"Black Dougal gasps 'Poison!' and falls to the floor. He looks dead."

Saturday, November 7, 2009

B/X S&S: The Amazon Class [Deleted]


I have deleted the draft amazon class as I feel that an amazon PC could just be a female fighter.

I do still love me some amazon antagonists!
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13 comments:

  1. The_MythNovember 7, 2009 at 11:49 AM

    Well, why a sabre-tooth tiger? Just because of the picture?

    Why not switch out with an Animal Empathy power, with a limit on animal Hit Dice equal to level?

    But that's more of a generic Beastmaster than an Amazon...

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  2. Aaron E. SteeleNovember 7, 2009 at 12:04 PM

    You have now been promoted to 'my hero'.

    I have to admit, I would have used constitution as the prime stat for the amazon, as I don't consider CHarisma as a 'beauty' stat, but rather leadership and pursuasiveness, but I like the idea of giving her a Ac bonus by level. I seem to remember posting about Swords & Sorcery: Legends of Steel recently. I'm trying to recall, but I think they (or Savage Worlds) had a 'chainmail bikini skill that allowed an AC bonus for wearing skimpy armor. I might be tempted to amp up the AC bonus, but again, I like the implementation generally.

    Were amazons known "historically" for their animal control? I'm not all that well versed in Greek mythology.

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  3. P_ArmstrongNovember 7, 2009 at 12:19 PM

    Honestly, a tiger just because of every Frazetta painting done of amazons and the WIlderlands amazon class. It is pretty easy to put a different name on it though - call it a panther, grizzly bear or kangaroo of you want.

    I didn't want an animal empathy power as I wanted to try something different in terms of resource management.

    The way I have it written effectively gives the player a secondary "character". Managing this separate character should be of primary importance. I view it as a long term resource to be managed over the life of the primary character. Something quite different than managing a renewable resource such as Animal Empathy. It can also be thought of as similar to retainers or henchman which are also limited according to the primary character's charisma score. In fact maybe that is a better way to handle it - just as a retainer.

    Now, I have no idea how it would work as written in actual play but that was the thought process.

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  4. P_ArmstrongNovember 7, 2009 at 12:23 PM

    RE Armour Class

    I am also viewing the amazon's AC bonus in light of the alternate unarmoured AC system that I posted a couple of days ago and still am tinkering with.

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  5. P_ArmstrongNovember 7, 2009 at 12:33 PM

    With the bonus with bows, the amazon's lack of armour and only d6 hit points - I see it playing out as the tiger either mixes it up in melee or acts as the amazon's shield while she uses missile fire.

    But the amazon will have to be careful, especially with a tiger with only 1 or 2 HD, as it is the only tiger she gets - I think it adds an interesting element.

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  6. UnknownNovember 7, 2009 at 2:39 PM

    I think a lot of players would retire their character if they lost the tiger. It's effectively like 50% character death.

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  7. P_ArmstrongNovember 7, 2009 at 9:35 PM

    Actually, like 2/3's a character given the greater HD and # of attacks!

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  8. SturatNovember 7, 2009 at 9:57 PM

    Maybe, if the cat dies, on the next level advancement, the character gets a new cub as if a 1st level character.

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  9. JBNovember 8, 2009 at 12:48 AM

    Mmm...it's interesting but I can't honestly say I like it. A number of thoughts:

    #1 The "tiger ability" could be made simpler. I'm not saying I'm even in favor of it, but it feels overly complex for B/X regardless. There are several different big cats in B/X...why not make different (larger HD) cats available at different levels? Why not allow a replacement, at least with ever rise in level (for example, your cat dies while you're 2nd level, but upon reaching 3rd you can befriend another)?

    #2 I don't like using Con or Cha as prime requisites. I like the Moldvay rules regarding determination of abilities and the raising of prime reqs. Con and Cha can never be raised or lowered, putting amazon players at a disadvantage. I AM in favor of requiring a minimum Cha of 9 to play an Amazon (as Dwarves need a min Con of 9, for instance). Dex would seem a good prime requisite with their archery, spear-chucking and lightly clad forms.

    #3 No shields?

    #4 I'd give 'em at least 10 levels (let 'em replace the Elf, as you've replaced Dwarf with barbarian and Halfling with the savage). D8 hit dice would be nice to account for their hearty Constitution and their over-all "dodgy-ness" (+2 at 10th level like an Elf).

    #5 (sorry to be so critical) I dislike Charisma bonuses being used for anything other than their standard use, on principal, but it's the kind of special rule I'd tend to forget or screw up (gotta' check for Cha bonuses, covert 'em, oh wait their slightly less than Dex, what was I doing, huh?). Why not simply double the Amazon's Dexterity bonus. You can say it's due to their "feminine wiles" or skimpy costumes, but make the mechanic simpler (this would apply to both the AC bonus and the Personal Initiative bonus).

    Other than all THAT...I've told you before that I dig your Amazon MONSTER immensely. Did I mention I was strongly considering it as an addition to my own book?

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  10. P_ArmstrongNovember 8, 2009 at 11:31 AM

    It was fun to make and I enjoyed thinking up mechanics, resource management issues, etc but I am still also very much leaning towards having any PC amazons just be female fighters with flavour.

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  11. Aaron E. SteeleNovember 9, 2009 at 8:12 PM

    Nooooooooo!

    :D

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  12. P_ArmstrongNovember 9, 2009 at 11:01 PM

    Don't worry, if I ever get a game of this together and someone plays an amazon fighter I will make sure they end up with a tiger!

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  13. Rachel GhoulDecember 7, 2012 at 3:45 AM

    I wish I'd come around in time to see this. Although on some level I tend to find any sort of sex-specific class kind of skeezy, I also have a secret love of amazons.

    ReplyDelete

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