The Blessings of the Flesh from the Cult of the Pit (an extra for People of the Pit)

 

I remember the first time I faced draconians from the AD&D 2^nd Dragonlance Campaign Setting. I was instantly in love with the monster design (never have facing a critter with death throes before) You never knew what would happen when a new type of draconian showed up. Would the monster blow up as you killed it? Turn to acid? Go berserker? It was awesome.

I am not sure why but when I read People of the Pit module, I get a “draconian” vibe from the Cult of Pit. When you kill a cultist, a pulped-tentacled-mess-thing (a.k.a. octo-mass) bursts forth from the corpse and attacks you. That is nice… the first time. Then I noticed that it becomes common place rather quickly. So, I decided to create a table and generate variant octo-mass for my run of the adventure.

Every time a cultist dies, roll a 1d8, and let the chaos begin!

1 – The body starts shaking and gory tentacles emerge from mouth, eyes and ears… it is gross but one round later the cultist just drops dead. You lucky bastard.

2 – Same as above, but one round later an octo-mass bursts forth and ATTACK!

3 – The cultist explodes in gory trash movie fashion. Everyone in melee range must roll a Luck check. If they fail with an even roll they are blinded for 1 round, if they fail with a odd roll they slip and fall in the blood. Oh, and there is a octo-mass SOMEWHERE preparing a sneak attack at the possible worst moment.

4 – The octo-mass jumps some 10 ft. from the cultist’s corpse and attaches itself to a ceiling or wall… from where it promptly starts casting (or helping at the cast of) arms of Palimdybis. This “jumpy” octo-mass has AC 12.

5 – The octo-mass bursts from the cultist as a projectile. One character in range (a 30 ft. line) must succeed at a Ref save DC 12. Failing with an even roll means the octo-mass grabs his face (the PC is blind, cannot speak and is suffocating). Failing with an odd roll means the octo-mass grabbed his torso and the PC cannot use his arms, besides having his movement limited to 5 ft. per round. During the chaos of melee, any normal attack against a grappling octo-mass has 50% of hitting the grappled PC. (but Mighty Deed of Arms to avoid that are in order!) Consider that an octo-mass has a Str 10 when rolling opposed checks to free the PC.

6 – The octo-mass bursts from the cultist as a projectile. One character in range (a 30 ft. line) must succeed at a Will save DC 12 or becomes controlled as the octo-mass’ tentacles get inside his ears and nose. A new Will save can be attempted every round with a +2 cumulative bonus. (No Judge would dare use this tactic to control the party's wizard or elf... imagine if start casting spells? Oh Heavens...)

7 – Dire octo-mass! This critter has 8 hit points and inflicts 1d6 damage! The first time it is hit by slashing damage it suffers no damage but divides in two octo-mass (then in three). After the first slashing, damage is 1d4, after the second the normal damage. A third slashing attack deals damage normally.

8 – Octo-mass swarm!!! Roll twice on this table. (If the Judge believes this is too much, only use this result for Crimson and Yellow Robe Cultists).

Yeah, this tables makes the Cultist considerably more dangerous and unpredictable, but that is the idea. I run People of the Pit with a 5 players’ party who used lots of hirelings and the adventure was devilish fun!

Octo-mass time!

The Hellish Pacts with the Hollow Man (an extra for Doom of the Savage Kings)

While running Doom of the Savage Kings (one of my all-time favorite modules) to my first DCC RPG table, a few years ago, I added a few extras to the Sunken Fens. Because there is a Viking flavor to the entire thing, inspired in the legend of the huldre, I created the Hollow Man.

Just an old diviner...

The Hollow Man looks like an old hermit of the swamp, but on a closer inspection he is a hollowed husk-man-thing that carries flasks fulls of hands and eyes. While the party figured it out the illusion, they never interacted with the Hollow Man itself like I wanted (they actually ran away pretty fast!).

The Hollow Man collects hands and eyes and (or so say the legends) eventually traded them with devils. The idea is that the Hollow Man is a source of weird powers (i.e. magic items). Basically, you lose a hand and/or eye and get supernatural mojo.

