Thursday, August 25, 2011

Savage Kingmaker: Building Kingdoms...

Good Morning, All:

What follows are my thoughts on the Savage Worlds basic rule conversions for Kingdom Building as found in Paizo's Pathfinder #32, "Rivers Run Red", from the Kingmaker adventure path. If something is not listed here, assume that it follows the rules found in the original article listed above.

Kingdom Statistics
All kingdom checks (Economy, Loyalty and Stability) are based on the Ruler's Knowledge (Statecraft) skill, which is based on Smarts. Much like the resolution of Mass Battles, characters in specific roles may make an appropriate skill check to assist in one of the three kingdom checks for the month.

Alignment: As Savage Worlds does not have alignment, kingdoms do not recieve any bonuses to kingdom checks based on alignment.

Size: A Kingdom's size remains equal to the number of hexes comprising the kingdom. Kingdom checks suffer a penalty equal to half the kingdom's size, rounded down.

Leadership: Penalties to kingdom checks for missing a particular leadership position are halved from the article itself. (i.e. if the kingdom has no Councilor, then the Loyalty kingdom check suffers a -1 penalty.) Instead of granting bonuses to a kingdom check based on a statistic, each leadership role is allowed to make a single skill check to aid the appropriate kingdom check each month (+1 with a success, +1 per Raise). The skills for each leadership role are defined in the Skill By Leadership Role table below.

Table: Skill By Leadership Role
Leadership RoleSkill
CouncilorKnowledge (Statecraft)
GeneralKnowledge (Battle)
Grand DiplomatKnowledge (Linguistics)
High PriestKnowledge (Religion)
MagisterKnowledge (Arcane)
MarshalKnowledge (Battle)
Royal AssassinIntimidation
SpymasterStreetwise
TreasurerKnowledge (Statecraft)
wardenKnowledge (Battle)

Other Bonuses and Penalties: All other circumstances that impact a kingdom check provide a bonus or impose a penalty that is half that described in the article, round toward the most negative number. Thus, a -1 penalty in the article still grants a -1 penalty, while a +1 does not grant a bonus to the kingdom check, and a +3 only grants a +1 bonus on the kingdom check, etc.

Kingdom Check: Stability
The Ruler makes a Knowledge (Statecraft) skill check in Step 1 of the Upkeep Phase, modified by the kingdom's size as discussed above, the Stability check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein) and the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles. If successful, he reduces Unrest by 1 (or gains 1 BP if Unrest is at 0). On a failure, Unrest increases by 1; on a result of 1 or less, Unrest increases by 2.

Kingdom Check: Loyalty
The Ruler makes a Knowledge (Statecraft) skill check in Step 2 of the Income Phase, modified by the kingdom's size as discussed above, the Loyalty check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein), the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles, and half the BPs being withdrawn, rounded up. On a failure, Unrest increases by the number of BPs withdrawn.

Kingdom Check: Economy
The Ruler makes a Knowledge (Statecraft) skill check in Step 3 of the Income Phase, modified by the Economy check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein), the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles, and an additional penalty based on item rarity (-4 for moderate items and -8 for major items). On a failure, nothing sells. With a success, the Ruler increases the kingdom's treasury by 2 BP (minor items), 8 BP (moderate items) or 15 BP (major items.)

In addition, the Ruler makes a Knowledge (Statecraft) skill check in Step 4 of the Income Phase, modified by the kingdom's size as discussed above, the Economy check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein) and the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles. On a success, increase your kingdom's treasure by a number of BP equal to 1 for every 2 points on the trait check result above the base of 4.

Kingdom Checks: General
In addition, certain events call for kingdom checks in order to minimize or remove any negative impact. Those are simply a Ruler's Knowledge (Statecraft) check, modified by the kingdom's size as discussed above, the Economy, Loyalty or Stability check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein) and the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles.

