Gaming: Campaign II

The new campaign will probably start in 2-3 months, depending on how things go. Characters will be 1st level, but I am willing to give up to 10k experience points (or 10k gp) to people providing detailed background materials.

Gaming: Selected Special Attacks

I was asked what goes in the "special attacks" note space, and started compiling a list of allowed special attacks in the Core Rules appendices. These are attacks that I (or other DMs) have allowed in the past based on proficiencies/skills. Just as a mage can create a new spell, a fighter or other person can create a special attack...you just need to provide justification for what you're doing. This isn't a list of all the special attacks allowed, just a selected group based on what we've allowed in the past. (...and yes, one comes from Bess.)
Please call me out on these if I haven't allowed your character to do one of these.

Appendix Nine: Selected Special Attacks

Missile Attack and Bow Special Attacks:

Firing from Horseback (or other mount): Cannot be done unless character has proficiency in weapon and proficiency in appropriate mount. Character makes proficiency check in riding first, if successful, has a -4 to hit if mount is full speed, -2 to hit if mount is half-speed. This penalty may be reduced to -2 and 0 (depending on speed) by taking the Mounted Archery Weapon Proficiency.

Garroting with a strung bow: Character must have proficiency in the bow, and anatomy. Attacks as a weapon of proficiency to hit (THAC0 of level is THAC0 of the attack) with no bonuses from anatomy orpluses from the bow. (Even on a magical bow, the bowstring is not considered a magical weapon.) Does 1d6+STR bonus (if any) and opponent must make a CON check or lose consciousness for 1d4 rounds. 50% chance of breaking the bowstring. If character fumbles, the bow breaks, unless magical. If magical, saves as wood with a number of pluses equal to the number of the plus of the bow(or artifact if high enough level) against Crushing Blow.

Poking with the end of a bow: Must be proficient in bow. . Attacks as a weapon of proficiency to hit (THAC0 of level is THAC0 of the attack) with no bonuses from Dex. If bow does not have a grounding end (most longbows do) or you are using the unspiked/uncapped end, counts as a blunt weapon that does 1d3 points of damage. Using a spiked end, counts as a piercing weapon. If character fumbles, the bow breaks, unless magical. If magical, saves as wood with a number of pluses equal to the number of the plus of the bow(or artifact if high enough level) against Crushing Blow.

Bow as club or quarterstaff: Must be proficient in bow and quarterstaff or club, or specialized or higher in bow. . Attacks as a weapon of proficiency to hit (THAC0 of level is THAC0 of the attack) with no bonuses from Dex. Does 1d4 (shortbow) or 1d6 (longbow) points of blunt damage,adding magical plusses to the damage. If character fumbles, the bow breaks, unless magical. If magical, saves as wood with a number of pluses equal to the number of the plus of the bow (or artifact if high enough level) against Crushing Blow. It is possible to get a bow which has been hardened for this use, in which case it has the same chance of breaking during a fumble as all weapons. Elven bowmaidens all wield such hardened bows. Similarly, gnomish bows are hardened for this purpose.

Multiple Arrow Shot: (Requires weapon proficiency in used weapon.) Character can take all of his attacks per round on his inititiative, by loading multiple arrows. If character is not specialized (or higher) in bow, each arrow has a minus (to both hit and damage) equal to his or her “non-proficient weapon penalty” score. If specialized, has a -1 for each arrow used (If using 2 arrows, has -2 for each arrow, if using 3, has -3 for each arrow.) For each level of proficiency above specialization, gets one “free” arrow. (For example, with three slots, if using 2 arrows, has -1 for each arrow, if using 3, has -2 for each arrow. For example, with four slots, if using 2 arrows, has -0 for each arrow, if using 3, has -1 for each arrow) Only one target can be targeted per attack, there can be no more than one attack per round (even if character normally has 2/1 or higher, this counts as all attacks for this round.) Cannot be used as a called shot. All dice are rolled simultaneously, and a fumble on one of them indicates all arrows have missed, regardless of the rolls on the other dice. Can be done with non-crossbow bows, slings.

Point-blank range for bows: (Requires specialization in used weapon.) is from six feet to 30 feet. Point-blank range for crossbows is from six feet to 60 feet. At point-blank range, the character gains a +2 modifier on attack rolls. No additional damage is caused, but Strength (for bows) and magical bonuses apply

Multiple Small Missile Shot: [Darts, Daggers, throwing knives, shuriken, thrown stones and similar] (Requires weapon proficiency in used weapon.) Character has ambidexterity: If a character can normally throw 5/2 missiles or higher, s/he can choose to either throw them as 2 attacks on his initiative (representing throwing from two hands) and any remaining shots at the end of the round or can send the attacks simultaneously within arm’s reach (for ease, a 5ft tall character can hit up to two figures 5ft away from each other.) If a character has three or more attacks, he may still hit only two targets (because he is aiming once for each hand.) If character does not have ambidexterity, he takes a -1 to all attacks with his second hand, but can choose to throw all weapons from his primary hand. Dice are rolled simultaneously. A character can use this for a called shot, but can only hit one called target.

