we've been discussing on the MML the diffusion of darts in Mystara last week, and I mentioned the Biaoshi class from Dragon Magazine, which is appropriate to Ochalea (and which I've used as the basis for some organizations in my recent mini-gaz). It is an AD&D 1e/Oriental Adventures class, but its powers are remarkably similar to those of an OD&D Fighter/Merchant (the secondary class from the Darokin GAZ).
So, here is a Biaoshi variant of the Merchant secondary class.
Since the dart and the dao (chinese sabre/broadsword) are among the
most likely weapons for the Biaoshi, I'm also including Weapon Mastery
charts for these weapons.
GP
P.S.: I'm not that good at devising rules, so feedback would be welcome.
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Biaoshi Character Class
The Biaoshi (see the Ochalean mini-gaz for background info) is similar
to the Darokin Merchant. Biaoshi, however, require more adventuring
skills and less management abilities (they're escorts, not merchants),
so they must also belong to the Fighter or Thief class (the class
could be open to demihumans, but the Ochaleans don't trust the latter
at all; independent priests could become Biaoshi, but these would be
very rare), and their Biaoshi level cannot raise higher than twice
their primary class level.
In order to join a Biaoshi guild, a retainer must show promise, which
means he must have some preexisting fighting ability (i.e., being of
level 1 and having the required weapon mastery), and some of the basic
skills needed by the Biaoshi organization -- most Biaoshi start their
career as hired guards. The Biaoshi cannot be Chaotic (even a non-evil
Chaotic is not dependable enough to be allowed to join a Biaoshi
organization).
The Biaoshi also needs many other skills (that's why Biaoshi work in
groups rather than relying on hirelings), which are highly
recommended.
Intelligence is a key ability for a Biaoshi, due to the focus on
skills, though these characters need to be well rounded, since
Charisma and Wisdom are also necessary to deal with customers and
bandits, and physical abilities are often called upon to survive in
the wilderness.
Other than for the modified Merchant Abilities (see spell list below)
and for the abovementioned changes, the Biaoshi progresses exactly as
a Merchant (this includes using MXP rather than XP; Biaoshi get MXP
based on their caravan escort dues, even if these are shared
with/mostly go to their parent organization).
Weapon Masteries:
Required: Martial Arts (any) or Dart (see below the WP chart), at
Basic level.
Recommended: sabre/dao (see below the WP chart), hand axe, bow.
Skills:
Required: any three of Ride (Horse), Mountaineering, Navigation,
Language (usually Ogrish, Thyatian or Pardasta).
Recommended Tracking, Swimming, Boating, Ride (Horse), Read/Write,
Snares, Danger Sense, Stealth, Leadership, Mapping/Cartography,
Signalling, Alertness.
Biaoshi Abilities
(modified spells w.r.t. Darokin Merchant class are starred; where
there is no other comment, the power works as the spell of the same
name)
First Level Spells
1. Calm Animal
2. Clear Sight
3. Detect Disguise* (counters the use of the Disguise skill)
4. Detect Evil
5. Evaluate
6. Ignore Road
7. Orientation
8. Predict Weather
9. Resist Climate
10. Trust
Second Level Spells
1. Check Load
2. Crowd Control* (allows to keep Charisma+level people from
dispersing when routed, as well as to affect them as with a successful
Leadership roll)
3. Detect Ambush
4. Detect Magic
5. Hold Animal
6. Quicken Pace
7. Detect Poison*
8. Silver Tongue
Third Level Spells
1. Charm Animal
2. Detect Lie
3. Find Traps
4. Read Languages*
5. Detect Illusion* (detects all illusions cast by a wizard of lower
level than the Biaoshi)
6. Pass Without Trace*
Fourth Level Spells
1. Detect Forgery* (detects whether a document is forged)
2. Charm Person
3. Check Caravan
4. Neutralize Poison*
5. Resist Magic
Biaoshi from Dragon Magazine? What issue?
IIRC, 164. The original article is: "The piao shih for Oriental AD&D(R) campaigns", by Joseph R. Ravitts.
Note that "Piao Shih" is the Wade-Giles romanization, while Biaoshi is the Pinyin version of the same Chinese characters.
I think it would have worked better if you had made it into a regular or variant class.
I think the biggest problem is that it will be hard to get XPs in the class unless the DM really makes an effort to include caravan guarding scenarios.
I like the wpn mastery writeups for the saber/dao and darts though. A web enhancement for the Ochaela gaz?
BTW: I am still planning on getting back to you on the gaz, have patience with me though
Havard
I think it would have worked better if you had made it into a regular or variant class.
IMO, that way it would be too near to the standard classes. Moreover, the abilities are really too similar to those of a Darokin Merchant (except that the Biaoshi needs more combat skill).
I think the biggest problem is that it will be hard to get XPs in the class unless the DM really makes an effort to include caravan guarding scenarios.
You're right, but the MXP are all extra (i.e., the PC can still go on in his standard class). Also, the Biaoshi is a caravan guard specialist, so it makes sense that he takes part mostly in that kind of scenarios (which can include also courier or bodyguard missions, as long as some voyage is allowed).
It's also a way to have PCs accept more caravan guard missions that they would otherwise ;)
Anyway, a possible fix for this could be to allow the Biaoshi character to split all XP obtained while in service of his firm (not only caravan escort, but also guarding a warehouse or headquarters, or feuding with other escort firms).
I like the wpn mastery writeups for the saber/dao and darts though. A web enhancement for the Ochaela gaz?
Thanks
Well, a web enhancement of a web gazetteer...
BTW: I am still planning on getting back to you on the gaz, have patience with me though
Sure
GP
I like the wpn mastery writeups for the saber/dao and darts though.
BTW, I hadn't noticed this when I was writing the Biaoshi, but Marco Dalmonte (DM) did an incredibly detailed work on Weapon Masteries (although using slightly variant rules):
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/9940/armi.zip
It's in Italian, but since it's mostly tables, it shouldn't be difficult to understand -- I can't say the same for the rest of his rules expansions/compendia, though.
As for the saber and dart, his writeups are somewhat different from mine: my version of the dart does larger base damage at higher levels, but DM adds double damage (like daggers). Also, DM's version has P=A but no defense bonuses.
His version of the saber does slightly larger damage, but doesn't allow disarming attacks.
GP