I think the rest of it could stand as is, at least for the time being. Some experimentation would be necessary. If I had a group interested in carving out a kingdom within the Madlands, I'd definitely try this out. If someone else gives these thoughts a try before I'm able to, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

With Regards,
Flynn

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Savage Kingmaker: Exploring Hexes...

Good Morning, All:

Sorry for the side trek, but I felt the need to chat about something else for a post or two. I've been playing most of the summer in a Kingmaker campaign using the Pathfinder rules. While I've enjoyed the experience, I still find the D20 System, even in its Pathfinder incarnation, to be overly complicated. While I'd run MyD20 Light if I had to Referee a D&D-like system again, right now my gaming group prefers Savage Worlds. Being the itinerate tinkerer that I am, I have recently been considering how to convert the basic experience of exploration and kingdom building to Savage Worlds. Below are some of my initial thoughts, in case you are interested.

Travel Times
While Pathfinder breaks down travel times by the party's speed on multiple levels, I prefer the more simplified approach promoted by Savage Worlds. In essence, I'd probably do something like this:

Table: Travel Times
Terrain (Obstacles)Cross The HexExplore the Hex
Grasslands/Plains/Road (Unobstructed)1/2 Day1 Day
Forest/Hills (Average)1 Day2 Days
Mountains/Swamps (Difficult)1 Day3 Days
Note: Characters moving at less than Pace 6 must make a Vigor roll to avoid taking a level of Fatigue from pushing themselves to make that distance. Characters (or mounted characters) moving at a Pace of 9 or higher may half the time listed in the table above.

Order of Exploration
Whenever characters explore an unknown region, I would suggest the following order of operations.

  1. Entering The Hex: When entering the hex, the characters should become aware of any landmark sites. These are sites that can be seen at a great distance on the horizon, such as cities, sizable geographic landmarks or even large structures. The landmark site can be avoided or explored at the explorers' desire.
  2. In addition, the GM should check for Wandering Monsters upon entering a hex, as well as every day or night spent exploring or camping in the hex. (Alternately, you could use a Survival check to avoid such encounters, if you prefer that system, which I personally do. For details, check out Fantasy Flight Games' Wildscape.)
  3. Exploring The Hex: If the characters take the time to explore the hex, the characters should automatically become aware of any standard sites. Standard sites are somewhat secluded, but are immediately identifiable when the explorers come within bow shot range, if not sooner.
  4. In addition, if the characters succeed in a Notice skill check while exploring the hex, they discover any hidden sites that might exist in the hex. Hidden sites are those that are very secluded or hidden, and thus not immediately obvious, even when within bow shot range.

I have yet to tackle "savaging" the Kingdom Building rules, but I've got some thoughts. I'll probably post something later if my thoughts coalesce. In the meantime, enjoy!

Happy Savaging,
Flynn

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Sword & Planet Bestiary: The Kandor...

Good Morning, All:

One of the first beasts that I wanted to introduce to my Sword & Planet bestiary is the kandor, a creature that has been domesticated by the sentient races to assist with working and hunting, as well as provide general companionship. The monster entry follows:

Kandor
The kandor is a common creature that has been domesticated by the sentient races to assist with working, herding, hunting and protection, as well as providing general companionship. The kandor can be found in both pet and feral varieties, and are territorial pack hunters in the wild. Well-muscled, the kandor is a vicious predator with six legs, a dog-like body and a rat-like head, standing about four feet tall at the shoulder. The kandor's coat covers most of its body (save for the inside of its large circular ears and its long whip-like tail), with a color that varies from white through grays to black, and browns that range from light (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a wide variation of patterns. The kandor is a very social creature, using hisses, barks and squeaks as well as body language to express a wide range of information to its packmates and/or owners.

Kandor: AC 6 [13]; HD 4; Atk: 1 bite (1d6); ST: 13; SP: None; MV: 18; CL/XP: 4/120.

