Pathfinder in the Mists

[Jester of the FoS]

The alchemist is mucking around with the powers of life and death, and particularly his soul. That is cause for a Powers check, just as it is for necromancers and their spells.

Except the necromancer is just one build of the wizard, one possible options, and even them not every necromancy spell is automatically eeeevil and worthy of a powers check. We don't need a darklord of gentle repose.
In contrast, mutagen is a class feature almost every alchemist gets. Eleven of the thirteen archetypes get it. It's pretty key to the class.

Sneak attack is kinda a dick move as well. Few things more evil than stabbing someone in the back. Yet that's not worthy of an automatic Powers check.

However, just as it is for necromancers and their spells (over even more so), an alchemist doesn't *have* to use their mutagens. I know this for a fact, because I have a Golarion-based level 5 alchemist and he's only ever used his mutagen twice so far. The rest of the time, he throws bombs and uses extracts. I know the class is viable without that ability.

And a ranger doesn't have to use their favoured enemy. A fighter could specialize in weapons they don't own. They can but they're not getting anything out of it, and it does not make penalizing a class feature okay.

Mutagen is a pretty handy power. +2 to AC and +4 to Dex for the cost of -2 Wisdom. That's good considering throwing bombs uses Dex increasing your chances to hit by 10%. It's a free cat's grace or bear's endurance.
(Would those spells provoke a Powers check as well?)

However, if you want to use the ability, you face the risk of Powers checks. If you use chill touch instead of burning hands, you face the same risk. But something else people need to understand is that a 1 or 2% chance of failure is really not very high, particularly if you can halve the risk for good intentions. If your GM is treating you fairly, your risk is quite low.

Again, there are many, many spell choices so you can swap out chill touch and never make a check. But you can't swap out mutagen easily, so you're purposely handicapping yourself.

There are some differences from the original arcanist though. The arcanist had to make Powers checks just based on levelling - there was nothing you could do to avoid it or minimise it. It was also at quite a high chance of failure, of 5% per level.

I wasn't fond of that any more than I was the leveling based failure of the fighter in the revised player book. Just playing the game shouldn't carry a base risk of corruption.

In comparison, there is a 1% chance the alchemist fails a Powers check, every time you use a mutagen. You can choose not to use a mutagen and avoid it that way. However, let's assume that you do use mutagens, and you use a new one every time you have an encounter. Note that that is also pretty unrealistic - in real play, not every encounter will be a combat encounter/require the use of a mutagen, and often, one mutagen will get you through several encounters. So this is a top end estimate.

But it's also not a power limited to combat. Climbing a mountain range? The alchemist might regularly have strength boosted. Walking across a desert or forced marching? The alchemist might be relying on a Con boost.

Would it be acceptable to fail a Powers check in those situation? Would it make narrative sense for the alchemist to become corrupted by darkness for a skill check?

If you're using the medium XP progression, your party needs about 20 encounters to level (again, this assumes you're only facing encounters at your APL and never at a higher APL, which is also unrealisitc - no boss fights). So there's a maximum of 20 1% Powers checks per level. That means you'd expect to fail a Powers check at level 5, 10, 15 and 20. This is one fewer failed checks than the arcanist, and gives you a better spread across levels.

Now, let's get a slightly more realistic estimate (but still quite high) of 13 mutagens per level. That means you'd only expect to fail a Powers check at level 8 and level 16.

Two failures independent of any other evil deeds. Which also means they can't ever redeem themselves from those deeds either, unless they stop using mutagens. If they make a couple mistakes and have a couple other failures, this could push them into NPC status.

So overall, the Powers check thing is not actually a huge hindrance. However, it is important for genre reasons (see Dr Jekyll's degeneration and Mr Hyde's increasing strength), so on balance I think it works out well. Similar to your final point, in fact:

[Zilfer]

As far as I was seeing the leveling base % failure was accumulative only if you didn't do good deeds to bring it down. From the sounds of it you could just keep doing those good deeds and bring your % chance down to 1 or none.

