The Dime Novelist (Character Concept)

"And so their blades clashed. The Red Knight was the rolling fury of thunder, but Kialla was lightning, her sword always there a moment before his blade could fall. Steel slid against steel, the spells sparking against one another, until faster than a blink Kialla slipped inside his guard. Though the knight's plate was crimson from slaughter, it availed him not against her righteous fury, and his head fell at her feet."

Kialla looked up from the book, one eyebrow cocked. The scar that bisected that brow, the one she'd been given as a parting gift from the Red Knight, was white and clean. "This really the way you remember it, Dendrick?"

Dendrick smiled at her, showing a touch of the underbite his orcish heritage had given him. "I took copious notes that night, if you remember."

"I stabbed him through the heart," Kialla said. "In under the armpit. His gorget was thicker than three of my fingers. If I'd tried to cut through that the only way he'd have died would have been laughing at me too hard."

"Artistic license," Dendrick said with a shrug. "You did sever his head to collect the bounty, so it still happened."

Dialla shook her head, sighing. "I can't believe people pay you for this."

"Highways are long, and often boring," Dendrick said, smiling. "Besides, they pay me, and I pay you, so everyone gets their portion of the proceeds."

"This keeps up, I might not have to hunt bounties anymore," Dialla said.

Dendrick winced. "Don't say that! I need to have something ready by next summer. The readers are going to want another."

So who is next? A bandit king, perhaps? That cult we keep hearing about?

A Chronicler of Low-Price Legends

Our games tend to be replete with tale-telling bards and traveling minstrels, but there is another form of entertainment we often don't think about... especially if our worlds are advanced enough that the printing press exists. Because if there is a publishing industry, people are going to want entertainment from it. And once cheap materials can be used to turn cheap profits, all they need are cheap stories to fill the pages with.

And that is where the Dime Novelist comes into the picture.

"The Bloody Blade of Brighton"? I think we still have a copy somewhere...

For those not familiar with them, dime novels were the precursors to the pulps. They were written quickly, tended to be lurid, and they were printed on cheap paper, bound with cheap glue, and they hit newsstands and stores as fast as publishers could pump them out. They were quick, disposable entertainment, and most of them were about gunslingers, detectives, outlaws, and other adventurers who tended to be far removed from the readers in terms of lifestyle, distance, or both.

While most individuals who penned these books were just slapping words on the page, piecing together gossip, fantasy, and lurid stories with their own artistic flare, the concept of the dime novelist as a character is someone who wants their stories to be more authentic (if not precisely an exact accounting of events). Whether it's because they believe that what they're doing deserves to have integrity, or because they feel that being an eyewitness to the events will make for better sales, adventuring is merely a means to an end. After all, if they want to get a good story, they have to go to where the story is happening.

This concept can be done in a variety of different ways. After all, one could play a bard who prefers the written word over the fife or the drum, publishing the adventures of themselves and their companions to earn a living, but also to big-up their reputations. If there's too much embellishment, this could lead to people over-estimating them, or to individuals trying to ask them about things they never actually did. The sort of thing that leads their Small Legend to grow much faster than they'd like. Or, if the novelist is unscrupulous, they might specifically cause trouble in order to give their companions a threat to deal with... something that could end badly for them, if it's found out the novelist was the source of a dangerous situation.

Additionally, though this is an ideal concept for a bard, they're far from the only characters capable of making this idea work. A retired fighter might pen their memoirs, and find they need fresh material to keep putting more books out (the Richard Marcinko career path), or a wizard might intercut their field notes with stories of how their companions fared against various challenges. A monk might use the tales of their allies' actions to illustrate finer points of combat philosophy in their manual, or a sorcerer might need extra funds to support a lavish lifestyle. All the characters needs is the necessary skill to put the words on paper, and someone willing to distribute their stories... which is a significantly more interesting use of the Leadership feat when you consider your dozens of followers could all be your sales reps helping spread the word of your and your companions' great deeds!

Lastly, while this is an interesting role for a player character, this is also one that can work beautifully for a supporting NPC. And if you are going to go the bard route for it, I'd highly recommend checking out my 5 Tips For Playing Better Bards before putting this one in game!

Speaking of Dime Novelists...

One of the comments I keep getting on this particular series is how much folks enjoy the little snippets of fiction I put in the opening paragraphs. Even if the character concept isn't for them, or they're not sure they'll like it, they often find those little flashes to be of interest.

If you're one of those readers, you should know I write books as well. And, in fact, I just had a new one drop on the 1st!

Sci-fi thriller about de-commissioned super soldiers, anyone?

