[Dungeon Fantasy] New Template

[Collective_Restraint]

I decided, just for kicks, to create a new Template for Dungeon Fantasy; the Adventurer ! The adventurer was a "character class" in the 1st edition of the Dark Eye RPG and was sorta jack-of-all-trades. I created the template taking insparation of both the Dark Eye and those famous nameless adventurers found in the old Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. Please give me your comments as I would definately like to perfect this template. Here goes:

Adventurer
250 points

The adventurer is somewhat of a jack of all trades with no magical knowledge at all. A wanderer with a sword, the adventurer’s knowledge consists of a combination between the knight, scout and thief. Many may decide one day to answer the calling of the road in search of great riches, only the canny and lucky survive. These survivors are exactly what adventurers are.

Attributes: ST 13 [30]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d/2d-1; BL 34 lbs.; HP 13 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [-5]; Basic Move 7 [5].
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Luck [15] • Another 60 points chosen from among ST +1 or +2 [10 or 20], DX +1 [20], IQ +1 or +2 [20 or 40], HT +1 or +2 [10 or 20], Will +1 to +4 [5/level], Per +1 to +4 [5/level], FP +1 to +4 [3/level], Basic Speed +1 [20], Basic Move +1 [5], Absolute Direction [5], Alcohol Tolerance [1], Appearance (Attractive, Handsome, or Very Handsome) [4, 12, or 16], Charisma [5/level], Cultural Adaptability [10], Danger Sense [15], Daredevil [15], Eiditic Memory [5], Enhanced Defenses [varies], Fit [5], Honest Face [1], Intuition [15], Language Talent [10], replace Luck [15] with Extraordinary Luck [30], Outdoorsman [10/level], Reputation +2 (Do-gooder, Everyone, 10 or less) [5], Social Chameleon [5] or Wild Talent [20/level].
Disadvantages: -15 points chosen from among Compulsive Wandering [-5*], Curiosity [-5*], Greed [-15*], Loner [-5*], or Obsession (Select one to justify constant wandering, varies) [-5* or -10*] • Another -30 points chosen from among Charitable [-15*], Chummy [-5*], Code of Honor (Pirate’s) [-5], Compulsive Carousing [-5*], Compulsive Gambling [-5*], Compulsive Generosity [-5*], Compulsive Spending [-5*], Compulsive Vowing [-5*], Honesty [-10*], Impulsiveness [-10*], Obsession [-5* or -10*], Overconfidence [-5*], Selfless [-5*], Sense of Duty (Adventuring companions) [-5], Stubbornness [-5], Vow (Own no more than what can be carried) [-10], or Wealth (Struggling) [-10].
Primary Skills: Hiking (A) HT [2]-12, Navigation (Land) (A) IQ [2]-12, Observation, Search and Survival (any), all (A) Per [2]-12 • One of Bow (A) DX+1 [4]-14 or Crossbow (E) DX+2 [4]-15 • One of these two melee skills packages:
1. One of Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, Smallsword, Spear‡, or Staff‡, all (A) DX+4 [16]-17.
2. One of Broadsword, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, Smallsword, Spear, all (A) DX+3 [12]-16; and Shield or Shield (Buckler), all (E) DX+2 [4]-15.
Secondary Skills: Brawling, Fast-Draw (any), Jumping, Knife, Thrown Weapon (Knife), all (E) DX [1]-13, Climbing, Stealth, all (A) DX [2]-13, Traps (A) IQ [2]-12, Swimming (E) HT [1]-12 • Three of Carousing (E) HT+1 [2]-13, Fast-Talk or Weather Sense, all (A) IQ [2]-12, Forced Entry (E) DX+1 [2]-14, or Running (A) HT [2]-12.
Background Skills: 7 points in improved primary or secondary skills, or Armoury/TL3 (any), Cartography, Gambling, or Streetwise, all (A) IQ-1 [1]-11, First-Aid/TL3, or Gesture, all (E) IQ [1]-12, or Riding (Horse) (A) DX-1 [1]-12, or Acrobatics (H) DX-2 [1]-11.

I want to add Compulsive Wandering as an obligatory disadvantage to bring the template down to 250. How would you rate/create this disadvantage ? Even though it may not seem a big problem in Dungeon Fantasy, it means that being constantly on the run will be a big nuisance to get Status, buy property, etc.

[Gavynn]

When I glanced over it, the first thought I had was that it wasn't Adventurer! so much as Explorer.

For some reason when I was looking over it I thought about the kinds of guys that might have been on the DeSoto expedition.

Of course, those guys were on an adventure...

[GnomesofZurich]

First off, if you're going make a template for Dungeon Fantasy it should be on the same basis as the other templates already published, meaning 250 points and 50 points of disadvantages (including lower secondary attributes). If I'm doing my math correctly, the template is currently at 265 points (not the 275 you had listed), so you just need to increase the number of disadvantages to bring it to that level, -45 rather than -30.

Second, one must be careful not to step too much on the other templates' toes. For example, I would adjust the weapon focus of the Adventurer. It is not as dedicated of a combat class as the Barbarian, Holy Warrior, or Knight so I think having the heavy weapon options (Polearm, Two-handed Sword, Two-handed Axe/Mace) may be inappropriate. If this is intended in part to be a combination of Knight, Scout and Thief, look at the latter two templates' weapon selections to gain ideas: a variety of swords (Short, Small, Rapier, Sabre, topping out at Broad Sword), Spear, Staff, and Shield would seem appropriate.

