Taking a Closer Look at Illusion Spells (in Pathfinder)

A while back I wrote a post titled Illusion Spells Are Far More Tactical Than We Give Them Credit For. While a lot of folks came away from that article with a new-found interest in this school of magic, a lot of people insisted that I was wrong on a fundamental level about just how useless this school of magic is in Pathfinder. As such, I wanted to take this week's update to talk about some of the incorrect assumptions a lot of us go into the game with when it comes to these spells.

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Understanding Illusion

Illusion is one of the more complicated schools of magic, because it isn't just one thing. Illusion spells are broken down into the following categories:

- Figment: Figments create illusory sensations. Everyone who sees a figment, hears a figment, etc., experiences the same thing. Figment food all seems to be the same food to observers, figment fire feels the same to those around it, and so on.

- Glamer: Glamers change and alter something's sensory quality. It makes something look, feel, smell, etc., different. This includes making things disappear.

- Pattern: Patterns create things people can see, but patterns affect the mind directly so that the image doesn't appear in reality.

- Phantasm: Phantasms create images that, typically, only the caster and the subject can see. This also reaches directly into the subject's mind.

- Shadow: Shadow illusions are quasi-real. So even if someone makes the save against a shadow illusion, a shadow creature can still hurt them, a shadow fire still burn them, etc., just not as badly.

Your world is what I want it to be.

As you can see, only two types of illusions (phantasms and patterns) directly affect the minds of enemies. So the most common complaint against illusions, them being they're useless against foes like constructs and mindless undead who are immune to mind effects, applies to only two of the five types of illusion spells. So you could still use shadow, glamer, and figment effects against those enemies.

The other thing to keep in mind is that saving against an illusion isn't done by just causally glancing at it, or hearing an illusory noise. An observer has to study the effect with some kind of focus, or otherwise interact with it in some way. That might mean running their hands over an illusory wall, standing and listening to the approaching snarls of a hellhound to realize it's on a loop, or putting their foot into an illusory fire. And even if a creature does interact with an illusion, that doesn't mean it immediately breaks... an illusionist with a good casting stat, feats to boost the DC of their spells, etc., can create illusions that fool all but the strongest of minds.

While there are lots of things that can give away an illusion, such as it not having a smell if a target has scent, or it not making any impact on the floor if a target has tremorsense, those tend to be specific scenarios that can be dealt with on an individual basis. And while true seeing allows one to see through illusions, that's either a 6th or 7th level spell, or a very rare creature ability. It's entirely possible to go a full campaign, and never once deal with a foe who has that ability... and when it does happen, that's when the illusionist reaches deeper into their bag of tricks for some non-illusory spells, or counts on the rest of the party to pick up the slack.

It's All About Creativity

Of all the spells in Pathfinder, illusions are the ones that are most left up to the spellcaster's creativity in terms of what they look like, smell like, etc. And a large part of their success is going to be based on how well your imagination can fit the scene, and what sorts of things you can spin out of thin air.

Illusions can create amazing disguises for the party, allowing them to look like a squad of prison guards while they're in the middle of an escape. It can create billowing clouds of smoke to hide the party from archers trying to draw a bead on them. It can create false darkness, blocking enemies' ability to see. Illusionists can even make things like ropes, bridges, bars, and more that are woven through with shadow, allowing them to support the party's weight long enough to get them to the other side of a chasm, or to help them get down from a high wall.

The question you face, as an illusionist, is how creative you can be. Because if you've got that, then the rest is just figuring out the best way to match the image in your mind to the spells you can drop on the board.

Before You Go, I Have a New Release!

There's not really a good segue for this, but I wanted to let my readers know that a supplement I've been waiting on has finally dropped! The third installment in what I've been calling my meta series, it began with 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master, and then followed up with 100 Character Goals and Motivations. But now I've got the third part of it out... 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better RPG Player!

I wouldn't have written it if I didn't think there were folks who needed it.

Much like the supplement that started this side series off, this player's guide is full of some of the best tips and tricks I've come across over the past decade of writing this blog, along with all my own experiences as a player. So whether you've found these supplements useful and want to check out the new installment, or this is your first time hearing about them, consider giving these books a look!

And if you've already got your copies, don't forget to rate, review, and share it around to spread the word! I've only managed to get two of them to Silver so far, and I'd like to push past Electrum and up into Gold if possible.

Like, Share, and Follow For More!

That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

Don't Underestimate The Power of Battlefield Control Spells (in Pathfinder)

As I said back in Vulgar Displays of Power: Tips For Getting The Most Out of Your Magic in Pathfinder, sometimes the best spells to defeat an encounter won't do a single hit point of damage. Whether it's spells like haste, which allow the fighter and barbarian to crank out additional attacks and obscene amounts of damage, ray of enfeeblement which can leave a powerful foe sluggish and weak when they would otherwise have been a dire threat, or summon monster when you need temporary allies to help stem the tide of foes rushing toward the party, strategic use of magic is often what carries the day.

There is a particular kind of spell that doesn't get enough love in my view, though. Spells which can seem cumbersome and difficult to manage, but in the hands of a tactical player they can make all the difference. These spells are commonly referred to as battlefield control magics.

You should have surrendered. It would have been easier on all of us.

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What is Battlefield Control?

Since terminology can get confusing, a battlefield control spell is, generally speaking, any spell you cast that alters the battlefield. These spells typically alter terrain, create new hazards, or throw up boundaries that can be used to protect allies, reduce an enemy's mobility, and to generally shift the balance of how an encounter is going.

Examples generally work best, though, so here's a simple scenario to keep in mind.

