Dirt Simple Turn Undead

By popular request.

Trying out a drawing tablet

Dirt Simple Turn Undead

Everyone can Turn Undead. All you need is a holy symbol. I like more animist religious stuff, so I divide it into Magic Charms (one use, but cheap) and Holy Symbols (unlimited uses, but expensive). You can also put a Magic Charm over a doorway or something and it keeps spirits from going through it if you've already turned them, or like lock the spirit back in its coffin, but it's just a slip of paper so if somebody tears it off the spirit is free that easy. Really expensive holy symbols like gold ankhs or portable altars and the like give you +1 or +2 for the contest.

Everybody can only turn undead 3 times a day, regardless of the symbol.

When you decide to turn undead, the user holds up the holy symbol and says a prayer. Then, compare the level/HD of the Turner to the unholy creature;

If the Monster has a higher HD then the Turner's HD, then the monster cannot attack them for one round. Even a powerful demon or wraith will pause at the sight of the cross.

If the Monster has a lower or equal HD then the Turner's HD, the monster is turned and must flee.

If the Monster has less remaining Hit Points then the Turner's HD, the monster is destroyed.

Clerics, Sages, or other classes with a role involving dealing with spirits and the undead treat their level as being higher for the purposes of Turning. Something like +1 starting at 2^nd level, and going up every other level. So at 2^nd level they can turn a 3 HD Undead, at 4^th level Turner counts as 6 HD and are guaranteed to destroy a 1 HD skeleton, etc.

Also also; this is mostly a single target thing, but a really high level Sage could totally split up their HD worth of turning power to rebuke a whole room of zombies. If you don't like the idea of a 1^st or 2^nd level Sage/Cleric being able to destroy undead this early on in the game, just make it so you have also have a higher level then the monster's HD in addition to beating it's current Hit Points

Also 3: Add your Wisdom modifier to this contest, because it fits and Wisdom sucks anyway. Gives a little more character variation and makes Cleric or Sage-types more likely to want to play them if they get a high Wisdom at character creation.

[Class] Nespo Nespo

The Nespo are a race of being with dark blue to purple fur, deer-like faces and hooves, as well as some avian traits like downy feathers and grasping talons for hands. These beings live in the high mountains, wandering just between the lower mountains and the timberline; the dividing area where it gets too high for trees to grow. You can sometimes see groups of them moving, silhouetted against the night sky, fading in with the shadows of the last straggling trees.

The Nespo are wise beings, traveling in all-male bands to learn new languages and secrets of lore wherever they go. Many also believe the Nespo are an all male race because of this, which is false. The Nespo race includes females, called Nespa or Nespa Nespa for a singular female, but they simply do not live with the males on this world for most times of the year. The females and the young travel to the highest mountains during nightfall to enter the Realm of Falling Twilight. They reach this realm by walking on the clouds if they are thick enough, or using magic and their pet birds and white minks to string twine around the clouds to keep them from floating away as they ascent.

The Realm of Falling Twilight is a world onto itself. There is almost no living things here, very few predators or native animals, and the entire realm is quiet. The ground is made of deep purple and black clouds and dust, the light here comes only from stars which can be reached and poked with a long pole. It is incredibly peaceful, the entire realm is as dark as the dusk and is cold. It always feels as though it is about to get colder at all times, just as the night before the chill, but it stays a livable temperature for this alpine race. The females live here and teach the young ones secrets and crafts; they drink from the energies of this place to survive, along with what little physical foods they need packed and stored from their Nespo counterparts. It is a very peaceful place that is perfect for rearing and protecting their young from the more chaotic mortal world.

Art @ovopack

Nespo Nespo

HD- d8

Max AC- 12 / Minimum Hit-Points- 3

The Nespo are a wise and hardy race. Your alpine fur and features give you protection from the cold environments, though the female Nespa Nespa has even further protection. You are also enriched by the thin mountain air; you can hold your breath for up to one exploration turn and can jog essentially forever from your inbuilt endurance.

Generate your Wisdom and Constitution with 2d8+6

Generate your Intelligence. If your Intelligence is <8, increase it to 8.

The Nespo Nespo has knowledge of magic and the healing arts. You cast spells as though you were one level greater, and you advance in healing abilities as though you were a Sage of equal level. You do not gain any benefit to turning the undead, as your religious beliefs are more family and nature oriented and do not invoke the power of the Gods to aide you.

