Spitfire Quest (Worm x D&D) - Character Creation & Mechanics Discussion

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. You even checked the university library, and the few papers you could find about trigger events didn't say anything about weird dreams of being a giant man-eating flying lizard.

Whatever. You have powers. This is your ticket out of mediocrity, and the weird dreams won't get in your way. Nothing will.

Your name is Emily, and you can spit fire.

Quest Thread 1​

~ Spitfire Quest (Worm x D&D) ~​

Image source: http://www.motaen.com/wallpapers/get/id/25575/resolution/2560x1024​

Spoiler: House Rule

The rules for Emily are mostly 3.5e, except as noted here.
The rules for everyone else in the setting are mostly d20 Modern.

Emily will receive +1 to two different Ability scores every even level (2, 4, 6, etc.).

Using the 4e HP rules:
- Your base HP is your Constitution score.
- At first level, add your max HD value (+8 because yours is a d8).
- Every level above that, gain a fixed small number of HP based on your HD (+2 because yours is a d8).
- Expect human NPCs to have at least 10 hp each, more if they train harder (+Con) and have combat experience (+level). Brutes have even more, of course.

Using Pathfinder-style consolidated skills:
- Acrobatics as Pathfinder: Tumble, Balance, and Jump
- Athletics (new): Climb, Jump and Swim, plus random Athletic stuff like resolving a sprint
- Perception as Pathfinder: Spot and Listen
- Stealth as Pathfinder: Hide and Move Silently
(Yes, Jump appears twice. This is on purpose. Lung is notable as a Str-based Brute who jumps really high; expect other Brutes to also Jump well.)

Gather Info is an Intelligence base skill, not Charisma. It applies to all sorts of non-academic research: finding opinions on the internet, figuring out what the rumors are and who's behind them, and the like.

Using d20 Modern Knowledge skills even for Emily, because the alternative is dumb, and not dumb in an entertaining way.

Emily's powers are close enough to parahuman powers to interact with them. Dispel magic works against active powers, treating each use as a spell — for example, if Rune has three cars in the air, a dispel magic could knock one of them down.

The Invocation Magical Insight allows you to see active parahuman powers. Passive or unused powers are not visible. Instead of replicating the identify spell, the Invocation can be discharged to identify the powers of a parahuman by touch.

Spoiler

Code:

DC 2   - $5			DC 42  - $1200000
DC 3   - $12			DC 43  - $1500000
DC 4   - $20			DC 44  - $2000000
DC 5   - $30			DC 45  - $2750000
DC 6   - $40			DC 46  - $3500000
DC 7   - $55			DC 47  - $5000000
DC 8   - $70			DC 48  - $6500000
DC 9   - $90			DC 49  - $9000000
DC 10  - $120			DC 50  - $12000000
DC 11  - $150			DC 51  - $15000000
DC 12  - $200			DC 52  - $20000000
DC 13  - $275			DC 53  - $27500000
DC 14  - $350			DC 54  - $35000000
DC 15  - $500			DC 55  - $50000000
DC 16  - $650			DC 56  - $65000000
DC 17  - $900			DC 57  - $90000000
DC 18  - $1200			DC 58  - $120000000
DC 19  - $1500			DC 59  - $150000000
DC 20  - $2000			DC 60  - $200000000
DC 21  - $2750			DC 61  - $275000000
DC 22  - $3500			DC 62  - $350000000
DC 23  - $5000			DC 63  - $500000000
DC 24  - $6500			DC 64  - $650000000
DC 25  - $9000			DC 65  - $900000000
DC 26  - $12000			DC 66  - $1200000000
DC 27  - $15000			DC 67  - $1500000000
DC 28  - $20000			DC 68  - $2000000000
DC 29  - $27500			DC 69  - $2750000000
DC 30  - $35000			DC 70  - $3500000000
DC 31  - $50000			DC 71  - $5000000000
DC 32  - $65000			DC 72  - $6500000000
DC 33  - $90000			DC 73  - $9000000000
DC 34  - $120000		DC 74  - $12000000000
DC 35  - $150000		DC 75  - $15000000000
DC 36  - $200000		DC 76  - $20000000000
DC 37  - $275000		DC 77  - $27500000000
DC 38  - $350000		DC 78  - $35000000000
DC 39  - $500000		DC 79  - $50000000000
DC 40  - $650000		DC 80  - $65000000000
DC 41  - $900000		DC 81  - $90000000000

Starting with DC 17, you can find the converted price for any DC by subtracting 8, getting that DC's price, and multiplying by 10. You can repeat this process for extremely high DCs. -16 would be x100, -24 would be x1000, ect.