Old Soldiers is my most recent novel, and if you've had a hankering for 9-foot-tall albino bioweapons that Resident Evil hasn't quite satisfied, then you are definitely going to want to take a moment to meet Pollux and the other Myrmidon as they try to unravel a shadowy conspiracy that reaches all the way into the heart of New Liberty.

Or, if you're more of a modern fantasy reader, you might want to check out my other series. It's got hard-boiled mysteries with dark alleys, shadowy players, gangs of bruisers... and all of them are street animals in New York City. Our protagonist, Leo, is a Maine Coon with a bad attitude, a heart of gold, and a serious curiosity streak that gets him into trouble in Marked Territory and the latest tale Painted Cats which came out in May.

If you're a fan of traditional sword and sorcery adventure, then my novel Crier's Knife might be more up your alley. Alternatively, if you like game tie-in fiction then my story The Irregulars from the Pathfinder Tales might be more to your taste, and if you enjoy the grim darkness of the far future take a look at Waking Dogs- A World Eaters Tale. The last one's even free!

And that's just a smattering of what you'll find on my Amazon author page, in addition to the now triple-digit search results you'll find for my supplements on Drive Thru RPG! So if you enjoy my work, please, go check those out too!

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, 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!

Does Your Campaign Require a Whole New World?

I've been a gamer since I was about 19-20 years old, which at time of writing is more than a decade and a half ago. I've played a pretty wide variety of games since then; some were good, and some were bad. In all the time I've been gaming, though, I've never once decided to run a campaign in a homebrew world of my own design. And I can safely say, having been designing Sundara: Dawn of a New Age for months now, I would never even consider doing all this work if there wasn't a check attached to those efforts.

Speaking of, the floating city of Archbliss just released!

However, since it seems like a good 40-50 percent of people I talk to (and who leave combative remarks on my content) run games solely in worlds of their own design, there is a simple question I'd like us to think about today. Especially the game masters out there who are newer to the hobby, and who think this is some kind of rite of passage, or the "proper" way to run a game.

In case you didn't read the title, the question is to ask whether the campaign you're running really requires a whole new setting in order to make it work?

As always, to stay on top of all my latest releases sign up for my weekly newsletter. And if you want to help me keep the lights on and the motor running here on Improved Initiative, consider becoming a Patreon patron today!

The Ups and Downs of a Whole New World

Academically, I understand the appeal of making your own campaign setting for a game. It's world building in a literal sense as you rearrange everything to your liking. From altering the appearance of tieflings, to changing the assumed history of orcs, to drawing your own maps and forging your own timeline, there is something freeing about making your own setting from the ground up.

However, with that said, I feel there are a lot of stumbling blocks in this approach that we don't often think about. Because, as I so often say in comments sections, the ability to build a good world and the ability to run a good campaign are two completely different things.

Worlds are complex things.

First, let's talk about the upsides.

Making your own world can be creatively fulfilling. It can be fun to play around with the primordial goop of a setting, molding it and making something fun and unique. It can get you more attached to it, and if you play your cards right you can even get your players in on the action. Letting them contribute can give them that feeling of attachment that this is truly a shared game that you're all playing.

It can also let you erase aspects you don't like, don't want, or would rather not deal with that would have changed the core setting of the game too much to just make something a house rule.

For every up, though, there is a down.

There are downsides to homebrewing your own setting as well, though.

Perhaps the biggest issue I've come across in terms of homebrewed worlds is that a lot of GMs end up missing the forest for the trees. They focus on the handful of things that they were most interested in, or which they wanted to dedicate the majority of their time and effort to, but they end up forgetting they need to fill out the rest of the world, too.

Some examples of this from my own experience include:

- Completely forgetting to create a pantheon of gods in games with divine casters

- Having 2-3 major cities on a continent, but no other settlements

- Lacking the names and histories of ruling bodies and influential families in the capital city where the campaign was taking place

- Only fleshing out a few species in the whole world, leaving the others vague and unfinished

Even if you make an entire setting with no gaps or missing parts, though, there's often a disconnect between your setting and your players. Because if they can't actually read about things and look stuff up on their own, the world can seem ephemeral. If you are the sole lens that the players can learn information through, it can be frustrating for both of you... especially if you misremember something you told them, or there's a disagreement over an important aspect of the world, and it only exists in your head rather than on a wiki somewhere.

And if coming up with all of this stuff is hard work, then writing it all down and organizing it in anything resembling and engaging fashion is downright exhausting!

Do You Need To Do All This Work?

I'm not trying to discourage anyone from making their own settings to play in. If it's something you want to do, you should do it. However, it is important to take a moment to ask yourself if the story you're trying to tell actually requires that amount of work being done behind the scenes in order for your players to get the proper experience, or if you can just use an existing setting with a few additions in the blank spots on the map to get your game going.