Run for your lives!

Of course, the encounter was not that simple. The Hollow Man was a unique critter and only offered its services after a riddle contest (I placed rumors in Hirot mentioning that there is “an old diviner in the swamps” that helps people in exchange of riddles… it was a half-true rumor).

- If you give one of your hands to the Hollow Man, you literally get one of your hands (even if detached) in the Hells. The good news is that you can still kind of control that hand and the effect in the Material Plane is that, if spend 1 Action Die and no one is looking, you can move anything that you can see without touching it (if it weights less than 20 pounds/10 kg). So, you could use it (for example) to lift the keys to your cell from the sleeping guard and get away. The bad news is that you are one-handed (-1 Agility) and that one day a devil might show up with your hand, meaning that you own that devil one favour or you soul (your choice).

- If you give one of your eyes to the Hollow Man, you could use it see those that are already Damned. Mechanically, you suffer a -1 in Personality or Luck, but once every day (just after awakening) you can roll a d20. At any point during that same day you could change any other Action Die rolled in your presence by that d20. So, if you rolled a 3 at the beginning of the day, you could change an enemy’s attack roll of 17 against you with that 3. It does not work with your own Action Die rolls (i.e. you know that you are already Damned). The bad news? If you use this power and roll a natural 20, that means that you are doomed and, at some points during that day, the Judge can substitute any of your Action Die rolls for a Fumble (the Judge should go for maximum kill here, the idea is that the Hells want your character). So, if your PC rolls a natural 20 using this power, their best option is probably to stay holed up for the next 24 hours.

A classic!

On a DCC Lite

While I still love DCC RPG, I am looking for something lighter now (but still DCC and using the modules!). After all, DCC is such a treasure trove of good rules. I usually praise it for the having the best take on D&D iconic classes while still retaining that classic D&D feel. So, yes, in a certain way I am trying to build my DCC Lite (and I am probably not the first). This post is just me rambling about what I would keep in a DCC Lite (among other random stuff).

I want something that I can start right away with minimum fuss and book checking (and still feel like DCC). My first reaction is to get rid of base progressions from Attacks, Saves and such. I also want to keep Critical Hits and Fumbles, but I want to avoid all those tables for now. I want a Saving Throw system, but one that uses the original idea of saving (from Chainmail and OD&D).

I am very influenced right now by Knaves/Black Hack/SS&SS/GLOG/5TP, so my DCC Lite would be centered on DCC RPG’s 6 ability scores: Strength, Agility, Stamina, Intelligence, Personality and Luck.

Nonetheless… time to kill a sacred cow: get rid of the scores. I just want the modifiers. I will try to keep DCC RPG’s table of Ability Score modifiers and see how it goes (it also keeps inflation at a minimum and looks like older editions). So, if your roll Strength 12 your stat would actually be STR+0. If you rolled a Strength 14 you got STR +1. 

The basic rule is still rolling a d20. Initial DC is 10. Easy stuff (with consequences) would be DC 5, hard stuff is DC 15 and dramatic epicness would be DC 20 (DC 25 would be deity territory). I will address more about checks when I talk about skills.

 I want to start at Funnel, so each PC would just roll his 6 stats, 1d6 + Stamina mod hit points and a Background. Each PC should have 1 character only; however I am thinking on allowing a player to reduce 2 of his LUCK to start with a 2^nd PC.

Oh, about LUCK. You still roll LUCK for random stuff, passive perception, and such. However, your Luck Points start as 10 plus LUCK (so, if you have LUCK -1, that is 9 Luck Points). LUCK and Luck Points are tracked separately. You can burn 1 Luck point BEFORE rolling to gain a +1d4 (or +1d6, still not sure) to any check during the game (not while advancing) or to gain a Save. LUCK itself never changes, but Luck points usually go down.

You recover Luck points by Carousing, making sacrifices to the Gods or permanently killing an Un-dead (1 per encounter; as Un-dead are hated by all the Gods as they are basically souls that do not go the Afterlife and thus to a deity’s power source).

