Grim Dark Cleric Casting

Now I haven't posted in a while, and there is a good reason for this.

In between working and life I have been working on a HUGE homebrew system that isn't ready yet for public dissemination. Suffice to say its like if D&D in all its tropey iterations, with old school ethos had beautiful beautiful sex with Dark Heresy.

I will post it when its public ready and not a hybrid of copy and pasted good things from different systems. However I can say that it works on a 2d10 system trying to roll under your statistic. Beautiful beautiful normal distribution gameplay. 

One concept that it will be using will be rolls to cast, with doubles being miscasts, a mechanic ported over from fantasy flight games. This means that magic users can cast as much as they want, whenever they want, the only problem being that they risk horrible horrible effects. Go read the Dark Heresy phenomena and perils of the warp tables if you are not familiar with this.

For clerics however this is a little harsh, as I essentially want them to be hybrid casters. They get to wear armour and such so their magic should be a little weaker and more 'themed' than a generalist arcanist. It would seem a bit rough if they could randomly turn into a daemon.  Furthermore it just doesn't follow the fluff my system is trying to evoke.

Thus I propose a mechanic, that I will label, Divine Favour and this can be ported to any d20 system (or non d20 system, just convert the maths). Also someone somewhere has probably come up with this already and I just don't know it. But I think this is awesome so I am going to post anyway, and kudos to whoever they are.

Clerics get Divine Favour for doing things that honour their deity. Saving children for good deities, killing folks for evil ones.  Generally +1 at a time, and the clerics keep track of this on their sheet.  GM's should also penalise clerics who go against the tenets of their deity by reducing their Favour. -1 for not praying at a holy site etc.

Clerics have a number of spells that they can cast whenever. To cast a spell they have to succeed on a Spellcraft/Cleric check. This is either d20+wisdom+cleric level trying to beat 10+the spell level (for DC systems) or roll under the Cleric's Wisdom/Charisma stat (whichever you might use) +their level or relevant modifier. You include your Divine Favour modifier on all these rolls, whether it be positive or negative.

A success on this roll and the spell is cast at the Cleric's caster level. HOWEVER. Because they successfully cast the spell they reduce their Divine Favour, by the spell level.  Thus from casting they lose a store of their Divine Favour by invoking their deity to help them.

If a Cleric fails a spell casting roll, it indicates that they have momentarily fallen into disgrace with their deity and cannot cast until the next day or until they gain at least one more point of Divine Favour.

This is awesome because it combines the cleric's roleplay requirements with their class abilities, which means in order to get the bonuses of being a cleric, they HAVE to follow their deity, or they will lose spells, and this mechanic does it without requiring as much GM's fiat.

Sound epic? I think so.

Injuries for 4th Edition

So i rapidly started GMing a 4th ed campaign this week.  This was an injury-dismemberment idea i came up for it (though we aren't using it, because my players have been playing Dark Heresy for years and their sick of getting limbs blown off, which i think is a fair reason not to want a dismemberment system).

What i have tried to do is to piggy back as much as is possible on to the healing surges and death save system already in place in 4th ed.  This is what i came up with:

When you are dropped to 0 or less HP, in each of your turns you roll a d20 and consult the table below. On the first roll on the table after you are dropped to 0 you can get a result that is lower than 1 and risk dismemberment or injury.  Otherwise when you are dropped to zero HP and remain unconscious, any of the subsequent rolls have a minimum roll value of 1 (as you roll this each turn).  If you are healed to full by another player or creature before your first roll on the table, you make a roll on it anyway to see if you lost an arm or some such, and can ignore the effects that aren't dismemberment or injury.

For each time you have already been dropped to 0 or less HP in a day you apply a negative of -1 to this table, and therefore repeated unconsciousness is how you end up risking dismemberment.  This means if you have already been dropped to 0 HP or less twice in one day and are rolling on this table for your third bout of being a 0 or lower HP, you are at a -2 penalty, so you are more likely to bleed out, and actually risking injury.

On a natural 20 you always regain consciousness and use a healing surge, but if you have suffered an injury then this effect persists once you are up an fighting again.


A character dies when they reach their bloodied value in a negative HP. This represents dying of injuries and bloodloss, or catastrophic injury like decapitation.

D20

-5 or lower Loss of limb. Roll d20 – 1-5 Left Leg, 6-10 Right Leg, 11-15 Left Arm, 16-20 right arm. You evidently cannot use that limb anymore for checks or attacks and suffer appropriate penalties permanently. Some effects are summarised here. Loss of leg results in halving of movement speed and dexterity scores and imposes a -5 circumstance penalty on athletics and acrobatics checks and the like. Loss of arm results in an inability to wield weapons or implements with that arm anymore (obvious) and a -5 circumstance penalty on certain checks (disable device, search etc). You are bleeding out unless tourniquet is applied (DC15 heal check) and when you lose 1 hp in a round from rolling on this table you lose D3 HP instead of 1.