Also on some level it does make sense. After killing so many people you start to become detached from it. Somewhere in another topic here i believe someone was saying that was a problem with the Nazi Party that a good number were having break downs or turning to basically monsters because death became a normal every day thing for them.

Killing you generally need to put them on a lower level than yourself, which isn't treating all life with that much respect but before turning this into that debate again i'll end there. xD

Also wouldn't Gentle Repose (from a point a view I realize) be subverting Nature and the natural order of death? I mean I'm sure if people in this world believe "Playing god is bad and god will punish you" why would that be any different in ravenloft? Playing god? Well the Dark powers have an answer for you.

I can understand why they just choose to blanket the abilities. If your that concerned about players using those having to make checks just say it's a "Healing" spell per your game instead of necromancy since the definition of Necromancy in the DnD book spells out....

Necromancy spells manipulate the power of death, unlife, and the
life force. Spells involving undead creatures make up a large part of
this school. Representative spells include cause fear, animate dead, and
finger of death.

I mean from that description in the player's hand book, your messing with.... Death... Not good. Unlife which isn't good either, and Life force. Arguably all things that should not be messed with. With Gentle Repose I'd say your messing with the Death aspect of someone.

(you could argue life force) but I think a dead body technically doesn't have a "life force" any more because I would akin that to a soul..... <.< again just oppinion and you can keep yours. Just figured I'd add another view in this topic.

*goes to hide in the shadows*

[Jester of the FoS]

Also wouldn't Gentle Repose (from a point a view I realize) be subverting Nature and the natural order of death? I mean I'm sure if people in this world believe "Playing god is bad and god will punish you" why would that be any different in ravenloft? Playing god? Well the Dark powers have an answer for you.

But that's the thing, all magic is technically subverting the natural order (except, potentially druidic magic that is just pushing it).

I can understand why they just choose to blanket the abilities. If your that concerned about players using those having to make checks just say it's a "Healing" spell per your game instead of necromancy since the definition of Necromancy in the DnD book spells out....

Necromancy also includes spells such as deathwatch (tells how near dead characters are, death ward (protects against negative energy), false life (temporary hitpoints, and the inflict wounds spells that all evil clerics (and most neutral clerics) have access to. Yet those have the same base chance of Power check failure as animating the dead.

And you bring up healing. Isn't healing a character defying the natural order?'


Here's the thing... some DMs might want a harsher gamer where all magic is corrupting. All wizards and sorcerers are like arcanists in that they slide into taint just by pursuing unnatural knowledge. This Lovecraftian game where magic can lead to madness and knowledge has a steep price.
Alternatively, other DMs might want a dark heroes game where only those touched by evil can fight evil. Where the PCs are witches, alchemists, necromancers, and the like fighting against worse evils or using their damned powers for a good cause before death.
And some DMs might want a game of heroes being light on Powers checks save for the most horrible actions and deeds.

As such, I'm not a fan of hardwiring Powers checks into the rules and tying them to certain class options. I prefer letting people decide how often checks occur.
It's also a pain to run since you always have to check if the rules say spell X or ability Y carries the chance of a Powers check.
That was what I had in mind when I made my own revision to the Powers check rules:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ewcgmp61o9vds ... Checks.pdf
I wanted simple rules that didn't require consulting a large chart or book or looking through a list of modified powers and spells.

[Zilfer]

Yeah and I can fully understand why a DM wouldn't want to make a check with someone playing a Necromancy that's casting cause fear, chill touch and any other number of necromancy spells.

I see healing magic as creating life. (which is kinda playing god I know xD) Not manipulating it. False life manipulates your body in a way to give it temporary hit points. I mean just in the description itself doesn't sound like your giving your self HP like a cleric casting bear's endurance is....

You harness the power of unlife to grant yourself a limited ability to avoid death. While this spell is in effect, you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d10 +1 per caster level (maximum +10).

Now it's not specific as to where this 'unlife' is coming form but eh.