You can burn 1 Luck to Save. Basically, after you are screwed you can request a Save (ex: you were hit by a poisoned arrow, you did not saw the pit trap and fell, you were in the wrong spot when the dragon breathed fire etc.) you can burn 1 Luck and request a Save. Usually that is flat d20 roll and if you roll 10+ (it could be more) you avoid the worse. Yes, you can request a Save after failing a normal check. HOWEVER, when you request a Save basically to “roll again” and you fail again, you suffer a Fumble. This does not happen when “there was nothing you could do”. For example: if you are caught in the area of a fireball or dragon breath, failing the Save is not a fumble. If the Judge does not want to inflict a Fumble you lose another Luck point (a generous Judge could return the Luck Point if you roll a natural 20 on a Save).

Advancement would be diegetic. That means no classes, feats and other automatic mechanics are involved. Leveling up usually will get you just: 1 extra Hit Die (usually a d6 and you reroll all your Hit Dice and keep the highest sum); you recover your Luck points, and maybe +1 to a stat every even level. EVERYTHING else depends on the campaign. You want to fight better? You convince the Guard Captain into training you. You want to be more agile? You convince the local Thief Master to teach you his tricks (that might give you +1/+2 to Saves based on reflexes or 1 free Save each day). Want to be more though? Then survive with your barbarian friend in the Dire Wood during all winter (that might grant you more hit points when leveling, maybe a better Hit Dice). Etc. The idea is the Questing for the Impossible, from the DCC RPG Core Rulebook, is now the official way to get powers. Yes, character will get powerful more slowly but for me that is actually better, as I can use more modules. Character development will also be more natural to the campaign.

I want a pick-up game, so the Background would define most of your stuff. Including your initial equipment. You can choose your items DURING GAME, if your Background would allow it. For basic dungeoneering stuff I would write a general list (torch, rope, 10 ft. pole etc.) and during the first session each PC could ask if they have that item. I would then cross the item from the list, say “Yes” and 1 PC in the party has the basic item. That should allow me to start right away.

Each PC can carry 10 items plus his STR. That is your Inventory/Encumbrance Each item above your limit leaves with a -1 Die Chain penalty (instead of rolling a d20 you now roll a d16).

Each PC can usually adventure for a number of turns equal to 6 plus his STA. One turn is usually 1 hour for wilderness exploration or 10 minutes for dungeon exploration. After that the Judge start inflicting Fatigue. Each level of Fatigue is one less level of Inventory/Encumbrance. A turn resting and eating would erase 1 Fatigue.

Now, I removed classes, but I still want the iconic class features as stuff you can train or gain during the game. Let me see what we can take from each class…

The Warrior, for example, has the best combat class trait that I have ever seen in a d20 System: The Mighty Deed of Arms! (besides the most awesome named class feature).

I am going to describe here how I use it, so you are alerted in case I am not following the official version. Basically, every time the Warrior attacks, they roll the traditional attack roll (a d20) and a Deed Die. At 1^st level that is 1d3. The Deed Die is always added to the attack roll. However, BEFORE rolling, a Warrior can declare a maneuver (like disarm or push the adversary). If the Deed Die comes with a ‘3’ and the attack hits, the Warrior roll damage PLUS the maneuver effect. If the Deed comes lower than ‘3’ but still lands, the Warrior just roll damage. Does that mean you have to declare a crazy stunt every round? No, if the Warrior just roll the Deed Die without declaring anything, they just add it roll to attack AND damage.

It is simple and – in one struck – DCC RPG got rid of all those feats, maneuvers, styles, and other crunch from other d20 Systems. It is also modular. You can practically remove the Deed Die and add it to other game. In my DCC Lite, if I would offer the Deed Die usually as a result of training with a Weapon Master (maybe the Deed Die would work just with one weapon or style). If I added it to a game like Knaves, I would just change it to a d4 or d6, with the extra it would work as a Usage Die (if a 1-2 came up you lost the Deed Die until you could rest/train/use one action to recover your stance). Done!

And forget rules light systems! If used D&D 5E I would also use the Deed Die (which is closer to the original idea of Expertise Die from the D&D Next playtest and which I find a lot more elegant, simple, and funnier them the current Battlemaster and Maneuver system of 5E).