-4-3 Serious injury. When awake and for 2d4 weeks afterwards (unless magically healed) you grant combat advantage to enemies attacking you as your injury hampers your movement, using secondwind removes this penalty for the duration of an encounter. You temporarily lose a healing surge whilst injured. You are bleeding out unless tourniquet is applied (DC15 heal check) and when you lose 1 hp in a round from rolling on this table you lose d2 HP instead of 1.

-2-0 Light Injury. Whence awake and for 2d4 days afterwards (unless magically healed) you grant combat advantage to enemies attacking you as your injury hampers your movement etc. Using secondwind removes this penalty for the duration of the encounter.

0-10 Lose 1 hp.

11-19 No change

Illusory Pleasures

In the biggest cities of the world that have access to marvels of arcane magic and the brilliant sciences of alchemists a strange drug is favoured by nobles, aristocrats, arcanists and kings alike.  Known simply as Arcanist's Haze, it is whispered amongst the people to be the beauteous after-life in a bottle.

Arcanist's Haze is however one of the most expensive and rarest drugs, and can only be brewed by those who can wield the arcane arts.  Unlike other illicit substances it is normally made only on commission, wealthy addicts seeking out mages in the dark of night to make transactions.  Whilst some mages may sell pre-concocted vials of Haze, these pale by comparison to doses especially concocted.  Heavily addictive and with no physical side effects its only effects are on the mind. It is so sought after because it literally makes it as if one was in a harem full of sensuous males or females, king or empress for a day,even a god or living out your most desired fantasies, depending on the quality of the infusion.

One must always be careful though with Haze, for its strengths can vary, and unlike most substances where the strength is the intensity of the effect of the drug, the strength of Haze is in its duration.  Unwise nobles have been known to fall into comas whilst experiencing the effects their Haze for days on end, or simply waste away and die, not being able to take sustenance, caught up as they are in their fantasies.

Among mages Haze is referred to as Illusionists Triumph, for it is Shadowmancers and Illusonists that make the best quality Haze. Haze itself is nothing more than pleasant and fantastic Illusions, of the strongest types, distilled into a potion.

Haze users never get on the bad side of their suppliers for long. For those that do, they assured that "Money is a fickle concept" and "Not to worry, you can pay your debts later" before being offered a 'goodwill' dose.  Those users who fall this far, generally never return from the nightmare illusions of their 'debtors Haze.'

Maiming and Laming PCs

As I am trying to run a grim dark campaign world I like the idea of my PCs being properly beaten and hacked apart in combat.

I use this system in conjunction with a modified HP system for 3.5. Essentially the HP of all mortal creatures (at GMs discretion) and characters is changed to their Con score with additional fixed numbers per hit die they would normally receive. Sorcerers and Wizards receive not d4 + con bonus HP per level, but rather 1 hit point. Rogues with d6 hit die per level receive +1 HP on odd levels, and +2 HP on even levels. Classes with D8 hit die per level receive +2 HP per level, D10 equates to +2/+3 and D12 to +3. Thus characters have a lot less health, but peasants and NPCs have more, so a peasant can indeed survive several dagger stabs, just not as many as a trained warrior. In my system Armour also provides damage reduction as well as an AC bonus.

ANYWAY.
The injury system. This takes inspiration from DH and M&M.

When a mortal creature (PC, NPC or animal) takes damage they must make a Fortitude save to avoid Injury. The DC is 5+ the damage they receive (after Armour DR in this case).

If they pass it is assumed that they grit their teeth and keep on fighting, or manage to place themselves so that whilst they take damage, they have avoided the most serious part of the damage. A fail indicates the degree to which they are injured via the following table.

Degree of Failure	What Happens	Effects
1-5 STAGGERED	Blood in eyes, dazed, still reeling from attack	The creature may only make a half action in their next turn and any checks they make in that turn are a -4, including attempts to attack. They are also counted as flat footed.
6-10 INJURY	Cracked Ribs, Major Laceration, Concussion, Mangled fingers	They are staggered, in addition the creature beings to bleed and has a 10% chance per round until treated of losing 1 hp. They in addition suffer a -2 penalty on an appropriate score or ability checks (refer to where they are hit). This penalty lasts for 3d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -1.
11-15 SERIOUS INJURY	Broken bones, cracked skulls, severing of tendons, loss of hand or foot	They are staggered, in addition they bleedat 1 hp per round. They suffer a -4 penalty on the appropriate score or ability check. This penalty lasts for 6d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -2.
15+ CRITICAL INJURY	Loss of limb, instant unconsciousness, evisceration	The creature immediately falls prone. They bleed at 1 hp per round. A fortitude save of DC20 and full action is required to stand back up and keep fighting. They suffer -6 to the relevant ability score checks which lasts for 6d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -4 for those 6d6 days, however even after this time is over the penalty will not go away entirely, it remains permanent at -2. This result is also likely to result in permanent loss of limb.

I then use the WFRP D100 hit allocation system to figure out where the character is hit and therefore apply a relevant negative, both shown below.

