I have always been curious about the bugman racial class in Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu and the unused bugman 1. But what’s half way between a drone and a Queen? Well, research says it’s an ergatoid, sometimes more like a Queen but usually more like a Worker, sometimes radically different to either. So then I was reading about the Zhuzzh in TSAO: These Stars Are Ours! (who I see as related to bugmen) and found a section about their salvaged robots and alchemy. Which triggered me of course, a mechanist bugman! The bugman 1 racial class comes with the alchemy side given it can make potions, all I need to add is the automatons. Given I am seeing them as an ergatoid female I will retain the nest of the Ovate. This turned out a little like a thief/mechanist/bard, given the Ovate already is a bard by its title it makes the scavenger a really odd hybrid. Overall I'm really happy with how this odd fusion class worked out.
Bugman Scavenger
Prime Requisite:
DEX and INT
DEX and INT
Requirements:
DEX 9 and CON 9
DEX 9 and CON 9
Hit Dice: 1d4
Maximum Level: 12
Bugman scavengers are a rarity in bugman society. They are ergatoids, wingless queens, who appear to be male dredgers but develop into full queens as they mature. They are the same size, color and appearance as workers but have the personality and mindset of an ovate, though they focus this more towards automatons and alchemy. Being incapable of flight they tend to scavenge and forage along with other dredgers when immature and eventually turn their abilities towards constructing automatons made of scavenged materials and concocting alchemical mixtures to further their goals. Fully mature scavengers can found nests similar to ovates though they are often less elaborate as they continue to focus on their unique abilities and skills.
Bugman scavengers must learn to defend themselves as they forage for materials, but they do not develop advanced martial skills. At first level, bugman scavengers hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They advance in attack throws and saving throws by two points every four levels of experience (i.e. the same as thieves). Their short stature prevents them from using larger human weapons such as two-handed swords and longbows, they may use any one-handed melee weapon and all missile weapons except for longbows and arbalests. They are not trained to use shields but may fight two-handed (using one-handed melee weapons), or dual wield weapons. They may perform one cleave attack per two levels of experience. The race’s heavy chitinous carapace provides a +1 bonus to AC, but prevents them from wearing any significant armor heavier than Leather.
Like the cockroaches they resemble, bugmen are sturdy and are hard to kill. When they are required to consult the Mortal Wounds table the player may roll twice selecting the preferred result to apply, the character also subtracts their class level from the number of days of bed rest required to recover. They also possess the survivability of cockroaches, and thus are immune to all forms of disease, including magical diseases such as those caused by spells, mummies, or lycanthropes, as well as to all forms of poison, including magical poisons.
Bugmen are nocturnal creatures, able to sense minute movements of air with their long and extra-sensitive antennae, granting them blindsight to a range of 60’. This blindsight functions like infravision, except it is not affected by light sources, magical darkness, or other visual phenomena but rendered useless in high wind. These same antennae grant heightened insect senses providing a +1 bonus to avoid surprise and a +4 bonus on any proficiency throws to hear noises and detect secret doors. With a proficiency throw of 18+ they can notice secret doors with just casual inspection.
All bugmen begin play knowing their native language as well as the common tongue of the human society around them (plus any bonus languages provided by a high INT). They can speak human languages readily, though with a heavy accent. Humans find it difficult to speak the bugman language and suffer a -2 penalty to Reaction rolls with bugmen when trying to speak to them in their native language.
As they mature, bugman scavengers develop parapsychic abilities. The first ability to manifest is a kinship with arthropods and fungi. Scavengers can identify arthropods and fungi with a proficiency throw of 11+, and understand the subtle body language and moods of arthropods and fungal creatures (though they may not understand the character) automatically. This grants them a +2 to all reaction rolls when encountering normal and giant arthropods and fungal creatures, and allows them to take giant arthropods and fungal creatures as henchmen. They also can speak with arthropods at will (treat as the speak with animals spell but the power works with natural or giant arthropods instead of animals).
As consummate scavengers they are well known to other bugmen and human traders. Due to this mercantile network, bugmen who buy and sell equipment, hire retainers, and engage in mercantile ventures in a market they have previously visited, treat the market as if it were one market class larger than its actual size. (Class I markets remain Class I markets).
