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Old 12-22-2020, 08:54 AM   #1
Kromm
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Default Radiana, Sister of Splendor

It has been a while since I posted a character, so let's go "off template" and create a custom cleric suited to the season.

Radiana
250-point Human Cleric
Though there are many goddesses and gods, delvers tend to worship a subset of these: Ones that straight-up oppose Evil, governing such spheres as Good, Light, Order, Peace, or the Sun. Deities of Death, Fire, Storms, War, and other concepts that grant their servitors the capacity to destroy enemies. Divinities who favor adventuring professions, like the Gods of Thieves, Warriors, and Wizards. And of course divine patrons of Healing and Protection.

Yet most pantheons are really big, and even the most obscure deities have their worshippers. An example is the Goddess of Splendor (not to be mistaken for the Goddess of Beauty or the Goddess of Love, her more popular cousins): She who governs pure, unabashed extravagance. Every grand palace contains an idol to Her, and Her temples are the most opulent. She puts the swish in silk, the glitz in gold and all that glitters. Without Her, rulers would be relevant but not radiant, and sunsets less delightful (the Sun God does dazzle, but not razzle).

Priestesses of the Goddess fall into two categories: those who stay in civilization to help make cities shine and palaces pop, and those who venture into danger to bring back the gold and gems that adorn Her temples. The latter join delving parties in search of treasure. In return for protection and a cut of the loot, they offer the customary clerical services of "buffing" and healing. And as they don't spend time learning to fight – they hire hulking warriors to guard their riches – they tend to be exceptional at what they do.

Radiana is a representative Sister of Splendor. She doesn't get her vestments dirty fighting, but instead serves as a combat medic, running around healing allies who need her assistance. In return, she asks only for her share of the take, favoring precious metals and stones. Those who would mock her for this beware: The Goddess of Splendor is a bona fide goddess who can kick the sorry behind of any mortal, and She is there for Her priestess.

Radiana's cloth-of-gold vestments are her power item, and hold 8 FP.

ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 14 [80]; HT 14 [40].
Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will 14 [0]; Per 14 [0]; FP 14 [0].
Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic Move 9 [15]; Move 9.
Dodge 9.

Advantages
Appearance (Beautiful; Splendid*) [12]
Clerical Investment [5]
Energy Reserve 5 (Holy) [15]
Luck [15]
Power Investiture 6 [60]

Disadvantages and Quirks
Gregarious [-10]
Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions) [-5]
Unnatural Features 5† [-5]
Vow (Gather loot for the Goddess)‡ [-15]
Vow (Never bear arms or armor)§ [-15]

"Cleanliness is next to godliness." [-1]
Favors precious metals and stones over all other treasure. [-1]
Heals first, using magic for other things only if there's no healing to do. [-1]
Reminds doubters that the Goddess is a goddess, and better than them. [-1]
She's "splendid," not "beautiful" – get it wrong at your peril. [-1]

Skills
Connoisseur (Luxuries)-13 [1]
Diagnosis-12 [1]
Esoteric Medicine (Holy)-14 [4]
Exorcism-14 [4]
First Aid-14 [1]
Gambling-13 [1]
Hidden Lore (Divine Servitors)-13 [1]
Hiking-13 [1]
Innate Attack (Projectile)-12 [4]
Meditation-12 [1]
Merchant-13 [1]
Occultism-13 [1]
Public Speaking-13 [1]
Religious Ritual-12 [1]
Savoir-Faire-14 [1]
Search-13 [1]
Surgery-12 [2]
Teaching-13 [1]
Theology-12 [1]

Spells
Armor-18 [1]
Awaken-18 [1]
Bless-18 [1]
Command-18 [1]
Continual Light-18 [1]
Cure Disease-18 [1]
Great Healing-17 [1]
Healing Slumber-18 [1]
Instant Neutralize Poison-17 [1]
Lend Energy-18 [1]
Lend Vitality-18 [1]
Major Healing-20 [8]
Minor Healing-18 [1]
Recover Energy-20 [4]
Remove Curse-18 [1]
Sanctuary-17 [1]
Share Energy-18 [1]
Share Vitality-18 [1]
Shield-18 [1]
Silver Tongue-18 [1]
Stone to Flesh-18 [1]
Stop Bleeding-18 [1]
Sunbolt-18 [1]
Sunlight-18 [1]
* Like "impressive" (+3 reactions), but shiny rather than regal.
† She literally glows.
‡ Functionally equivalent to Greed (12), or at times Kleptomania (12), and worth the same points.
§ Not pacifism, but a refusal to use purpose-designed combat gear ("robes of protection" would be fine).
Equipment
$1,000, 10.46 lbs. (No encumbrance)
Canteen, Full. 1 quart water. $10, 3 lbs.
Cloth-of-Gold Vestments. $900, 2 lbs.
Coins. 13 copper. $13, 0.26 lb.
Holy Symbol. $50, 1 lb.
Personal Basics. $5, 1 lb.
Pouch. Holds rations. $10, 0.2 lb.
Rations, 6 meals. $12, 3 lbs.
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Old 12-22-2020, 09:31 AM   #2
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

Yes, Radiana is a hack 'n' slash fantasy character without armor, weapons, or meaningful combat skills!