Spoiler: Character Sheet

Emily Garfunkle ("no relation")
Classes and Levels: Dragonfire Adept 1 // Rogue 1

Spoiler: XP

Total XP: 1,100

First Mission: 500 xp

Stumbling Forward: 600 xp

Str: 8
Dex: 12
Con: 16 (15, +1 L2)
Int: 14
Wis: 10
Cha: 14 (13, +1 L2)

Initiative: +5 (+1 dex, +4 Imp.Init feat)

HP: 27 (16 Con score, +8 class, +2 level, +1 dragontouched feat)

AC: 13 (10 base, +1 dex, +2 natural armor)
Touch: 11

Fort: +4 (2 class, +2 con)
Ref: +3 (2 class, +1 dex)
Will: +2 (2 class, +0 wis)
- Special: +1 to saves vs. Sleep or Paralysis effects (Dragontouched feat)

BAB (medium): +0
Melee: -1 (0 BAB, -1 str)
Ranged: +1 (0 BAB, +1 dex)

Attacks:
- Fist -1 (nonlethal; 1d3 -1; 20/x2; +1d6 sneak attack)
- Fist -5 (lethal; 1d3 -1; 20/x2; +1d6 sneak attack)
- Makeshift sap -2 (nonlethal; 1d4 -1; 20/x2; +1d6 sneak attack)

Breath Weapon (Su) at-will
DC 14 (10 +1 level/2 +3 con)
15 ft. cone, or 30 ft. line
- Fire: 1d6 fire (Reflex half)
- Lightning: 1d6 lightning (Reflex half); line only
- Entangling: deal half damage and Entangle for 1d4 turns. If your breath weapon deals damage, the victim suffers 1d6 damage each turn it spends Entangled.

Languages:
- English (native)
- Spanish (int bonus)
- Mandarin (int bonus)

Gear:
- Backpack
- Winslow janitor's keys (duplicate)
- Lock pick set
- Small hand-held mirror
- $30
- 2 gp

Contacts:
- Johnny Green, locksmith and fence near Archer's Bridge.

Skills: 11/level (8 base, +1 human, + 2 int); x4 at 1st level

Spoiler: Skills

+6 Acrobatics (5 ranks, +1 dex)
+1 Athletics (-1 str, +2 synergy)
+2 Appraise (+2 int)
+8 / +14 Bluff (5 ranks, +3 cha)
+2 Computer Use (cc; +2 int)
+3 Concentration (+3 con)
+2 Craft (+2 int)
+2 Decipher Script (+2 int)
- Demolitions (cc; int; trained only)
+11 / +17 Diplomacy (4 ranks, +3 cha, +4 synergy)
+6 Disable Device (4 ranks, +2 int)
+9 Disguise (4 ranks, +3 cha, +2 synergy)
+1 Drive (cc; +1 dex)
+1 Escape Artist (+1 dex)
+2 Forgery (+2 int)
+0 Gamble (cc; +0 wis)
+8 Gather Information (4 ranks, +2 int, +2 synergy)
+3 Handle Animal (cc; +3 cha)
+6 / +12 Intimidate (1 rank, +3 cha, +2 synergy)
- Knowledge: Art
- Knowledge: Behavioral Science
- Knowledge: Business
- Knowledge: Civics
- Knowledge: Current Events
- Knowledge: Parahumans
- Knowledge: Physical Sciences
- Knowledge: Pop Culture
+7 Knowledge: Streetwise (5 ranks, +2 int)
- Knowledge: Tactics
- Knowledge: Technology
- Knowledge: Theology & Philosophy
+6 Open Lock (5 ranks, +1 dex)
+5 Perception (4 ranks, +0 wis, +1 feat)
+3 Perform (+3 cha)
- Pilot (cc; dex; trained only)
+0 Profession (+0 wis)
- Repair (cc; int; trained only)
+3 Search (+2 int, +1 feat)
+5 Sense Motive (5 ranks, +0 wis)
+7 Sleight of Hand (4 ranks, +1 dex, +2 synergy)
Speak Language
+6 Stealth (5 ranks, +1 dex)
+0 Survival (cc; +0 wis)
+0 Treat Injury (cc; +0 wis)
+1 Use Rope (+1 dex)

Proficiencies:
- Rogues are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. Rogues are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
- Dragonfire Adept Invocations are subject to arcane spell failure from wearing armor or a shield.

