Twilight Isles Level One Sample Build – S’stam

   Here we have another first-level Eclipse classless d20 sample build – in this case one S’stam, an Ikam Sovath Bodyguard from the Twilight Isles campaign. This is also an experiment; the PCGen team is working up a dataset for Eclipse, and I’m doing a little testing on the preliminary version – so I’ll be doing S’stam here first (by hand, the way I’m used to doing it), and then seeing how well I can do turning him out in PCGen.

   Since S’stam is a follower, I’ll be leaving a few skill points unspent pending player input.

   First up, of course, is Race: in this case an…

   Ikam +0 ECL Racial Summary (the full mechanical writeup is available HERE and the cultural notes are available HERE).

• The Ikam, like all the major races of the Twilight Isles, are built for the maximum possible efficiency – and are thus extremely powerful races for their +0 or +1 ECL adjustments. I wanted “race” to be a major choice and to have a notable impact on the character’s abilities at high levels. I wanted the races to be able to handle a very dangerous setting with very limited living space – factors that had driven the usual races into extinction. I wanted players to opt for these races rather than wanting to fish through sourcebooks for species which didn’t fit the setting. That all works very nicely – but I’d be careful about allowing ANY of the Twilight Isles races into a game with the standard races.
• Condensed Ikam Profile:
  • 8d6 (30) Mana with Unskilled Magic, plus Resilience (Sovath), Spell Enhancement (Vedan), or Reality Editing (Kodan). Up to 75% of this Mana may be converted to Power at 1 Mana = 3 Power.
  • Rite of Chi with +4 Bonus Uses.
  • +4 Dexterity, +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Constitution.
  • Low-Light Vision (6 CP).
  • May use Charms, Talismans, and a maximum of 4 CP worth of Relics.
  • +12 + 2x (Con Mod) HP. (Two racial d6 hit dice at maximum).
  • +1 Bonus on Saves
  • +3 to Wisdom-linked skills
  • +3 to a group of skills. Sovath get Dexterity-linked skills, Vedan get Intelligence linked skills, and Kodan get Charisma linked skills.
  • +2 Natural Armor (partial scales), d6 Claws and Fangs, animalistic appearance.
  • Inherent ability to Detect Magic.
• Ikam Disadvantages:
  • They are bound by their oaths, and may become accursed if they violate such a bond.
  • Their blood and flesh can be used for many magical purposes.
  • Their tales are mesmerizing, and can evoke their topics – or at least illusions thereof – quite accidently.
  • They find it difficult to lie (-10 penalty) without the magical distortions giving them away.
  • They can only tolerate (Con) “points” worth of regular magic items – and the “point” cost of any given item is up to the game master (as a rule, low-level single-charge items are little trouble, spell storing items are only moderately troublesome, and permanently active personal enhancement items are very troublesome). Annoyingly enough, this limit also affects temporary external spells – although their short-term nature means that the limit is increased by the user’s (Con Mod).
  • They are invariably focused on their Deza. If an Ikam is banished from or abandons their Deza (being placed on remote service, or even being assigned to serve outsiders in exchange for some benefit for the Deza is acceptable) they will become unable to gain experience. Most such exiles commit suicide by relentlessly attacking whatever they perceive as a threat to their old home, having to make a DC 15 will save each month to avoid doing so.
  • Their loyalties are always personal, to a small group at best. They are incapable of large-scale political organization.
  • Wealth, magical devices, or supplies beyond their immediate needs will be given to the Deza.
  • They suffer a -5 penalty to Swim checks due to their greater average density.
  • They invariably pick up at least 12 CP worth of Witchcraft at first level – always taking The Adamant Will.

   Basic Attributes: Str 17, Int 16, Wis 15, Con 14, Dex 21, Cha 10.

• Base Power 5 (+17 Witchcraft + 15 Converted Mana = 37), Spell Points 5, and Mana 5 + 30 (Racial) -5 (Converted to Power) = 30.
• NPC attributes in the Twilight Isles are rolled on 4d6K3, but the dice apparently like NPC’s at the moment; I wound up with 17, 16, 16, 15, 10, 13.

   Disadvantages: Like many of the Ikam, S’stam does not see himself as being in the elite few who are privileged to serve the Triune God of the Ikam directly – and does not believe that any lesser entity is truly a deity (Irreverent). S’stam misses the children of the Deza, and unconsciously tends to see any other children – even of other races – around him as substitutes. He tends to place a high priority on their safety and will take substantial risks to protect them even if it’s not his assignment and it would be far wiser not to do so (Compulsive). Net +6 CP for two disadvantages.

   Duties (To his Deza, watching out for and reporting back on any possible threats to the Deza, and bodyguarding Rudra, as assigned, +2 CP/Level).

   Total available character points: 48 (Level One Base) + 6 (Disadvantages) +2 (Duties) + 6 (Level One Bonus Feat) = 62.