Now lets take a look at the description of Death Watch

Using the foul sight granted by the powers of unlife, you can determine the condition of creatures near death within the spell’s range. You instantly know whether each creature within the area is dead, fragile (alive and wounded, with 3 or fewer hit points left), fighting off death (alive with 4 or more hit points), undead, or neither alive nor dead (such as a construct).

Now I read this as almost having "Lich Vision" or some undead creatures vision that allows you to sense other people's life. Kinda like "Life Sense". Again arguably good or bad is up to the user.

I got nothing on Death Ward .

Again you could easily say Death watch or False life doesn't use that and comes from somewhere else. Up to each DM to decide for themselves. (i'm also not aruging against your prior point, just wanted to point out we could make a dark lord of "gentle repose" who was all about changing the natural order of things. xD)

Thinking on that, a domain where no bodies rotted... would that cause problems? Or cause any cultural differences? I just pictured storing bodies in a vault until the "holy" something or another could raise them. Kinda like oh he's not dead he's just got to wait until someone pays for him to come back or they need said person to do something then they work off their dept. Obviously might have a child per 2 parents rule there. xD

Final note: I personally do not have a problem rolling a check everytime they cast the spell, as long as they know it could lead to corruption but a 1% chance hardly comes up in a roll and you know what once you have a check it's no the end of the world. You can still "revert" back to your previous state down the path of corruption. It's not like if I fail one Cause fear check I can't go back by doing some good things. (unless of course you play a game where power's checks can't be undone, again DM's choice)

[Jester of the FoS]

False life manipulates your body in a way to give it temporary hit points. I mean just in the description itself doesn't sound like your giving your self HP like a cleric casting bear's endurance is....

But temporary hitpoints are not inherently evil. Otherwise aid or Inspire Greatness would also invoke Powers checks.
Which means it's entirely a response to the flavour of the spell.

So, if someone reflavoured false life or chill touch to downplay the necromantic angle, would that be okay? I had a wizard in my game once that was a gnome tinkerer and all his "spells" were really gadgets he had pre-built and ready to be activated.
Or, from an alchemist perspective, if you were to present mutagen as a chemical process, such as steroids and hormones, is it still worthy of a Powers check?

Thinking on that, a domain where no bodies rotted... would that cause problems? Or cause any cultural differences? I just pictured storing bodies in a vault until the "holy" something or another could raise them. Kinda like oh he's not dead he's just got to wait until someone pays for him to come back or they need said person to do something then they work off their dept. Obviously might have a child per 2 parents rule there. xD

Fun idea.

Final note: I personally do not have a problem rolling a check everytime they cast the spell, as long as they know it could lead to corruption but a 1% chance hardly comes up in a roll and you know what once you have a check it's no the end of the world. You can still "revert" back to your previous state down the path of corruption. It's not like if I fail one Cause fear check I can't go back by doing some good things. (unless of course you play a game where power's checks can't be undone, again DM's choice)

I think my perspective is skewed. Likely because of my work on the 4e Update document. No 4e mechanic used percentile dice so I moved to a d20. Even in Pathfinder, there are precious few times you roll a d100/d%.
This went hand-in-hand with the loose flavour of 4e, where it was super easy to refluff everything in a character. Plus the metric tonne of options. So I avoided listing each and every spell that could trigger a check.

The 1% chance of failure is odd. It's saying that the chances of failure are so low as to be insignificant, but that it's okay because the act itself isn't that bad or is extremely common.
Only once in all my time of playing Ravenloft has anyone failed a dramatically appropriate check. They've always narrowly avoided failing for murder, torture, and the like only to fail for breaking a promise or minor religious offences.

By switching to a d20 the minimum chance was 5%, so the odds of failure were significantly higher. My thinking changed from "roll all the time and if they keep doing it eventually they'll fail" to "roll only when appropriate, when they should fail."
Essentially, the same things were corrupting, but you only rolled when the odds reached the critical mass of 5%, when the situation and modifiers warranted it.

