Saturday, February 11, 2017

Gakusho Class


Gakusho 1st Level Spells

I have decided to fallback to Swords & Wizardry as my base rule set for Deluxe Ruins & Ronin, and today I have been converting character classes back to that set. In addition, I have begun creating the spells lists for the Gakusho (formerly the Sohei class). The Gakusho are the priests of the Ruins & Ronin game (either a shinto-like priest to one of the thousands of gods, or a follower of the path of eightfold enlightenment). 

Here are the spells for 1st level Gakusho:

Gakusho Spell List
Level 1
Animal Companion
Bless*
Cure Light Wounds*
Deflection
Detect Evil
Detect Magic
Light
Purify Food & Drink
Resist
Weapon Bless

Gakusho First Level Spells
Animal Companion
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: 1 mile radius
Duration: Special
This spell is only effective outdoors and will summon one normal woodland creature within 1 mile of the caster. The animal is determined by the Referee based on the local fauna and must be equal to or less than the HD of the Gakusho. The creature is friendly to the Gakusho and will travel with him but will not go beyond 20 miles from where summoned, and will not enter any human settlement.

There is no telepathic communication, the animal will understand simple commands and hand gestures and will serve the caster to the best of its’ abilities and nature.

Bless
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: Only upon a character not in combat
Duration: 1 hour (6 turns)
This spell grants its recipient a +1 to attack rolls (and improves morale, if the recipient is a non-player character). The recipient cannot already be in combat when this spell is cast. An evil reversal of this spell allows a Chaotically aligned Gakusho to curse a target causing a -1 to hit & morale (if cast before combat).

Cure Light Wounds
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: Touch
Duration: Immediate
Cures 1d6+1 hit points of damage. An evil reversal of this spell allows a Chaotically aligned Gakusho to cause light wounds rather than healing them.

Deflection
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: 30 feet
Duration: 2 rounds per level
Creates a mystical shield that protects all within range from missiles and melee attacks. Any hit on a protected target allows a saving throw vs. death, if successful the target takes no damage from missile weapons and ½ damage from melee attacks. (Failed saves take normal damage).

Detect Evil
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: 120 feet
Duration: 1 hour
The caster detects any evil enchantments, evil intentions, evil thoughts, or evil auras within the spell’s range. Poison is not inherently evil and cannot be detected by means of this spell. Whether there is any distinction between “evil” and “Chaos” is left to the Referee; in most campaigns they are exactly the same.

Detect Magic
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: 60 feet
Duration: 20 minutes
The caster can perceive, in places, people, or things, the presence of a magical spell or enchantment. For example, magical items may be discovered in this fashion, as can the presence of a charm secretly laid upon a person.

Light
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: 60 feet
Duration: 2 hours
The target person or object (at a range of up to 60 feet) produces light about as bright as a torch, to a radius of 20 feet.

Purify Food & Drink
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: Close/Touch (Referee’s discretion)
Duration: Immediate
Enough food and water for up to a dozen people is made pure, removing spoilage and poisons.

Resist
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 turn per level
This spell hardens the target against the pains and discomforts of heat, cold, fatigue, and hunger. The target is unaffected by normal heat or cold and suffers -1 per die of damage from magical fire/cold. Fatigue is banished as is the target rested for 1 hour for each level of the caster (although this does not allow spell casters to regain spells). The effects of hunger or starvation are dispelled until the spell has expired.

Weapon Bless
Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
The Gakusho can prepare one weapon for combat against a particular foe. The Gakusho must write upon the weapon the identity of the foe and several sutras to give the weapon power. The exact name of the foe is not needed but the identity must be specific, identifying only a single character or creature. For example, stating that the weapon is to be used against the “Jorogumo” is not sufficient. However, stating that the weapon is to be used against the “Jorogumo the dwells in the falls below the Gorge Temple” is a precise enough description. The weapon is considered a magic weapon with a +5 to hit and damage for the first attack only. If the weapon is used against a different creature, the spell is wiped clean and no bonus is given. The spell cannot be cast upon an already magical weapon.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Strange Stars OSR now available...

My good friend Trey at the Sorcerer's Skull blog has released the OSR edition of Strange Stars:



Now available for digital download:

Now you can explore the STRANGE STARS universe in Sine Nomine Publishing's acclaimed Stars Without Number or similar Old School Rennaissance-derived games!

Join a salvage mission to steal ancient tech from the wreck of a deranged sophont warship. Scavange parts from giant ancient robots on Gogmagog. Cross swords with a Zao Pirate in hard vacuum. Experience a galaxy of adventure with STRANGE STARS OSR!

This 35-page rule book includes:

- Tips for creatings characters and 19 clades from Atozan librarians to armored thrax warriors as player character options.
- A catalog of adversaries and threats from the monstrous ssraad to the more subtle agents of the Instrumentality.
- A gazeteer of known worlds and rules for creating random orbital habitats
- A sampling of factions big and small from across the known galaxy
- Advice on running adventures and campaigns in the Strange Stars with a random adventure seed generator