becoming shades. The different pacts just reflect different approaches to dealing with spirits. The infernal pact is most common.
the other standard classes - I'll probably need to figure out something for the deities, including their special channel divinity. Dragonriders take the normal role of paladins, but I think the world has room for the paladin class.

Gotta go, I'll be back.
#2
angelofthenight
Jan 25, 2009 19:14:09 Looks interesting. I recommend changing the Elves a little bit, so they're not quite so perfect.
#3
Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi
Jan 25, 2009 22:57:34 Well, I guess the skills could be changed to +2 Arcana, +2 Nature, and Group Awareness doesn't really fit. Plus I'm not sure if Alageasian elves are more archers or swordfighters (but leaning to eladrin weapon proficiencies). Plus they're lacking the defensive hybernation. I can replace group awareness with a +2 bonus to saves against death/disease/poisons? The books make poison most obvious, but how would I word it to apply to the poisons from DMG but not simple ongoing damage? The bonus to death saving throws is kind of close to what we see in the books (if you squint at it), and easier to work out. How's that sound?
#4
Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi
Jan 26, 2009 9:58:27 A little more thought on the dragonrider class: all defenders thus far get an extra benefit from marking a target, providing more incentive not to ignore that mark. A simple one I'd like to investigate is a rebuke mechanism. If your mark attacks an ally, your next attack deals extra damage. It's simple, and it offers a new tactical option, since area attacks that do include you still set it off. It makes for a better defender against controller-type enemies. However, I don't think it's right for the dragonrider. A better fit might be Warning Glare.

Warning Glare
Dragon Rider class feature
The promise of a dragon's rage is very effective at telling your foes whom not to mess with.
At-will * Arcane(?), Fear, Psychic
Immediate Interrupt
Trigger: A marked target makes an attack that does not include you as a target.
Attack: Dragon's Charisma vs. Will
Hit: Dragon's Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is weakened until the end of your next turn.
Special: Increase damage to 1d6 + Dragon's Charisma modifier psychic damage at 21st level.

I worry about the weaken effect being too powerful (and maybe I should just take out the damage entirely). It does make for an ultimate defender, if you can make marked targets deal half damage at will. Maybe I should add special text limiting it to 1 use per round (in case any powers let you mark more than one target, you won't be able to so effectively weaken them all). And it does seem appropriate. How many enemies can avoid losing nerve when a dragon shoots them a warning glare? Talk about if looks could kill.
#5
drizztrocks
Jan 28, 2009 17:43:44 If you want to stay with the books, don't include the elves as a player race. The elves seem like a perfected version of humans. Really, they have no flaws at all. Their like Tolkien elves on steroids.
#6
Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi
Jan 28, 2009 20:00:33
If you want to stay with the books, don't include the elves as a player race. The elves seem like a perfected version of humans. Really, they have no flaws at all. Their like Tolkien elves on steroids.

I may not stay with the books perfectly. I really want shades as a player race, I'd like variant dragons with non-fire breath weapons, and I can picture Dragon Riders as having a bit more of dragon magic in and of themselves - a tendency to channel dragonfire into their sword, the conjuring of scales to enhance their toughness, and generally becoming slightly dragon-like (rather than elf-like) as they advance their bond. The boundary between themselves and their dragon blurs. Plus I'd just love to have brown dragon riders swinging up a sandstorm around themselves. Seems almost an iconic controller + defender ability.
#7
pigknight
Jan 28, 2009 22:06:25
If you want to stay with the books, don't include the elves as a player race. The elves seem like a perfected version of humans. Really, they have no flaws at all. Their like Tolkien elves on steroids.