In combat, Radiana runs around at Move 9, healing friends in need. With that much Move, she can usually stay away from enemies – and Major Healing at 20 means that keeping her distance doesn't keep her from healing her allies, despite the -1 per yard. If enemies do manage to overrun her, she uses the Command spell to order an about-face, and then runs away.

Speaking of Major Healing, note that absorbing range penalties and multiple-uses penalties aren't her biggest selling point. That would be having Power Investiture 6 and thus being allowed to spend up to 6 energy on the spell, healing up to 12 HP in one shot! At skill 20, the first 2 energy points (4 HP) are free.

Not that she's short on energy! She has FP 14 and ER 5. She has another 8 energy banked in her power item for emergencies. And with Recover Energy at 20, she gets back 1 point of FP and 1 point of ER every 2 minutes; even a 10-minute rest can restore 10 energy points. She uses FP and ER equally for the first 10 energy to facilitate this.

Beyond those tricks, if nobody needs healing, she'll buff instead, favoring Armor and Shield in ordinary battles. She's also happy to light up a gloomy battlefield with Sunlight. If she has no choice but to help out on offense (her least-favorite thing), she can chuck a mean Sunbolt; indeed, given a little time to prepare (and ideally, recover), she can hurl an 18d bolt.

While Radiana is no combatant, she does have HT 14 and the blessing of the Goddess (that is, Luck). If she gets hurt, she's likely to survive. Indeed, with her HT, she's likely to stay awake . . . and even at half Move, she's fast enough to get to safety.

Out of combat, Radiana mostly handles serious after-combat healing using Great Healing, Instant Neutralize Poison, Remove Curse, and Stone to Flesh – all at high levels that can cope with even major problems. In challenging situations, she can help out with the coveted Bless spell. And when things get really rough and it's time to run away, she can cast the apex clerical spell, Sanctuary.

In town, Radiana is absolutely splendid and easy to like (especially if she has time to cast Silver Tongue). She's (un)surprisingly good with money, and a fair judge of the value of loot. She's also adept at getting along with the upper-crust types who have a sweet spot for her sect's tendency to equate the gilded life of the wealthy with piety.

Radiana feels that all of this – especially the Bless and Sanctuary spells – means that she pulls more than her weight, despite not being a warrior, and merits a full share of the treasure.

Radiana's future goals are to raise Major Healing as high as the GM will allow (ideally to 40, which will take 80 points), and to do the same with Energy Reserve (ideally to 20, which will take 45 points). She might stop off along the way to improve her Luck. And of course she's always questing for some insanely valuable, glitzy gewgaw to use as a really ridiculous power item.
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Old 12-22-2020, 12:55 PM   #3
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

Would it be possible for her to get a non weaponized version of a staff for reach? Like what modern bishops carry (at least I don't think are weaponized)
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Old 12-22-2020, 01:11 PM   #4
Kromm
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kalzazz View Post

Would it be possible for her to get a non weaponized version of a staff for reach? Like what modern bishops carry (at least I don't think are weaponized)
If that mattered enough to the player. Were I the GM, I'd reduce the value of the Vow for that . . . even if she isn't any good with it, and even if it isn't a weapon, a stick can be used for touch-only spells and such, which goes against the spirit of the Vow.
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:39 PM   #5
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

Would making it a 6' section of rope (spider silk? unicorn tail? whatever?) so it isn't in any way a weapon and not even able to parry in an emergency still violate the spirit of the Vow?
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Old 12-22-2020, 04:29 PM   #6
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

I think the best way to get extra reach would be to go for something splendid. For some reason I feel that excessively long water sleeves would be appropriate.
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Old 12-23-2020, 01:36 AM   #7
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

Indexed. Does she ever accept magnificence as a alternative to splendor?
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Old 12-23-2020, 05:00 AM   #8
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

She saves about [50] compared to a DFRPG caster with a weapon (DX12 is [40], weapon skill [8], shield [1], ranged weapon [1]), getting extra points on top of that has to limit her beyond her not being good enough with a staff to ever consider attacking with it.

That said, it’s not like the whole character collapses if you replace her vow with something else; then she can have a Staff just fine, and at [0] and DX 10, she still won’t attack with it.
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Old 12-23-2020, 03:28 PM   #9
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

I like the goddess and think its a nice concept for a fantasy setting.
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Old 12-23-2020, 05:13 PM   #10
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Default Re: Radiana, Sister of Splendor

This is just . . . splendid.
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