Because if your campaign doesn't require a new setting all its own in order to function, then making one from scratch might be akin to one of those scenarios where a master chef tries to recreate the Big Mac. Even if you provide full flavor, great taste, and masterful presentation, it still took you hours of effort and a lot more work in terms of ingredients, sweat, and resources when just spending $5 at McDonald's would have yielded the exact same results with a lot less energy expended. Energy that you could instead focus on actually running the campaign.

Work smarter, not harder.

Making a whole setting isn't easy. It can take years of work if you're going it solo, and even a team of creators will take months to get all the details straightened out. Everything from the history of the world, to the rise and fall of empires, to the names and lineage of the Elf Kings, to the political relationships between the dwarven holds, to the names, faiths, and philosophies of all the disparate gods, that's all on you to figure out.

So take a moment and ask if you really need to do all of that work yourself, or if store bought is fine.

Because as a game master, and now as someone who's building a setting from the ground up, I can tell you that the reason Sundara exists is that it is the place for all those players and GMs who want a Pathfinder or 5E game where there's no alignment. Who want a game that's about striding forward into progress, rather than constantly referencing some lost, golden age. It's a world filled with bright, unique, and bizarre species options, strange gods, and extremely unusual places to explore.

But if a game didn't require all of that work? And if it wasn't my job to find a niche to fill for other game masters out there who might be struggling? Well, there's very little chance I'd have put this much time, energy, and effort into making Sundara a reality.

Sundara So Far

Speaking of my setting, the first 5 of the Cities of Sundara series have dropped. I'm switching gears after this to Gods of Sundara next month, and then after that delving into the species of the world and what makes them unusual and unique. If you're looking for a setting that's about progress, fresh solutions, and where the old conceits of alignment are thrown right out the window, then Sundara might be for you.

Also, you can slot these locations into existing settings to use on their own, if you're just looking for something to plug into an empty spot on your campaign map!

- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!

- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.

- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.

- Hoardreach: The City of Wyrms (Pathfinder and 5E): A center of power across an entire region, Hoardreach is ruled over by a Cooperation of five different dragons. A place for refugees and outcasts of all sorts, Hoardreach boasts some of the most unusual citizens and creations from across Sundara. Infamous for their sky ships, which require the cast-off scales and unique arcane sciences of the Dragon Works to take to the air, one never knows just what they'll find in this city built atop a mountain.

- Archbliss: The City of The Sorcerers (Pathfinder and 5E): A city in the sky, Archbliss was legendary among those on the ground. The home of great sorcerers, it took being born with power to ascend to that place. The flying city has stopped its wandering, and opened its gates a crack to those from the world below. Darkness lurks behind the glamour and wonder of the City of The Sorcerers, though... and once someone falls through the cracks, there's no coming out again.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, 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 cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection 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!

What Body Modifications Does Your Character Have?

"Did I hear you say something, stranger?" Barak growled. He was a big man, full of whiskey, and spoiling for a fight.

The stranger set his glass down, and looked at Barak. He was a long shank of a man, whipcord, and hard. He didn't seem worried, or even impressed. He let the moment swell, unbuttoning his right sleeve and rolling it back. A black serpent tattoo circled his wrist, fangs sunk into its own tail. Above that, a black heart with a dagger through it on his forearm. And in the crook of his elbow, a laughing demon.

"I said a man your size should be able to hold his liquor better," the stranger repeated.

"You're quite right, Sir," Dolomon said, snatching Barak by the arm. Though his words were jovial, Dolomon's knuckles were white. "I'll just get him sobered up someplace."

"You do that," the stranger said, returning to his drink.

Dolomon held his breath until they were outside, letting it out in a long gust. Barak was complaining, making excuses about how he could have taken the mouthy drunk. Barak had never served in the king's navy, though, and he didn't know what Dolomon knew. The black serpent was worn by Calabra Privateers, and the killer's heart only by those who'd spilled blood for their captain. The laughing devil marked the ship's Questioner... and Dolomon had heard enough rumors about what they did to know that they wanted no part of that man's ire.

Gold makes monsters of the best men... and it makes the worst of them into devils.

Tattoos and Scars

It's the small details that often makes our characters really stand out, and body modifications are one of those things a lot of us turn to for adding a touch of unique flair. Even in instances where there's no mechanical bonus (such as you get from magical tattoos, from enchanted earrings, or class features where your heavy scarring actually grants you natural armor, or adds to Intimidate checks), these features still make our characters truly stand out.

Not only that, but what these things say about our character and their histories can also tell us a lot about who they are, and where they've been.