[Zilfer]

Yeah no worries. Seems like a good idea, just mostly hand wave anything below 5% because I've only had one person ever fail a 3% check. xD I still roll it every time though I don't always make it apparent to the players. (I originally typed Parents here... Fraudian slip? XD)

I can also understand being skewed. I was introduced to DnD by a person that had the original set played mostly 2e and decided since 3e was out (4e was too but no books) that we'd play with the newest version he had available which he hadn't played much of. So we had a lot of "house rules" that we believe were based off old rules from 2e.

Most jarring to other people is our "Always Hit/Always miss" and "Breaking Weapons" rule.

First one is 18, 19, 20 ALWAYS hits. No matter if your a level 1 attacking a dragon. Retrospectively 1,2,3 always misses.

Second one makes people's jaws drop usually because on a rolled 1 you roll a 1d6 and 3 things can happen.
1 or 2 = Weapon breaks
3 or 4 = Weapon Drops (you have to spend a round picking it up)
5 or 6 = Your weapon "chinks" (which means to say you just missed horribly and 'almost' broke your weapon.

So out of 100 weapon rolls 5% of that is about 5 rolls... and on 5 rolls of a D6 you'll more than likely break a weapon. (this includes magical weapons btw which I've lost a +3 dagger, a Venom Dagger, 3 +1 shortswords, and 2 +2 Titanium Shortswords. <--- A wish spell gone wrong. I ended up with the "Periodic table of Elements instead of "Fire water earth" My poor dagger included in the wish became Phospherous.)

so for a long time I was partial to those rules because they were what I was introduced to. I'm pretty open now about rules. xD

To answer your question about reflavor, I would say sure. If 'Chill touch' your just using as an ICE spell. Sure. I'd probably get rid of the secondary effect that makes it necromantic which is the 1 str damage. (which is why I assume it is Necromantic in the first place)

[Nemesio]

Also, I'd be interested to hear arguments for or against the following from Mistfinder:

Hidden soul – The ethical alignment of a cleric must be within one step of your deity. However, your moral alignment need not match at all. You can also choose whether you channel positive or negative energy, regardless of your alignment. However, you still cannot cast spells with an alignment descriptor that doesn’t match your true alignment, and if you obviously or openly violate the code of conduct of your religion, you still lose your clerical abilities and must atone or take the Separatist archetype.

I think that its a great idea! Why not? If everybody's alignment is at least partially hidden in Ravenloft it makes a lot of sense. Besides its left to the DM to decide where clerics actually draw there powers from anyway.

It also opens up all sorts of possibilities for role playing in a campaign steeped in moral quandaries, such as Ravenloft.

[Jester of the FoS]

Continuing my "somber second thought" review of Mr. Naylor's work.

The Mist Domain
Deity: Ezra
Granted Powers:
Binding Ties (Su): As a standard action, you can touch an ally and remove one condition affecting the ally by transferring it to yourself. This transfer lasts a number of rounds equal to your cleric level, but you can end it as a free action on your turn. At the end of this effect, the condition reverts to the original creature, unless it has ended or is removed by another effect. While this power is in use, the target is immune to the transferred condition. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

This is similar to the power of the restoration us domain, and it a good thing to compare to for balance.
Instead of the target being immune, I might limit it to being immune to that condition from the same source. So the same ghoul might not be able to re-paralyze but a second ghoul or a spell might still immobilize the character.
A second question is what happens if the cleric dies or falls unconscious in the meantime?
An interesting side effect is: dying. Technically dying is a condition so a cleric could use this on an ally, who suddenly becomes immune to "dying" for 3+wisdom rounds.

Shield of Ezra (Su): At 8th level, you can summon the shield of Ezra for a number of rounds equal to half your level. You can use this ability once per day at level 8, and an additional time for every 4 levels beyond that. The effects of the shield are determined by your sect.

I wonder about the wisdom of this power. Domains are tied to gods but are mechanically god-agnostic. They add flavour of a certain type of god to a cleric, but the god themselves does not define the domain's powers. And there might be multiple gods that share a domain.
While the "mist" domain is currently limited to Ezra there's no reason a divine Vistani (a cleric of a philosophy?) might have access to the Mist domain. Or another lesser known 'loft god. So a power tied directly to Ezra and her sects seems like an awkward fit.