Human: (+1 Skillpoint/level, +1 feat)
Level 1:
- Sneak Attack +1d6
- Breath Weapon 1d6 (fire)
- Trapfinding
- Skill points (11 skills, 4 points each): Acrobatics, Bluff, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Gather Info, Know:Local, Perception, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
- Invocation (least): Beguiling Influence - gain +6 to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate checks for 24 hours.
- Feat: Entangling Exhalation
- Human feat: Improved Initiative
- Dragonfire bonus feat: Dragontouched (+1 HP; +1 to Perception and Search checks; +1 to saves vs. Paralysis or Sleep)

Level 2:
- Breath Effect: Lightning breath
- Ability boost: +1 Con, +1 Cha
- Skill points (11 points): +5 Open Locks, +1 each: Acrobatics, Bluff, Kn:Streetwise, Sense Motive, Stealth, Intimidate

Spoiler: Non-SRD Feat Choices

ENTANGLING EXHALATION [Breath] (from Races of the Dragon)
Prerequisites: Dragonblood subtype, breath weapon

Benefit: When you use your breath weapon, you can choose to enmesh all creatures in its area instead of producing its normal effect. Your breath weapon deals only half its normal damage; however, any creature that takes damage from your breath weapon becomes entangled and takes an extra 1d6 points of damage, of the same energy type as normally dealt by your breath weapon, each round at the start of your turn. This effect lasts for 1d4 rounds.

Notes:

- I'm going to need help running this. Good, in-character write-ins will be very welcome.

- The start of this Quest is right before Emily meets the Undersiders & Faultline.

- Emily is level 1/1. She's going to advance in both classes over time, but right now she has no overt abilities other than her canon power.

- She does not have control over her character build choices: we do. She will just have to deal with the consequences of our choices as best she can.

- The source of her powers is not a Shard.

- For the most part, her abilities are being played straight (not adapted). For example, she is proficient with spears and crossbows, but not guns. Ranks in Drive must be bought cross-class.

- An exception to the above is Knowledge skills. We'll use the Knowledge skills from d20 Modern: http://systemreferencedocuments.org...paper/modern/smack/skillsorder.html#knowledge (replacing Arcana with Parahumans)

- The dragon who occasionally talks to her in her dreams claims to be both magical and from the future. This makes no sense and she thinks he's probably lying, but she doesn't know why.

- This is not a Gamer crossover: loot must be carried manually, she does not get a pop-up with ability score buffs, etc.

- There are no magic items. There is no Use Magic Item skill, nor is there a Spellcraft skill. Anything which requires ranks in Spellcraft, just ignore that requirement.

 

BAB is +0 at the moment. No Finesse for you.

Unusual choice. Why do you like that one?

Er, I probably ought to lay out the other options...

Aquatic Adaptation - Gain a Swim speed and you can breathe & use your breath weapon under water.
Beguiling Influence - +6 on Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate checks all day.
Breath of the Night - as the spell Fog Cloud
Darkness - as the spell
Deafening Roar - everyone in 30 ft. cone deafened for 1 hour (Fort negates)
Draconic Knowledge - +6 to all Knowledge skills, and treat all Knowledge skills as trained.
Endure Exposure - you and any number of allies (by touch, one at a time) are immune to discomfort from hot or cold weather, and also they don't take damage from your breath weapon.
See the Unseen - gain Darkvision and See Invisibility.

Note that we can trade out this choice at 3rd level, so it's okay to try something weird.

 

Very nice! This seems pretty viable and solid. The vote choices below reflect that your build is currently the default.

Oops. Yeah, it's mostly 3.5e, except where it's not.

Yeah, good stuff. Those top two are in the box of feat ideas.
Meta-Breath stuff might be great, eventually.

Kinda feel 'meh' about this one. Our main attack is an at-will area effect which has no to-hit roll, so the attack bonus is not particularly useful. (Also: the link was broken, I fixed it in my quote.)

On the one hand, it's a theological artifact from a different cosmology.
On the other hand, it's got "dragon" in the name.
I'm torn, but leaning towards no.
Perhaps instead: http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/featbox.pl?feat=Magical_Training

Draconic Vigor only heals the caster, but it's still pretty good in a world without Clerics.

Yep. Draconic Knowledge applies to all Knowledge skills, including the d20 Modern ones, and including all our school work.
Endure Exposure will be good when we have a team. (We do not yet have a team.)

Nope.

---

Next Vote
VOTING CLOSED

It looks like we're 100% Winslow wallflower (5 votes), and probably orphanage-no-friends (4 votes) rather than orphanage-with-friends (3 votes), though that's only one vote different and therefore might change before tonight. I'll close that one out in three hours or so (24 hours from vote start).

Regarding the build, we've got a strong contender, so let's nail down the details. This vote will close in 27 hours or so.

Pick one, two or three: (basic character goals)
[_] Stealth is important. Dexterity, and skills like Hide, Move Silently, Spot, and Listen.
[_] Perception is important. Wisdom, and skills like Spot, Listen, Search, Gather Information, and Sense Motive.
[_] Social stuff is important. Charisma, and skills like Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive.
[_] Physical grace is important. Dexterity, and skills like Tumble, Jump, Balance, and Escape Artist.
[_] Knowledge is power. Intelligence, and skills like Gather Information, Knowledge (Local), and Sense Motive.
[_] Larceny is my thing. Dexterity, and skills like Sleight of Hand, Open Locks, and Disable Device.
[_] I am the mask. Charisma, and skills like Bluff, Perform (Acting), Disguise, and Forgery.
[_] This one time, at nature camp? Wisdom, and skills like Knowledge (Nature), Handle Animal, Survival, and Swim.
[_] Powers are totes for homework. Intelligence, and skills like Diplomacy, Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Geography), Perform (Oratory), Listen, and Concentration.