Arrow nocked and drawn, crossbow bolt loaded and cocked, sling (simple, not staff sling) loaded and aimed: (Requires weapon proficiency in used weapon.) Character goes at the start of the round, before initiative or, if faced with competing magical chances of going first (or dealing with an opponent in the same position) his initiative roll is given a -6 (-12 if specialized or higher), plus an additional -1 for each point of missile attack adjustment. Character can hold his attack indefinitely, until hit, in which case the attack is lost. If character is holding for a specific event (until a mage starts casting, if someone reaches for a weapon, etc.) he may count that as if it is the start of initiative. (This is not reserved for specialists, and is treated similarly to a hung spell.)

Stabbing with an arrow or crossbow bolt: Must be proficient in bow/crossbow and dirk or dagger, or specialized or higher in bow/crossbow. . Attacks as a weapon of proficiency to hit (THAC0 of level is THAC0 of the attack) with no bonuses from Dex. Does 1d4 (sheaf arrow, crossbow quarrel) or 1d6 (sheaf arrow) points of piercing damage.

Halfling Skiprock: Must be a halfling (or, if a non-halfling, must be raised by halflings for most of your childhood) and proficient in throwing rocks. While some specifically give a set number of attacks, if number of attacks is not specified in the rock’s item description, the player specifies number of attacks used this round, including returning to his/her hand, and takes a negative to hit for each attack (-1 on first attack, -2 on second, -3 on third, etc.) A miss at any point ends the attacks and the halfling does not regain control of the stone. The player can specify that on one of the attacks (attack number three, for example) it returns to him/her, and s/he must make a dex check with a penalty equal to the number of attacks to catch it (in this case, 3). Used in this manner, it cannot be aimed for a called shot. If halfling uses first attack to hit and second attack to catch a returning stone, there are no penalties, and s/he may use a called shot (essentially bouncing it off of the target and catching it.)

Damage from pulling out a sheaf arrow or barbed bolt: Flight arrows are smooth, designed to slip through the air, and no additional damage is received. Crossbow bolts and sheaf arrows do damage coming out equal to the damage going in, or can be pushed through for ½ damage. There is a 5% chance that a sheaf arrow arrowhead gets stuck inside the flesh when attempting to remove it. A successful healing, anatomy or first aid proficiency check is needed to pull out an arrow without endangering the body beyond the damage.

Poisoned Arrowheads, glass sling bullets, oil flasks designed to shatter, special arrows: Each of these, depending on their construction, takes their own skills.Usually the only restriction is that using one of them prevents the use of multiple arrow attacks or reduces the number of attacks available in that round.

Ranged Sap: Requires proficiency in the weapon. If character has pummeling: A character may attempt to make a ranged sap attempt with a non-piercing thrown or missile object, subject to range, Strength, and Dexterity modifiers. Damage is determined by the object's size and hardness, as given above. There is a one-phase delay when making a ranged pummeling attack; small objects become average, have a maximum range of 15 yards, short range is 5 or less, medium is 5-10 and long is 10-15. Large objects cannot usually be thrown, if they can, they can go a maximum of 5 yards and are considered to be in medium range. Size Large and larger creatures might be able hurl some large objects, such as sacks of coins, as though they were small objects. If character lacks pummeling: As with pummeling, with a -4 to hit.

Hitting with Bar Darts: A player can use bar darts (as opposed to the weapon dart) to hit an opponent (to deliver a poison, for example) with a successful gaming non-weapon proficiency roll, with a minus equal to the distance AC of the target below 10. (thus an AC of 10 has no minus, an AC of 8 would be -2, an AC of -2 would be -12.) The range of a bar dart is 25ft. A character with the dart weapon proficiency can use bar darts, but they do 1hp of damage.

Non-Sword Melee Weapon Special Attacks

Beheading with an Axe: Axes are particularly effective at beheading. When using a single bladed axe, a beheading, which would normally be a -6 called shot, becomes a -4.

Defending: (Requires proficiency in weapon being used. ) Improves AC by 2, character cannot attack. If enemy scores a natural 20, weapon used to defend must save vs. Crushing blow or be destroyed. If character has multiple attacks, can surrender specific number of attacks against specific number of opponent’s blows, allowing himself an attack. (For example, a person with 3/1 could deflect 2 blows and attack once.)

