Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 4 May 2004 to 5 May 2004 (#2004-95) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 06/05/2004, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 3 messages totalling 108 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Alebane: 3E Conversion 2. Races (2) ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 5 May 2004 05:05:41 -0700 From: Andrew Theisen Subject: Alebane: 3E Conversion I just posted this on the MMB a little while ago, but thought I'd share with all my MML'ers as well. Been working a lot more recently on Mystara projects old and new (mostly old, got to finally finish them). While doing some conversions, I noted that Alebane is originally (GAZ10) presented as using a trident, but in later products (PWAs and later) is given a really big warhammer. Curious, but I thought it might be pretty cool to combine the two, a la the Weapon Style feats from Complete Warrior. Thus I came up with this: Devil's Hammer [Style] You have mastered the style of fighting with hammer and trident at the same time. You know how to trap an opponent's weapons with your trident, following up with shattering blows from your hammer. Prerequisites: Str 12, Dex 15, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (warhammer), Weapon Focus (trident). Benefit: If you hit the same creature with both your warhammer and trident in the same round, you may make an immediate sunder attempt against their weapon or shield as a free action. That was it- I was going to have Alebane be the progenitor of a unique fighting style, and distinguish him as a truly singular warrior on Mystara! That is, until I realized he didn't meet the Dex 15 requirement for Two-Weapon Fighting. Gargh! At that point, I was more than halfway through with Alebane anyway, so here he is. Not quite as cool as the Devil's Hammer feat version, but kind of cool anyway. Alebane: Male ogre fighter 4; CR 7; large giant; HD 4d8+12 plus 4d10+12; hp 84; Init +0; Spd. 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 20; Base Attack +7; Grp +14; Atk +14 melee (2d6+7/19-20/x3, +3 warhammer) or +10 melee (1d8+4, spiked heavy steel shield); Full Atk +14/+9 melee (2d6+7/19-20/x3, +3 warhammer) or +10/+5 melee (2d6+7/19-20/x3, +3 warhammer) and +2 melee (1d8+2, spiked heavy steel shield); SA None; SQ darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; AL LE; SV Fort +11, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 15.* Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Intimidate +6, Listen +8, Perform (weapon drill) +6, Spot +8; Cleave, Improved Critical (warhammer), Improved Shield Bash, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (warhammer). Possessions: +3 warhammer, banded mail, spiked heavy steel shield. *Alebane's statistics are age adjusted and based on his age/stats for 1000 AC (Gaz10), when he is a 26 year old adult ogre. His Charisma score doesn't match up, because with the ogre -4 penalty he couldn't possibly have had the 16 Charisma he was given in the Gaz, even with a +1 level bonus to his Charisma (which I added in here). So I went bit the bullet and just modified it accordingly. Also note that I went with his original Gaz10 statistics in preference to those given for him in the PWA 1012 and Joshuan's Almanac. Anyway, let me know what you all think. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 May 2004 17:50:35 +0200 From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Havard=20Faanes?= Subject: Races Hello, I am preparing a small document for my players with basic 3e conversions for a Mystara campaign set in the Known World. My question is: Which races should be included? I will only include a limited number of races and subraces, but would like to include a few more beyond the standard 3e races to add some setting specific flavor. Ideas? Havard ===== *** Håvard R. Faanes www.stud.ntnu.no/~havardfa ______________________________________________________ Få den nye Yahoo! Messenger på http://no.messenger.yahoo.com/ Nye ikoner og bakgrunner, webkamera med superkvalitet og dobbelt så morsom ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 May 2004 18:54:55 -0700 From: Andrew Theisen Subject: Re: Races Havard Faanes wrote:I am preparing a small document for my players with basic 3e conversions for a Mystara campaign set in the Known World. My question is: Which races should be included? I will only include a limited number of races and subraces, but would like to include a few more beyond the standard 3e races to add some setting specific flavor. I'd go with the standards, of course- human, elf, dwarf, gnome, halfling. IMO, I'd allow half-orcs in limited regions (Darokin mentions them, so I'd allow them there, primarily