The party is engaged in a battle in an opera house. Cultists with swords are fighting the party down on the stage, but they have allies up in one of the box seats who are firing crossbows down at the party. The swordsmen are a threat, but it's really the bolts that are causing the most harm. So the wizard, thinking quickly, casts wind wall. The wind wall blocks the crossbowmen's line of fire completely, rendering them a non-issue until they move to a new position, which could take several rounds. In that time the rest of the party can focus on the swordsmen, eliminate them as a threat, and then focus on a new enemy.

Just let me adjust this challenge a bit...

Whether you cast darkness so that your party has at least partial concealment from enemies that can't see in the dark, or create pit in a narrow hallway so that enemies don't have the ability to retreat without leaping over a chasm, battlefield control spells allow you to adjust the encounter so as to give your allies advantages and protection by altering the environment around them.

And it's not easy to do... but once you have the proper mindset, you can often tilt a battle with a snap of your fingers and a single, spoken word.

Tips For Getting The Most Out of Your Battlefield Control

The core concept of battlefield control spells (creating obstacles for your foes and benefits for your allies) is pretty simple. However, the same could be said when it comes to describing the basic mechanics of chess, and that doesn't mean it's an easy game to win. Which is why I'd recommend keeping the following in mind when it comes to choosing the best battlefield control spells for your party and your particular campaign.

- First, know your party members. Certain battlefield control spells are going to impact your party just as negatively as your enemies, so you need to be aware of what everyone's capabilities are. If the whole party has darkvision, for example, then darkness can be a great card to have up your sleeve for making sure the enemies are taking miss chances when they attack you. If only one or two party members can see in the dark, though, then everyone else is going to have problems. Obscuring mist is another good example, because unless the rest of the party can see what's happening (an oracle with blindsight, a rogue with fogcutter lenses, a cleric in a goz mask, etc.) then the cloud hampers you and your allies as surely as it does the enemies. This doesn't make it useless, but it does narrow its use significantly.

- Secondly, know the enemies you face. As with the darkness example, if your enemies all have darkvision then the spell doesn't actually help anyone. If you're fighting a dragon and you use obscuring mist to hide from it, its dragon senses will still allow it to pinpoint any nearby party members. Wind wall won't block spells or hurled boulders. Just as you need to know what won't hamper your party, you need to have some idea of your enemies' capabilities so that you can create effects that are actually obstacles to them. Otherwise you'll just be blowing through spells that aren't having an effect.

- Thirdly, consider the actions being taken, and the flow of combat. Throwing up a wall spell to block off a doorway is a great trick to have if a foe tries to escape, but you don't want to brick up the route prematurely in case your party members want to use it, or allies are trapped back there and can't join the fray. Additionally, throwing down pits might hamper ground-based foes who depend on melee, but if they can fly, or fire from further away, those same pits can be a problem for your allies. Don't just look at something in terms of whether it's a good move in this exact moment; ask how it will affect an encounter going forward.

- Fourth, and final for this list, remember that battlefield control spells are often there to waste an enemy's time, energy, and effort. If you throw up a wall, and half a dozen enemies have to spend their turns going over or around it in order to reach the party/to get new lines of effect so they can resume the attack, it can feel like you wasted your action. However, what you actually did was use your one turn to force multiple enemies to reposition themselves, buying your allies time. Because even if some enemies don't slip in your grease spell, or fall into your pit, the fact that the hazard is there means it's complicating the enemy's actions... and that's your job. Being the spanner in the enemy's battle plans.

Further Reading For Spellcasters

If you're a player who's looking to branch out with your spellcasters in Pathfinder, then consider some of the following reading to hit on the RP side of things, as well as the mechanics side!

- 10 Backgrounds For Your Spellcasters: Part of a short series I worked on, this list in particular is there to remind folks that just because you're a wizard, a sorcerer, a cleric, etc., that doesn't need to be all of what your character is. Flesh them out, and provide some context in order to make your character more memorable!

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Wizards: My 5 Tips series has been going on for a while, and I've tried to offer unique tips for as many classes as I can. If wizards aren't your thing, though, I've also covered sorcerers, clerics, bards, druids, alchemists, inquisitors, oracles, witches, summoners, and more!

Like, Share, and Follow For More!

That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

The Chaos Magician (Arcane Spellcaster Character Concept)

Christobel sat in the center of her cell. A cracked looking glass sat before her as she wove strands of her own hair into a tight cord. Pressing the pad of her thumb onto her canine tooth, she bit down, then smeared her blood along a hollow stone she'd found in the exercise yard before sliding it onto the cord and tying the ends together. She chanted dead words in a dead language, slipping the amulet around her neck before picking up a tiny wooden trivet she'd stolen from the mess hall.

The tools were humble ones, but that didn't matter for her purposes. She didn't follow the gods whose names the spell invoked, but that didn't matter either. All that mattered was they would do for the ritual. As the power swelled and settled, Christobel smiled to herself.

"Nothing is true," she said as she stood to face the barred window, her fingers already weaving the energy into the pattern she needed. "Everything is permitted."

A saying that, in all likelihood, might be one reason I was put here in the first place.

The Chaos Magician

Chaos magic, as an idea, is one that's permeated our fiction. However, as I pointed out in What is Chaos Magic?, the occult philosophy is actually very different than most of its depictions in pop culture. In short, the idea behind chaos magic as a philosophy is that a chaos magician will use whatever tools they need for a particular task, often blending together different symbolism, philosophies, structure, and ritual as needed. While the symbolism and ideas are all directed at a singular purpose, there is no established belief system or structure to the chaos magician; everything is in flux, and they will use whatever they have to hand to accomplish their rites and rituals.