Sap: Requires proficiency in weapon being used. If proficient in the weapon sap (also called a blackjack) there is a +2 to sap with it, as it has been designed with that purpose.With non-weapon proficiency: A character with the sap non-weapon proficiency is expert in whacking folks over the head, with the flats or hilts of blades, or with improvised weapons like sacks of gold pieces. A successful sap proficiency check means the player character does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and has ½ the penalty of a normal sap, described below. Note that sap cannot usually happen from the front in a battle, but can happen from the front, if proficient, or before before a battle begins. (The character essentially ‘bluffs’ his intention and then whacks the victim.) Note that a successful proficiency check still requires a successful to-hit roll. Folks with the anatomy proficiency can add an additional +2 to their proficiency check. Without proficiency: Normal sap, details: A sap is a type of called shot; it has a one-phase initiative penalty, and the attacker has a -4 penalty to hit. The penalty increases to -8 if the defender is wearing some kind of helmet. Only Small or Medium creatures can be sapped; Large monsters can't be knocked out like this. If the attacker scores a hit, she may knock out her opponent. There is a 5% chance per point of damage of knocking out the victim, up to a maximum of 40%. Thus, if the sapper inflicts 5 points of damage, she has a 25% chance of knocking out her opponent. Sapping damage is like unarmed combat damage; 25% is real and the rest is temporary. Naturally, if her damage roll exceeds victim's hit points, he's knocked out anyway. The knockout chance increases to 10% per point of damage (max 80%) if the victim is surprised, asleep, restrained, or magically held in some way. Sapped characters remain unconscious for 3d10 full rounds.

Piercing armor with a stiletto: (Requires weapon proficiency in used weapon) The stiletto is designed for thrusting, in particular to pierce armor such as leather or mail. Therefore, the stiletto gives the wielder a +2 bonus to attacks against plate mail, ring mail, chain mail, and all forms of leather armor. It requires a STR check to remove a stiletto pierced through chain mail or higher.

Pulling a lance, Called shots with a lance: If the character has set a lance to charge while mounted, it is generally impossible to turn the lance aside at the last moment. However, if the character is a skilled jouster (has the Jousting Non-Weapon Proficiency) s/he can pull the lance aside with a successful jousting roll. Likewise, the slow movement of a lance renders called shots impossible unless a character is either specialized in lance or holds both a lance and jousting proficiency. In addition, a jouster may hit with a lance if he is non-proficient in the lance, using a related weapon (or reduced) penalty instead of a non-proficient penalty.

Twisting a knife or dagger that is fully in the enemy:.) If a character has landed a natural 20 or special attack on the previous attack (or previous round) the character can follow through on the attack as if the enemy has no armor, with a successful dexterity and strength check (to hold onto the weapon.) damage is two times the normal damage of the weapon, or 1+1d4 times damage if the character has the appropriate anatomy proficiency.

Main-Gauche, Sai, Parrying dagger: (Requires proficiency in weapon being used.) If used to defend only, character’s AC is 2 points better from the front per weapon wielded. If both hands are defending, character improves AC by 4. Main-Gauche may be used to sap as if it is a blackjack.

Sword Special Attacks

Attacking with flat of the blade (for creatures resistant to piercing and slashing): -2 to hit, does 1d4 points damage if sword is small to medium, 1d6 if large and 1d8 if used two handed. Requires weapon proficiency in item. Specialists and higher have no penalty to hit.

Attacking with flat of the blade (to minimize damage): -4 to hit, does 1d2 points damage if sword is small to medium, 1d3 if large and 1d4 if used two handed. Requires weapon proficiency in item. Specialists and higher have -2 penalty to hit.

Attacking with the tip of the blade: (To mimimize damage, rip clothes, leave a mark on the enemy.) Requires proficiency in piercing weapon (including slashing/piercing) and takes a -4 to hit. If not intended to go through armor, ignores AC (except Dex and Magic.) This is reduced to -2 if the character is specialized or higher in the weapon. It is reduced to -2 if the character holds the fencing Non-Weapon Proficiency, it is reduced to 0 if both specialized (or higher) and a proficient fencer.

Beheading with a claighmor or kopesh: These weapons are particularly effective at beheading. When using these weapons for beheading, which would normally be a -6 called shot, becomes a -4. When mounted and riding down an opponent, a claighmor can be used with a -2 to behead and a successful riding check.

Cleave: Cutting an enemy in half. (Requires proficiency in weapon being used.) Called shot at -6, STR check at -5 to follow-through. May automatically kill. Enemy must not be larger than character.

Defending: (Requires proficiency in weapon being used. ) Improves AC by 2, character cannot attack. If enemy scores a natural 20, weapon used to defend must save vs. Crushing blow or be destroyed. If character has multiple attacks, can surrender specific number of attacks against specific number of opponent’s blows, allowing himself an attack. (For example, a person with 3/1 could deflect 2 blows and attack once.)

