Friday, June 30, 2017

Character Generation Library - 13th Age - Massium Cardinal

Time to get back to this. The list of games I have is growing and not making time for these is slowing me down.

When in doubt, alphabetical is the way to go. That means 13th Age, which I have only heard of rather than actually played. Mainly because it felt too close to D&D for my tastes, but if you're going to make games you need to grab things that people find interesting because there's a reason for that and
if you can figure out that reason you can only become a better designer.

I've decided to try something new. I've got the game information below, and an affiliate link so if you're interested in the game and want to pick it up clicking on that link will send a small amount of monies my way which I will probably use to buy more PDFs which will allow me to put some more effort into this.

Game: 13th Age
Pages: 325
Genre: Fantasy
My Familiarity: None
Designers: Rob Heinsoo & Jonathan Tweet
Publisher: Pelgrane Press
Affiliate Link to core book


I will admit I was skeptical at the beginning, but the icons dragged me in right away. The Archmage and the Crusader made me immediately think of characters and then I got to the others and I get right away why people like this as a game. The descriptions are okay, but it's the True Danger that really also makes me excited.

Now, onto the character creation Checklist.

1. Choose Race

Old terrible fantasy standby. This isn't an indictment on the game, just fantasy games in general. And the game has Drow. *sigh*

Since I have to pick one, let's go Wood Elf because I think travelling is a thing and from the Icons I don't think a lot of high elves travel as much in my mind.

That means I get either a +2 to DEX and +2 to WIS. I think I'll go with +2 WIS.

I apparently get Elven Grace which means I get all the extra actions which ... sure. I'll take it. I mean it's really not something you're going to get more than maybe 1 or 2 of but still ... I'll take it.

2. Choose Class

It's very much a D20 game, but with that in mind let's go Bard. Because why not? I'll do the class stuff afterwards.

3. Generate Scores

I don't have dice on me, or a way to show it so I'll just do point buy. I get 28 points to buy my abilities.

STR  12 (4)
DEX 15 (8) 17 (because of class bonus)
CON 10 (2)
INT   10 (2)
WIS  12 (4) 14 (because of +2 bonus)
CHA 15 (8)

4. Combat Stats

As a bard I can chose to have Dex be what I use to attack with.
Melee is +4 to attack, +3 damage on hit and +1 on miss
Ranged is +4 to attack, +3 damage on it and 0 on miss.

AC is 14
PD is 12
MD is 14

There is that "general level of AC" thing, which is nice and then the middle of the three stats which ... is interesting but okay.

5. Your One Unique Thing

I like this. It's a nice little mechanical thing that allows me to create cool features about my character without actually making it a mechanical thing.

I am the true voice of the Crusader, my voice rings out with their victory.

6. Class stuff

+2 to DEX or CHA and I think right now with the way I'm going it's DEX because I have a feel they're going to be in the fray a lot.

The bard songs tend to be a lot cooler here, so that's something.
At 1st level I start with non magical musical instruments, a melee weapon, a ranged weapon, some form of light armor and other minor elements my background suggests. I'm going to be cautious and get the 25 gp because again lazy and dice are out of reach

Level one I have (7+Con Mod)x3 HP. That's 21.
1. Adventurer Feat
2. Battle cries or 2 level 1 spells (going with battle cries)
3. Three Talents

My Adventurer's Feat is Pull It Together which gives people 1d4 healing as well as the benefit of the battle cry.

My talents are Battle Skald, Storyteller, Balladeer which means I get an extra battle cry, and I get some other songs and stuff. I will admit to being a bit confused, not because the book isn't good but more because I haven't done this kind of thing in a while.

My Battle Cries are Move it! Pull It Together! and Stay Strong! My song is Chant of the High Druid.

7. Other stuff

So they have relationships with Icons and Backgrounds, which I think are way more fun than the other stuff.

So Relationships are Positive 2 with the Crusader, and Negative 1 with the Diabolist because I want to hunt demons!

Why? Because of my backgrounds. Gave the character a name of Massium Cardinal and he was an Orphan (orphan 1) and lived on the streets of a major city until he joined the Church of the Crusader (I'm sure it's something like that, I'm too lazy to look it up and so Priest of the Crusader - 2). There he spent most of his young life learning what was right and true with the world, and that he was part of the battle to defeat evil. There he rose to the ranks of Choir Master, and was teaching Choirs all around when he felt called to take the battle to the Demonic Ranks of the Diabolist and is now crusading forth.

See, that shit's the fun part. Math is gonna math.

Anyway, the character sheet is at the bottom. I'm quite sure I've fucked this up but practice, practice, practice.







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