In essence, the kandor are simply osquip on a larger scale, but should prove to be pretty fun as a replacement for dogs or wolves in a Planetary Romance setting. Just imagine a giant wolf-rat coiled beside its master when the party encounters a lone woodsman in their travels, or a pack of these predators tearing through the underbrush chasing them down as they flee from an enemy's stronghold. If your players are uncomfortable with rats, feel free to play up that aspect of their appearance. After creatures get to be of a certain size, a large group of them is no longer considered a swarm; instead, we tend to call such a group a pack. Despite that, though, you can describe their charge as having a swarm-like quality about it, particularly if the PCs observe them attacking a much larger creature such as a dinosaur.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Sword & Planet: Some Thoughts On A Bestiary...

Good Morning, All:

In thinking about developing a Sword & Planet bestiary, I wanted to start with some basic concepts. As a GM, I've noticed that the more I touch on common or shared experiences between gamers, the less time I have to take explaining things and the easier it is for gamers to accept the details of the scene and immerse themselves in the world and the storyline that we are creating together. In terms of a bestiary, this is no different.

Looking at the Swadesh list, I can easily see that there are five animals that are identified. This means that these animals are part of the 200 concepts most commonly communicated in languages. These animals are:

bird
dog
fish
fly
louse

Of course, you can't really do a lot with that list. There's simply not enough options to explore. However, there's a Universal Language List project, that expands on the idea behind the Swadesh lists, which one can assume also includes creatures that are common enough that most people can use them and move on. Looking through the list, I found the following forty-six creatures identified in the list of animals as common concepts that cross cultural boundaries and thus lend themselves well to shared experiences and more immersive gaming:

ant (insect of family Formicidae)
caterpillar
cricket
grasshopper
mantis (insect of order Manteodea)
cockroach (insect of order Blattaria)
worm (broad category of insect larvae)
bee (member of genus Apis)
butterfly
firefly
fly (small winged insect)
mosquito
lizard
snake (reptile of suborder Serpentes or Ophidia)
turtle (reptile of order Testudinata)
dragon (winged serpent with crested head and large claws)
fish
lobster
whale (large marine mammal of order Cetacea)
frog (web-footed tailless leaping amphibian)
spider
cow/bull, cattle (bovine animal of either sex)
donkey, ass (Equus asinus)
elephant
goat (animal of genus Capra)
horse (Equus caballus)
pig (mammal of family Suidae)
sheep (Ovis aries)
bear (animal of Ursidae family)
deer (animal of family Cervidae)
lion (Felis leo)
tiger (Felis tigris)
fox (member of genus Vulpes)
wolf (Canis lupus)
monkey, small primate
rabbit (animal of family Leporidae)
squirrel (rodent of family Sciuridae)
mouse
dog (Canis familiaris)
cat (Felis catus)
bird (egg-laying feathered animal with wings)
chicken
duck
turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
crow
sparrow

Therefore, when developing creature concepts for a Planetary Romance game, I am going to make an effort to describe the appearance and/or behavior of the beasts in terms of these common animals listed above. Sometimes, the inability of a player to visualize the world described by a GM gets in the way of enjoying a non-standard gaming experience, and as the Sword & Planet genre is not strictly Fantasy, we can safely say that we may need every bit of help we can get to help players enjoy the game.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any other suggestions to offer?

With Regards,
Flynn

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Sword & Planet: A Campaign Story Arc...

Good Morning, All:

Early on in my discussion of the Planetary Romance genre, I mentioned a quote from Wikipedia regarding the common conventions of the first book of a Sword and Planet series, which I'll repeat here for the sake of easy reference.

