30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 21: Favorite Dragon (Color/Type)

Day 21: Favorite Dragon (Color/Type)

Another interesting one.
I always liked the Silver Dragons, felt they were custom made for AD&D Paladins.  One of the things that was great moving from "Basic" D&D to AD&D were the "good" dragons. I also liked the black and blue dragons. I liked that they had acid and lighting weapons, which I thought were pretty cool.

My favorite unique Dragon comes from my son.  The dragon is Aži Dahāka. Here he is for both Pathfinder and Basic stats.

Willow & Tara: Superbabes

Of course I had to do this.

Witches and magic using types are always a good test of any supers system.  Either they break them or they get broken and don't work quite as well.  In Superbabes it takes a lot of XP and levels to do anything super-like with magic.  The Magic Spells are twice the cost of the powers, but you gain a lot of flexibility.   In Superbabes though you are are also limited by the powers listed.

I am keeping with my conceit that the characters here are aging real time so I can experiment with how they might grow.  Though in truth I have not really played either character in a number of years now, so they are semi-retired.

In both cases their primary stats are not really high. I really wanted to keep them to human norms.  The unfortunate side effect to this is this also means a low number of Power Points.  So I would maybe create a Power called Power Well that characters can dump CPs into to get PP out.  But that might bend the rules a bit.

Character: Willow Rosenberg
Age: 32   Apparent Age: early 30s
Origin: Supernatural Pupil (50cp)
50 CPs

Primary Stats
Muscles: 10  Max Press: 200 (seems a bit high)
Health: 14   Regen, Combat: - Regen, At rest: 1pp/5rds  HTK/Day: 2d6
Moves: 14 ("Agile")  Bonus to hit: - Movement: 5" Hittability: 5 Initiative Bonus: 1
Brains: 24  Mental Attack Bonus: +2 Mental Hittability: 7
Will: 26  Regen Rate: 2pp/1rds HTK Regen/Day: 2d6
Personality: 20
Looks: 17
250 CPs

Secondary Stats
PP: 125
HTK: 55
Fame: 6/16 (normal/supernatural world)
Bimbo Points: 1
XP:
Level: 10
CPs: 2 more to spend

Powers
Magic Spells
- Blast 6d6 (72cp)
- Flight 2 (16cp)
- Force Field 10 (60cp)
- Misc spells (100cp)
Move things Without Touching Them 200cp
Suck it Up (Magical) 100cp
Super Senses
- See Magic 20 cp
Read Minds (listen & talk) Tara only 20cp
588 CPs

Gizmos
Doll's Eye Crystal, Magical Focus 100pp
20 CPs

Skills
Occultist 50 cp
Scientist 50cp
Computer Ops 20cp
Electronics 20cp
Contacts (Supernatural) 20cp
Languages (English, Hebrew, Greek, Latin) 30cp
190 CPs

Character Description
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 120 lbs
Hair: Red
Eyes: Green
Skin: Caucasian

Character: Tara Maclay
Age: 33   Apparent Age: early 30s
Origin: Supernatural Pupil (50cp)
50 CPs

Primary Stats
Muscles: 10  Max Press: 200 
Health: 15   Regen, Combat: - Regen, At rest: 1pp/4rds  HTK/Day: 1d20
Moves: 15 ("Dancer")  Bonus to hit: - Movement: 6" Hittability: 6 Initiative Bonus: 1
Brains: 17  Mental Attack Bonus: +1 Mental Hittability: 5
Will: 22  Regen Rate: 1pp/1rds HTK Regen/Day: 1d6+4
Personality: 24
Looks: 16
238 CPs

Secondary Stats
PP: 119
HTK: 58
Fame: 4/14 (normal/supernatural world)
Bimbo Points: 2
XP:
Level: 10
CPs: 0 more to spend

Powers
Healing II 100cp
Magic Spells
- Blast 6d6 (72cp)
- Force Field 20 (120cp)
- Misc spells (90cp)
Move things Without Touching Them 200cp
Super Senses
- See Magic 20 cp
- Sensitive touch 10 cp
Read Minds (listen & talk) Willow only 20cp
672 CPs

Gizmos
Miss Kitty Fantastico II (Familiar, 200pp)
40 CPs

Skills
Occultist 50 cp
Equestrian 20cp (maybe the only time this skill was used in Superbabes!)
First Aid 20cp
Contacts (Supernatural) 20cp
Languages (English, Latin, Russian, Irish Gaelic, Japanese (free)) 30cp
Animal Handler 20cp
160 CPs