I wouldn't price Compulsive Wanderer as any more disadvantageous than Compulsive Gambling or Generosity, which would put it at [-5] level, modified by frequency. Other suitable disadvantages to add to your list (taken from other Dungeon Adventurers templates): Chummy [-5]*, Obsession [-5 or -10]*, Vow (Own no more than what can be carried) [-10], Wealth (Struggling) [-10]

You may want to apportion out components of the disadvantages as has been done with the original templates, to ensure that they take some important disadvantages which help define the role; for example:
-15 points chosen from among Compulsive Wandering [-5]*, Curiosity [-5]*, or Obsession [-5 or -10]* (to give the character a reason for always staying on the move).

[Collective_Restraint]

Originally Posted by Gavynn

When I glanced over it, the first thought I had was that it wasn't Adventurer! so much as Explorer.

I dunno, Explorer sounds too much like an intellectual template and I wanted a more physical/practical one. Maybe I should rename it to Wanderer ?

[Collective_Restraint]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

If I'm doing my math correctly, the template is currently at 265 points (not the 275 you had listed), so you just need to increase the number of disadvantages to bring it to that level, -45 rather than -30.

Ugh, I KNEW that I was over by 15 points and still listed the template at 275... That's weak, and I'm supposed to be a math wiz, I'll blame it on the lack of sleep.

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

Second, one must be careful not to step too much on the other templates' toes. For example, I would adjust the weapon focus of the Adventurer. It is not as dedicated of a combat class as the Barbarian, Holy Warrior, or Knight so I think having the heavy weapon options (Polearm, Two-handed Sword, Two-handed Axe/Mace) may be inappropriate. If this is intended in part to be a combination of Knight, Scout and Thief, look at the latter two templates' weapon selections to gain ideas: a variety of swords (Short, Small, Rapier, Sabre, topping out at Broad Sword), Spear, Staff, and Shield would seem appropriate.

Good suggestion, I too didn't like much giving the Adventurer heavy weapons but went for it anyway to give the template a lot of choices.

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

I wouldn't price Compulsive Wanderer as any more disadvantageous than Compulsive Gambling or Generosity, which would put it at [-5] level, modified by frequency. Other suitable disadvantages to add to your list (taken from other Dungeon Adventurers templates): Chummy [-5]*, Obsession [-5 or -10]*, Vow (Own no more than what can be carried) [-10], Wealth (Struggling) [-10]

I was waiting for an answer like that to finally get my template down by 15 points ! Thank you.

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

You may want to apportion out components of the disadvantages as has been done with the original templates, to ensure that they take some important disadvantages which help define the role; for example:
-15 points chosen from among Compulsive Wandering [-5]*, Curiosity [-5]*, or Obsession [-5 or -10]* (to give the character a reason for always staying on the move).

I think even Greed would be a great fit to that list. Gives a good motivation to the adventurer to loot, I mean explore ruins ;)

I updated the template in the original post. Open for comments !

[Atreyu_Hibiki]

Might I recommend adding Whip and Crossbow to the list of weaponry skills, as well as Signature Gear (hat and whip)? Okay, that last was for humor, but isn't this kind of what you're going for?

[Collective_Restraint]

Originally Posted by Atreyu_Hibiki

Might I recommend adding Whip and Crossbow to the list of weaponry skills, as well as Signature Gear (hat and whip)? Okay, that last was for humor, but isn't this kind of what you're going for?

Crossbow is indeed there, in the primary skills. And no, I was more looking into emulating those "nameless" adventurers that you incarnate in the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. I also wanted the template to enable solo quests, which is why I aimed at making a balanced template that knows about fighting, wilderness survival due to constant wandering in search for quests, gold and glory and dungeon-crawling. This way, he wouldn't necessarily have to rely on others to survive a dungeon/quest. The typical Fighting Fantasy adventurer has a sword, shield and leather armor, so that he can outrun his enemies if things go bad (that's why I raised his move to 7). But sure, other variants could be interesting, just modify the skill focus accordingly. You prefer heavy armor and better fighting skills, go for it.

[Peter Knutsen]

I think perhaps it would be better to acknowledge the Adventurer as being suited for solo adventuring, and so increase the point value. That way, he can also fit into parties in high-powered campaigns.

Maybe 300 or even 350 CPs, instead of 250?

Also, emphasize his jack-of-all-trades nature, and be much more careful he won't step on anybody's toes, in terms of invading the niches of existing, official templates.

Give him ST 12, DX 12, IQ 12 and HT 12, and an option to raise only one of them by 1. That way, he can't get IQ 14 or DX 14 so as to threaten the party's Bard, Thief, Wizard, Scholar or whatever.

Also emphasize serendipious versatility with lots of Wild Talent and even Gizmo. You can even be really kinky and allow the option to buy 2-4 levels of IQ or DX with the Limitation "-60% Only affects Wild Talent usages". That's non-RAW, but might be playable.

Only allow high levels (more than 2 CPs invested, or maybe just 1 CP) in truly generic adventuring skills. A good set of such skills would be the ones in the box in DF1, where Kromm almost says that they are mandatory. Any other skills, the Adventurer can never put more than 2 CPs into (maybe 4 for weapon skills). That could be an actual Adventurer-specific disad:

-10 Unfocused Training
You can never put more than 4 points into any Combat/Weapon skill, and never put more than 1 points (yes, one) into any non-combat skill other than these (which should all be conveniently listed on the template as primary skills): Climbing, First Aid, Gestures, Hiking, Observation, Scrounging, Search, Stealth.
-50% Partial: You may put 2 points into any non-combat skill. This way, the Adventurer can gradually "buy off" the Unfocused Training disad, as a stepping stone towards multiclassing, as per the rules in DF3.

[Jovus]

Proofread the template again; on a quick run-through I noticed you had Obsession listed twice under Disadvantages. I didn't notice anything else, but it might be there.

(Don't have much else to say, since I didn't invest in DF, so I'm not knowledgeable on the topic.)

[b-dog]

I have a template very similar but it's called a dungeoneer. Cool post!