It is rare to see one who survived the training of a Kiloshan Warlock.

Sometimes these markings might be a cultural thing, as I mention in several entries in 100 Superstitions For a Fantasy Setting. Perhaps it's the belief that an earring will prevent seasickness, and so it's common for sailors and fishermen in certain areas to have their ears pierced in particular ways. Alternatively ritual scarification might be how individuals are marked as adults in certain cultures, with the pattern saying something about their history and deeds. Or, as is mentioned in 100 Fantasy Tattoos (And The Meaning Behind Them), tattoos might mark how many children one has, what rank they hold socially, or it might even be used as a marking to prove that a particular noble is who they say they are.

However, even if your tattoos, scars, or piercings don't "mean something," they still mean something.

What does that mean? Well, even if your character got a tattoo for no reason other than they thought it looked cool, or their scarification was something they got done with a friend on their travels, or they got drunk and pierced on a lark after going through a dungeon, the fact that the marks don't have personal, religious, or cultural significance to the individual don't render them useless.

Generally speaking, certain traditions of body modification aren't going to be universally available, practiced, or even allowed across the entirety of a fantasy setting. So for a character to boast tattoos of a particular style, to wear a nose piercing with a chain hooked to an ear ring, or to bear a pauldron-flower scarification pattern means they likely traveled to a region where such an art form is practiced. And if they didn't, then they somehow crossed paths with a craftsman who was able to create the art they now bear.

In some cases the body modification might even have been as a reward for deeds done, or to signify membership in a tribe, a gang, a brotherhood, or a knightly order. From soldiers being inducted into service, to a champion who stood against a greater force on behalf of an outnumbered tribe, to someone who married into a particular culture where these markings were part of the ceremony, there's always some kind of significance to them with regards to a character's story.

So ask yourself what sort of body mods your character has. And once you know what they have, ask what personal significance they have, where they got them, how they got them, and what those markings might tell other people who see them. Because they might just be really into tattoos and piercings... or those marks might tell those with the right knowledge that this is a magus of a prestigious magical lineage, a vicious outlaw, or someone who was (at least at one time) a member of a holy order.

Additional Reading and Inspiration

For those who'd like additional reading over and above the supplements listed above, check out the following:

- Character Reputation in RPGs: The Small Legend: Reputation in an RPG setting is an important thing to consider, and for those who are known by certain body mods those decorations are going to make them identifiable at a glance.

- Did Your Character Have a Former Life?: Tattoos often hearken back to someone a character used to be, which makes this a useful question to consider.

- 100 Gangs For Your Urban Campaigns: Tattoos are often a kind of street heraldry for gang members, and this supplement has a dozen different inspirations for those looking for characters who have something of a checkered past.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post!

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 thriller Marked Territory, it's sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection 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!

There's a Big Difference Between "Not Optimized" and "Not Functional" in RPGs

We all know that one player who is terminally unlucky. No matter how good the stats they have are, or how small the chance of failure is, they are practically guaranteed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory if you have them roll a die. As someone who has gone entire sessions barely breaking double digits on a d20, and who once rolled half a dozen natural 1s in a row, there are theories about which ancient deity my bloodline wronged, and what sort of quest I need to undertake in order to free myself from this burden.

Changing dice doesn't help. And may curse the new set temporarily.

However, it is this tendency to roll absurdly low numbers that led to me carefully tweaking every aspect of my character builds so that even with my abysmal luck accounted for I can still succeed often enough to contribute to the ongoing game. A habit that, if I'm honest, is why I have guides ranging from The Death Korps of Krieg to Teddy Roosevelt over in my ongoing Character Conversions project. And while I've weathered my share of accusations that I'm a min-maxing, number crunching point whore who's more concerned with my stats than just "having fun" with the game, there is something that I would like to address this week.

Because as someone who feels he has to optimize his character to the nth degree in order to have any chance of success, I can tell you there's more than one way to reach a goal. Also, there is a massive difference between a character who is simply not optimized, and one that is not functional.

Before we get deeper into this, if you haven't already, consider subscribing to my weekly newsletter to stay on top of all my latest releases, updates, and projects. And if you'd like to help me keep Improved Initiative going, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Every little bit really does help.

You Don't Need To Be The Best (But You Shouldn't Be The Worst)

Something I always recommend that players think about when making their characters is asking what they are meant to do. What's their function within the party? Because once you understand what a character's job is, in a mechanical sense, you can find the rules in the game to help support that goal. That is the framework you can then attach your story, personality, quirks, goals, etc. to.

