Monday, December 24, 2012

The Tin Soldier



"The tin soldier melted down into a lump, and the next morning, when the maid servant took the ashes out of the stove, she found him in the shape of a little tin heart."

"The Steadfast Tin Soldier" Fairy Tales Told to Children, 1838


Prime Requisite: STR
Requirements: None
Hit Dice: 1d8
Maximum Level: 13

Tin soldiers are created for conflict. As with other tinmen built for conflict, tin soldiers may be heroic defenders, implacable destroyers or anything in between.

At first level, tin soldiers hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. Like fighters, they advance in attack throws and saving throws by two points every three levels of experience. Soldiers are trained in the use of all weapons and armor. They may fight wielding a weapon and shield, wielding a two-handed weapon, or wielding a weapon in each hand. Tin soldiers increase their base damage roll from successful missile and melee attacks by +1 at 1st level and by an additional +1 at 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th level.

Tin soldiers may use any magic item usable by fighters.

When a tin soldier reaches 5th level, his battlefield prowess inspires those who follow him. Any henchmen and mercenaries hired by the soldier gain a +1 bonus to their morale score whenever he personally leads them. This bonus stacks with any modifiers from the soldier’s Charisma or proficiencies.

Due to a tin soldier’s inhumanity, the character suffers a -1 penalty to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of humans and demi-humans. The character gets a +1 bonus to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of intelligent constructs. As an intelligent construct, the character is unaffected by poison. Note that as an intelligent construct, the character is affected by hold, charm, or sleep spells. However, the character gains a +1 bonus on saving throws versus Spells. The character doesn't need to breathe, eat, or sleep, but he may choose to do so, typically to gain a specific benefit. A tin soldier’s tin plating provides the character with a base unarmored AC of 1 instead of 0. When brawling (see ACKS p. 109), the character may deal lethal damage, 1d3 with a punch or 1d4 with a kick. He can punch or kick characters in metal armor without himself taking damage.

When a tin soldier reaches 9th level, he can attract tinmen from far and wide by constructing his own tinman forge (also called a manufactory). A total of 3d6x10 tinmen of 1st level will arrive to help maintain and defend the forge at no cost to the soldier. A tin soldier is expected to employ only tinmen guards and militia, but may hire members of other races for other tasks. Tinman forges are otherwise identical to fighters’ castles, as detailed in the Campaign chapter of the ACKS Rulebook.

Tin Soldier Proficiency List (29): Acrobatics, Alertness, Berserkergang, Blind Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, force back, knock down, overrun, sunder, wrestle), Command, Dungeon Bashing, Endurance, Fighting Style, Gambling, Intimidation, Labor, Leadership, Manual of Arms, Military Strategy, Precise Shooting, Repair, Riding, Running, Siege Engineering, Signaling, Skirmishing, Survival, Swashbuckling, Wakefulness, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus

Experience
Level
Title
Hit Dice
Damage Bonus
0
1
Tin Man-at-Arms
1d8
+1
2,200
2
Tin Warrior
2d8
+1
4,400
3
Tin Swordmaster
3d8
+2
8,800
4
Tin Hero
4d8
+2
17,600
5
Tin Exemplar
5d8
+2
35,200
6
Tin Myrmidon
6d8
+3
70,400
7
Tin Champion
7d8
+3
140,800
8
Tin Soldier
8d8
+3
281,600
9
Tin Warlord
9d8
+4
563,200
10
Tin Warlord, 10th lvl
9d8+2*
+4
1,126,400
11
Tin Warlord, 11th lvl
9d8+4*
+4
2,252,800
12
Tin Warlord, 12th lvl
9d8+6*
+5
4,505,600
13
Tin Warlord, 13th lvl
9d8+8*
+5
*Hit point modifiers from constitution are ignored

Custom Class Build Information

Hit Dice
Fighting
Thievery
Divine
Arcane
Tinman
2
2
0
0
0
0

XP Calculation: 1000 + 1000 + 200 = 2200 at 2nd level

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The Beneficent Witch Tradition




The following is a new Tradition for the Player's Companion Witch class.

Not all witches are wicked, and some are quite the opposite. The beneficent witch is noble in behavior and actions, and she is willing to give and share unsparingly. Beneficent witches are often beacons of hope and light in lands otherwise cloaked in shadow and despair. This witch tradition is inspired by myths and characters like Befana and Glinda the Good Witch.

Bonus Spells: 1st – remove fear, 2nd - bless, 3rd – prayer, 4th – death ward

1st level:  A beneficent witch enjoys and protects nature as she enjoys and protects her community. The beneficent witch gains the Beast Friendship proficiency.

3rd level:  The beneficent witch’s dedication to charity and kindness ironically requires her to get into and out of difficult situations. Once per day, a beneficent witch may enable any broom, club or staff she touches to act as a broom of flying for 1 turn per level. Each use takes 1 round.

5th level:  Similarly, a beneficent witch may need to pass both locked portals and vigilant guardians. Once per day, a beneficent witch may assume gaseous form for 1 turn per level, as the spell of the same name, except that anything the witch is carrying or wearing assumes gaseous form with her. Each use takes 1 round.

7th level:  Finally, a beneficent witch may carry far more than her frame would indicate. Once per month, a beneficent witch may create an enchanted container, as the spell of the same name. Each use takes 1 turn.