And that is something rarely tried in games that rely so heavily on Vancian spellcasting. Rarely tried isn't the same thing as impossible, though. All you need to do is to ask yourself what method you want to take to embody the chaos in your magician going forward?

If you're playing Pathfinder, for example, then one of the surest ways to accomplish this is with the occultist. Taking Alice Liddel's post The Magic in Everyday Items to heart, an occultist can use almost any sort of random collection of stuff in order to focus their powers. Whether it's a ritualized silver dagger, or a dusty skull they found in a dungeon, or a cracked mirror they took out of the garbage, the class's use of the symbolic ideas behind common items can suit this concept ideally. Especially when you consider that occultists don't need to prepare spells, so they can fire off whatever they need at any given time, but they're still Intelligence-based so it tics a lot of the boxes for folks who want to emulate the real-world philosophy.

Chaos magicians do a lot of reading, as a rule.

Some books are more dangerous than others.

With all of that said, however, it's entirely possible to put together a chaos magician as a flavor performance for a character. A wizard who draws from a dozen different sources and books, using different foci, different somatic and verbal components, etc. depending on the day is an easy example (especially if they're using those alterations to represent metamagic feats changing the parameters of the spells they're casting). A sorcerer whose bloodline is unpredictable might channel chaos in a real sense (like the wild magic sorcerer in DND 5th Edition), but they might also switch languages, gestures, even magical traditions in order to attempt to shape and control that chaos from moment to moment. Even a bard might use tonal dissonance, remixed tunes and songs, or bizarre combinations of traditions in order to produce unexpected effects.

This concept works best as an arcane caster. Chaos magic, by definition, focuses on the abilities and skills of the caster themselves, and how they channel the symbolic power of their rights and rituals. So while a divine caster could work, the idea behind divine magic is that it's spells granted by a particular deity or divine force. So while you might be able to work out some kind of pantheist, or individual dedicated to a particular concept, that's going to require a lot of cooperation on behalf of the GM, and it can get pretty messy and frustrating to find something that captures the flavor you want while remaining balanced.

Also, for further reading, make sure you check out the following from my ongoing 5 Tips series:

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Wizards

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Sorcerers

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Bards

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That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

5 Challenges Blaster Casters Need To Prep For (in Pathfinder)

I said it myself back in Vulgar Displays of Power: Tips For Getting The Most Out of Your Magic in Pathfinder, but blaster casters often find themselves getting less bang for their buck when it comes to an effective use of magic. With that said, there are few things more satisfying than pointing your hand, barking a word of power, and watching as the troll's head explodes, or a rain of fire destroys an enemy squad.

If you want to be an effective artillery piece, though, there's a slew of things you need to keep in mind when it comes to what your enemy can do, and the challenges you're going to face with regards to your effectiveness on the field. Because it's tough enough channeling the destructive powers of the ether... there's no need to do it with a set of ankle weights on, too.

Challenge #1: Energy Resistance

Is that fire damage? Oh... that's too bad...

There is nothing that is a bigger pain in the rear than charging up your big gun, only to find that the enemy is going to knock between 5 and 10 points off your damage. Or, worse, that your enemy is immune to that magic because of the element you've chosen to use. This is the most obvious pitfall out there, and a lot of players are rolling their eyes reading this, but I've seen this scuttle blasters' effectiveness more than once with players who go all-in on a given element, and then find by mid-level that they're essentially casting with one hand tied behind their back.

As such, it's a good idea to make sure that you have a wide variety of tricks up your sleeve. Like I said in 5 Challenges You Have To Deal With in Every Pathfinder Adventure Path, that means you need to have several elements you can call on. Fire is the most common resistance to find, in my experience, but cold is right behind it, and electricity and acid comes along behind that. Sonic is rare to have resistance against, as is negative energy, but there are some creatures that possess it.

Whether you choose to keep a wide variety of spells on-hand, or you have a trick that lets you convert and change the energy descriptor of a spell like the Elemental bloodline does for sorcerers, this is going to be a primary issue you'll have to deal with from relatively low levels.

Challenge #2: Evasion and High Saves

Did you just throw a fireball at me, you pleb?

Area of effect spells have the same satisfaction you get from dropping a sledgehammer on a problem. And when they work, hoo boy do they work... but when they whiff it can take all the wind out of your sails.

Which is why it's important to use these spells in situations they're geared toward so you get the biggest possible impact.

Area of effect spells (fireball, lightning bolt, and other classics) work best when you are dealing with hordes of creatures rather than single targets (and are supremely effective against swarms), and when those enemies are in a formation that gives you the biggest bang for your buck. Because if you roll 10d6, and hit about 30 damage on a given creature, that's not a lot of harm done... unless you did it to a mob of 10 monsters, in which case you spread quite a bit of damage around! The problem with area of effect spells is, of course, that a monster takes half damage on a successful save. And if they have evasion (or worse, improved evasion) then you're just throwing around fireworks for all the good you're doing.

The key is, again, variety. While you should try to jack your save DC as high as you can get it (I covered a lot of options in How To Increase Spell DCs in Pathfinder forever and a day ago), you should also have plenty of single-target spells that don't allow for a saving throw at all. Because that trio of rogues might be able to laugh off your fireball, but a scorching ray at your full power, or a bevy of magic missiles, is going to put them in the ground before they can get a chance to pull out any fancy tricks.

Also, don't keep hammering away at creatures with high saving throws that keep besting certain spells. Change tactics, and attack a different defense (their touch armor class, their Fortitude save, etc.). You need to attack their weak spots, not slam your fist into their strong defense and hope you get through.

Challenge #3: Spell Resistance

Fool! You have no power here.