Nespo and Nespa society is extremely conservative. You were in an arranged marriage as a boy, before you were ever let out into the normal world, and you have a deep obligation to donate at least 60% of your income to your spouse in the Falling Twilight. You still gain experience for wealth recovered, but must donate most of it in the form of cooking oils, metal objects, seeds, fabrics, and other things that cannot be readily found or made in that place. You only see your spouse or children once per year at the very most. Using magic to either transport yourself there more often or speak with your spouse using talking boxes or other such magical tricks is considered a taboo; all unnecessary contact between men and women is something to be shunned.

At 10^th level, you become a Nespo Skywatcher and find yourself put into a position of authority. You will be joined by 2d10+4 Nespo Nespo wandering sages and scribes. They can perform large scale tasks befitting their kind; such as healing a group of injuried warriors, providing research assistants for alchemy involving natural herbs and flowers, as well as a group of magicians who will participate in rain dances and so on, though their combat effectiveness is basically zero. Beyond commanding a group of Nespo sages, you may also gain the approval of enough female Nespa to try and create an expedition in a new sky realm- The Realm of Rising Dawn or the Realm of Crimson Warnings and so on. These skylit realms offer new opportunities to raise young, but these young will have fur colors that match their new homes, which could lead to subraces of the Nespo including golden furred dawnlings or silver furred moonlings and so on.

Additionally; you gain resistance to cold of all kinds, taking ½ damage from all cold spells and attacks from your now silver-edged fur. You also gain the power of innate Cloudwalking, letting you step on any fog, smoke, or steam thick enough to be opaque. Depending on the speed and stability of this vapor, you could use it as a small platform for a single jump or stand on it as a ramp, organizing bookshelves over a bubbling steamy cauldron, and so on. This also lets you easily access the realms above the Earth through going to the top of mountains and walking onto the sky.

The Sapphire Stick

The Sapphire Stick

Ego- 4; Magic Classes

Damage- N/A

The Sapphire Stick is a magic wand. Unlike most other magic items; it's Ego score is determined by magic using classes instead of martial ones; full casters get +1 to this Ego score per level, half casters get +1 every 2 levels, and non-casting classes get no Ego. The wand itself is a short, slightly curved wand made of a strange bright blue material. It hums with ambient magic, especially whenever it is flicked around or struck or knocked from the hand, etc.

The Sapphire Stick is a wand that channels the power of the Sacred Sapphire. Spells cast from the wand get +2 to their spell rolls, healing value, and reduce enemy saves by -2. The Sapphire Stick does not boost damage rolls from spells; it's magic is more based on protection and restoration.

The Ego score of this magic implement means it wants to serve a magic user of great power; but this can be suspended by a good hearted person. Often apprentice or weak magic users with good and pure hearts will find themselves with the stick, regardless of their skill in magic. Powerful magic users with evil intentions or selfish motivations will find the stick quickly abandoning them. Those who try to use the stick's magic to take an innocent life find the spell instantly fails and backfires on them instead; make a hard save or else the person turns into a sapphire crystalline statue frozen in place; a state which can only be ended by a powerful spell or the machinations of the frozen creatures over many years of plotting. This effect can also be done on a killing blow with a spell versus an enemy while wielding the stick instead of ending their life.

Sage Variant- Sage Magic Dice

As Dirt Simple Magic Dice, but applied to Sages instead. They have the following spells;

Healing- Die result = hit points restored to a creature. Excess points are lost.

Curing- Restores die result stat points. If target is diseased, reduces the disease as though they had die result days of bed rest, if terminal/incurable disease, it is suspended for die result rounds or turns instead. If target is under effect of curse, must beat monster HD/caster level to end the curse.

Warding- Protects against 1 environmental factor for die result turns; darkness, heat, underwater breathing, getting lost, supernatural dread, etc. Can also be used to create a Ward that turns away creatures of die result HD or less of a specific type (undead, beasts, constructs, etc.)

Bless- Grants die result +AC vs one attack OR bonus to one saving throw.

Counter-Spell- Cancels the result of an enemy's spell caster's die roll, reduces enemy spell power equal to roll result. If result is zero or negative; spell is nullified.

Warning- Detect a trap or hazard you suspect in die result feet.

Restore- Mend an item that has taken die result damage or less. Purify die result rations or flasks of water. If die result equals armor's normal AC bonus; armor is repaired. If die result equals weapon's maximum damage value, can restore it to working condition.

Revive- Die result + Negative hit points = 0 or higher; revives dead/dying at 1 HP and very weakened. Every turn spent dead increases negative hit points by -1d6 for the sake of this spell. You only get one chance to revive someone; else they can only be reborn by greater magicks.

