Building Children of Immortals
by David KnottSince I prefer character creation systems in which the effects of chance are not permitted to unbalance the resulting character, I hereby offer a system for creating children of Immortals for a Mystara campaign. It is based on a combination of "Wrath of the Immortals", the 2E rules, and various tidbits that have been "leaked" about the 3E rules.
Base level: Clearly children of Immortals should not be used in a campaign where the existing characters are 1st level mortals. However, if you have an ongoing campaign where most player characters are well past 1st level, base level can be set to one level below level of least experienced player character in campaign. Similarly, if you are starting a brand new campaign in which you plan to use "heroic" characters, you may set "base level" as desired. Either way, if a player creating a new character for such a campaign desires to introduce the child of an Immortal as a player character, reduce effective "base level" by number of points allocated for Immortal parent.
Class selection: Immortal heritage frees a character from any class restrictions based on race or cultural background. Thus, the offspring of an Immortal by a Rockhome dwarf would not have "Fighter" as a default or preferred class, would face no obstacles to learning arcane magic or becoming a mage, and would have a "preferred multi-class" of "Any".
Ability scores: Ability scores are generated according to point system that has already been revealed on Eric Noah's site. For children of Immortals, increase default score by +3 and maximum score by +6 before applying any other adjustments based on allocations from Immortal heritage.
Points allocated: Divide level of Immortal parent by three and round up, giving a result in the range 1-12. If BOTH parents are Immortals, use level of more powerful parent for this purpose. Children of Immortals may allocate their points from Immortal heritage as follows:
Ability score improvements: Each point allocated to an ability score improves it by +1d6. Under a point allocation scheme that increases base score by +3 and maximum score by +6. Conversely, each negative point allocated to an ability score removes 1d6 from the roll, with a corresponding penalty to base and maximum scores. Since adjustments for all ability scores default to +1d6, the full range of adjustments is from -2d6/2d6 (-2 points) to +2d6/6d6 (+2 points).
Level: Each point allocated for level improves character level by +1 above base level. If adjusted "base level" is less than level 5, then the player must expend enough points to ensure that character level is raised to 5+. Conversely, if adjusted "base level" is greater than level 10, then the player is free to reduce "base level" further by converting all levels above level 10 to Immortal heritage points.
Special powers: The child of an Immortal may select any one non-attack spell as a permanent special ability. The cost of this ability is +1 per level of spell.
Longevity: At a cost of +n points, maximum age as well as ages at which physical deterioration occurs may be multiplied by n+1. Base age is not affected, but dice added to base age are multiplied by that n+1 factor. Maximum longevity is x5 at a cost of +4 points.
Virtual immortality: At a cost of +6 points, the child of an Immortal can achieve "virtual immortality". Such a character is considered to be of Exalted status (as per WotI rules), begins play at the base age for his or her race, multiplies "middle age" by 2, "old age" by 3, and "venerable age" by 4. A "virtually immortal" character cannot die of old age (maximum life span is indefinite) and automatically succeeds at any system shock roll required for magical aging.
Odd appearance: Children of Immortals are likely to have very odd physical characteristics. Regardless of the nature of these oddities, they are rated according to their effects on reaction rolls, which may range from -2 to +1, with points spent or gained on an inverse basis.
Magic resistance: Each 5% of magic resistance costs +1 point, to a maximum of +5.
Tough skin: Each +1 bonus to AC (to a maximum of +2) costs +1 point, to a maximum of +2 (base AC 8).
Immortal Foe: Children of Immortals sometimes inherit their Immortal parent's foes. The maximum number of foes equals number of Immortal parents, and each such foe costs -2 Immortal heritage points (which are thus freed up for expenditure for various goodies). Each foe will do his or her best to make life difficult for the character and will subtly intervene approximately once every other adventure to manipulate the situation to the character's disadvantage.
For those of you who have copies of WotI and/or have definite ideas about the abilities of demigods: Have I left out anything of importance?