"Burroughs established a set of conventions that were followed fairly closely by most other entries in the Sword and Planet genre. The typical first book in a sword and planet series uses some or all of the following plot points:

A tough but chivalrous male protagonist, from Earth of a period not too distant from our own, finds himself transported to a distant world. The transportation may be via astral projection, teleportation, time travel, or any similar form of scientific magic, but should not imply that travel between worlds is either easy or common. The Earthman thus finds himself the sole representative of his own race on an alien planet. This planet is at a pre-modern, even barbaric stage of civilization, but may here and there have remarkable technologies that hint at a more advanced past. There is no obligation for the physical properties or biology of the alien planet to follow any scientific understanding of the potential conditions of habitable worlds; in general, the conditions will be earth-like, but with variations such as a different-colored sun or different numbers of moons. A lower gravity may be invoked to explain such things as large flying animals or people, or the superhuman strength of the hero, but will otherwise be ignored. (A Princess of Mars, however, when it was first written did loosely follow the most optimistic theories about Mars - e.g., those of Percival Lowell who imagined a dying, dried-up Mars watered by a network of artificial canals.)

Not long after discovering his predicament, the Earthman finds himself caught in a struggle between two or more factions, nations, or species. He sides, of course, with the nation with the prettiest woman, who will sometimes turn out to be a princess. Before he can set about seriously courting her, however, she is kidnapped by a fiendish villain or villains. The Earthman, taking up his sword (the local weapon of choice, which he has a talent with), sets out on a quest to recover the woman and wallop the kidnappers. On the way, he crosses wild and inhospitable terrain, confronts savage animals and monsters, discovers lost civilizations ruled by cruel tyrants or wicked priests, and will repeatedly engage in swashbuckling sword-fights, be imprisoned, daringly escape and rescue other prisoners, and kill any men or beasts who stand in his way. At the end of the story he will defeat the villain and free the captive princess, only to find another crisis emerging that will require all his wit and muscle, but will not be resolved until the next thrilling novel in the adventures of...!."

As I had mentioned in that earlier post, this gives us a nice blueprint to use for the first few adventures in a Planetary Romance setting. Using something like the screenwriter's Nine Act Plot Structure as the basis for a campaign story arc, it occurs to me that you could easily use something like the following to help launch a strong Sword & Planet campaign.

Act Zero
Over the course of the campaign, we reveal the background of the campaign arc through small scenes and insights. As this is not a formal scene within the screenwriter's plot structure, neither is this an actual adventure for the players.

Act One
The characters arrive via some mysterious means on a distant world, which will be the setting for the entire campaign. Just as they begin to familiarize themselves with their new environment, they find themselves caught in the middle of a struggle between two different factions, and must choose sides. Obviously, as a beautiful woman needs saving, they will side with the faction that rescues her.

Act Two
The party must prove themselves to their would-be compatriots, and protect the woman from the barbaric ways of the natives. This starts off with some political/social machinations, possibly with duels or combat to help establish the players in a new social position. As the party relaxes and begins to enjoy their newfound position, a jealous or vengeful second in command, displaced by the party due to their arrival and success, kidnaps the woman and flees with her into the night.

Act Three
Following the kidnapper, the party comes upon the enemy of the woman's people. These enemies happen to desire the woman as well, given that she is a Princess and the daughter of their enemy. Their first encounter with the enemy warlord defines his arrogant manner, and displays his position of power within the world, a position that the players will not be able to overcome at first, simply because they didn't grow up on this world. The enemy warlord and the kidnapper will leave the site of that first encounter, and the players will be left alive to lick their wounds and plan the next step in their quest to rescue the Princess.

Act Four
Following the enemy warlord, the party travels across wild and inhospitable terrain, confronting animals and monsters, before arriving at the capital city of the enemy's empire. Upon entering the city, they immediately hear that the enemy warlord will be marrying the Princess, and be elevated to the Right Hand of the enemy emperor as the governor of the Princess's homeland, to rule in the emperor's name. The party must stop the wedding.