Nonmagical Sages + Magic User Titles

I've been reworking the Sage class into something a bit different lately. I still like their focus on Support, and being the most 'magic' class despite not having spells, but I've also wanted to increase their focus on knowledge and taking away their inexplicable magical powers.

So instead; here's a nonmagical version of the Sage.

The Sage

Class HD- d6

Add Level to Magic Saves.

Instead of casting spells, the Sage uses knowledge to aid their party. They can identify magic items and also learn clues about tracked monsters. They are the best at brewing magic potions, gaining +1 per Sage level to the potion's effect roll, and can identify their ingredients easily.

Instead of casting combat spells, Sages can use magic rods like everyone else. But a Sage can also bind themselves to a single magic rod, which increases its charges by +1d6. The Sage can cast some minor cantrip-like magic that requires no charges even if they don't have the rod, as long as it isn't an attack. The magic is inherent within them now, until the rod is destroyed.

Finally; Sages get +1 to their magic roll per Sage level; which are done when using all sorts of magical rituals, items, spells, crafting, crossbreeding, and all other forms of magical actions.

Magic User Titles

All “magic users” or Sages are the same class. The different names are merely titles, depending on what they know and do.

Sorcerer is a catch all term, with a connotation of some respect.

Wizard is an official or employed magic user, usually acting as a court Wizard; a magical adviser and specialist for a ruler or lord. Mages or Magician is used for an employees magic user in a lesser role, such as working for a guild or smaller entity. Battlemage is one that fights in an army.

Witch is a term for an unscrupulous or lowborn magic user. Has a female connotation, but Witch-Men and Witch-Kings are just as common.

Warlock is a term for a magic user who joined a magical order, coven, or guild and stole knowledge and power from them before leaving. It's one of the worst names to be called, and bounties on Warlocks are common in magical communities.

Dirt Simple Alchemy

Heavily inspired by the newest Zelda; Breath of the Wild, this potion system is meant to simplify some of the thoughts I had on how I wanted to do alchemy. I can't take all the credit for this, as some of the ideas were brainstormed by anonymous contributors.

Dirt Simple Potions

In order to create a potion, it requires an open flame, water, a flask or vial, and a cauldron. Ingredients must be mixed together. Each ingredient has an effect; Each type of ingredient grants a 1d6 roll to determine the potion's strengths for that effect. Each additional ingredient of the same type grants just +1 to the roll for that effect.

For example; If you make a potion with 3 healing shrooms, a healing butterfly wing, and an attack boosting chili pepper; you would roll 2d6+2 for Healing and 1d6 to calculate your attack bonus. This effect roll is how powerful the potion is when drunk or applied to a weapon in the case for poison.

When mixed; the ingredients in the potion disappear into a colorful, often glowing liquid that is clearly supernatural. Potions only have one day of 'shelf-life' before they lose their magic and turn back into a useless ingredient slurry. Potions with ongoing effects grant the drinker their power for one exploration turn, which is not related to their shelf life.

Whenever foraging or shopping for potion ingredients, roll on each list to see what you find. You don't know what they do if you find them in the wild unless you're a Sage of appropriate level or unless you have a book that can tell you- otherwise you'll have to experiment. Inferior ingredients only grant 1d4 for rolling their effects, Rare reagents like from high HD monsters can have 1d8 or higher for their potion effects.

Ingredients- Roll 1d6

[1] Herb or Fruit

[2] Animal Flesh or Bone

[3] Mushroom or Mold

[4] Insect or Arachnid

[5] Monster Part or Egg

[6] Powder or Salt

Effect- Roll 1d10

[1] Attack- For every 5 points of X; grants +1 to hit

[2] Protection- For every 5 points of X; grants +1 AC

[3] Elemental Resistance- Absorbs X of an Elemental Damage. The Elemental this ingredient resists is tied to its location and the creature; ie Fire Drake teeth grant Fire resistance, Moss from a swamp grants acid resistance, etc. Or determine randomly- (1d4- Fire, Cold, Lightning, Acid)

[4] Sensing- You gain the ability to see in the dark to a number of feet equal to X times 5. You also gain the ability the 'hear' loud sounds through walls, floor, or ceiling such as the sound of miners striking at rock or rushing water. Range of this ability is roughly equal to X feet.

[5] Mana- You can recover a spent spell slot in spell level equal to X or less. If you're using another system, count this as restoring +X mana points or adding +X to the next spellcrafting check.