Pressing flat of a blade into an enemy: (Requires weapon proficiency in used weapon.) Most commonly used with holy weapons and unholy enemies, -4 to hit, STR check to hold, no damage (except that from the special effect of the blade.) Ignores AC except DEX and magic. Can be used to use a close range sword ability.

Sword Sapping: Sword Sapping is an attempt to knock out an opponent by striking with the flat of the blade or slugging him from behind with a sturdy sword-hilt. It requires a proficiency in the weapon. It doesn't work very well against characters or monsters that are expecting it; any character attempting to sap a creature that threatens her provokes an attack of opportunity for the defender. Works as non-sword sapping. +2 to attempts if weapon has a basket hilt.

Twisting or slashing with a sword that is fully in the enemy: (Requires weapon proficiency in used weapon.) If a character has landed a natural 20 or special attack on the previous attack (or previous round) the character can follow through on the attack as if the enemy has no armor, with a successful dexterity and strength check (to hold onto the weapon.) damage is two times the normal damage of the weapon, or 1+1d4 times damage if the character has the appropriate anatomy proficiency.

An autumnal read

I am a so-called hard Sci-Fic reader, and also a so-called hard Fantasy reader, which basically means I have no problem with magic and bug-eyed monsters and the like, as long as you present them in a generally believable manner. If, for example, your world has "ta da! Magic!" and you've got a city that needs a bridge, you better have a reason why they can't go "ta da! Bridge!" Bad example, but you get the point...trying not to point fingers.

I generally do not read revisionist mythology, feminist retellings of classics and the like, because often these books seem so implausible to me that I just can't get into them. My brain needs things to fall into a generally logical order or I just can't get into it. I try to solve the problem of why the book makes no sense instead of enjoying a good yarn...just like if I encountered something that seemed illogical in real life I'd try to solve that problem...it's what I do.

So a book that has the phrase "lesbian revisionist retelling" in it is generally not something I expect to work for me. I generally loathe when someone takes the great love stories of our world (for example) and suddenly both characters are women. To use an example of what I hope has never existed, if you re-did Jane Eyre and made Mr. Rochester into Ms. Rochester, you'd need to explain to me how in the name of all that's holy Ms. Rochester would be holding all the power of Mr. Rochester in 1847 England...Seriously, just "she dressed like a man and people assumed she was one" would not work...I'd spend the whole time wondering what the holy fuck. This was a time period even more repressive than the one that fucked over Oscar Wilde and "she dressed like a man and people assumed she was one" would not fucking work and would cheapen the stories of real Lesbians AND real transgendered people at that point in time...and now I'm mad about a book that I don't think exists.

Anyway...

Similarly, as a polytheist, I generally find myself strongly disliking God in a Dress henotheism, where there are many gods of many genders but only one Goddess, who acts just like the Christian god, so a book whose back matter reads: "Three thousand years ago, a god told a lie. Now, only a goddess can tell the truth." is similarly something that you could expect me to pass on. Bear in mind I minored in Classics, so most such books make me crazy, because they paint a character that's not merely nothing like the collective gnosis of their culture, but worse, do so in an unbelievable way.

I want you to ignore these completely true statements on the back matter. If you react to "lesbian revisionist retelling" like it is nails on a chalkboard and "only a goddess can tell the truth" like it's microphone feedback, forget that they exist and go get a copy of The Dark Wife.

It is a retelling of the Persephone in the Underworld myth, where Hades is a woman, and Zeus is an asshole, and the relationship between Persephone and Hades is consensual and yes, totally same-sex...and before my fellow Hellenic polytheists get offended at that, none of Zeus' behavior is outside of the body of myth, and the book manages to convey that even if Zeus is over the top as a bad guy, it might be because the stories you've heard about Zeus are biased in his favor, and this one is biased against him...since part of the story does revolve around manipulating people with the myths you get them to tell, the back of your mind does remind you that anything that seems too perfect, or too evil, might be because Persephone is telling the tale with her own need for a little propaganda.

The underworld, Zeus, and the rest are not tainted by Christianity. Often in such "lesbian revisionist retellings," the author fails to resist the temptation to poke at Christianity, and a lesser author than Sarah Diemer would've made a Zeus that looked like Christianity's deity, and an Underworld that looks like Hell. Again, Zeus' behavior is right in-line with the mythos, and the underworld, where a lot of the dead just sort of hang there, with nothing to do but remember, is a completely Hellenic view, not a Christian one.

I found the book literally so beautiful in places I broke down and had to stop reading, but still read it in one sitting. I don't generally do book reviews, but I was so moved by this book I wanted to encourage my friends and family to give it a chance.