Act Five
Having decided to stop the wedding and save the Princess, the party must identify the ways by which they can enter into the palace, execute their plan and rescue the woman. Every complication encountered as they proceed toward their goal is harder and harder, challenging them to be creative and action-oriented whenever possible. They barely succeed in fighting to save the Princess, only to have to flee into the subterranean dungeons beneath the enemy city. The Princess then demands to be taken back to her native city to warn her father of the impending attack on her homeland.

Act Six
In travelling through the underground ruins in search of an exit, the party risks being captured by cultists that have captured prisoners, including children, to sacrifice to the monster they worship as a god. One of the prisoners will offer to show them the way out, if they will free the prisoners and help them to escape as well. Upon leaving the dungeons, they will come upon the enemy warlord's flagship in the upcoming invasion, a small flying warship that they can use to escape.

Act Seven
The party makes for the Princess's homeland, the enemy close at their heels. There may be an encounter or two with advanced scouts, enough to slow down the party long enough for the enemy warlord to catch up. The prisoner that originally helped the party escape the dungeon offers to sacrifice himself by crashing the flagship into their enemy, leaving the party to cover the short remaining distance to the Princess's homeland and warn her people. As the party watches, though, the flagship is taken out by the enemy warlord's more powerful vessel, giving time for the party to barely make it to the city and raise the alarm.

Act Eight
The party escorts the Princess to her father, only to find that the kidnapper is in the Great Hall and is about to poison the greatest warriors of the land with bad wine. The party takes care of the kidnapper, explains the situation, and fights the good fight. The final fight scene should involve the party and a handful of warriors against the invading enemy warlord and his soldiers, in a final climactic battle atop the greatest towers of the city, where all can see the results of this battle. If the Princess can be in the clutches of the enemy warlord and be rescued as a result of the fight, so much the better.

Act Nine
There is much rejoicing. If a party member is interested and has played up the romance well all the way through, this is the point where he might become betrothed to the Princess, otherwise that honor goes to an NPC. Either way, there's a large celebration taking place at this point as honors and awards are laid upon the heroes for their part in all of this. Just as the wedding ceremony starts, the party is whisked away by some mysterious force, either to return to Earth or perhaps to be sent elsewhere on the world by powers beyond their ken...

It needs a lot of work, of course, but this should make for the start of a great campaign. I'll likely spend more time polishing the story arc up, adding some more elements here and there, and removing some of the railroady factor from parts of it as I continue to work on this concept. Of course, any thoughts or suggestions you might like to share would be greatly appreciated.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Sword & Planet: An Equipment List...

Good Afternoon, All:

In regards to the Sword & Planet genre, equipment tends to be much less of a concern to the characters of the stories than most RPG characters hold it. In keeping with that tendency, we've already introduced the concept of Defense Bonuses to replace the need for armor. However, we can further emphasize the lack of importance for detailed equipment lists by simplifying the manner in which characters gain equipment. Toward that end, I propose the following rules suggestions. Bear in mind that these are only thoughts, not finalized rules, but should demonstrate the kind of approach one might use for characters in a Planetary Romance campaign.

Starting Equipment
All characters begin adventuring with the same basic list of starting equipment, plus a number of equipment "picks" equal to two plus their character level. A "pick" is simply a choice of equipment from one of the lists below. Some items are worth more than one pick, typically based on its relative importance, comparative rarity and general game impact compared to more common items on the list. The basic equipment common to all characters is:
  • Harness: Every character needs something to hang their other equipment on, and harnesses are the most common item for that purpose as described in Planetary Romance novels. With GM permission, this may be replaced with a belt.
  • Cape: Every character needs some manner to keep warm at night while adventuring. While sleeping furs are more common for settled characters, adventurers rarely stay one place long enough to make a collection of furs worthwhile, so a cape will have to do.
  • Dagger or Quarterstaff: The world that serves as the setting for a Planetary Romance story is often a dangerous place. Everyone needs some kind of protection, even if it is just a simple dagger or quarterstaff. More powerful weapons require the expenditure of one or more equipment "picks", as shown below.
  • Waterskin: It's important to stay hydrated when fighting the swordsmen and monsters common to a Planetary Romance adventure. Also, there always seems to be a need to give a dying man a sip of water so he can communicate that last piece of information he has before he dies in the arms of the hero.