Now, some choices are going to be more "optimal" than others when it comes to achieving a goal with your character. But sometimes a player will specifically not take those options because it will conflict with the story they're trying to tell, or another aspect of their character. And they aren't "playing the game wrong" by not making the best of the best... but they still need to make sure their character can actually get the job done adequately when the dice start rolling.

Perhaps an example would help?

For instance, let's say a Pathfinder player wanted to put together a blasting caster that could penetrate enemy spell resistance. Taking the feats Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration are some of the most obvious choices, as is playing a character that's an elf. Those three choices together add a whopping +6 onto attempts to overcome an enemy's spell resistance, thus making it very likely that slung spells aren't going to slam up against that natural resistance and fizzle out to no effect.

However, say that a central feature of this character's story and history requires them to be an orc. Or a halfling. Or really any species that isn't an elf. Sure, not taking that additional +2 is going to be less optimized, but the difference between a +4 and a +6 on the check isn't some uncrossable gulf. Hell, the player could even opt not to take the Spell Penetration feats, just going at enemies with raw caster levels, and that is not an inherent problem because spell resistance is generally scaled specifically to provide a challenge in this manner.

The elven wizard with the 20 Intelligence and the right feats is going to have an easier time blowing through the protections than the half-orc sorcerer with the 20 Charisma who doesn't have the feats, but both characters are still viable options capable of overcoming this challenge. The half-orc version is still functional.

What would make it less functional, though, would be if the player chose to multiclass the character, ensuring that every other level is something other than sorcerer, thus putting them at a serious penalty when it comes to overcoming spell resistance. Or even choosing a partial casting class like ranger, bloodrager, etc. instead of a full caster like a sorcerer or wizard. In this scenario it's not impossible that they could overcome an enemy's spell resistance, but the fact that their caster level is so much smaller, and that it isn't boosted by feats, class features, etc., it might mean their magic won't practically work against a lot of enemies if they try to use it as a gun.

Change Your Goals, You Change What's Functional

The key thing to remember when discussing optimization and functionality is that you can only use those terms if it's in service of a specific goal. And if that goal changes, then suddenly the specifics for what makes a "good" choice for building an effective character also changes.

For instance, take our spellcaster example above, but alter the goal. Now instead of overcoming an enemy's spell resistance, you want to make that character a more effective buffer for fellow party members. By switching that goal (and casting spells like mage armor, bear's endurance, haste, etc. to protect and boost fellow party members), this character suddenly becomes a lot more viable for the reason that they won't need to overcome spell resistance in the way they would if they were attacking foes. They're using the same tool (magic), but the goal changes, and so things that made them bad at one task are suddenly not a concern on this new one.

There are many paths to success... you just need to define what success is.

Something else to keep in mind is that the more specific you can make your goal, the better the chance you have of narrowing the field in terms of functionality. Because if you have a broad goal like, "dealing the most damage in melee combat," there is probably a single best way to get that done (likely involving an over-sized bastard sword and some combination of barbarian Rage Powers and/or fighter archetypes and features). But say you wanted to make your character Dexterity focused rather than Strength focused, and you wanted to use a dagger, or a shortsword instead. You may not measure up to the raw numbers output of the hulking brute described above by using a swashbuckler, a fencing-style fighter archetype, or one of the other finesse-leaning combat options, but the difference between that extremely optimized brute and your fancier, faster character might not be as big as you think. Again, you're still functional.

Where you will run into problems, though, is when you attempt to choose square-peg options, and hammer them into round-hole goals.

Because that fighter/barbarian with the massive bastard sword he looted from an ogre? Well, he's not going to get a lot of class skills, or skill points. And if you try to make that character knowledge-centric in their skills, chances are good they're not going to get enough points to ever meet the DC to know what a monster, noble, exotic plant, etc. ever is. If you want to multiclass your fighter into wizard, but he has an Intelligence of 9, then you have an entire class level that's essentially grayed-out because you need at least an Intelligence of 10 plus the spell level in order to cast it. And while it's entirely possible to make a sorcerer that wades into melee with a greatsword swinging, between their very low base attack bonus, inability to wear armor without penalty, low hit points, etc., that is a decision that is far more likely to lead to a quick and messy death than it is to a truly unique character who succeeds in unorthodox ways.

I talked about all this and more in Players, Remember, Just Because You CAN Doesn't Mean You SHOULD for those who missed that installment.

So when it comes to discussions about builds, and effectiveness, and arguing over what is and isn't a smart choice, do your best to clear all the static from the air. First, ask what task you want your character to accomplish. Second, ask what requirements they need to have (whether they be of a certain species, from a certain part of the world, if they need to use or not use a certain weapon, fighting style, etc). Then find a way to accomplish the goals you've set forth for them, within the constraints of both the game itself, and their character.