However, bugmen are alien beings and thus suffer a -2 penalty to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of humans and other humanoids. Conversely, they get a +2 bonus to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of their own kind. Though being similar to the more common dredgers they are less respected and not subject to the same reverence as ovates limiting them to possessing one less henchman than they would normally be allowed.
As ergatoids (meaning “like workers”) they have a lot in common with the common dredger and are opportunists in nature. They may move silently, climb walls, hide in shadows and backstab as a thief of their level.
The bugman scavenger is also a wingless queen, and as such they have the same longevity of lifespan as ovates with a lifespan three times longer than dredgers. Their physical robustness also grants them immunity to ghoul paralysis.
While not as developed in their parapsychic abilities as the Ovate, scavengers nonetheless dabble in the arcane. They may attempt to use wands, staffs, and other magic items only usable by mages. At 1st level, the character must make a proficiency throw of 18+ on 1d20 or the attempt backfires in some desultory way (Judge’s discretion). The proficiency throw required reduces by 2 per level, to a minimum of 3+.
Their arcane knowledge and keen senses grant them an antennae for potions. A scavenger may make a proficiency throw of 11+ to determine the magical properties of a potion or oil based on its scent and emanations.
Another of the scavenger's abilities derived from their heightened knowledge and bugman nature is their ability to design, build, and repair automatons. Automatons are machines similar to magical constructs, but using clockwork, steam engines, gears, and valves in place of dweomercraft. Rules relating to this ability are available in the machinery to the max Autarch Patreon article or in the Dwarven Mechanist in the Companion. As is their namesake they are always on the lookout for parts and materials in which to build their cobbled together devices and possess the scavenging proficiency. Finally their constant experimentation with automatons sees them tinkering and adding to a personal automaton throughout their careers that requires constant maintenance (as the personal automaton proficiency).
Upon attaining 4th level, a scavenger gains the ability to read languages (as a thief) with a proficiency throw of 5+ on 1d20. If the roll does not succeed, the scavenger may not try to read that particular piece of writing until they reach a higher level of experience.
Bugmen scavengers learn to use their senses and scavenging skills to concoct alchemical mixtures. Starting at 5th level (ergatoid imago) they can brew potions as mages of their class level.
When a scavenger reaches 9th level (Regess), they become fertile. If a scavenger establishes a nest, it will attract 2d6 bugman dredgers of 1st-3rd level who desire to breed. These bugmen will supervise the construction of an elaborate warren to contain their young. These nests follow all the rules found within the Bugman Ovate class on page 23 in Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu. As they are less respected than winged queens their nests are smaller and less impressive causing them to suffer -1 to domain morale as a result.
At 10th level, a bugman scavenger can read and cast magic from arcane scrolls with a proficiency throw of 3+ on 1d20. However, a failed throw means the spell does not function as expected, and can create a horrible effect (Judge’s discretion).
Bugman Scavenger Proficiency List (30): Alien Lore, Bargaining, Bribery, Caving, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, incapacitate), Command, Craft, Eavesdropping, Engineering, Fighting Style, Gambling, Inventing, Jury Rigging, Language, Leadership, Loremastery, Mechanical Engineering, Passing Without Trace, Precise Shooting, Running, Scavenging, Sensing Power, Skirmishing, Swashbuckling, Technological Dabbling, Tinkering, Trapping, Weapon Finesse.
Adventurous Nymph Template: This pre-generated template represents a young bugman scavenger who forages far and wide having learned to survive in a harsh world. The template is ready for adventure. However, if your scavenger’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Chapter 4 of ACKS).
Template: Adventurous Nymph
Proficiencies: Swashbuckling, Survival
Personal Automaton: A scavenged Praetor automaton with a massive visitor warbot claw made of hybrid parts (as combat wombat with -2 To Hit and +2 Damage (balanced out bonus and negative representing the massive unwieldy claw) and +30ft move from extra ## from scavenging proficiency reduction in cost).
Starting Equipment: Chitin backpack, brown leather armor, short sword fashioned from giant insect chitin, shortbow with 20 arrows in a quiver, blanket from fungal fibers, machinist’s tools, 1 week’s iron rations, waterskin, cheap jewelry worth 5gp, 50’ rope, grappling hook, 15gp in a small purse (4 2/6 st., Move 120’/40’).