[6] Healing- Restore X Health. If fed to a dying character with -X or more health, save to be revived

[7] Cure- Fights against the disease as though you had X days of bed rest. Incurable diseases are instead delayed by X days. Restores X points of attribute damage.

[8] Antidote- Reduce X Poison Damage from what you are suffering. Not a resistance; must be drank after you are poisoned. On save vs death poison, add +½ of X to your saving throw.

[9] Poison- Adds +X Poison Damage on first strike if applied to a sharp weapon or arrow. Target gets a save to resist the poison. Poison damage is rolled after the hit is confirmed.

[10] Stability- Adds +X number of days this potion will keep before spoiling.

Potion Errata

Due to how strong some of these effects can be, especially with multiple potion ingredients of the same type, that is the reason for the potions short shelf-life. Stability-effect ingredients can be added to make them better and last longer of course.

Ingredients of the same effect and type have lesser effects then adding in multiple ingredients of the same effect but different type. However it doesn't make much sense for a bear's molar that can cure disease and camel fat halfway across the world that can also cure disease to be considered the “same” ingredient. You can choose to have each biome have its own set of ingredients that are counted as different ingredients in different biomes.

If you're the type to have weird, mutational, or potential dangerous potions with side effects then consider having a random saving throw whenever a tonic is ingested and have the player roll on the effects table if they fail the save. Whatever effect they roll is instead reversed for them; so if they roll Attack they fumble all of their attacks horribly, or they suddenly become very flammable and they'll take X bonus fire damage if so much as a torch brushes up against them.

Of course, these rules don't have to ever be the extent of your potions or tonic making adventures. Let players soak an ent's bark in a tonic and ingest it to gain barkskin for their protection tonics, or make it so any potion mixed with a dragon's heart becomes permanent, or can be poured out into a strange alchemical homunculus. But you were already thinking of doing that, weren't you?

Dark Sorcerer or "Anti-Sage"

My post on Sages and the Sage Magic system is the most popular post on my blog. In celebration, I will make an opposite class. Sages are the support casters of a dungeon crawling party, they will usually be the white or good magician character. Since the rules are meant to be as setting agnostic as possible, you could fluff a Sage as being a generic white wizard, kindly healer, wise man, religious priest praying for miracles, or a psychic medium.

But what about the opposite? All the powers of the Sage, but made dark and twisted. Sages have spells that heal and support, so the Anti-Sage has spells that harm and curse. Sages serve the light, law, or goodness. Anti-Sages serve darkness, chaos, and evil.

Since “Anti-Sage” is a bit of a lame name, let's just call them Sorcerers instead.

Sorcerer

Combination of Evil Cleric + MU. Saves and health as Magic User.

Sorcerers cast dark spells by rolling 2d6 vs target difficulty HD as Sages do. The effects are simply reversed. Rolling a 1 on either die gives -1 ongoing, you have to roll 7 or better to succeed on a basic roll, etc.

All Sorcerers are tutored in the dark arts, and know the following powers.

Summon

Roll vs HD of creature or spirit you are trying to summon. Must be near a threshold, portal, or the location where the creature or spirit can pass over. This can bring forth the being, but it cannot bind them which must be done through sacrifices or negotiation with the entity.

Harm

Roll vs number of damage points to inflict. Harm usually manifests as a sudden rending of flesh, a wasting or rotting of the target's body, black bolts or sickly green light. Elemental damage is more 'neutral'.

Inflict

Roll vs HD of target. Add +1 to the difficulty of this spell per HD of creature's ability you are emulating. ie; HD 2 spitting cobra spit, blinding spell has +2 HD difficulty.

Curse

Roll vs HD equal to malus to enemy roll. ie if you want to give them a -2 to their roll, counts as HD 2. When cast the Sorcerer must choose the exact roll or action that gets the negative.

Darkness

Roll vs HD of candle-light worth of illumination to snuff out. Can also literally snuff out candles. Just the opposite of the light spell, can be cast on regular darkness as well and can make areas supernaturall dark and forboding.

Obscure
Roll vs HD equal to damage dice of trap or hazard. Opposite of warning, makes it harder to sense traps or items OR gives out a bad feeling to make a place feel haunted and unwelcome.

Ruin
Roll vs HD equal to turns it would take to repair item or the number of rations. Ruins, rusts, and putrefies supply items. You can cast this on a farm to make things generally sick and cause the damage before the food has even been prepared.