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Post by spiderguy on Feb 7, 2016 23:21:43 GMT -7
I'm playing around with the idea of having the players roll for their character's birth month ( and thus sign), and it having some sort of game effect (say a minor benefit and a drawback). I am looking for ideas and resources that could work without being too powerful.
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Post by egamma on Feb 8, 2016 8:34:27 GMT -7
Maybe a trait and flaw? That would fit with the "Leos are generous, Capricorn is haughty" nonsense that accompanies the standard signs.
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Post by maceo13 on Feb 8, 2016 17:51:15 GMT -7
Maybe tie the months in with the nine gods and then three Great Old Ones or something or use their symbols as a guideline. Then pick an area of influence that each area has. So for example July is Mithra's month (or the month of the sun or sky) so radiant spells are maximized or something. If you pick something more specific like Mithra's month you get +5 to Diplomancy check or something I would not let the character's pick which month they were born. It could present some interesting role-play scenarios like a greedy rogue who also is strangely compelled to care for plants because he was born in the month of Kishar (April) and has a bonus to Nature checks or something. Just my two cents.
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Post by spiderguy on Feb 9, 2016 1:42:28 GMT -7
Players will roll 1d12, as you don't get to choose when you are born, to determine which month they were born (probably done at or near the end of character creation so as not to affect initial character development choices). Using the published birth signs as a guide to what benefit and what drawback each would get. As in:
MONTH:SIGN=BENEFIT/DRAWBACK
Tebon:The Chariot=+5 Speed/____________
Sana:The Slave=advantage on Constitution saving throws to resist exhaustion/disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws to resist being charmed
Adar: the Dragon=resistance to fire damage/___________
Nidon:the Ram=advantage on Dexterity saving throws to keep your footing/___________
Taru:the Bull=advantage on Bull Rush attempts/disadvantage on saving throws to resist Illusions
Samon:the Throne=advantage on Power ability checks/________________
Dumet:the Messenger=gain 1 additional common language at 1st level/_____________
Abron:the Lion=advantage on Intimidation skill checks/____________
Ulon:the Warrior=gain a fighting style, in addition to any gained by class/_____________
Tisra:the Mammoth=extra encumbrance, count your Strength as 1 higher for figuring encumbrance only/-5 to Speed
Samnu:the Scorpion=resistance against poison damage, if you already have resistance you are now immune/_____________
Kislon:the Chimera=___________/disadvantage to resist being transmuted, eg. polymorphed
these are just ideas for now.
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Post by egamma on Feb 9, 2016 7:50:23 GMT -7
My problem with these is that they would theoretically apply to every person on Thule, which seems a bit absurd. Is the seamstress born under Ulon going to have distracting strike?
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Post by Hussar on Feb 9, 2016 17:46:44 GMT -7
Additionally, some of these are extremely powerful. Gaining a fighting style is a major boost in power. I mean, that's the power a (IIRC) 10th level champion gets. And he's the only one that gets a second fighting style isn't he?
I think something that might be more balanced is a advantage 1/day on something related to your sign. So, Adar the Dragon gives you advantage, 1/day, on a saving throw vs fire damage. Tisra the Mammoth gives you advantage on 1 Str check/day. A nice little bonus, but, not something so over powered.
Or, perhaps your star sign could give you a proficiency bonus on a particular skill. With an additional +1 on that skill if you already have proficiency. So, it might look like this:
MONTH:SIGN=BENEFIT/DRAWBACK
Tebon:The Chariot=Animal handling
Sana:The Slave=Performance
Adar: the Dragon=Athletics
Nidon:the Ram=Acrobatics
Taru:the Bull=Nature
Samon:the Throne=Persuasion
Dumet:the Messenger=Insight
Abron:the Lion=Intimidation
Ulon:the Warrior=Stealth
Tisra:the Mammoth=History
Samnu:the Scorpion=Sleight of Hand
Kislon:the Chimera=Deception
Giving PC's more skills is rarely a bad thing. And it's not like a single extra proficiency is going to break the game. I'd keep the random rolls.
IIRC, there's an excellent Dragon Magazine article about this from the old Paizo days. I'll dig through my collection and see what they say. Cool idea though.
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Post by egamma on Feb 9, 2016 21:10:34 GMT -7
The skill idea is okay, but I would only use it for the wisdom/charisma skills, and figure out something else for the rest.
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