Drinking & Dragons

NPC Codex

From Drinking and Dragons

Vocabulary

Core
From the NPC Codex, these are pages 10-195. For each of the 11 Core Rulebook classes, there is one of each level 1-20.
These characters are built with "Heroic" stats and gear, less than a usual Pathfinder PC, but are otherwise normal characters.
ODD-leveled characters are "fairly normal examples of that class". EVEN-leveled characters are more "experimental" or "thematic" builds.
Wizard example: Normal Battle Mage (3rd) and Transmuter (5th). "Thematic" Street Magician (2nd) and Diviner-Investigator (4th).
Alternatively, http://legacy.aonprd.com/npcCodex/core/index.html


Prestige
From the NPC Codex, these are pages 220-239. For each of the 10 Core Rulebook Prestige classes, there is one of each level 2, 4, 7, 10 of the prestige class. Multiclassed with core classes, they are approximately character levels 9, 13, 17, and 20.
These characters are built with "Heroic" stats and gear, less than a usual Pathfinder PC, but are otherwise normal characters.
Prestige classes are just extra specializations with prerequisites beyond the usual core classes.
Alternatively, http://legacy.aonprd.com/npcCodex/prestige/index.html
NPC
From the NPC Codex, these are pages 244-271. For each of the 5 Core Rulebook NPC Classes, there is one of each level 1-10.
These characters are built with "Basic" stats and gear, which is far less than the typical Pathfinder PC.
These characters are quite open to flavorful reskinning. For instance, Commoner 2 is called "Pig Farmer", but can reasonably be used for any farmer
Alternatively, http://legacy.aonprd.com/npcCodex/npc/index.html
Iconic
In Pathfinder, there's one "Iconic" character of each class that they use as the cannonical characters for their stories, comics, etc. While the "core rulebook" classes of these are in the NPC Codex, please use the Iconic-Alpha or Iconic-ByBook PDFs, which includes all of them. They are also slightly changed in those PDFs from the NPC Codex rulebook.
Each one is statted out at levels 1, 4, and 7. They are more powerful characters, with a higher stats and a bigger load of gear. (Each is of the power of a standard Pathfinder PC.)
For the Core Rulebook classes, there is a level 12 version of the Iconic in the NPC Codex. Level 12 iconics come from this book instead of the PDFs, and are only available for the core rulebook classes.
Iconics beyond the 11 Core Rulebook classes stray outside of the rule rulebook material. Only select those outside of it if you are comfortable doing so.
EXAMPLES
Below, I have an entry "3 level 5-8 Cores." This means select 3 characters from the Core list (see above) that are in the level 5-8 range. For instance, Paladin 6 Dog Rider (p115) or Sorcerer Bloodfire Sorcerer 7 (p164).
Another: "7ish NPC". This means select 1 character from the NPC list (see above) that is around level 7. For instance Adept 6 Guru (p246) or Warrior 8 Aloof Archer (p269).
One More: "9ish Prestige". This means select 1 character from the Prestige list (see above) that is around level 9. For instnace, Duelist Tribal Champion (p216).
And lastly: "1st Iconic". This means select 1 character from the Iconic list (see above) that is 1st level. For instance, Iconic Rogue Merisel at 1st level, PDF page 109.

Worldbuilding

We weren't admitted into the afterlife from the previous life. In this one, we have to do better. In this world, colors are more vivid, thoughts are stronger, ruins are deeper. Everything is everythinger, as everyone gets their last chance at afterlife. This place, though, wasn't built for us in our afterlife. Is it possibly the ruins of another race's afterlife? People aren't sure what "do better" is.

We came from a different world, one that was early in the metal revolution, certainly post-Neolithic, but Early Bronze Age. In the old world, it wasn't for lack of knowledge and expertise, but for lack of material. Everything was much more dull and homogenous.

Setting and History

Some setting points:

  • There is no common.
  • The gods here are alien to that which we knew before.
  • We all used to feel a connection to the god(s). Now it's mostly just the clerics and paladins.
  • Previous world was shamanistic, naturalistic, dualistic, or monotheistic.
  • There are caches of books to be found in languages that no one seems to be able to read.
  • The landscape is shaped by storms of stunning ferocity.
  • Strange materials that we haven't seen before. (No implicit knowledge of various materials, like metals, etc.; room for fantastic materials.)
  • Is there something watching us all the time? We think so, but what?
  • There's a faint sound with no source. Constantly there in the background. You learn not to hear it.
  • If this was previously someone else's heaven, why's it so empty?
  • Some (most?) people arrive not knowing they're dead.
  • We were pygmy-proportioned in the previous life. We're all so tall [medium] here. Few things seem proportioned to what we're used to.
  • There are confusing relics here. It's hard to tell if it's a magic back scratcher or a weapon of mass destruction.
  • There was a catastrophe in the world of the living recently, which is how we arrived in a group.
  • There are floating landmasses overhead [overworld], and an cast areas underground [underdark]. Sometimes the world seems to be made up of broken pieces of a world shoved together.
  • Microclimates: The terrain isn't quite up to normal realistic standards. Wildly different biomes can abutt.
  • There are magic places where the normal rules break down.
  • Megaflora and megafauna. Rare, but can be dangerous.
  • Things rot/decay a lot slower than one might expect.
  • Creatures "emerge" during weather events.
  • And there are unsual weather events beyond the ones we know.
  • Strong seasonalism in many places: arid periods and wet periods.
  • Right now [and first problem]: Fresh water is scarce.
  • People claim trophies from monsters. [Unspecified: why?]
  • Domesticated animals are all feral. They remember domestication, but aren't quit "normal". Other domesticated species, weird ones, exist here too.