In my current DCC RPG game I am also inclined to grant 1 Die Chain bonus if you request a maneuver that is good with your current weapon. Like using an axe to shatter armor or a flail to ignore a shield. In those cases, a d3 Deed Die would become a d4. I am still not sure about this.

Now lets us take a look on the Thief (and thus on Skills) for my DCC Lite.

DCC RPG already has the perfect Skill system. That is, for general uncertain stuff that anyone can do and where failure might be interesting you roll a d20 plus your modifier against a DC of 10 (a good description or Background can help you avoid the check, of course). If you try something that you are totally untrained (like closing someone’s wounds or trying to read Old Elvish), you will roll a d10 (if roll at all). Things based on Background (your previous occupation, your current diegetic class and stuff that you managed to train in game) define when you roll a d20. For example: in my current DCC campaign the party’s Berserker trained with a noble that new tracking and hunting – the Berserker now rolls a d20 for “Ranger stuff”.

DCC RPG Skill system’s genius really shines when placed side by side with D&D’s bastard class: the Thief. Like others, I do not appreciate how the Thief discourage other classes from attempting “Rogue stuff” in many d20 games. You also have the issue that in most pre-D&D 3^rd games, the Thief Skills at 1^st level were ridiculously low. There are A LOT of rulings and variants on the internet addressing that (from treating the Thief skills as supernatural powers, to rolling only when the Thief fails a normal Stat check or don’t describe exactly what he did etc.).  I rather like DCC RPG’s solutions. Everyone follows the normal Skill system. That means that if your Background is an urchin or a hunter, it makes sense to roll a d20 in a stealth check (minus any armor or encumbrance). If someone is watching you roll an opposed check, otherwise the usual DC is 10 (and probably higher). What about the Thief? Well, besides his Ability Score modifiers they have their classic Thievery Skills which gives them usually a +1 to +3 bonus at 1^st level. But the real catch is that the Thief operates on a different scale than other PCs. Take for example, Hide in Shadows: most PCs would have to find a place to hide and roll opposed checks. Not the Thief. Their DCs for Hide in Shadows are not opposed. Usually, if there are places with real shadows where they can hide, Thieves roll against a DC of 5 (they are THAT good!). If you are in broad daylight with guards, most PCs would probably roll a d10 opposed by a d20 from the guards. Not the Thief. Those bastards roll against a DC 20 (and it is not that hard, considering the usual bonus of +3 at 1^st level and the probable bonus of +10 at 4^th-5^th level). Yes, DCC RPG’s Thieves are ninja! It is such a simple rule that you don’t need to change anything else to implement it in other games. I am not sure why but it reminds of the position and effect rules from Blades in the Dark.

The Thief Skills would work perfectly in any rules light system. For my DCC Lite I am thinking on removing those complicated Skill Progressions and just keeping the Thief’s scale. In other words, a Thief-trained character would just need to beat a lower DC for that skill in which they were trained by another Thief (no opposed checks).

Now, before moving on, I would probably change the untrained Die Roll rule for my DCC Lite. Nothing against the d10 but I would establish that an untrained roll is a -3 Die Chain penalty. That means that instead of a d20 your roll a d12. That would also work for weapon proficiency (and a d12 is less harsh than a d10 in my mind… besides, we barely used d12s).

OK, I know I still must address the Thief’s Luck and Backstab but lets us leave that for another post. I also need to check the Critical Hit, Fumble and Spell’s tables that I will use. To finish this post, I just want to briefly address the Cleric.

The Cleric of DCC RPG (at least the Lawful one) is already the PERFECT Cleric, so I will just remove the spells for now. The Cleric’s magic system is already perfect just with Lay on Hands, Turn Unholy and Divine Aid. For my DCC Lite I would give the Cleric just one of those powers per quest. They are already considerable powerful and VERY useful. The idea that the Cleric has powers that work constantly instead of spell list also fits the class better in my mind, bringing it closer to the original Hammer Movies/Van Helsing concept.

Hope you enjoyed the rambling. See ya!

How I am feeling after writing this post!