Table: Mundane Equipment
Item"Picks"
Climbing equipment (rope, grappling hook, etc.)1
Craft tools (specific to a given craft)1
Glowstone or lantern (by setting)1
Healer's kit (acupuncture needles, mortar and pestle, poultice jars, etc.)1
Manacles1
Mystic focus1
Rations, one week's worth1
Reference tomes, per topic1

Table: Transportation
Item"Picks"
Mount, riding or draught1
Mount, war-trained2
Cart or wagon1
Flying mount2
Flying vehicle, 2-man3
Flying vehicle, 6-man4
Water vehicle, 2-man2
Water vehicle, 6-man3

Table: Weapons
WeaponDamage"Picks"SizeNotes
Axe, throwing1d41TRng 3/6/12
Axe, hand1d61S 
Axe, battle1d81M 
Axe, great2d62 (1 for Warriors)L 
Axe, huge2d62HReach
Bow, short1d61SRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands
Bow, long1d81MRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands
Bow, great2d62 (1 for Warriors)LRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands
Bow, huge2d82HRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands
Club1d61S 
Club, war1d81M 
Club, great2d62 (1 for Warriors)L 
Club, huge2d82HReach
Crossbow, light1d61SRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands; Reload 1
Crossbow, heavy1d81MRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands; Reload 1
Crossbow, great2d62 (1 for Warriors)LRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands; Reload 1
Crossbow, huge2d82HRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands; Reload 1
Dagger1d41SRng 3/6/12
Javelin or spear, half1d61SRng 3/6/12
Net*1MEntangles target; requires a Difficult (DC 20) Dexterity-based saving throw to avoid or escape; Reload 2
Polearm2d62 (1 for Warriors)LReach
Polearm, huge2d82HReach
Quarterstaff1d62 (1 for Warriors)L 
Radium or crystal pistol1d82SRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands; Shots 10; Reload 1
Radium or crystal pistol, heavy2d62MRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands; Shots 10; Reload 1
Radium or crystal rifle2d83 (2 for Warriors)LRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands; Shots 10; Reload 1
Radium or crystal rifle, heavy3d63HRng 12/24/48; Requires two hands; Shots 10; Reload 1
Spear, short1d81M 
Spear, long2d62 (1 for Warriors)LReach
Spear, huge2d82HReach
Sword, short1d61S 
Sword, long1d81M 
Sword, great2d62 (1 for Warriors)L 
Sword, huge2d82HReach

Table: Armor
ArmorDEF"Picks"Notes
Light+21 
Medium+523/4 movement; -4 to Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks
Heavy+833/4 movement; -6 to Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks
Shield+21-2 to Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks

As you can see, armor is not generally a viable option in a Planetary Romance campaign, but I've offered it as an option here, just in case some might want to use it in their games. The Class Defense Bonus concept protects our heroes, while keeping more to the flavor of the settings described in this genre.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Sword & Planet: The Mystic's Fifth Level Powers...

Good Morning, All:

The following eight Mystic powers comprise the list of 5th Level powers that Mystic characters may choose from. With this list, the Mystic powers are complete, and I can move on to other interesting topics. Please review them at your leisure and give me your thoughts.

Mystic 5th Level Powers
  • Dominate Person: Controls humanoid telepathically.
  • Fear: Subjects within cone flee for 1 minute.
  • Phantasmal Killer: Fearsome illusion kills subject or deals 3d6 damage.
  • Raise Dead: Restores life to the recently deceased through the sacrifice of other creature(s).
  • Scrying: Spies on subject from a distance.
  • Telepathic Bond: Link lets allies communicate.
  • True Seeing: Lets you see all things as they really are.
  • Waves of Fatigue: Several targets become fatigued.