If you can accomplish those goals, then you don't need to be completely optimized. It's only when you can't actually achieve the goals you set out to (or when those goals aren't necessary for the game you're playing) that you end up as a fish trying to climb a tree... and that's a situation nobody wants to find themselves in.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, 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 cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection 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 Damaging Interrupt: An Anti-Spellcaster Strategy For Pathfinder

There are few enemies as dangerous as those with magic at their command. From powerful necromancers capable of sapping away one's strength with a gesture, to evokers who act as conduits to energies more damaging than a legion of siege engines, often one good spell can send the party scrambling... or result in a TPK.

So nobody made the save? Oh... that's not good...

In a majority of games the party is going to face enemy spellcasters of one stripe or another. As such, it's important to know how you're going to come out the other side of an encounter without having been turned into a squirrel, or reduced to a smear of grease on the flagstones. And if you're playing Pathfinder, there is a little trick that can save your bacon, and cost your enemies dearly if you use it correctly.

We shall refer to it as the Damaging Interrupt.

Also, this is your weekly reminder to sign up for my weekly newsletter if you don't want to miss any of my latest releases, like Children of The Night: 100 Animal Ghouls that just came out for Vampire (Masquerade or Requiem, whichever is your personal preference), or Hoardreach: The City of Wyrms which marks the 4th in the Cities of Sundara series for my Pathfinder-compatible fantasy RPG setting!

Concentration Checks, Readied Actions, And Lost Spells

As anyone who's played a spellcaster in Pathfinder knows, weaving magic isn't easy to do. If there's adverse conditions like inclement weather, you're riding on a galloping mount, you're currently entangled, or gods forbid you take damage while trying to cast, then that is going to force you to make a Concentration check in order not to lose the spell.

The last entry on that list is the most interesting for our purposes.

Because for most of the other situations listed (casting in a storm, casting while entangled, casting while riding a mount, etc.) the Concentration check isn't terribly high. Any second-rate sorcerer is going to be able to make those checks by mid-levels even without feats or class features boosting their Concentration checks. However, spellcasters who take damage while trying to sling magic operate on a sliding scale, and the more damage they take, the higher that check is going to be.

What's the matter? Can't focus?

The way it works is pretty simple. If someone starts casting a spell, and they get hit before they complete it (either because of a readied action going off, provoking an attack of opportunity, etc.), then they have to make a Concentration check with a DC equal to 10 + the spell level + the damage they took. Otherwise the spell fizzles without effect.

Since damage tends to scale with most character builds, take a moment and ask how many spells you could ruin with that. If a paladin hits an evil necromancer with an arrow from their longbow while they're the target of Smite, that could easily do a dozen points of damage or more. A ranger or a slayer with their crossbow could do the same, or more, to a favored/studied enemy, especially if they have a Vital Strike shot prepared. And then you get rogues throwing around wands for an easy touch attack, and adding in their sneak attack damage if they attack from the shadows, or are otherwise unseen by the spellcaster in question.

Perhaps one of the most insidious versions of this trick that I saw was an evoker who readies magic missile to use against an enemy spellcaster. So you get an automatic hit that can deal a middling amount of damage, but that "middling" amount of damage can easily lead to a Concentration check with a DC in the mid-30s to low 40s depending on how well you roll, and how nastily the spell is augmented.

Trade-Offs and Pitfalls

While this strategy is likely to catch a lot of GMs and players off-guard, it's not a guaranteed success. For example, spellcasters may be layered in protections like miss chances, or effects like mirror image that can take the hit for them allowing them to cast unmolested. They might have energy resistance to effects like scorching ray, or have a shield effect cast that absorbs magic missile without harm. This can be an issue if you ready your entire turn to counter the spellcaster, but then your shot gets stopped by their defenses, or just ill luck.

The other pitfall you can run into is a strategic one. Since most spellcasters are savvy enough not to provoke attacks of opportunity with their spells (usually by casting defensively), you are going to have to ready an action to hit them when they cast. If you have a low Initiative modifier, though, then you might always feel like you're playing catch up. Not only that, but the higher up in level you get, the more stuff you can (generally) do on your turn. But if you're going to try to interrupt an enemy caster's concentration, you're basically playing your action face-down as a trap card. You're not helping your allies right then, but acting as a counter to what the enemy might do. Of course, there's no guarantee they're going to cast a spell on their turn, and if they haven't then you may end up wasting your action.

Though this strategy can be extremely useful (especially at higher levels where more and more enemies tend to use magic to increase their threat level), understand that it is merely one option of many. It won't be the action you need to take on every turn, but it's a good thing to keep in your back pocket for when you need it!

Speaking of Countering Spellcasters...