I wonder if an anchorite archetype or subdomains might better represent followers of Ezra, while also allowing the Mist domain to instead focus on being a Mist domain and not the catch-all Ezra domain.
But that's just nitpicking.

Home Faith: DR 5/magic

This is pretty un-spectacular for level 8, keeping in mind any monster with DR magic will ignore this. Especially for a once-a-day power that will be saved for boss fights (which are likely CR 9+).

Mordent: DR 10/non-metal and non-natural or magic

So dr 10/magic or dr 10/non-metal AND non-natural?
Non-natural is awkward. A tree branch club would technically be natural. "Manufactured" might work better.
And as above, most CR 9 monsters won't even be slowed down by DR #/magic.

Nevuchar Springs: +5 to Will saves against mind-affecting spells and effects.

This is okay. It's actually pretty good as mind-affected effects are ones you typically really want a bonus to save against. But they're often ones you need to save against before you know you need to activate this ability. However, given clerics have a high Wisdom and high Will saves, this bonus might buy unneeded. If you need the +5 the rest of the party is hosed or the GM should be targeting the fighter. This might be a power the player sighs at, wishing they could use it on the big dumb fighter that is currently dominated & the kicking the wizard's ass.

You don't need to say "spells and effects" as "effects" includes spells.

The Seer Subdomain (Knowledge)
Deity: Vistani only
Granted Powers:
Prescience (Sp): You can touch a willing creature as a standard action, seeing into its future. You must communicate your vision immediately to have any benefit. For the next round, any time the target rolls a d20, he may roll twice and take the more favourable result. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

I like it, but the phrasing needs work. Something instead of "You must communicate your vision immediately to have any benefit" such as "you can then use your vision to influence the future through advice or suggestions." Or something...

[Ryan Naylor]

Continuing my "somber second thought" review of Mr. Naylor's work.

Sombre second thoughts?

And it's Dr. Naylor, actually. But I'd rather Ryan.

And now, a week's worth of mail:

Ok. That feedback I promised. In my humble opinion the stuff you have been posting continues to be golden.

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it. I have always tried to give balanced, constructive feedback, so I do appreciate receiving it in return.

The Lady in the Lake looks a lot better on here than perhaps she ever has, and the Baron never did get enough attention despite his potential as a great Gothic villain.

Sound striker was just made for her. And I agree - a sadly underrated darklord.

How do you figure out their power checks? That must take a lot of pain staking research. I can't even begin to dissect it. I'd love to do the same for my own campaign. Its great that you laid it all out for us.

I do a lot of research. And then, when I don't know, I guess.

As far as the race and class stuff goes, it seems to fit in pretty well with basic pathfinder stuff, as it should. Revisions can be great, but why keep reinventing the wheel right? I'm sure it drives writers nuts as much as its provides them with jobs.

Exactly.

So as to the Order of the Raven, it Kicks ass! I always loved the Keepers of the Black Feather and have featured the ravenkin and their machinations as much as the Vistani in my campaign. As I see it they would have a hand in the your Order as well. You mention that it was on its way out before Strahd's evil tainted the land, so was he involved it at all, and how much? He certainly would have known about it. More than likely he would have been a member. Oh yah, so who's the ancient ghost of the Order? Sounds intriguing.

Thanks again! It's a bit of an allusion to Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, and another tool for the Keepers of the Black Feather to draw on (for PCs who don't want lycanthropy!).

I didn't intend Strahd to do any more than (accidentally) put the final nail in the coffin. It was just in decline, like the Church of Andral, due to years of war and suffering. It's time had almost passed - but now, it may come again!

The ghost could be whomever you wanted. Change it to suit your campaign! However, in EtCR, her name is Vey Rallen, and she is a geist who haunts the Hall of Heroes (third floor) in Castle Ravenloft until Strahd is destroyed.

Given the anti-magic feel, SR might also be an option.

SR is a much better idea. Thanks!

May I suggest +1/2 level on either arcana or religion checks made to identify monsters. Or identify a weakness.

Also a good idea. Something more like the Inquisitor's monster lore ability.