Spell resistance is the absolute bane of blaster casters. While it isn't usually an immediate issue when a campaign starts, it's going to start cropping up as soon as your campaign deals with outsiders, dragons, and other powerful monster types... so you need to be prepared for it.

The first thing you need to do is boost your caster level as much as possible, and to take feats like Spell Penetration to be sure that spell resistance isn't an issue when you decide to cut loose. There are also rods that give you bonuses to overcoming spell resistance, and keeping one of those on your belt is always a good idea.

With that said, it is equally important to make sure you have at least a few spells up your sleeve that don't allow for spell resistance. They are few and far between, but they do exist. A lot of them aren't blasting spells (glitterdust is a perfect example), but you need to keep your options open for when the other bullets in your gun aren't going to get the results you want.

Challenge #4: Sight Lines and Effective Firing

Got you, you little bastard!

One of the simplest ways to take away a blaster's ability to affect you is to vanish. Whether it's into a cloud of smoke, by turning invisible, or ducking behind total cover, not having a line of sight/line of effect to a target can stymie you in some of the most frustrating ways. And it's going to happen sooner or later, so you need to be prepared for it.

If you have darkvision then you're already one step ahead of the curve. However, it's a good idea to invest in an ability to see invisible creatures, and if you really want to throw a monkey wrench into their gears use spells like the previously-mentioned glitterdust to mark them out for the rest of the party. Invisibility purge is another great trick to keep up your sleeve, though a simple smogstick is also a useful, alchemical solution to the problem. You should also keep gust of wind on hand, or consider investing in fogcutter lenses, or a goz mask, as both will allow you to see through fog, smoke, etc. Of course, these would also allow you to pop smoke yourself with an obscuring mist spell, and to fire with impunity at enemies who can't see you.

Just some food for thought, there.

Challenge #5: Actually Dealing Damage

These numbers just aren't adding up...

One of the unfortunate truths about blaster casters is that they just don't pack the wallop you want them to... and this only gets truer as you go up in level. As such, you need to tweak your load out to make sure that you are getting every point of damage you can out of your spells.

For example, a higher effective caster level (such as how the Sanguine bloodline increases your caster level for any necromancy school spell by 1) can be a boon. Blasting spells tend to do a certain amount of damage based on your caster level, and while they have caps, slinging around the most damage dice you can as fast as you can is a pretty big help. It also doesn't hurt if you can apply metamagic feats to your spells, allowing them to surpass the normal amount of damage they'd do, maximizing the damage without rolling the dice, etc., etc. Furious Spell, in particular, can be helpful for those who intend to cast while under the effects of some kind of rage. And, of course, make sure you target a creature's weaknesses in order to get bonus damage out of your spells (a creature with a weakness to fire, for instance, takes 1.5 times the damage from fire spells).

However, it never hurts to add every point you can.

As an example, the evoker gets to add half their wizard level in bonus damage on spells that deal hit point damage. The trait Volatile Conduit allows you to boost a fire, cold, acid, or electricity spell by 1d4 damage as a free action once per day. There aren't as many of these abilities, as most combat feats specifically mention they cannot be used with touch attacks (or they must be used with a physical weapon), but even stacking on an addition d4 here or +2 there adds up over time.

Like, Share, and Follow For More!

That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

Everything in an RPG is Situational... Everything

There is, perhaps, no bigger argument when it comes to a game's mechanics than about what's more "powerful" when it comes time to roll the dice. While this is a discussion that can be had on a one-to-one comparison (discussing damage output, for example, or discussing the number of dice thrown for particular effects), the more general the discussion becomes the more likely it is you're comparing apples to pineapples.

That's tough enough to get good sense out of, but there is one, undeniable fact when it comes to RPGs pretty much across the board... every power, every ability, and every skill is going to be more "powerful" in certain situations than it is in others. And if you don't remember that, then all you and the person you're arguing with are doing is blowing hot air in each other's faces.

Look, I'm just saying, wizard trumps barbarian. Fight me!

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Everything Has Its Strong Suit

I've said this several times before, but it bears repeating. Everything in an RPG has a situation where it's going to be more potent, and a situation where it's going to be useless. Even things we think of as obviously powerful are going to be rendered moot in some situations and games because there are simply too many variables for anything to be universally powerful across the board.

For an obvious example, consider the paladin.

This fight is almost totally one-sided.

Paladins are a perfect example of situational potency. Because if you're in a game chock full of evil dragons, undead, demons, and other nasties who rely largely on fear and disease to make them dangerous enemies, then a paladin almost feels like they're playing with cheat codes on. They're flat-out immune to a lot of the conditions coming their way, they get huge bonus damage from their smite, and they can call on potent divine powers to make them an even bigger threat against evil enemies.

You know the easiest way to kick them off the ladder? Put them in a situation where they aren't fighting evil enemies all the time.

Paladins are geared very specifically to stand against the forces of evil. Even if they aren't doing that (say they're fighting a construct, or dealing with magical beasts, or have an opposing force of neutral mercenaries who are just here for the money) they've still got a full base attack bonus, good armor, ability to heal themselves, and a lot of other tricks... but they are no longer a one-character-wrecking-ball.

Yeah, that checks out.

We see this with a lot of other classes and builds, as well. The two-weapon fighter who becomes a blender if they can take a full attack is rendered a lot less viable if they need to run all over the battlefield just to reach a target (or worse, the target is out of melee reach). The ranger who can utterly destroy their favored enemy (especially if they can grant their bonuses to the rest of the party) becomes a lot less effective when dealing with foes outside that specialty, and outside their favored terrain. Rogues and slayers who find themselves up against foes immune to precision damage suddenly find themselves nowhere near as useful as they would otherwise be.