   Basic Purchases (29 CP):

• Proficient with All Simple and Martial Weapons (9 CP) and Light Armor (3 CP).
• +3 Skill Points (3 CP). Net Total of 12 (Int) +3 (Purchased) = 15.
• +1 on Will and Reflex Saves (6 CP). Net Bonuses: Fortitude +3 (+2 Con +1 Racial), Reflex +7 (+1 Purchased, +5 Dex +1 Racial), Will +4 (+1 Purchased +2 Wis +1 Racial).
• d8 Hit Die (4 CP). Net hit points 8 (L1 Hit Die) + 12 (Racial Bonus HD) + 6 (3 x Con Mod) = 26
• Initial BAB +1, Corrupted/does not add to iterative attacks (4 CP).

   Combat Notes:

• Armor Class 10 (base) + 4 (Armor, Shimmermail) + 5 (Dex) +1 (Martial Art) +2 (Natural) = 22.
• Initiative +5 (Dex)
• Ranged Attacks +6 (+1 BAB +5 Dex).
• Melee Attacks +4 (+1 BAB +3 Str).

   Special Abilities (33 CP):

• Witchcraft I, II, and III (18 CP): Provides access to the Adamant Will, The Hand of Shadows, Healing, Hyloka, Infliction, Shadowweave, and Witchsight, with Save DC 13 and 17 Power.
• Reflex Action/Three extra actions per day variant, Specialized/only usable to protect someone else (3 CP).
• Block/Melee (6 CP)
• Adept/may buy two martial art skills and the Rune Casting and Rune Master skills for Warding Magic for half cost (6 CP).

   Note that, having two bonus hit dice, for using innate powers – such as Witchcraft or Unskilled Magic – S’stam has an effective level of three.

   Skills:

Martial Art/Whirling Guardian	+15	4 [2*] SP +5 Dex +3 Racial +3 Relic
Martial Art/Iron Claw	+12	4 [2*] SP +5 Dex +3 Racial
Rune Mastery/Warding	+12	4 [2*] SP +5 Dex +3 Racial
Rune Casting/Warding	+12	4 [2*] SP +5 Dex +3 Racial
Spot	+9	2 SP +2 Wis +3 Racial +2 Synergy
Listen	+9	2 SP +2 Wis +3 Racial +2 Synergy

   *half cost due to Adept.  I’m leaving him with three unspent skill points for now, pending player input.

   Whirling Guardian Style (Dex):

   This Ikam Sovath art is designed around a constant series of circular parries, blocks, and twisting deflections, employing the user’s natural weapons to grip and hurl enemies as the user interposes himself or herself between an attacker and some other target. It’s practitioners limit offensive strikes to the best opportunities, and only launch them when they will not leave themselves, or their charges, open to attack.

• Requires: Natural Weapons (Claws) and Mana with the Resilience option.
• Basic Abilities: Defenses 4, Power 3, Strike, Synergy with Heal, Spot, Listen, and Toughness 1.
• Advanced and Master Abilities: Deflect Arrows, Mind Like Moon, Combat Reflexes, and Guardian – a limited version of Blessing/the user can block missiles for, and grant part or all of his or her dexterity and martial-art AC bonuses to an adjacent individual he or she is defending. (No, this isn’t on the usual list – but it’s rather limited application of Blessing, seems reasonable enough, and has the same cost as the other entries, ergo, I’m going to allow it – even if what’s basically a write-in is a bit much to expect of a program).
• Occult Techniques: Ki Block, Light Foot, Paralyze, and Vanishing.
• Techniques Known: Defenses 1, Synergy/Spot, Synergy/Listen, Deflect Arrows, Combat Reflexes, Ki Block, Light Foot, and Vanishing

   Iron Claw (Dex)

   This Ikam art focuses on hammering it’s way through defenses, focusing the user’s innate Mana on penetrating almost any normal surface. As might be expected of the Sovath, when focused on attacking a threat to the Deza, the art pays little attention to it’s user’s safety.

• Requires: Natural Weapons (Claws) and Mana with the Resilience option.
• Basic Abilities: Attack 4, Power 3, Strike, and Toughness 2.
• Advanced and Master Abilities: Breaking, Blinding Strike, Combat Reflexes, and Whirlwind Attack.
• Occult Techniques: Focused Blow, Iron Skin, Ki Focus, and Touch Strike.
• Techniques Known: Attack 2, Power 1, Combat Reflexes, Whirlwind Attack, and Iron Skin.

   Like most of the other characters, S’stam has been entrusted with a minor Relic – in his case, a Manastone (very common among the Ikam) which provides him with an additional +4 Bonus Uses of Rite of Chi each day and a +3 bonus on the Whirling Guardian Style (9 CP total cost, but Corrupted/requires that the user invest his or her personal character points to activate it, 6 CP base, 1 CP as a relic).

   Further Advancement: Well, that depends on what the player is looking for in a follower for Rudra – but a basic fighter build is generally straightforward enough. Putting a little Witchcraft and Unskilled Magic on top is also straightforward.

   Overall, S’stam is quite competent as a bodyguard. Until he runs out of Mana and Power he has a wide variety of options open – especially given his rune magic and reflex actions – to pretty much appear next to his charges and either defend them physically or supply magical protections. Still, he’s not all that much for offense.