1-15 HEAD - penalty on all checks

16-30 RIGHT ARM – penalty on strength or attack rolls

31-45 LEFT ARM – penalty on strength or attack rolls

46-70 BODY – penalty on con score

71-85 RIGHT LEG – penalty on dex or move speed

96-100 LEFT LEG – penalty on dex or move speed

While the system above is fine, to generate more specific injuries I use an expanded breakdown. This is so that I don't fall back to GM fiat as to whether a player loses a limb or hand, but rather both my players and I know the possible outcomes of a given circumstance.

I use the D100 allocation roll to determine where the attack hits, and then provide DCs of reflex saves to avoid losing that bit of a body based on how bad the injury is. I use reflex saves as I figure that they are the most appropriate save, modelling a character avoiding the worst result, but still being heinously injured just not completely limbless. Note that in this breakdown when i use a certain injury type, I also mean that greater injury results also entail that possibility (eg: a Serious Injury incurs the same result as a Injury if there are specific effects).

HEAD (1-15) Injuries result in penalties to all checks. A serious injury result on any head check results in unconsciousness if a DC15 reflex save is failed. A critical injury result hit requires a DC20 reflex save to avoid decapitation and instant death, and even if passed the character is considered to be immediately unconscious. In addition see below.

1-2 EYES - A Serious Injury failed reflex save of DC20 results in the loss of an eye (-4 to spot permanently with losing the second resulting in blindness).

3-4 EARS –An Injury and failing a reflex save of DC 15 and they lose an ear (-1 to listen permanently).

5-6 NOSE –A Serious Injury and failing a reflex save of DC 20 results in loss of nose (-4 Charisma permanently).

7-15 REST OF HEAD – No risk of additional maiming.

RIGHT ARM (16-30) Injuries result in a penalty to attack rolls and any relevant skill checks requiring the arms use, eg: Climb, Pick Lock. In addition see below.

16-20 HAND – If an Injury failure of a DC 15 reflex save results in loss of a finger, if a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing that hand.

20-25 FOREARM – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the forearm.

26-30 UPPER ARM/SHOULDER – In addition to the attack bonus penalty injuries on this part of the body cause a strength penalty of the same magnitude. If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire arm.

LEFT ARM (31-45) Injuries result in a penalty to attack rolls and any relevant skill checks requiring the arms use, eg: Climb, Pick Lock. In addition see below.

31-35 HAND – If an Injury failure of a DC 15 reflex save results in loss of a finger, if a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing that hand.

36-40 FOREARM – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the forearm.

41-35 UPPER ARM/SHOULDER – In addition to the attack bonus penalty injuries on this part of the body cause a strength penalty of the same magnitude. If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire arm.

BODY (45-70) – Penalties are to Constitution. In addition see below.

45-57 ABDOMEN – No additional maiming, just make sure to describe suitably gruesome evisceration, and maybe make the character hold in their entrails if they are Critically Injured and fall prone.

58-70 CHEST – In addition the Constitution penalty they take an Attack Bonus penalty as well.

RIGHT LEG (71-85) Penalties are to Dexterity and to Movement speed.

71-78 THIGH – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire leg.

79-83 LOWER LEG – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing everything below the knee.

84-85 FOOT – If a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the foot.

LEFT LEG (86-100) Penalties are to Dexterity and to Movement speed.

86-93 THIGH – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire leg.

94-99 LOWER LEG – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing everything below the knee.

99-100 FOOT – If a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the foot.

Unfortunately none of my PCs have lost a body part yet. Though our Dwarf Cleric did get eviscerated quite nicely by a fellow PC, who whilst frenzied got a critical hit on him with a greatsword. The party is now trying to journey to the Elves to beg them for regeneration so the Cleric can get the 2 Constitution, he lost from the evisceration, back. It was pretty funny when it happened, almost as funny as when said greatsword wielding frenzied warrior almost killed another PC because said PC was a werewolf, and no one, not even the werewolf PC knew about it yet. The greatsword fighter and the werewolf characters are also brothers in game.

I suppose an introduction is in order...

So... here I am making a blog post.

The plan is to make a few more of these should I keep up with posting, and have interesting things to say. I use and create a bunch of tables, house rules and concepts and other people might be interested in, and so by Zak S's logic I should put that out there for other people to use, not just hoard it for myself in my secret notebooks and word documents of secretiveness.

Regardless that I have only just started to GM D&D and I have only more recently been playing (Dark Heresy, WFRP 2ed, Homebrew WFRP and Mutants and Masterminds) I have managed to come up with some stuff that I think others might find useful, and if not useful hopefully interesting.

I run a ground up setting with influences from Baldur's Gate II era Faerun, Ian Irvine's novels (particularly The Well of Echoes series), George RR Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice and Warhammer Fantasy / 40k. I aim for a grim-dark and somewhat realistic world, realistic only because I feel realism makes for easy conceptualisation of things and because I like the idea of a consistent game-world (though this is a hard mark to hit). This said I appreciate gonzo-everything goes D&D, just the world I run at the moment is not this.

It is a world (I hope) where unlicensed Mages are killed for heresy, Daemons eat Mage's souls, religion is a militant institution and my players can remake in their image.

Now for tables and stuff I guess?