Wednesday 30 March 2016

Kobold Crooners & Humanoid Musicians

Humaoids and other races might have equivalent of bardic abilities. They might be more shamanic or priestly or wizardly looking but such specialists can be found advising courts, helping armies prepare for battle, demoralizing foes and other things. this is a bunch of mods for monsters not a whole class. They tend to support priests and bosses rather than lead directly.

In play they will act a leader +1HD or hero unit with +2 HD or a champion +4HD. They use d6 instae of D8. I use same magic progression, combat and saves as elves. They can choose from wizardry, clericry, druidry or mentalism or whatever spell list you might use. They prefer lighter armour and one handed bladed weapons, staff, dart, javelin, short bow, light crossbow, pistols or muskets. Thrown rocks, sticks, torches, bombs, incendiaries, poison, potions or unholy water are all covered by a throw proficiency that covers unbalanced simple objects.

Such a performer will make an elite squad which may use certain weapons or take up certain traditional dramatic roles for rituals.

I make morale rolls with a d12 with CHA bonus of leader on them and other mods for outnumbering humans or being drunk. I mostly use d20 vs CHA for effects of song. Most have abilities that can be used from magical song energy points derived from CHA. Most work for a round per point but marching powers last an hour. Special abilities for race use a point per round

Followers are pets, apprentices, assistants, slaves, musicians, guards or mounts

Each breed has a specialist singer ability
Sing or play or dance or poetry used as specialty method of each school
Most have excellent memory, many languages, history, first aid, herbalism

+1HD Leader (d4-1 followers) Spells as d3 elf
Those inspired +1 Morale, hit and saving throws lasts CHA per day in rounds on CHA in HD of recipients under command and followers. or can use CHA point to allow men march or labour for one hour with no fatigue.

+2HD Hero (d3+1 followers) Spells as d4+1 elf
Those inspired +2 Morale and +1 save, AC, HP and to hit or may neutralize fear effects on men for rounds equal CHA per day on CHA number of recipients at once. The squad in turn inspire any troops in sight with +1 Morale. Or can use a CHA point of song to inspire men to run or work as two men for an hour.

+4HD Champion (2d4 followers) Spells as a d4+4 elf
Those inspired never fail morale rolls and +2 Hit, Dam, Save, HP, AC, Mv on followers for CHA in 10 minute turns per day of CHA+WIS in recipients at once. Regulars under command car run or fight or toil harder for 24 hours on command once a week

Racial Special Abilities
Kobold Songmiester - can disrupt a single enemy spellcaster with screeching, magician makes concentration rolls to cast
Kobold Trapsinger - anyone who can hear song has half ability to spot or disarm traps if fail WIS save
Goblin Shroomplucker - doubles effects of shroom magic effects or nutrition value of a bushel of shrooms per round
Goblin Gloomwarden - ispired followers fire one extra arrow or sling per round
Hobgoblin Warsinger - enemies hearing song lose a morale point and make a morale test when they first hear
Orc Hatedrummer - beserk troops can fight into negative hits while performing
Bugbear Crooner - non bugbears sneak and surprise as all were bugbears while under crooners gentle vocals
Gnoll - screeching song can animate zombies one per singers HD they collapse when song ends

Im happy to keep this loose and vague - make good villains and characters sure to kill them fast

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