For those who aren't sure when this strategy is going to really come up in their campaigns, I'd recommend checking out the latest release for my own setting... Archbliss: The City of The Sorcerers!

If you've been looking for sinister wonder, look no further!

A city in the sky, Archbliss has been the home of Sundara's most powerful sorcerer dynasties for centuries. A place where the impossible is practically commonplace, the acolytes of the great houses are capable of wielding powers and spells rarely seen by even accomplished wizards. Of course, as the enforcers of the Black Tower would tell you, there is no spell that can save you from a well-placed blow that scatters your wits, and ruins your focus.

Archbliss is available both in a Pathfinder version, as well as in a Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition version.

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.

"Temple of Dagon" From Necromancer Games is a Wild Ride!

It's been a while since I've taken Monday to boost the signal for another creator, but Temple of Dagon by James Thomas is something that deserves your attention. The adventure is available for Pathfinder, for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, and for Swords and Wizardry, so whichever edition you prefer get your hands on that one... but whatever you do, get a copy of this damn book already!

Seriously... just LOOK at it!

Before we get into what I think makes this a great adventure, though, make sure you sign up for my weekly newsletter so you don't miss any of my updates and releases. And if you want to help keep the wheels turning so I can make even more great content, then consider becoming a Patreon patron today!

What Makes This Adventure a Must Have?

So, there are two parts of why I think Temple of Dagon is something you need to add to your shelf immediately, regardless of which edition you prefer. Let's start with the more universal aspects, and then I'll get into the personal preferences.

To start with, this adventure's layout is lovely, making things easy to follow, and providing the game master with everything in a clear, simple-to-read format. The maps in particular are very good with no overcomplication. And while it's impossible to predict all the potential things players could do, the adventure is very good about laying out specific actions that will cause particular repercussions within the story being told (such as the death of a specific NPC leading to their followers fleeing the ruins quickly, thus greatly shifting the balance of power if the PCs would otherwise have had to deal with those followers) so that everything feels organic however your players choose to progress.

As to the second part, this adventure hits a lot of my happy buttons! I love cosmic horror, I don't think enough games are willing to really embrace watery settings (they do exist, but they are a minority for most established games), and the particular choices of monsters and adventure are perfect for a romp that can be as scary or as smash-and-grab as you desire. It also gives me strong vibes reminiscent of the Fighting Fantasy novel Demons of The Deep, which I mean as a high form of praise. If you're someone who wants more single-player RPGs, then I would also recommend checking out that book as well, as that's basically what the series was written for.

If you've been in the market for a fun adventure that isn't going to be a huge commitment, but which will give your players plenty of time to stretch their muscles and try some new builds and stories on for size, then I cannot recommend this enough. Big thanks to James Thomas for giving me a chance to look it over, and pass the good word on to all of you!

Also, for those DND 5th Edition players who are looking for some more water-themed adventures with a dark undertone, don't forget to check out my modules The Curse of Sapphire Lake and Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh. Slashers, spooks, haunted wetlands, and disturbing secrets abound in these low-level modules that can make great intros for new players, and fun one-offs for experienced ones!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, 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 cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection 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!

Fun With Languages and Accents (A Trick I Used in a Darklands Game)

Every game master out there has at least one moment where they improvised something the table really liked, and which just clicked into place. Sometimes it's a big deal, like an unexpected plot twist, or a huge set piece they just spun out of nothing. Other times, though, it's the small details that leave you patting yourself on the back.

That was what happened to me when I took my players down into the Darklands.

Things get weird down there, where the light doesn't reach.

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A Whole New World

The idea for this campaign started with wanting to take my players to a unique part of the Golarion setting for Pathfinder. While there was an adventure path that took place in the Darklands (the massive subterranean realm that was like a literal underworld through huge swaths of the setting), there was so much of it still to explore. The theme of the game was that it would have heavy survival elements, in addition to the goals the party was trying to achieve. That meant it was one of those games where I wanted people to track their food and water, their carrying capacity, their ammunition, etc. A big part of the challenge was going to be resource use and conservation while in a place that was so utterly alien to most of them (one member of the party, acting as guide, was a svirfneblin come up from below).

And hostile... let's not forget about that.

A pair of characters in the game were a wandering, crossbow wielding human mercenary, and his adopted goblin daughter. He'd found her on a job, realized it was just a sprog, and took her with him rather than leave her to the mercy of the elements, and human prejudices. Neither of them had any idea where she came from, but even as a goblin she looked a little unusual. She didn't quite map to any of the clans or tribes they'd come across, and it was put forth that it would be fun to find out more about where she came from at some point on the journey into the subterranean realms.