And before all the spellcaster mains out there start preening, you're not immune to this either. While it's true that magic can give you a pretty deep bag of tricks, even those tricks are going to be situational... and when you aren't prepped for the right situation you're no more useful than the barbarian staring up at the flying dragon with their greatsword in-hand.

Easy examples are the evokers and blasters. Dropping a fireball might be impressive if it's on a large group of regular mooks, but if they all have evasion and your DC isn't up to snuff, then suddenly your big hammer didn't amount to a hill of beans. If your magus relies on the nova blast from a huge shocking grasp critical, and you suddenly stab an enemy that doesn't take that electricity damage (or worse, gets healed by it), then you've got a conundrum on your hands. If you're an enchanter, mindless enemies (or those protected by the right spells) can take your most potent whammies off the table. Illusionists have a similar issue, compounded by enemies that have senses that allow them to ignore illusions as fakes. Those who rely on conjured monsters can easily be countered by low-level protective spells that mean the creatures can't actually attack them. Necromancers often find their most debilitating powers are useless against those who are already undead. And if you specialized in utility spells, but you find yourself on an open battlefield where none of them are appropriate, you may suddenly find yourself wishing you'd prepped a few tactical strikes just to be safe.

And the list goes on.

This Applies To Every Aspect of a Game

A lot of folks out there have probably noticed that the last section focused largely on combat. The reason for that is that it's the most visibly crunchy part of the game, and it can be life and death for the PCs... but it's important to remember that situational ability is still applicable outside of the initiative order.

Especially then, you might say.

Say, for example, you wanted to play a rogue specialized in stealth and trap disarming. If your game is a dungeon crawl, or you're the point person on a heist, then you are in your element and doing exactly what you're made for. If you're in a situation that's largely about social maneuvering and mystery solving, then your skill set may not come into play as often (though it may be useful in certain spots, such as eavesdropping, or breaking into a location to try to find evidence).

Alternatively, the big bad bruiser who would be lord of the battlefield in a combat heavy game is going to be twiddling their thumbs in a campaign where problems can't be meaningfully solved through the application of violence. While the diviner, who may have been less than helpful during a siege or a run-and-gun style campaign, is going to be a magical Sherlock Holmes when it comes to solving a murder, or finding out what happened to stolen valuables.

Every ability, every skill, every spell, is going to have a situation where it is useful, and where it is less than useful. And if the situation where it's strong doesn't come up in a particular campaign, it's easy to think of it as useless. If the campaign is made up almost entirely of situations where a particular ability is strong, then it can seem far more potent than it really is.

Specify Your Parameters

Something that I think would make these discussions far more useful for all of us would be if we narrowed our parameters for what we're actually talking about. It would also stop us from comparing totally unrelated fruits to declare which is the best.

For example, if your parameters are, "What is the most powerful class for killing demons?" you now have a level playing field to compare abilities, feats, powers, etc. If the question is, "Who puts out the highest melee damage?" that's also something you can find an actual answer for using math instead of conflicting opinions.

This also works when you try to discuss character utility and breadth of usefulness over a vague "power" that can be hard to quantify. Comparing the spell lists for bards and wizards, for example, you could see which spells would allow you to overcome particular obstacles that would otherwise be quite hazardous to the party (things like endure elements or perhaps fly). This also stops conversations where one person feels that a bard is more flexible (and thus more powerful), and someone else feels that a barbarian has maximized damage output (and is thus more powerful), since neither of you are talking about the same thing.

Lastly, remember to specify in which situation these things are coming into play. Who is the enemy, how many are there, what is the environment, what is the task at hand, etc.? Because without these specifics we don't have anything to gauge the situation by, and you might be extolling the virtues of a sledgehammer at solving problems that instead call for a can of WD-40 and a Phillips head screwdriver.

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That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

The Infernal Grandchild (Wizard Concept)

The mob had gathered, truncheons and pitch forks in their hands. Torches had been lit, and the fire danced in the eyes of the onlookers. Their gazes were fixed on the bloodied figure chained on the block at the edge of the water. With horns cresting from his black hair, and skin red as sin, there had been no trial. No hearing to evaluate the words of those who'd spoken out against him. After all, what could a creature with cloven hooves and a spaded tail truly say in its defense?

"Any last words?" The self-appointed judge asked.

The tiefling nodded his head solemnly. He'd been sitting there, head down, bloody fingers twitching across the stone for nearly ten minutes. He drew himself up, as best he could, and looked into the eye of the man who had sentenced him. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, ensuring the blood would be a part of what he said. The crowd behind him drew in its breath, as if sensing what was to come. Before anyone could stop him the wizard spoke a single word, his blue forked tongue dancing around the syllables that would have stymied anyone not so blessed.

"Anthiaraxes," he said.

For a moment, nothing happened. It seemed in that second that it had all been a bluff... then the howling began. A wind from nowhere guttered the torches, and darkness bled into the world as if the very air had been stabbed. It congealed, and burst, the shadows birthing something that made all of them draw back. It bore the likeness of a woman, but twisted out of true. The neck was too long, the face too perfect. It bore too many knuckles in its fingers, and its hair whipped like an angry cat's tail, so dark it drank the light. The creature's eyes were the worst; twin voids that would siphon away the soul if one didn't have a will of iron when they met them.

"Before I pass my judgment," Anthiaraxes said, her voice a soft, sibilant whisper that burrowed into the ears and minds of all those present. "Why have you bound and chained my favorite grandson?"

And make it good. I didn't come all the way here for nothing.

When You Have Family in Low Places

Infernal power comes in many shapes and forms. For some it's a result of a pact made with dark powers in exchange for their soul. For others it's a mark of a favored servant, with an archfiend empowering them as a servant of their dire faith. For some it's a result of their bloodline, tainted by the back hand of a devil.