Which is why I dislike Eragon elves.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi Jan 25, 2009 12:42:05	Yes, this is my attempt at making a setting based off Alagaësia from Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle. It's a work in progress, but I should have a fair amount of free time next week to flesh it out better. For now, some of the basics: Races: human elf - most likely I'll favor elf stats over eladrin stats dwarf urgal - the easiest route seems to be to use minotaur stats and change the skill bonuses to +2 Athletics and +2 Nature (ie., exchange the perception bonus for an athletics bonus). Or I could drop Ferocity and Oversized in favor of +1d6 damage on charges, and the make the racial power like the orc's Warrior's Surge. That may not be as balanced though. shade - more of a monster race than a PC race, shades are probably shadar-kai warlocks and swordmages. As for the "can only be killed by a blow through the heart" thing, I'd just require a successful Arcana check to realize this, and if the killing blow is delivered by an attack with the Weapon keyword and can also hit its Reflex defense, then the attack slays it. If not, it's defeated (and vanishes) but can recur as a villain. I'm kind of sad that they have to be a villain's only role, because I think it would be awesome to play a PC shade. But they're definitely not a standard race. Classes: dragon rider - I'll be working on a homebrew. It's a defender, secondary controller. I'll probably start with the tempest fighter, give it a beast companion, and replace any attacks with a second weapon with a beast (dragon) attack. The dragon uses lizard companion stats, except it is only trained in Arcana, and it is treated as having the Ritual Caster feat. I'll probably also draw on some paladin powers and some wizard powers (but toned down and with more impediments added, so they take on a defender feel). If I can borrow a friend's Forgotten Realms guide, I'll draw on some Swordmage as well. mage - really just a renamed wizard. sorcerer - renamed warlock, these are the dealers in spirits that are prone to becoming shades. The different pacts just reflect different approaches to dealing with spirits. The infernal pact is most common. the other standard classes - I'll probably need to figure out something for the deities, including their special channel divinity. Dragonriders take the normal role of paladins, but I think the world has room for the paladin class. Gotta go, I'll be back.
#2 angelofthenight Jan 25, 2009 19:14:09	Looks interesting. I recommend changing the Elves a little bit, so they're not quite so perfect.
#3 Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi Jan 25, 2009 22:57:34	Well, I guess the skills could be changed to +2 Arcana, +2 Nature, and Group Awareness doesn't really fit. Plus I'm not sure if Alageasian elves are more archers or swordfighters (but leaning to eladrin weapon proficiencies). Plus they're lacking the defensive hybernation. I can replace group awareness with a +2 bonus to saves against death/disease/poisons? The books make poison most obvious, but how would I word it to apply to the poisons from DMG but not simple ongoing damage? The bonus to death saving throws is kind of close to what we see in the books (if you squint at it), and easier to work out. How's that sound?
#4 Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi Jan 26, 2009 9:58:27	A little more thought on the dragonrider class: all defenders thus far get an extra benefit from marking a target, providing more incentive not to ignore that mark. A simple one I'd like to investigate is a rebuke mechanism. If your mark attacks an ally, your next attack deals extra damage. It's simple, and it offers a new tactical option, since area attacks that do include you still set it off. It makes for a better defender against controller-type enemies. However, I don't think it's right for the dragonrider. A better fit might be Warning Glare. Warning Glare Dragon Rider class feature The promise of a dragon's rage is very effective at telling your foes whom not to mess with. At-will * Arcane(?), Fear, Psychic Immediate Interrupt Trigger: A marked target makes an attack that does not include you as a target. Attack: Dragon's Charisma vs. Will Hit: Dragon's Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is weakened until the end of your next turn. Special: Increase damage to 1d6 + Dragon's Charisma modifier psychic damage at 21st level. I worry about the weaken effect being too powerful (and maybe I should just take out the damage entirely). It does make for an ultimate defender, if you can make marked targets deal half damage at will. Maybe I should add special text limiting it to 1 use per round (in case any powers let you mark more than one target, you won't be able to so effectively weaken them all). And it does seem appropriate. How many enemies can avoid losing nerve when a dragon shoots them a warning glare? Talk about if looks could kill.
#5 drizztrocks Jan 28, 2009 17:43:44	If you want to stay with the books, don't include the elves as a player race. The elves seem like a perfected version of humans. Really, they have no flaws at all. Their like Tolkien elves on steroids.
#6 Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi Jan 28, 2009 20:00:33	If you want to stay with the books, don't include the elves as a player race. The elves seem like a perfected version of humans. Really, they have no flaws at all. Their like Tolkien elves on steroids. I may not stay with the books perfectly. I really want shades as a player race, I'd like variant dragons with non-fire breath weapons, and I can picture Dragon Riders as having a bit more of dragon magic in and of themselves - a tendency to channel dragonfire into their sword, the conjuring of scales to enhance their toughness, and generally becoming slightly dragon-like (rather than elf-like) as they advance their bond. The boundary between themselves and their dragon blurs. Plus I'd just love to have brown dragon riders swinging up a sandstorm around themselves. Seems almost an iconic controller + defender ability.
#7 pigknight Jan 28, 2009 22:06:25	If you want to stay with the books, don't include the elves as a player race. The elves seem like a perfected version of humans. Really, they have no flaws at all. Their like Tolkien elves on steroids. Which is why I dislike Eragon elves.