[Class] Asshole

Asshole

HD- d8

Max AC- 14 / Minimum Hit-Points- 2

If you play this class, you're an asshole. If your DM lets you play this class, he's an even bigger asshole. If you dislike using a swearword as a name, call it a “Craven” instead.

You are a bit of a mix of a Fighter and Thief. You pick locks as a Rogue two levels below your own, and gain +1 to hit at 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th, and 8^th level. You may also add this bonus to your damage if you are using an underhanded tactic- aiming for the groin, throwing glass shards in the eyes, coating your weapon in poison or sewage, etc.

The Asshole is a coward. They are cheats, backstabbers, and bastards the lot of them. Once per session per Asshole level, you may put another player character into a spot to gain an advantage. Jump behind them during combat to make them take a hit meant for you, shove them down the ladder so you can succeed your saving throw to avoiding the trap, or “borrowing” something of theirs which they are not allowed to take back unless you give it back, such as a magic item or valuable treasure.

At 10^th level, you become a Self Righteous Asshole. You are granted an estate for your “deeds” and “heroism”, and are put in charge of a retinue or 20 loyal and gullible dullards. These dullards are larger and stronger then normal men, most will be half ogre or from a giant bloodline, but are loyal to a fault. If they are ever shown and proven your treachery to them however, they will rip you apart.

As a Self Righteous Asshole, you gain the ability to enforce your morality on others- as you have “proven” your worth so many times before. Any infraction of the law or morality can be punished as swiftly or harshly as you deem to your subjects- you are quick to become a very cruel lord. You can never be punished by an authority figure higher then yourself, even the church or king, as you will always side step responsibility and appear as noble as you can be to them. However once you become a Self-Righteous Asshole; upon death your soul will be claimed and fought over by so many demons, devils, and judgmental gods that you cannot be resurrected.

Game with Death Concept

In some folklore, people who are dying can play a game with "death" or the Grim Reaper to come back to life. Many deaths let the souls pick their own game, but mine doesn't. He has a very specific game in mind. It's Tic Tac Toe. If you win OR draw, you come back to life at 1 HP. If you lose, death takes you on to the afterlife and that character is lost permanently.

However, you will notice the game's board is quite different. Each square has a single aspect of the character that they won't want to lose. It could be people nearby them and their companions, or it could be the features they most value in themselves, their wealth or magic items, or even things in the campaign world they'd want to represent. You get to go first, and you play with circles to “protect” things you want. Death plays with the Xs, and whatever he crosses over you lose. Or you could let Death go first if you'd like letting him start the game off and pick what he wants to take.

To use this in your game, you could premake a few naughts and crosses boards for your various player characters. Draw pictures of their body parts to represent their stats or just write out what they'd lose if that space is taken. Obviously this game would mean characters will have to give something up, even forcing them into a draw still means they lose parts of themselves for good. This concept obviously works best for game worlds with more personal, perhaps evil incarnations of Death. You could just as easily swap this figure out for something that wants to trade your “soul” to it like a demon, or perhaps a Warlock's patron granting a favor if you win a "game".

[Campaign] Kingdom of Gan Introduction

I have recently recruited several players for an online game. The system is using a combination of the ASU ruleset, minus classes, and the Dirt Simple Dominions Magic rules for magic. Ever since I read this blogpost years ago about having something like a simple point-buy system for creating characters, I've wanted to run one, and here it is.

The Kingdom of Gan is ruled by a wise, mighty, and above all else just King, known as the 100 years King, for his reign was foretold to last 100 years. On the first day of his final year, he went on parade with his young daughter, but out of the sky came a black bolt of lightning that struck both of them, and they disappeared.

Now the seven Kind Counts, the Kings closet allies and advisors, are scrambling to find him. All across the land they are searching for and recruiting the help of the greatest heroes and adventurers to find the King and the Princess.

The blue-clad Count Geoff of Talia hires five extraordinary people to search for his majesty;

Ulfar the Lion The very strong knight hailing from a noble family, secretly is a prodigy with death magic. Skilled with sword and shield and heavy armor, he is attended by servants and a foolish squire.

Thalassa The charismatic adventuress is a ship captain and possesses a magic amulet that warns her of danger and guides her on her quest. She is skilled with spear and net and speaks another language.

Minadora “Mina” Arletto The stealthy and skillful Rogue hailing from Talia. She is skilled with cloak and dagger as well as lockpicks and has +1 bonus AC from her natural swiftness.

Charibert “Bert” Oakheaver A strong halfling with some powers in Earth and Nature magic. He is skilled in hand to hand combat; able to take on those that underestimate his size.

And Hazel the Half-Dragon Is a very strong halfbreed, crossed between a human and an air dragon; raised by a man who slayed her dragon mother. Still has the slayer's magical, lifesensing scythe.

These five purchased armors and supplies, and loaded onto Thalassa's ship, the Anne-Marie, while attended by Ulfar's servants. Bert gave some coins to a young beggar child, and was given a single mysterious Earth Agate as a reward for his kindness.
The Count had spoken of three places near his region that might have something to do with the disappearance of the King; the city known as Delta-City to the South, filled with pirate scum, the Carnarium Empire to the West, which views Gan with hungry eyes, and the Mountain Giants to the Southwest, who have the air magic but not the motive to kidnap the King with the black bolt.

And so, the heroes set sail down South to Delta City while Ulfar's Brother, Mikael the Bear seeks the Mountain Giants, and his father, Remieth Ostamer, seeks audience with the Empire to the West.

Our first session was just introductions and a bit of shopping, and this blog will chronicle the events of the campaign a few weeks behind the actual events. I am extremely excited for the actual campaign and have enjoyed being able to put my plans to use.