Character Description
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 130 lbs
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue
Skin: Caucasian

So both girls ended up around 10th level.  They have quite a bit of power, but are not as powerful as other characters around the same levels.  Batwoman or Red Sonja could best them in a purely physical fight.
I would have to work up a few spells and even some rituals. Rituals in this case would be spells that do not take CPs but do burn PP.  Usually only a one time deal.
I cheated and gave them Gizmos that store PP. Well, its not a cheat, but it is bending the rules a bit.
Again. Pretty happy with what I have here.  

30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 20: Favorite Monster (Humanoid/Natural/Fey)

Day 20: Favorite Monster (Humanoid/Natural/Fey)

Odd choices. I do like fey creatures. It is all the celtic myths and stories I have read over the years as well as A Midsummer's Night Dream.  If I had to pick one I would say Hags. For the obvious reasons to be sure, but also I reclassified Hags in my games to be more faerie like. Yes they are still ugly, mean old crones that will rip out your arms and love to eat children.

One of the hags I "created" for my witch book was the synthesis of these ideas.  The Wood Hag is a new hag type, but all the ideas came from fairy tales of hags, the Wicked Witch archetype and some things I read in "Man and His Symbols" by Carl Jung.

Wood Hag (Makava) Basic Era

Armor Class:	2 [17]
Hit Dice:	8d8+8** (45 hp)
No. of Attacks:	2 claws/1 bite
Damage:	claw 3d6, bite 2d6
Special Attacks:	Witch spells
Special Qualities:	Dark vision 60’, Iron Vulnerability
Movement:	40’
No. Appearing:	1 (90%) Solitary or 3 (10%) Hag Covey
Saves As:	Witch 10
Morale:	9
Treasure:	4d6 CP, 6d8 SP, 8d8 GP, Gems: 50% 1d8, Magic 50% any 1d6, +1 2 potions
Alignment:	Chaotic (evil)
XP:	1,700

Wood Hag (Makava) 3.x
Large Monstrous Humanoid/Fey (Hag)
Hit Dice	8d8+8 (45 hp)
Initiative	+2 (Dex)
Speed	40ft.
AC	17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural)
Attacks	2 claws +12, bite +12
Damage	claw 3d6, bite 2d6
Face/Reach	5ft. by 5ft/10ft.
Special Attacks	Blood drain, Spells
Special Qualities	Dark Vision 120ft., Fast Healing 5, Iron Vulnerability
Saves	Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities	Str 20, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 9
Skills	Concentration +12, Hide +10, Knowledge (Witchcraft) +9, Listen +8, Spot +8,
Feats	Alertness, Blind-Fighting, Combat Casting, Fear Resistance
Climate/Terrain	Any Forest
Organization	Solitary or Covey (3 hags of any type plus 2-12 trolls)
Challenge Rating	6 or 13 (covey)
Treasure	Standard
Alignment	Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement	As witch

The Makva, or the Wood Hag, is a relative of the other Hags and possibly the Night Hag. The Makva makes her home in the deepest forests where she feeds on unsuspecting travelers. She is particularly fond of children. Her normal appearance is very hag-like, tall (7’ tall), green skin with black hair, although some have been spotted with green or red hair. She also has long clawed hands with nails as hard as iron talons. Their mouths are filled with rotting black teeth and foul breath. The Wood Hag can appear as kindly grandmother, or a fetching young wood nymph as she chooses. The wood hag loves nothing more than to temp men of good character into a wanton embrace and then switch back to their normal form before killing them. She is also fond of attacking people as they sleep in the woods.
The wood hag is more solitary than the other Hags. More often than not a wood hag will be found alone. Wood hags often employ trolls to protect their homes and for mutual protection. At any given time there will be 2 to 12 trolls around the wood hag’s home. They will fight for the wood hag, but they are not commanded to do so. They will retreat or flee if the combat goes against them. The wood hag will also ally her self with evil witches and warlocks. They have also been known to consort with demons and vampires as well. Makva do not get along well with Night Hags. Some have theorized that Makva were once part of the Night Hag “society” but were removed for being too chaotic.
Wood Hags have often been confused with witches and many of the tales told to frighten children about witch have been about wood hags. It is almost certain that the tale of Hansel and Gretel could have been about a wood hag (or even the witch Baba Yaga). Makva are believed to live up to 800 years, but this has never been confirmed. They have been known to keep harpies as pets. Wood Hags usually have a grove of Elder trees growing nearby.