in the Borderlands, though; also I'd probably allow them in Thyatis and Glantri. An interesting option would be to allow them in the Atruaghin Clans, given that nation's history with the orcs). I'd also allow half-elves, but I'm probably alone there. Alfheim and Darokin both mention them- saying there are no "true" half-elves, but I think that was more due to a limitation of the rules to support them. Given that, I'd put half-elves in Darokin (primarily the regions around Alfheim), Alfheim, Glantri (especially among the Belcadiz clan), Thyatis, and Vestland (the Namahed clan of Tromso is said to have elven blood in it). Now, personally, I'm not a big fan of all the subraces that AD&D (and by extension, 3E) created for demihumans. Especially when humans don't have any. That said, there are some subraces that I would create. Shadowelves, obviously, are slightly different from standard Alfheim elves. I'd also have the water elves (the Meditor) probably as a subrace of elf. I could see an argument for having the "wood elves"- the Vyalia and Verdier groups- as a subrace as well, but I'm not entirely convinced. Dwarves- the only subraces I can see so far here are the denwarf dwarves (standard Rockhome/PHB dwarf), and the modrigswerg (slightly different subrace, though I don't think I'd use any of the MM subraces for it- though the duergar *might* work). IMC, I've also got the filwarf, but they aren't really a subrace so much as a subculture of denwarf. Halflings don't really have subraces in Mystara that I can tell, and gnomes have earth and skygnomes (which are different enough to warrant subraces). As for humans, IMO they have a couple of subraces. In the Known World alone there are the Albarendi humans- the albinos from Utter Island in Ierendi. That's about the only place they are located, though, and they don't have very significant differences from normal humans. You may or may not want to use them. (For the record, another subrace of human would be the karimari of the Serpent Peninsula). IMC, the humans of New Averoigne (the transplants from Old Averoigne) are also a subrace- at least a large number of them. They are products of a breeding project initiated by Tsathoggua millenia ago to extend his influence over the mortals of the world. The d'Ambrevilles are all of this subrace, as are many of their noble allies. (This is partially to explain their long lifespans, as well as to try and get the family away from the "eccentric but basically harmless" Gaz3 depiction, and back to their "eccentric and nefarious" depiction from X2: Castle Amber. Just a personal taste issue, mainly.) That takes care of the regulars. Now you want to add some Mystara flavor races, eh? Aside from the humanoid races (bugbear, goblin, etc.) which can be used pretty much anywhere, I'd have to say the lupin and rakasta are the most "recognized" as Mystaran. In the Known World region, I think the lupins are probably more widespread than rakasta, though (given their history as descendants of gnolls and hutaaka). I'd allow them in Glantri, certainly. Probably also in regions of Darokin, the Northlands (Soderfjord comes to mind), and maybe Karameikos and the Shires (ie, areas known to have been subject to Beastmen invasions). The GPD (Glantrian Personnel Division) has some rakasta in Glantri, and I might also say there are some in Darokin (via Sind) and the Northlands or Thyatis (slaves and freed cats from Davania). You could always have planetouched races- Fire Genasi might be seen in Ylaruam, Glantri, and on Honor Island. Water Genasi could be in Ierendi and Minrothad, and add Air Genasi to Minrothad as well. Earth Genasi could be in Rockhome. Can't think of any Mystaran "equivalents" to those latter three Genasi offhand, but a more "Mystaran" fire-touched alternative would be to do a writeup of the Sollux and use them. Maybe the Stalwart (from the original Creature Catalog) might be a Mystaran equivalent to an Earth Genasi? I could see slightly modified versions of the tiefling and aasimar as possible "spirit touched" races of Mystara- suitable for Ethengarian campaigns (aasimar being born of "good" spirits and tieflings being born of "evil" ones.) Then there are the fey races. I'd think Sidhe would be a suitable race option. 3E got rid of the sprite, but you could always work up an equivalent (maybe a subrace of pixie?). These races would, of course, be most suitable in woodland regions- parts of Darokin, Alfheim, the Shires, Karameikos. Anyway, you said you wanted limited options, yes? Whoops. Went overboard then. Hope this helps out anyway. :) ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 4 May 2004 to 5 May 2004 (#2004-95) *************************************************************