The party had managed to survive the first four or five levels, and they were engaged in a battle with gargoyles who were guarding a bridge over a chasm, when a mysterious figure leaped down from atop a nearby wall. Masked and wearing goggles, the small figure wielded a spear, and had a utility belt of strange, unusual items. Providing necessary aid at a clinch moment, he helped drive off the gargoyles. When he removed his mask, the figure was a long-limbed, spindly-fingered goblin. A goblin who looked far more like our party member than any of those who dwelt closer to the surface had.

The issue came when he tried to talk to them, and of course no one could understand the combinations of clacking teeth, clucking tongue, and deep throaty growls. After all, they were more than a mile below ground, and none of them (even the guide) had been to this section of the Darklands before... why would they understand him? In response the party's goblin tried some of the surface dialect she'd picked up, as did her adopted dad. The new goblin tilted his head, frowned, and mouthed a few words silently before grinning.

"What's shaking daddy-o? Saw you and the hep round were in some serious shade and thought maybe you could use a few fingers, right? Call me Spider, all the rats and scaps round here do!"

What followed was one of the more amusing sessions I've ever had figuring out how to make players work for their understanding, but keeping it fun and light instead of frustrating.

Fun With Linguistics

One thing I always try to avoid when I run games is the idea of a monoculture, which seems to be particularly prevalent among non-human creatures in a lot of RPGs. Perhaps the most obvious example of this is the idea of racial languages like "elven," "dwarven," "orc," and "goblin". Just living in America I know that a majority of the population technically speaks English, but talking to someone in Chicago, versus talking to someone in Ohio, and then talking with someone from the Alabama/Florida line, or deep in Texas country, it's likely you'll run into a fair bit of confusion.

This is something I try to represent when it comes to linguistic drift, local dialects, and other aspects of communication when players are going far afield from where they're more comfortable. And I know I'm not the only game master who does this (I know there's plenty of folks who reach for the "thee" and "thou" when they want something to sound antiquated), but if there was one piece of advice I would give it's to change up the communication style and structure.

With Spider, I didn't want my players to feel I'd just rendered all of their languages and specialties useless because they only applied to the surface. The idea was to make Spider's lingo (and that of the rest of his tribe, if they'd ever reached them) sound outdated and confusing, but more like you were trying to have a conversation with a greaser from the 50's than to converse with a character in Shakespeare. Because it wasn't just that the words were different, it was that there were concepts in the Darklands that didn't have an equivalent on the surface, so the players needed to pick them up via context (and the occasional Intelligence/Linguistics check). Much like how there are certain ideas from 70-80 years ago that just wouldn't make sense to us today if they weren't explained.

While it started as an off-the-cuff gag, it actually turned into a whole session of fascinating roleplaying as the party tried to really pick up what Spider was laying down. Information about their current situation was exchanged (how they needed to root out the gargoyles to pass this area), but most of it was just interpersonal stuff and light RP. Stuff that still probably would have happened had I not gone all-in on an odd speech pattern, but which would have been wrapped up and forgotten about in relatively short order.

So, my advice to fellow game masters, think about how people speak in a given area. Not just the accent and word choice, but what's the culture that informs the way they think and act? Is there something simple you could map it onto to provide a kind of real world meta-reference for the players? Because at the end of the day, the way creatures talk is a lot like hit points; it's an approximation for our understanding. So get creative with it, and go a little nuts!

Speaking of Avoiding Monocultures...

This experience is actually something I'm planning on weaving into my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age RPG setting for both Pathfinder Classic and Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. In addition to tossing out alignment entirely, I'm also breaking down as many monoculture ideas as possible... and part of that means there's going to be a lot of languages in this setting (which will emphasize players finding ways to communicate as a potential challenge).

I'm currently working on the first of a new line of supplements titled Species of Sundara, but while you wait on that, I've got several fun location splat books that have already dropped! And while they're intended for use with the overall setting as it grows, you can use them (as well all the story and mechanical goodies they contain) in whatever setting you happen to be running! So if you haven't grabbed your copies yet, consider checking out the following:

- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!

- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.

- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.

- Hoardreach: The City of Wyrms (Pathfinder and 5E): A center of power across an entire region, Hoardreach is ruled over by a Cooperation of five different dragons. A place for refugees and outcasts of all sorts, Hoardreach boasts some of the most unusual citizens and creations from across Sundara. Infamous for their sky ships, which require the cast-off scales and unique arcane sciences of the Dragon Works to take to the air, one never knows just what they'll find in this city built atop a mountain.

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? Or do you have your own story you'd like to share with folks?

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out from time to time. Or, to check out books like my hard-boiled cat noir novel Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent 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, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, 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 donation can have a big impact.