Growth

The primary source of growth: death elsewhere, new people appearing in this afterlife. Literally appearing. Arrivals tend not to remember their previous life.

  • There are still ongoing mass death events in the "real" world.
  • Sometimes people just walk up, unsure how they got here.
  • Occasional visitors can travel here in their dreams/magic.
  • People can get kicked out of their afterlife and appear here.
  • Gods send some followers here for being to meh or boring in life.
  • We might later discover some "alien" dead that were left behind from the previous afterlife.

Starting Terrain

A ruined city on an estuarine floodplane. At high tide the lower bits of the "city" flood, leaving only the core of it as an island. Adjacent terrains a little out are swamp and volcanic sand flats. It's pretty flat for a bit out. As for the ruined city, emphasis on the ruined: There is some scant scavaging to be done. Most of the previous ruins are an occasional half-wall and general road plan.

Resources

  • Your grave goods come with you to some degree.
  • Every newly-dead arrives with a preserved ham in their pack if they got proper funerary rights.
  • There's TONS of gold around here, at least in the ruined city. It's not a rare or valuable commodity to be currency.
  • Intoxicants and mirrors are two items that were all but unheard of in the previous life that are "common" here.
  • Loads of vines/rope-making-materials here.
  • On the horizon is a single huge statue, so large it may as well be called a mountain. [Undefined: of what.]
  • Construction: There is a single sizable bastion, probably former prison, that could be repaired to make a castle. Even in its poor shape, it's a defensible curtain wall. It was massive in its time, which is how it's still surviving here now.
  • There is a rather productive clay pit within a few hours' travel.

Creatures

These are reqeuests, not obligates.

Yes, please
  • Gremlins.
  • Dinosaurs.
  • A lich native to this world.
  • Ownerless golems wanter the land.
  • A flumph civilization.
  • A cetacean civilization.
  • Killer angels. Perhaps god servants sent to cleans this place for other uses?
  • Gnolls.
No, thanks
  • Goblins.
  • Kobolds. [GM reserves the right to override this one.]
  • Orcs.

Requested Elements

These are reqeuests, not obligates.

Yes, please
  • Stupid character death (realism). NPCs die of stepping on a nail, quarrying accidents... Infomercial stupid deaths.
  • Sessions with heavy focus on the NPC classes.
  • Development of government/ruling structure.
  • Epic character sacrifies.
  • Hunting for spell/ritual components in addition to other base resources.
  • Non-combat challenges related to survival.
  • "Out there" monster entries.
  • Squad/party management choices.
No, thanks
  • Total colony death.
  • Leadership squabbles.
  • Cannibalism to survive.
  • Murderhoboing.
  • Super-fine discussion of resources needed ("how many kilos of stone needed to build that wall...")
  • Rules lawyering at the table.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Load-bearing villains.

Player Explanation

  • Not yet decided.

Roster

See Roster Tab here: https://airtable.com/shrXI3AF3jgR0gHqd

After selection, these will all be merged into one pool. They're only separated out right now for tracking.

Group

  • OUTSTANDING: Approximately how many levels 1-4 NPCs?

General Rules

Party Formation Levels
When building a party for an adventure, we'll decide on a level and trend/theme [primarily, "regulars" vs "NPC"]. When trying to figure out the average level for the party, NPCs count 2 lower than a normal character. Or, if it's multiclassed with a regular class, treat it as only 1 lower.
"Book casters"
These (like wizards and witches) will be able to cast from spell books (rituals) as plot needs. This will help to distinguish them from sorcerers further in this type of game. This still requires a spell slot of the appropriate level, takes an amount of time, and probably some skill checks. This doesn't apply to "select my spells daily" (Cleric/Druid) or "I know only these spells" (Sorcerer).
"Encounter-breaking" spells
Some encounter-breaking, obstacle-mitigating, or world-harming spells are adjusted. Spells on this are all costly. Each costs additional material components to cast, including when cast as a "ritual" (previous rule). These components cost the [(spell level)^3]*10 gold. (0 = 2gp; 1 = 10; 2 = 80; 3 = 270; 4 = 640; 5 = 1250; 6 = 2160; 7 = 3430; 8 = 5120; 0 = 7290)
Below is the list of spells, 0-4th level from the core rule book, that I noticed. Yes, this hits divination hard. I think the theme/feel for what I'm making harder here should be noticable. Any with an asterisk are outright removed.