Power Descriptions

Dominate Person
Level: 5
Range: Close (30 ft)
Duration: 2 Weeks
Once per rest, the Mystic can attempt to establish telepathic control over a single humanoid target within range. If the target fails a Difficult (DC 20) Wisdom-based saving throw, the Mystic gains complete control over the target's actions. Any action against the target's nature, including self-destructive actions, grant the target another attempt at the Wisdom-based saving throw with a +2 bonus.

Fear
Level: 5
Range: Close (30 ft)
Duration: 1 Minute
Once per rest, the Mystic can instill panic into the minds of up to four targets within range. With a successful Difficult (DC 20) Wisdom-based saving throw, a target is shaken and suffers a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks for one round. If the target fails the saving throw, however, they suffer the same penalties for one minute, and flee from the Mystic as quickly as possible for the duration of the power or until they are out of sight of the Mystic.

Phantasmal Killer
Level: 5
Range: Medium (150 ft)
Duration: Instant
Once per rest, the Mystic can create a mental illusion of the most fearsome creature imaginable to the target. The target may attempt to Difficult (DC 20) Wisdom-based saving throw to avoid the effects of extreme mental distress. If the target fails, then he must immediately attempt a Difficult (DC 20) Constitution-based saving throw. If this second save is successful, the target only suffers 3d6 damage from the mental distress of confronting one's greatest fears. If the saving throw fails, however, the target dies from a heart attack brought on by the intense fear.

Raise Dead
Level: 5
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
Once per rest, the Mystic can restore life to a sentient being that has been dead less than one week. This requires the sacrifice of a sentient creature with more hit dice than the target of this power. If multiple sentient creatures are sacrificed, the number of hit dice from the sacrificed creatures must exceed one and a half times the hit dice of the target of this power. If the target's soul is unwilling or unable to return to its body, the power does not work. Creatures recently returned from death have only one hit point and are unable to move under their own power or function until they have been completely healed. Any creature that is raised from the dead loses one point of Constitution permanently. Any creature with 0 Constitution cannot be raised from the dead by this or any other means.

Scrying
Level: 5
Range: Close (30 ft)
Duration: 10 Minutes
Once per rest, the Mystic can extend his mental senses to spy on a specific target from any distance, unless the target succeeds in a Average (DC 20) Wisdom-based saving throw. If the Mystic knows the target personally, the difficulty of the saving throw increases to Very Difficult (DC 25), whereas someone the Mystic has never met before only has to succeed at an Average (DC 15) saving throw.

Telepathic Bond
Level: 5
Range: Close (30 ft)
Duration: 1 Hour
Once per rest, the Mystic can choose one creature per level within range, and establish a telepathic bond between these creatures that exists for the next hour, even if the creatures move beyond the initial range of the power. This bond exists between all of the creatures in this bond, so the Mystic does not have to relay messages from one target to another, unlike Lesser Telepathic Bond. In addition, this bond is not restricted by language barriers. A thin sheet of lead, a foot of stone or three feet of wood or dirt can block this connection.

True Seeing
Level: 5
Range: Touch
Duration: 10 Minutes
Once per rest, the Mystic can confer the ability to see all things as they actually are. The target sees through normal and supernatural darkness, notices secret doors hidden by mysticism, sees the exact locations of creatures or objects hidden by illusory effects, sees invisible creatures or objects normally, and sees through mental illusions. The range of true seeing conferred is 120 feet. Note that this ability does not penetrate solid objects, nor can it be used in conjunction with other Mystic powers.

Waves of Fatigue
Level: 5
Range: Close (30 ft)
Duration: Instant
Once per rest, the Mystic can create waves of mental energy that render all living creatures within range fatigued. This power has no effect on a creature that is already fatigued. This fatigue can be recovered normally.


Enjoy,
Flynn