Combat
The wood hag is very strong (strength 20) and will attack with her claws and a bite. She is also a competent spellcaster and may use spells from the witch’s spell list.
Spell-Like Abilities: The Makva can also employ the following spell like powers three times per day at will: ray of enfeeblement and magic missile. They can cast an Advanced Illusion four times per day and can use the following powers at will, Know Alignment, Polymorph Self and Sleep. Wood hags are immune to Sleep, Charm, and Hold spells.
Blood drain (Su): The bite of a Wood Hag also drains blood. Any successful bite hit can permanently drain one point of Constitution unless the victim can make a Fortitude save (DC 13). Any character drained to zero will become a wraith haunting the woods around the wood hag. Constitution points can be healed normally.
Vulnerability (Ex):A Makva cannot touch iron and takes extra damage from weapons made of pure or cold forged iron. Weapons made from this material grant an additional +3 to hit and damage per hit.


Section 15: Wood Hag (Makava) Copyright 2013 Timothy S. Brannan

Batwoman: Superbabes

There is almost something not right about stating up Batwoman in Superbabes.  First of the character would not be amused, but she is also not "Super", well at least anymore than Batman is.  And "babe" is never something she would seek out. Yes she is athletic, rich and very attractive.  She considers herself a soldier first and foremost.  Plus she has a lot of pathos that you don't see in the world of Superbabes.  She was kicked out the Army for being gay. Her mother and twin sister were murdered. She had been kidnapped. Spent most of her days after the Army in an alcohol and sex-fueled daze. And she has some father issues as well.

But there are also a lot of reasons to include her.  For starters the system includes what is obviously a "Batman" option; the Adventuress.  Also, unlike the Batman himself, there are a lot of things going on in Kate's world that make her perfect for this game. She is still learning how to be a super hero for example.

Also given the recent shake-up of her creative team it would be a good idea to showcase her here.

Character: Batwoman
Secret ID / AKA: Kate Kane, Katherine Kane, the Twice Named Daughter of Kane
Age: 24   Apparent Age: mid 20s
Origin: Adventuress (0cp)
0 CPs

Primary Stats
Muscles: 18 ("Peak")  Damage: +4 Max Press: 900
Health: 17  Regen, Combat: - Regen, At rest: 1pp/3rd  HTK/Day: 1d10
Moves: 20  Bonus to hit: +3 Movement: 8" Hittability: 8 Initiative Bonus: 2
Brains: 15 ("Remarkable")  Mental Attack Bonus: +1 Mental Hittability: 5
Will: 20 ("Forthright") Regen Rate: 1pp/2rds HTK Regen/Day: 1d6+3
Personality: 8 ("Unpleasant") Batwoman and Kate have some issue relating to others.
Looks: 18
232 CPs

Secondary Stats
PP: 116
HTK: 57
Fame: 15
Bimbo Points: 0
XP:
Level: 9
CPs: 3 left to spend

Powers
Hit Em Harder +2d6 20cp
20 CPs

Gizmos
Batsuit ("Uniform of the Bat") Obvious, hard to loose Gizmo
Invulnerabilty 12 60cp
Super Senses
- See Far Away 10cp
- See in the Dark 5cp
- Good Hearing 15cp

Go Places, Line of Sight (Grapple gun) 50cp

Batarang (free)
140 CPs

Skills
Soldier 200cp
- Acrobatics
- Demolitions
- Detect & Deactivate Alarms & Traps
- First Aid
- Fire Pistols/Rifles
- Fire Unknown Weapons
- Mechanic
- Melee Weapons
- Skydiving
- Stealth and Concealment
- Squad Tactics
- Survival
- Thief
- Trapping

Blind Fighting 25cp

Contacts (Criminal) 20cp

Interogation 30cp

Martial Artist 7 levels 350cp

Persuasion 20cp
Streetwise 10cp
655 CPs

Character Description
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 135 lbs
Hair: Red
Eyes: Blue
Skin: Extremely pale Caucasian
Unique Characteristics: Out of uniform Kate has a number of unique tattoos.