This also seems very potent, given it's a bonus to all saves. I'm not sure how to balance this. Knocking it down to +1. Or maybe a per day reroll against those effects (which is easier to remember that a floating static bonus) and increase it every few levels.

I incline more towards a reroll, like the Greater Iron Will feat etc. Perhaps with the option to swap the type of save for reroll like the Inquisitor's ability to swap out teamwork feats. That way, you can be caught off guard if you choose to wrong save. Most would stick with Iron Will, I would imagine, but it does provide flexibility for those who want it.

[Ryan Naylor]

And two more darklords to keep you busy, who belong to the last round of classes discussed.

You may notice they're not your basic werebeasts. A modified lycanthrope template is coming!

Alfred Timothy (Verbrek)

Timeline
709 BC Alfred Timothy born in Arkandale.
713 BC Priscilla Timothy (Alfred’s mother) drowns herself.
725 BC Alfred runs rampant through Arkandale, trying to learn the secrets of the Wolf God. He eventually leaves Arkandale to wander the Core. Warrior 1.
729 BC Alfred attacks Gabrielle Aderre and her mother. Warrior 2.
730 BC Alfred becomes lord of Verbrek. Becomes cleric 2.
740 BC Verbrek absorbs Arkandale. Werewolves slaughter most of the humans. Cleric 4.
760 BC Present day.

Powers Checks
Caress (Blasphemy: development of an evil god: 32%; 725 BC): Wolf form becomes stronger.
Enticement (Violence: torturous murder: 32%; 726 BC): Wolf form gains the advanced template.
Invitation (Violence: sadistic murder: 16%; 727 BC): Spell resistance.
Embrace (Betrayal and Violence: wholesale slaughter: 8%; 728 BC): Shadow walk; shadowless.
Creature (Betrayal and Violence: attacking and murdering Isabella Aderre: 8%; 730 BC): Becomes a cleric and darklord of Verbrek.

Base stats
S 10 D 13 C 13 I 12 W 15 Ch 14 (high fantasy)
Racial: Str +2 (human)
Werewolf: Wis +2, Cha -2
Levelling: Wis +1
Favoured class: hp
CR 10 (7 [levels] + 1 [template] + 1 [PC-level treasure] +1 [darklord abilities])

760 BC (Current day stats)
CR 10 XP 9,600
Male Human Natural Werewolf Cleric 7
NE Medium Humanoid (human, shapechanger) [human form]
Init: +1 (Dex) Senses: Low light vision, scent; Perception +9 Aura: Evil, predator’s grace (+15 ft) (8/day)
Defense
AC 13 Touch 13 Flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 deflection)
hp 49 (8 +6d8+7 +7)
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +14 (reroll 1/day)
SR 16
Offense
Spd 30 ft.
Melee Quarterstaff +5 (1d6)
Unarmed strike +7 (1d3+2d6+2) against humans
Special Attacks Ferocious Strike (+3) (7/day)
Space/Reach: 5’/5’
S 10 D 13 C 13 I 12 W 18 (20) Ch 14
BAB +5 CMB +5 CMD 18 (15)

NE Medium Humanoid (human, shapechanger) [hybrid and wolf form]
Init: +4 (Dex) Senses: Low light vision, scent; Perception +9 Aura: Evil, predator’s grace (+15 ft) (7/day)
Defense
AC 22 Touch 16 Flat-footed 17 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, +1 deflection)
hp 77 (7d8+35)
Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +14 (reroll 1/day)
SR 16
DR 10/silver
Offense
Spd 30 ft. (50 ft as wolf)
Melee Bite +9 (1d6+4 unholy plus trip and curse of lycanthropy) and 2 claws +4 (1d4+4 and curse of lycanthropy)
Bite +11 (3d6+6 unholy plus trip and curse of lycanthropy) and 2 claws +6 (1d4+2d6+6 and curse of lycanthropy) against humans
Special Attacks Ferocious Strike (+3) (7/day)
Space/Reach: 5’/5’
S 19 D 19 C 21 I 12 W 18 (20) Ch 14
BAB +5 CMB +9 CMD 25 (29 vs trip in wolf form) (20)