This concept is for characters who fall into the final category.

Whether this character is a tiefling, or they merely have some vestigial connection to the blood of the lower planes, the idea is that they know the true name of a powerful entity connected to their family. Perhaps it's the fiend who first mixed their blood into their line, or if the character is descended from a more potent devil, the name of one of that devil's servants who is bound to answer the call when it goes out. While this can also be accomplished with demons and celestial creatures, those are simply variations on the theme presented below.

The Mechanics

The mechanical trick for this story is the Arcane Discoveries option that was added to wizards in Ultimate Magic for Pathfinder. The discovery True Name allows you to learn the true name of a powerful outsider, which you can then summon to you as if by using planar binding as a spell-like ability. You must be 11th level to take this ability, and the outsider in question can have no more than 12 hit dice. However, if you take this ability at 15th level, the outsider can have no more than 18 hit dice. This functions as greater planar binding.

And if you really want to sell the whole, "favored child of an infernal heritage," my recommendation is to make a conjurer wizard who always falls back on summoned devils, hellhounds, and other similar monsters. Maybe they're servants of the conjurer's ancestor, or they simply recognize the lineage and are hoping they will earn favor by providing good service. But it's helpful to establish a theme as you grow in power, and gain access to stranger and more varied creatures.

 

While you can bring across the flavor using a sorcerer, a warlock (in 5th Edition DND, anyway), they won't give you access to this unique ability. That is, of course, at your discretion.

The Story

What story you make to support this kind of character concept is totally up to you! There are, however, some archetypes and paths you might want to consider.

If you want to play an evil character (keeping in mind all the advice I presented in 5 Tips For Playing Evil Characters, such as being part of a team) you could easily play as an extension of your ancestor's influence on the material plane. This would have many of the same overtones as a cleric of an archfiend; receiving messages from fiends, contacting the outer planes to report on your progress, etc. If you wanted to avoid making the character too edgy or grim, you could even give it a kind of Addams Family vibe where they simply have no idea what it is everyone around them is so upset about. This is just the way things are done at home (petting the hellhounds, laughing at the "playful" imps, etc.).

Alternatively, the character might be actively trying to turn the forces of hell to a good cause. So while the devils they summon are forced by both magic and oaths of allegiance to comply, they know they're going to catch hell from grand mama if she finds out this conjurer was summoning devils to fight against evil cults. You might even be able to set it up as a kind of chess game between the character and the fiend. The Infernal Grandchild thinks they're subverting the fiend's will, but on the grander scale of things it is the Infernal Grandchild who is actually fighting the fiend's foes. For every evil cult they crush, and every demon lord who's plans they undermine, that creates a power vacuum the fiend can then step into in order to expand their own power and position. While their Grandchild might sometimes deal a blow to one of the fiend's allies, or harm their other servants, that's all part of how the game is played. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a pawn or two.

You could even walk a middle path with this story, and create a kind of estranged family relationship. Perhaps the conjurer tries to avoid calling on the servants of the infernal the same way they'd avoid calling home to ask for money after they had a big fight with their father. They wait until there's no other way, and of course the fiend wants to help... because the more often the conjurer asks for help, the easier it will be to become their crutch. So it's a tug-of-war as the fiend tries to ensnare the wizard, and the wizard is trying to remain untethered to the machinations of their line's progenitor.

There's a lot you can do here, and so much of it is left up to you as the player (and your DM, of course). With that said, you might find helpful inspiration for bringing this concept to life in...

- 13 Fiends: A Baker's Dozen of Devils: If you're looking for a powerful fiend to attach mechanics to, the options in here have names, symbols, histories, and purviews you can easily draw on.

- 100 Tieflings To Meet in Your Travels: Whether you just want something to get your wheels turning, or you want to build an extended family, I'll always recommend giving this one a look. You don't have to be a tiefling for this concept to work, but it is fun.

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Tieflings and Aasimar: Again, you don't have to be a tiefling for this concept, but if you're going to be either a tiefling or an aasimar (after all, your ancestor might have fallen from grace), I'd recommend giving this one a look.

 

Also, if you want to make sure you don't miss any of my updates (and that you get a weekly rundown of all my fresh content, news, and more), then take a moment to sign up for my newsletter! If you don't want to click the link, there should be a form at the bottom of the page as well.

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That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Cowboy Wizard

Atrius smiled, and twirled his fingers through the air, speaking the single whisper of power before slapping the steer on the side. When he took his hand away, his personal sigil was clearly marked on the animal's flank, though there was no wound, and no discomfort. The beast grunted, and Atrius snickered as he urged his horse forward. Within the next few hours, the herd was properly marked, all of them calm and grazing.

The drive wasn't as bad as it might otherwise be. From atop his saddle, he could easily direct the herd where he wanted them to go with no more than a few flicks of his wrist, and an occasional eldritch incantation. He kept them calm and moving forward, resisting the temptation to ever enchant them to cut the drive time. He'd seen where that could go, if a man wasn't careful.

Snow Tips watched during the night, the gray barn owl keeping a sharper eye out than he ever could. Still, Atrius kept his wands close, and his field grimoire well-thumbed. There were worse dangers than the threat of a stampede out in the wild lands, and if he wanted his herd to make it to Tracker's Ford in one piece he'd have to keep himself ready for any sort of trouble.

He still had student loans to pay, and univeralist wizards weren't in-demand.