Pick one]: (feats and invocation)
[_] My secondary powers are covert; they can help me navigate day-to-day life.
[_] My secondary powers are covert; they help me perform acts of larceny.
[_] My secondary powers are overt (write-in how they help).

... or offer up a full build alternative, or specific tweak advice.

 

First Vote Closed
[X] 5 A wilting wallflower at Winslow (age 15). "Oh-em-gee, did you hear what Emma did?": (WyldCard4, The Shadowmind, 1986ctcel, Tetsurō, Trilonias)
- Do we have any friends at Winslow? Do we have a favorite teacher?

[X] 5 An orphanage, and you think of the other kids as your little brothers & sisters. The caretakers and workers are really nice, too.: (The Shadowmind, 1986ctcel, Xilph, Tetsurō, Jack of Olives)
- Name of orphanage?
- Who runs the place?
- Name some kids: when did they come here, what's their trauma?
- Is there a boy our age who grew up with you and has recently started to regard you as perhaps more than a sister, but he's unable to be honest with himself, so you get teasing and spitballs and such?

 

Level 2 Voting
CLOSED​

Level 2 is coming HERE!

When we get to level 2, we'll have three choices to make.

Choose ONE of these:
[_] L2: Breath Effect: Frost Breath (deal breath damage as Cold; cone only).
[_] L2: Breath Effect: Lightning Breath (deal breath damage as Electricity; line only).
[_] L2: Breath Effect: Sickening Breath (no damage; targets are Sickened for 2 turns, Fort reduces to 1 turn; cone only).

... and choose TWO of the following:
[_] L2: Ability: +1 Str
[_] L2: Ability: +1 Dex
[_] L2: Ability: +1 Con
[_] L2: Ability: +1 Int
[_] L2: Ability: +1 Wis
[_] L2: Ability: +1 Cha

... and choose ONE of the following:
[_] L2: Skills: +1 to all current skills (Acrobatics, Bluff, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Gather Info, Kn:Streetwise, Perception, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth)
[_] L2: Skills: Max out synergy (Acrobatics, Bluff, Sense Motive, Kn:Streetwise), buy 5 ranks of Open Locks. Last two points where?
[_] L2: Skills: Max out synergy (Acrobatics, Bluff, Sense Motive, Kn:Streetwise), buy 5 ranks of Intimidate. Last two points where?
[_] L2: Skills: Max out synergy (Acrobatics, Bluff, Sense Motive, Kn:Streetwise), buy 5 ranks of Forgery. Last two points where?
[_] L2: Skills: Max out synergy (Acrobatics, Bluff, Sense Motive, Kn:Streetwise), buy 5 ranks of Athletics. Last two points where?
[_] L2: Skills: Special Snowflake (write in what to do with our 11 skill points).

 

Level 3 Voting​

Vote for ONE of these:
[_] L3 Feat: Draconic Aura (Vigor) (fast healing 1 for you and all allies within 30 ft., but only while under 50% max hp).
[_] L3 Feat: Other (write in).

Vote for ONE of these:
[_] L3 Invocation Swap: keep Beguiling Influence (+6 to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate).
[_] L3 Invocation Swap: drop Beguiling Influence, replace with Draconic Knowledge (+6 to all Knowledge skills).
[_] L3 Invocation Swap: drop Beguiling Influence, replace with Endure Exposure (make allies immune to your breath weapon; also Endure Elements for 24 hours).
[_] L3 Invocation Swap: drop Beguiling Influence, replace with Magic Insight (detect parahumans; identify powers with standard action at touch range).
[_] L3 Invocation Swap: drop Beguiling Influence, replace with something else (write in).

Vote for ONE of these:
[_] L3 New Invocation: Draconic Knowledge (+6 to all Knowledge skills).
[_] L3 New Invocation: Endure Exposure (make allies immune to your breath weapon; also Endure Elements for 24 hours).
[_] L3 New Invocation: Magic Insight (detect parahumans; identify powers with standard action at touch range).
[_] L3 New Invocation: something else (write in).

Vote for ONE or TWO of these:
[_] L3 Skills: Socialize (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive)
[_] L3 Skills: Larceny (Search, Disable Device, Open Locks, Sleight of Hand)
[_] L3 Skills: Impersonation (Forgery, Disguise)
[_] L3 Skills: Movement (Acrobatics, Stealth)
[_] L3 Skills: something else (write in)