Feats
Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Improved Iron Will (1/day), Iron Will
Skills
Bluff +5 (3), Intimidate +6 (4), Knowledge (nature) +7 (3), Knowledge (religion) +7 (3), Perception +10 (5), Sense Motive +11 (6), Spellcraft +8 (4), Stealth +5 (+8 in wolf or hybrid form) (4), Survival +8 (3)
Languages
Mordentish*, Balok (can’t speak in wolf form)

Treasure
(17500 gp/23500 gp)
Amulet of mighty fists (human bane), headband of wisdom +2, ring of protection +2, gloves of arrow snaring, cloak of resistance +1, wand of cure moderate wounds

Special
Totemic summons (summon wolves as standard action, not full round)
Murder variant channelling: Creatures gain bleed 2 (5/day) (DC 15)
Ferocious strike (+3 damage) (8/day)
Predator’s grace (+10 speed, low light vision 1 rd, 8/day)
Spontaneous casting (inflict spells)
Sinkhole of evil
Mastery: animal minions +2 vs mind-affecting magic
Shadow walk (dimension door)
Shadowless
Spells (not in wolf form); Animal (Fur) and Strength (Ferocity) domains
Bloodlust
Change shape
Trigger (anger, lust, fear - forces into human form)
Lycanthropic empathy

Typical Spells
DC 15 + spell level
0 - (at will) Read Magic, Detect Magic, Guidance, Virtue
1 - Summon Monster I, Cure Light Wounds, Cause Fear, Command, Doom, Enlarge Person, Murderous Command,
2 - Summon Monster II, Death Knell, Darkness, Disfiguring Touch, bull’s strength
3 - Rage, Summon Monster III, Dispel Magic, Deadly Juggernaut
4 - Spell Immunity, Summon Nature's Ally IV, Divine Power

[Ryan Naylor]

Alain Monette (L’Ile de la Tempete)

Timeline
c630 BC Born in Port of the Prince on the Prime Material.
654 BC Becomes Captain of the Ouragan, and ruthlessly leads it to commercial success.
675 BC Viciously beats a young crewman nearly to death on trumped up charges.
677 BC Crew mutinies, beats Monette and leaves him for dead. Becomes darklord of L’Ile de la Tempete (then an Island) and contracts lycanthropy.
690 BC The merchant ship Dragon’s Gold enters Ravenloft and falls victim to Monette.
750 BC L’Ile de la Tempete joins the Core.
760 BC Present day.

Powers Checks
Caress (Betrayal: ruthlessness in merchant dealings: 2%; c655 BC): Wis +2, Cha -2 (later included in werebat adjustments)
Enticement (Betrayal and Violence: piracy: 16%; c660 BC): +4 bonus to Profession (sailor)
Invitation (Violence: brutality towards crew: 8%; c670 BC): Dex +2
Embrace (Betrayal and Violence: beats and abandons a crewman he knows is innocent: 16%; 675 BC): Bonus feat (becomes Flyby Attack when he becomes a werebat: probably something to do with Intimidate)
Creature (Black Magic: curses his crew following their mutiny: 16%; 677 BC): Becomes a werebat and darklord of L’Ile de la Tempete.

Base stats
S 14 D 14 C 13 I 14 W 9 Ch 13 (high fantasy)
Racial: Con +2 (human)
Levelling: Str +2
Template: Wis +2, Cha -2 (werebat)
Aging: Middle aged
Favoured class: skills
CR 22 (7 [levels] + 1 [template] + 1 [PC-level treasure] + 1 [darklord abilities])