The Cattle Rancher Wizard

When most of us look at a wizard's spell list, we think of the application in terms of dungeon crawls, combats, and adventures. However, there are a lot of spells that could really make the grueling work of a cattle drive so much easier on someone. Whether it's casting a spell on your horse to enhance its speed and endurance, using arcane mark so you can always find your cows, or just turning your lasso into a rope trick so you can camp comfortably in the most inhospitable conditions, a little bit of magic goes a long way when it comes to completing tasks that would otherwise take an entire team of workers.

This concept isn't just about being a cowboy who happens to be a wizard, though.

The idea is, more broadly, to stop thinking of a wizard as a profession instead of a skill set. Rather, this character uses their knowledge of magic to accomplish some other task. Why not a transmuter who's a farmer, turning arid soil into potable land that grows amazing crops? Or a diviner who acts as a bounty hunter, always one step ahead of whoever is trying to get away from her? An abjurer who works as a bodyguard, perhaps? An enchanter who's a diplomat? An illusionist who works for the circus, who operates as a spy, or perhaps both? An evoker who works as a forest ranger, using their spells to conduct controlled burns, stop forest fires, and occasionally to deal with bandits?

The idea here is to take a profession that is typically mundane in some way, shape, or form, and to ask yourself how a wizard would use their skills and powers to do the job. From traveling merchants, to sewer cleaners, to medical examiners, to archaeologists, there's a plethora of possibilities out there... and if all else fails, you can always fall back on roping steers and driving cows!

For more thought-provoking ideas on this class, check out my 5 Tips For Playing Better Wizards, which is part of my ongoing 5 Tips series!

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Field Commander Conjurer

Shaheen Redoras watched the battle line from atop the hill. Below her was the slow grind of attrition as the enemy pushed back the line step by step, leaving blood and bodies in its wake. The men were holding, but only by the skin of their teeth. Next to her Captain Fandras was chewing on the ends of his mustache. She could feel his silent demands, but the time wasn't right just yet.

Then the line broke, and the foe committed themselves to the charge. They roared through the gap, feet pounding and blades upraised. Shaheen smiled. It was a sad smile. She'd hoped it wouldn't come to this, but she knew that sooner or later it always did.

"To me," she bellowed, hammering her staff into the ground. "Rise to me you pit-born jackals!"

She barked the names and ranks in an unbreaking tide of words. There was no pretty ritual to her calling; no chalked runes on a slab of stone, or an upraised knife for a sacrifice. Those things were for one begging a boon... Shaheen commanded, and hell rose to meet her.

The only warning the enemy had was the smell of brimstone, and a sound like the striking of a match. Then the fiends were upon them. Roaring beasts with shards of bone jutting from their fists tore apart the enemy's front line, and winged creatures with the bodies of women and eyes of fire lanced into those behind with arrows from above. Skittering hellhounds harried the flanks, tearing and scorching anything they came into contact with. Holding a finger to her ear, Shaheen roared her orders, directing the devils by name to where they would do the most damage.

Conscripts they might be, but in her hands they were a precision machine that quickly turned a sure victory into a rout.

Fall in, maggots!

Conjuring The Cavalry

Magic is one of the most potent forces in most fantasy settings, and as such it has the potential to act as the main mechanic of an arms race. From evokers acting as living artillery batteries (as we saw in the Military Grade Evoker), to necromancers who can command legions of undead troops, to abjurers who can shield troops from harm, magic is of prime interest to those that deal in war.

Which is why a conjurer who can make tactical decisions with the minions they call forth from the ether can be a literal one-caster-army.

Page 875, devil dogs somatic component: Oorah!

The advantage that conjurers have is they can call on a variety of creatures to suit the needs of a particular engagement, as long as they have the time and knowledge to call in the proper reinforcements. However, matching the creature to the conflict is only one skill the field commander needs... the other is strategy.

For example, any conjurer can summon a squad of celestial warriors... but can they direct them to use their abilities in conjunction with one another? Can they make the best possible use of flanking, or aiding another, and of providing a shield? Even something as simple as making grapple checks, executing a trip, or using conjured creatures that can fight in ranks (one in front, one with reach behind them) can be a huge boon.

To really bring this concept home, though, it's important to ask who the conjurer fought for, and what troops answer their call? You can also get a lot of mileage out of what sort of relationship the conjurer has with their summoned creatures, and how they respond to being press-ganged into the action.

For instance, is the conjurer one who sings the celestial hymns of war, bringing forth angels they've fought side-by-side with through several battles? Someone who has earned these beings' respect and loyalty? Or is this conjurer one who summons beasts, howling with the pack or bellowing with plane-touched bears? Do they bend demons to their will, or cow devils who fear that if the conjurer does die then they'll be placed so high in hell's hierarchy that these unwilling troops will still have to follow their orders?

While this concept can work with summoners and druids, as well as with conjurers, the key is to incorporate strategic summoning, military experience, and the relationship with the creatures being summoned. Once you have those three elements worked out, you've got a unique version of this idea. Whether your conjurer is an eager young officer testing their skills in the field, or a jaded ex-soldier who left the life and has turned mercenary, you've got something unusual to contribute to the party's endeavors!

Additional Resources

If you like the idea of the field commander conjurer, you might find some of the following resources to be helpful in filling out your character's background, history, and personality.

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Wizards: One of my more popular 5 Tips guides, it's important to remember that not all wizards are stodgy scholars in long robes. There's also 5 Tips For Druids and 5 Tips For Summoners, if you're going down those paths instead.

- 100 Knightly Orders: If you're looking for an order to command your PCs loyalty (or whom they'd one day like to join), then organizations like the Masters of the Unbreakable Chain might be just what you're looking for. Or if you'd rather be a little less scrupulous, in 100 Random Mercenary Companies you can find groups like the Acolytes of Arannis, which employs mages of all varieties to win the field of battle.