So this one was a real test of the Adventuress Origin.  Kate can't have any ability above 20 and really no super powers.  Everything comes from her own skills and the gizmos she has.
I didn't refer to her previous stats or even her official ones in DC Adventures in order to make her more "organic".  She ended up about a level higher than I wanted, but I really wanted her Martial Arts at 7 or even 8.

Links
Elegy
Unisystem
Marvel Heroic Role-Playing

Batman Wikia
DC Wikia
ComicVine

Temple of Elemental Evil - For Free!

Not sure how this one got missed.  But WotC is giving away a free copy of The Temple of Elemental Evil.

Go get your copy of this classic from DNDClassics.com

30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 19: Favorite Monster (Elemental/Plant)

Day 19: Favorite Monster (Elemental/Plant)

The classifications here show a really strong 3.x bias.  Elementals orplants never really impressed me much.  But I do rather like Effrit. I talked about them a bit in April with my A to Z of demons.  I touched on them under Iblis and Jann.  Though this is really a cheat since I treat them like a type of demon.  Truthfully if I were rebuilding the D&D cosmos I'd make all the elementals closer to demons.  At least very, very chaotic.

White Dwarf Wednesday #80

White Dwarf kicks of the 80s in this August, 1986 issue.
The cover seems to be a bit of a throw back to earlier issues, or at least earlier themes.
The new editor and staff waste no time and hit us up with a new reader survey.  More on that in a bit.

Open Box gives us Call of Cthulhu 3rd Edition. I do not recall any edition wars around this.
We have reviews for the FASA Doctor Who advnetures "The Hartlewick Horror" and "The Legions of Death".  I just picked up Legions of Death last Friday.  The Hartlewick Horror gets the edge, but I fear it was because of the inclusion of the 4th Doctor's stats.   Palladium is breaking into the gaming scene more and more with The Mechanoids.  Yes I know they were around before this, but two issues in a row of product reviews is still better than they had been doing.  And the AD&D module Destiny of Kings is reviewed.  I blame my braces at the time but I always called this one "Density of the Kings". Realms of Magic for MSH and OA1 Swords of the Daimyo are also reviewed.    Three TSR products with two of them AD&D. Not so bad really.

The Doctor Who RPG gets some love with a section on Combat.  Ok. So the irony here is that there actual little combat the characters should be doing in Doctor Who.  The FASA game though was a little more combat focused than the current C7 RPG is.  The biggest problem comes from the author's own point of view that he normally runs a D&D game. Ah well.

Critical Mass bemoans the recent injection of so many Lovecraftian elements in the recent batch of Sci-Fi books.

Some more Abilities for the Judge Dredd game.

"Clouding the Issue" by Chris Barlow covers detection powers in a game and how to make it more difficult or easy depending on your tastes.  This is one of those articles that were common at the time; adding more realism to your game or at giving the game another layer of complexity.

Graeme Davis has an article on crime in the 20th Century.  Focus is on the Pulp Era with such suggestions as Call of Cthulhu, Dardevils, and Indiana Jones.

The star of this issue though is "Ancient & Modern" a scenario for AD&D and Call of Cthluhu. Each player gets two characters, one for each system and they run through the linked scenarios.   I love crazy stuff like this. The adventure is long (10 pages and nicely done) and it is still continued next week month.  The interplay between the two is nice and build on each other.  Frankly I love it.  I might just have to run this one sometime.

'Eavy Metal covers painting various textures.

The Back to the Readers Poll is up.  33 questions. Notable are the inclusions of questions about computers and LARPing. Of course there are also more games.

Letter is next and now two pages long.

There is an article about leveling up in MERP.  Again, another example of adding a level of "realism" to the games.  Or if you would rather role-playing.  I get where this is coming from, you get your points from leveling up and they should be spent with some sort logic.  By the way to keep this topical the article could just as easily work for Superbabes or any other game where gaining a level gives you points for buying new skills, powers, magic and so on.

Fracas, the rumors and news column covers the new wargame coming out for the Trek Universe/Star Fleet Battles.  A plug for Dagon 13, a magazine for Mythos fiction is made.  The Immortals set from TSR is announced as well.

We end with ads.

Ok so there is something a little sterile about the recent couple of issues.  Sure the content of the last two has been better than the content of the dozen or so issues before it, but it is lacking some of that White Dwarf charm.  For a lack of a better word it feels a lot like Imagine.