Friday, February 4, 2022

Knock! Issue 3

Knock! Issue 3

Hey all! I'm a contributor to the OSR zine Knock! I wrote up 12 Sword Saint techniques specifically for your Fighter character!

Click the link below to support the zine (and me) if you want to see some of the best blogposts, articles and artists from all over the OSR sphere! Thanks again!

KNOCK! ISSUE 3

Sunday, January 2, 2022

Sorcerer Class V.2 (B/X--OSE)

The Sign of Chaos


I rewrote my Sorcerer Class over the holidays and added a spellcheck to cast spells based of this old blogpost by Ode to Black Dougal. I wanted to illicit some anxiety when spells are cast, for all the players not just the caster. Sorcery should be dangerous after all.


SORCERER (Magic-User)



LEVEL



XP



FLESH



GRIT

IMPRINTABLE SPELL LIMIT

1st Tier

2nd Tier

3rd Tier

4th Tier

5th Tier

6th Tier

1

0

1d6 +/- CON

1d6 +/- CON

1

2

2500

+1

+1d4

2

3

5000

+1

+1d4

2

1

4

10000

+1

+1d4

2

2

5

20000

+1

+1d4

2

2

1

6

40000

+1

+1d4

2

2

2

7

80000

+1

+1d4

3

2

2

1

8

160,000

+1

+1d4

3

3

2

2

9

320,000

+1

+1d4

3

3

3

2

1

10

480,000

+1

+1d4

3

3

3

3

2

11

640,000

+1*

+1*

4

3

3

3

2

1

12

800,000

+1*

+1*

4

4

3

3

3

2

13

960,000

+1*

+1*

4

4

4

3

3

3

14

1,120,000

+1*

+1*

4

4

4

4

3

3

15

1,280,000

+1*

+1*

4

4

4

4

4

3

*Modifiers from CON score no longer apply.


-Saves as Magic-User (B/X--OSE)

-THAC0 as Magic-User (B/X--OSE)

-Can use any weapons or armor.



-STARTING SPELLS-

  • A Sorcerer begins play knowing the Stygian Cypher and a Spellbook
    containing one 1st Tier Spell + 1 Bonus 1st Tier spell per INT modifier
    .

  • A Spellbook may hold any number of spells.


-IMPRINTING SPELLS-

  • A Sorcerer may imprint a number of spells from their spellbook onto their brain equal to their Imprintable Spell Limit.

  • A Sorcerer may not imprint the same spell more than once.

  • Spells may be imprinted upon the brain once each day after 8 hours of uninterrupted rest.

  • Imprinting spells takes 1 + 1 turn per each Spell Tier above 1.


-CASTING SPELLS-


Sorcerous Spell Check (Roll 2d6 + INT MOD)


SPELL

TIERS

SORCERER LEVEL

1-2

3-4

5-6

7-8

9-10

11+

1st

6/9

5/8

4/7

3/6

-/5

-/4

2nd

-

6/9

5/8

4/7

3/6

-/5

3rd

-

-

6/9

5/8

4/7

3/6

4th

-

-

-

6/9

5/8

4/7

5th

-

-

-

-

6/9

5/8

6th

-

-

-

-

-

6/9


RESULTS: Delayed Casting/Successful Casting


  • DELAYED CASTING: The sorcerer may spend another round to successfully cast the spell.
    The spell is not lost if the caster chooses to not continue casting.

  • SUCCESSFUL CASTING: The sorcerer casts one of their imprinted spells.
    The cast spell is not lost.

  • FAILED CASTING: If the roll is less than the Delayed result the spell is negated and has no effect.
    The spell is released from the caster’s mind and must be imprinted again to cast.


  • CHAOS LASH: The sorcerer must roll on the CHAOS LASH TABLE if a “natural 2” is rolled.
    The spell is released from the caster’s mind and must be imprinted again to cast.

  • OTHER PENALTIES:  Heavy Armor (Chain/Plate) bestows a penalty to spell checks equal to their AC Bonus.


THE STYGIAN CYPHER

Range: Self

Duration: 1 Turn

AoE: Special

Save: Special

By means of the Stygian Cypher, the caster can read sorcerous formulas, inscriptions, scripts or runes, as follows: 

Inscriptions:
Runes or magical words inscribed on an object or surface can be understood.

Scrolls:
The eldritch script of a scroll of sorcerous spells can be understood. The caster is then able to activate the scroll at any time in the future.

Spellbooks:
A spellbook written by another sorcerer can be deciphered if a save vs spells is passed. Sorcerers lay mental traps and labyrinths within their spell books to snare would be spell thieves. A failed save requires the caster rolls on the Sorcerer’s Lament Table.

Reading again:
Once the caster has successfully read a piece of sorcery they are thereafter able to read that particular writing without recourse to the use of this spell.


CHAOS LASH

Roll 2d6 

RESULT

2 or Less

THE VEIL IS SUNDERED!

A tear manifests in reality that leads to the astral plane.
One of the following occurs:

1-3, A torrent of poisonous miasma floods the area. Take 1d4 Flesh Damage for each level of the attempted spell. Save vs Spells for half damage.

4, 1d6 Accursed Spirits escape!

5, An astral being(s) emerges from the tear.

6, All the above.


3-5

IMPRINT LAPSE
All your imprinted spells are released into the void and must be imprinted again.

6-8

SYSTEM SHOCK

Your circulatory system experiences a massive swell of chaos energy that causes 1 Point of Flesh damage equal to the attempted spell. 

9-11

SORCEROUS STIGMATA

You gain a mark of one who dabbles with chaos. -1 to Reaction Rolls.

12

CHAOS BLESSES YOU!
Gain a +1 to spell checks until another Chaos Lash is rolled.