- 100 Fantasy Battle Cries (And Their Histories): From ancient warrior-philosophers, to elite mercenary companies who've been dead for a millennia, these battle cries add a touch of flavor to any warrior. And if one is to lead, it never hurts to have a signal for your troops that it is time to fight.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Magic Item Collector

"Dosh, will you look at all this stuff?" Rafe whispered, his greedy eyes wide as he looked at the glassed-in cases.

"I was the one got the tip, wasn't I?" Dosh grunted, plucking a long, black wand off a shelf and looking at it.

"You even know what that does?" Rafe asked.

"No, but it smells like money," Dosh said.

"It's a Cicario Eldan wand," a voice said from behind them. "Third generation, when the old wizard was trying to improve on his designs."

The two thieves spun, staring at the slight figure. His hair was tousled, and he was dressed in a robe, yawning. He scratched under one arm, looking at them with half-lidded eyes. Dosh raised the wand, his fingers going to the clear arcane marks as he pointed it.

"Not another step," he hissed between his teeth.

"Or what?" the slender owner asked, tilting his head slightly.

Rafe tried to say something, but Dosh traced the runes and pointed. A black glow built at the tip of the wand, but rather than firing outward it turned back on itself. A look of horror crossed the thief's face, but nothing came from his mouth but smoke when he tried to scream. His eyes melted, his skin charred, and with a soft pop his clothes fell to the floor... empty, but for some ash.

"Those third gens," the owner said, shaking his head. "There are only a few of them left for a reason. Most people don't want something that cursed in their collection."

Where did you find these? Gods above... I didn't think there WERE any more of these...

The Magic Item Collector

There are always people who obsess over the rare, the unusual, and the valuable. For some it's gems dug from so deep in the earth there are only a few like them in existence. For others it's works of art, or poetry, crafted by the hands of artists dead for centuries. And for some, that obsession is magic items.

A burning grimoire... never thought I'd see the day where I had one.

 

In many ways, the Magic Item Collector can be seen as a subset of The Gearhead Fighter. However, the major difference between the two is that a Gearhead is (as a rule) more interested in the practical applications of the objects of their obsession. The Magic Item Collector is someone who pursues the rare, unique, and unusual for its own sake, rather than to using it to further their own goals. The chase, and the catch, is all that matters... other concerns like keeping dangerous items under lock and key, or ensuring a warlord can't use the item as a weapon, are really just secondary concerns.

A Collector will have an exhaustive knowledge of magic and its applications, and they'll certainly have opinions about which items are going to be more useful/serviceable in the field. Someone who swears by high-grade vellum for conjuration magic, while preferring papyrus for evocation spells, for example. They might be willing to use mass-produced potions, and keep a few simple yew wands around, but those things are expendable. They aren't the true prizes; they're the tools.

That's the important distinction. Just as an art critic might not see all art as beautiful and worthwhile, only prizing unique creations by talented creators, so too a Magic Item Collector isn't going to hold all magic items in high regard. Many of them will be plebian and functional, the high fantasy equivalent of corporate art or mass-produced prints. Only items with history, which boast a unique composition, or some combination of the two, will get their palms sweating.

Who Are Magic Item Collectors?

Magic item collectors come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and from a hundred different backgrounds. From enchanters and artisans who want to own a piece of the work made by the old masters, to nobles who appreciate the exquisite value of such unique pieces, to organizations who feel it is their duty to preserve and protect these items so they are not despoiled... or in some cases so the items in question don't do any harm to the world at large.

Some things are not for the eyes of the common folk.

 

The only things Collectors need to have is a knowledge of the arcane, and of the history behind these unique items. Beyond that, the sky really is the limit as to who they are, how they came by their obsession, and which items in particular they specialize in.

For an example, you might have a rogue who's a former wizard's apprentice that turns their skills toward evading the most advanced security measures out there in order to steal the most precious magic items in the world. Maybe they keep them, or maybe they hand them over to museums or secret orders, but the thrill of holding those pieces of history is something that never fades for them. Alternatively, you might have a cleric, wizard, or a sorcerer who uses their magic to craft the latest generation of magic items (the Artist, as mentioned in 10 Backgrounds For Your Spellcasters). They collect these items as examples of the art, but also as templates to use to try to understand how other  masters of the mystic arts have accomplished things before them. A magus might collect examples of fine enchanted armor and swords to use as decoration, showing their taste and devotion to history, or a bard might keep enchanted masterpieces ready to play, along with instruments made from impossible materials like dragon bone and sinew.

Lastly, as I mentioned above, it's a good idea to give your Collector a specialty. Maybe it's a particular culture, a certain type of item, or even a particular time period, but if you need someone who knows about it, the Collector has forgotten more than most people ever knew. If you find a darkling sword with a brand no one recognizes, Erinaldo Hardheart can likely tell you how old it is, and whether it was forged by the master or one of his apprentices. If you need to know about the Mindlock helms worn by the Ashen Knights at the fall of the Black Empire, Setania Caul not only knows their founding and history, but has fragments of the helms that still bear a glimmer of their former aura. And if you need to know about the awoken servitors of the Iron Age, old Albarian Codge knows... though whether you can get sense out of him will depend on how drunk he is.

Collectors will, of course, have other interests. However, their obsession with their own collection, and all of the information they've learned about magic over their years of study, searching, and acquisition, is often the major skill they bring to any party they join.

Those who enjoyed this piece may also enjoy 10 Backgrouns For Your Scoundrels, as well as 10 Backgrounds For Your Martial Characters. Both of them are currently in the 5 Tips archive, featured on the page's top bar.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!