Bugman scavengers must learn to defend themselves as they forage for materials, but they do not develop advanced martial skills. At first level, bugman scavengers hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They advance in attack throws and saving throws by two points every four levels of experience (i.e. the same as thieves). Their short stature prevents them from using larger human weapons such as two-handed swords and longbows, they may use any one-handed melee weapon and all missile weapons except for longbows and arbalests. They are not trained to use shields but may fight two-handed (using one-handed melee weapons), or dual wield weapons. They may perform one cleave attack per two levels of experience. The race’s heavy chitinous carapace provides a +1 bonus to AC, but prevents them from wearing any significant armor heavier than Leather.
Like the cockroaches they resemble, bugmen are sturdy and are hard to kill. When they are required to consult the Mortal Wounds table the player may roll twice selecting the preferred result to apply, the character also subtracts their class level from the number of days of bed rest required to recover. They also possess the survivability of cockroaches, and thus are immune to all forms of disease, including magical diseases such as those caused by spells, mummies, or lycanthropes, as well as to all forms of poison, including magical poisons.
Bugmen are nocturnal creatures, able to sense minute movements of air with their long and extra-sensitive antennae, granting them blindsight to a range of 60’. This blindsight functions like infravision, except it is not affected by light sources, magical darkness, or other visual phenomena but rendered useless in high wind. These same antennae grant heightened insect senses providing a +1 bonus to avoid surprise and a +4 bonus on any proficiency throws to hear noises and detect secret doors. With a proficiency throw of 18+ they can notice secret doors with just casual inspection.
All bugmen begin play knowing their native language as well as the common tongue of the human society around them (plus any bonus languages provided by a high INT). They can speak human languages readily, though with a heavy accent. Humans find it difficult to speak the bugman language and suffer a -2 penalty to Reaction rolls with bugmen when trying to speak to them in their native language.
As they mature, bugman scavengers develop parapsychic abilities. The first ability to manifest is a kinship with arthropods and fungi. Scavengers can identify arthropods and fungi with a proficiency throw of 11+, and understand the subtle body language and moods of arthropods and fungal creatures (though they may not understand the character) automatically. This grants them a +2 to all reaction rolls when encountering normal and giant arthropods and fungal creatures, and allows them to take giant arthropods and fungal creatures as henchmen. They also can speak with arthropods at will (treat as the speak with animals spell but the power works with natural or giant arthropods instead of animals).
As consummate scavengers they are well known to other bugmen and human traders. Due to this mercantile network, bugmen who buy and sell equipment, hire retainers, and engage in mercantile ventures in a market they have previously visited, treat the market as if it were one market class larger than its actual size. (Class I markets remain Class I markets).
However, bugmen are alien beings and thus suffer a -2 penalty to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of humans and other humanoids. Conversely, they get a +2 bonus to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of their own kind. Though being similar to the more common dredgers they are less respected and not subject to the same reverence as ovates limiting them to possessing one less henchman than they would normally be allowed.
As ergatoids (meaning “like workers”) they have a lot in common with the common dredger and are opportunists in nature. They may move silently, climb walls, hide in shadows and backstab as a thief of their level.
The bugman scavenger is also a wingless queen, and as such they have the same longevity of lifespan as ovates with a lifespan three times longer than dredgers. Their physical robustness also grants them immunity to ghoul paralysis.
While not as developed in their parapsychic abilities as the Ovate, scavengers nonetheless dabble in the arcane. They may attempt to use wands, staffs, and other magic items only usable by mages. At 1st level, the character must make a proficiency throw of 18+ on 1d20 or the attempt backfires in some desultory way (Judge’s discretion). The proficiency throw required reduces by 2 per level, to a minimum of 3+.
Their arcane knowledge and keen senses grant them an antennae for potions. A scavenger may make a proficiency throw of 11+ to determine the magical properties of a potion or oil based on its scent and emanations.