760 BC (Current day stats)
CR 10 XP 9,600
Male Middle aged Maledictive Werebat Human Gunslinger (Musket Master) 5/Rogue (Pirate) 3
LE Medium Humanoid (human, shapechanger) [human form]
Init: +4 (Dex, class) Senses: Lowlight vision, scent; Perception +12
Defense
AC 21 Touch 15 Flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +6 armour, +2 dodge, +1 deflection)
hp 61 (10 +4d10 +3d8 +16)
Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +5
Evasion
Unflinching +1
Offense
Spd 30 ft, swinging reposition
Melee +1 longsword +10/+5 (1d8+3; crit 19+ plus sneak +2d6)
Ranged +1 hunstman musket +10/+5 (1d12+3, touch; crit x4 plus sneak +2d6 plus Point Blank Shot)
+1 hunstman musket +8/+3 (1d12+7, touch; crit x4 plus sneak +2d6 plus Point Blank Shot with Deadly Aim)
Space/Reach: 5’/5’
S 15 D 15 C 14 I 15 W 12 Ch 12
BAB +7 CMB +9 CMD 24 (20)

LE Large Humanoid (human, shapechanger) [hybrid form]
Init: +4 (Dex, class) Senses: Lowlight vision, scent, blindsense 40 ft; Perception +17
Defense
AC 19 Touch 14 Flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, -1 size, +2 dodge, +1 deflection)
hp 69 (10 +4d10 +3d8 +24)
Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +6
DR 10/silver
Evasion
Unflinching +1
Offense
Spd 20 ft, fly 40 ft (good)
Melee bite +12 (1d8+5; plus sneak +2d6)
Space/Reach: 10’/5’
S 19 D 15 C 16 I 15 W 14 Ch 12
BAB +7 CMB +12 CMD 27 (23)

Feats
Deadly Aim, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Flyby Attack B, Gunsmithing, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Reload (musket), Sea Legs
Skills
Acrobatics +14 (8), Bluff +5 (1), Climb +10 (4), Diplomacy +5 (1), Escape Artist +6 (2), Fly +6 (5), Heal +6 (2), Intimidate +12 (8), Perception +12 (8), Profession (sailor) +16 (8), Ride +1 (0), Sense Motive +8 (4), Sleight of Hand +7 (3), Stealth +17 (8), Survival +10 (6), Swim +11 (5)
Hybrid form: Climb +2, Fly +2, Perception +17, Profession (sailor) +1, Sense Motive +1, Stealth -4, Survival +1, Swim +2; +4 racial bonus to Perception with blindsense
Languages
French*, English, Dutch, pidgin of Low Mordentish, Vaasi, Darkonese

Treasure
(25,000 gp/31,000 gp)
Huntsman musket +1, longsword +1, chain shirt +2, amulet of mighty fists +1, cloak of elvenkind, ring of protection +1

Special
Grit
Deadeye (touch attacks at longer range)
Deeds
Evasion
Fast Musket
Gunslinger Initiative
Musket training (misfire -2)
Pistol whip
Quick clear
Steady Aim
Sneak attack +2d6
Swinging reposition
Unflinching (+1 vs fear and mind affecting effects)
Change shape (human, hybrid direbat, polymorph; trigger: high tide)
Bat empathy
Bloodlust
Chemical bane (skullcap)
Landlocked
Control currents
Undying soul
Mastery +1
Sinkhole of evil

[The Giamarga]

Ooooh, two of my favorites! I statted Monette for the netbook, and have been tinkering with Alfred as a 3.0 Bane of Infidels forever..

A few quick questions:

So when Alfred became a darklord his warrior levels became cleric levels? So his BAB dropped?
Could you note his trigger in parentheses as for Monette? It is non standard and rather significant as part of his curse.

[Ryan Naylor]

Yes, but not be a lot because his level was so low. And (in game) he had a lot more going on in terms of suddenly losing control of his shape but gaining a functional god and divine powers, so I doubt he noticed he hit 5% less often.

Monette's treasure:

Presumably (since he was left for dead), he didn't start off with it, so washed up on shore? Found on the island? Stole from his victims? He has had nearly 100 years to collect it.

Given the Dark Powers control fate, it would be quite easy for them to make sure their new toy got kitted out however they wanted.

[The Giamarga]

About Monette's gear I figured that too and because of that edited my post while you where answering.

[Nemesio]

Nice! I've been archiving your stuff Ryan. I hope you keep it up!