The List.

Bard
  • 0: Know Direction. Detect Magic. Read Magic.
  • 1: Comprehend Languages. Identify.
  • 2: Locate Object. Tongues.
  • 3: Clairaudience/Clairvoyance. Glibness. Remove Curse. Scrying.
  • 4: Break Enchantment. Dimension Door. (NOT Legend Lore.) Locate Creature.
Cleric
  • Because this hits clerics especially hard, all clerics can spontaneously cast their prepared domain spell in addition to the cure or inflict.
  • 0: Create Water*. Detect Magic. Detect Poison. Purify Food and Drink. Read Magic.
  • 1: Comprehend Languages. Detect Alignment. Endure Elements.
  • 2: Find Traps.
  • 3: Continual Flame. Create Food and Water*. Locate Object. Remove Blindness/Deafness. Remove Curse. Remove Disease. Speak with Dead. Water Breathing. Water Walk.
  • 4: Air Walk. Control Water. Neutralizae Poison. Tongues.
Druid
  • 0: Create Water*. Detect Magic. Detect Poison. Know Direction. Purify Food and Drink. Read Magic.
  • 1: Endure Elements.
  • 2: none.
  • 3: Remove Disease. Water Breathing.
  • 4: Air Walk. Control Water.
Paladin
  • Because of how their spells work and are gained at higher character levels, none.
Ranger
  • Because of how their spells work and are gained at higher character levels, none.
Sorcerer/Wizard
  • 0: Detect Magic. Detect Poison. Read Magic.
  • 1: Endure Elements. Comprehend Languages.
  • 2: Locate Object. Continual Flame. Levitate. Whispering Wind.
  • 3: Arcane Sight. Clairaudience/Clairvoyance. Tongues. Fly. Water Breathing.
  • 4: Remove Curse. Dimension Door. Locate Creature. Scrying.
Others

I looked at some spells and I didn't include above, for reasons they're often lesser-used.

  • Mending. Make Whole. Quench. Animate Rope

Character Alterations

  • Characters in the books are assumed to be as close to neutral alignment as the class allows. Alignments can be changed, so long as it doesn't grossly violate the class and choices.
  • Yes, some characters are evil. This campaign allows us to explore evil characters working within society to some degree.
  • Trivial changes are possible: thematically reskinning the race (without adjusting stat blocks) when appropriate; adjusting the detail on profession, craft, knowledge, and perform skills (and skill focus feats); selecting other languages; etc, as necessary. Once selected, we'll note these for posterity.
  • Outside of NPC classes, I'd like to minimize "doubling up" on the same choices.
  • Prepared casters can prepare different spells from those printed. Wizards' spell books are printed on their sheets. Clerics/Druids can prepare normally from the Core Rulebook spells.

Specificly allowed

None of these apply to Prestiges or Iconics!

  • Clerics can have a different god, so long as the stat block (that is, domains) fits well enough. Positive/negative channeling can be switched when appropriate and doesn't violate the class.
  • Druid or Ranger, when selected, can swap Nature Bond (Domain) or Hunter's Bond (Companions) for an Animal Companion instead. Animal companions are taken as printed from the back of the book.
  • Paladin can swap to Divine Bond (mount), but it must be chosen will outside of the game for a statblock to be created for the mount. The default is no.
  • Ranger, in addition to animal companion (like Druid), can have its favored enemies adjusted if it fits.
  • Some wizards have familiars. We'll need to write its (brief) statblock before using it, so keep that in mind. It can always be permanently dropped for arcane bond (item) if preferred.

Class Lists

  • For class ability details, see: http://aonprd.com/Classes.aspx
  • See Classes Tab here: https://airtable.com/shrXI3AF3jgR0gHqd
  • Core classes have levels 1-20 in NPC Codex. Iconic levels 1, 4, 7 in IconicPDF. Iconic level 12 in NPC Codex.
  • NPC classes have levels 1-10 in NPC Codex. There are no iconics.
  • Prestige classes have levels 9, 13, 17, and 20 in NPC Codex. There are no iconics.
  • The other classes (expanded base, hybrid, cocult) have levels 1, 4, 7 in IconicPDF as iconics.

Other Sources

These may open up down the road as we're more familiar with the game.

Characters

Rules

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