Another of the scavenger's abilities derived from their heightened knowledge and bugman nature is their ability to design, build, and repair automatons. Automatons are machines similar to magical constructs, but using clockwork, steam engines, gears, and valves in place of dweomercraft. Rules relating to this ability are available in the machinery to the max Autarch Patreon article or in the Dwarven Mechanist in the Companion. As is their namesake they are always on the lookout for parts and materials in which to build their cobbled together devices and possess the scavenging proficiency. Finally their constant experimentation with automatons sees them tinkering and adding to a personal automaton throughout their careers that requires constant maintenance (as the personal automaton proficiency).
Upon attaining 4th level, a scavenger gains the ability to read languages (as a thief) with a proficiency throw of 5+ on 1d20. If the roll does not succeed, the scavenger may not try to read that particular piece of writing until they reach a higher level of experience.
Bugmen scavengers learn to use their senses and scavenging skills to concoct alchemical mixtures. Starting at 5th level (ergatoid imago) they can brew potions as mages of their class level.
When a scavenger reaches 9th level (Regess), they become fertile. If a scavenger establishes a nest, it will attract 2d6 bugman dredgers of 1st-3rd level who desire to breed. These bugmen will supervise the construction of an elaborate warren to contain their young. These nests follow all the rules found within the Bugman Ovate class on page 23 in Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu. As they are less respected than winged queens their nests are smaller and less impressive causing them to suffer -1 to domain morale as a result.
At 10th level, a bugman scavenger can read and cast magic from arcane scrolls with a proficiency throw of 3+ on 1d20. However, a failed throw means the spell does not function as expected, and can create a horrible effect (Judge’s discretion).
Bugman Scavenger Proficiency List (30): Alien Lore, Bargaining, Bribery, Caving, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, incapacitate), Command, Craft, Eavesdropping, Engineering, Fighting Style, Gambling, Inventing, Jury Rigging, Language, Leadership, Loremastery, Mechanical Engineering, Passing Without Trace, Precise Shooting, Running, Scavenging, Sensing Power, Skirmishing, Swashbuckling, Technological Dabbling, Tinkering, Trapping, Weapon Finesse.
Adventurous Nymph Template: This pre-generated template represents a young bugman scavenger who forages far and wide having learned to survive in a harsh world. The template is ready for adventure. However, if your scavenger’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Chapter 4 of ACKS).
Template: Adventurous Nymph
Proficiencies: Swashbuckling, Survival
Personal Automaton: A scavenged Praetor automaton with a massive visitor warbot claw made of hybrid parts (as combat wombat with -2 To Hit and +2 Damage (balanced out bonus and negative representing the massive unwieldy claw) and +30ft move from extra ## from scavenging proficiency reduction in cost).
Starting Equipment: Chitin backpack, brown leather armor, short sword fashioned from giant insect chitin, shortbow with 20 arrows in a quiver, blanket from fungal fibers, machinist’s tools, 1 week’s iron rations, waterskin, cheap jewelry worth 5gp, 50’ rope, grappling hook, 15gp in a small purse (4 2/6 st., Move 120’/40’).
Bugman Scavenger Level Progression
Bugman Scavenger (Thief) Attack and Saving Throws
Bugman Scavenger build notes
Allocations: FTR 1b (thief), THF 3, BGM 1Max level: 12
Weapons (broad): any one-handed or missile weapons. Due to their short stature, bugmen can never use two handed swords or longbows, regardless of their Fighting Value.
Armor (narrow): Leather
Flaw: Reverse Leadership, granting a power.
Powers: 11 total, 10 from thief plus 1 from flaw
Scavenger unique powers (5):
Power (3): design build and repair automatons
Power (1): Personal automaton
Power (1): Scavenging
Ovate related powers (2):
Power (1): Arcane dabbling (ovate means bard)
Tradeoff (1): for 4/10
Power at 4: read languages
Power at 10: read scroll
Dredger related powers (4):
Power (1): Move silently
Power (1): Climb walls
Power (1): Hide in shadows
Power (1): Backstab
Save: Save as thief
Magic items: thief
Requirements and Prime requisites: While they technically only need DEX I added INT to make them similar to the Ovate and due to the heavy Automaton skills which I see as INT based.
Post 9 hp: as thief = 2 per level
XP: 500+750+550 = 1,800; round 7 up to 60,000; Post 8 = THF 100,000 per level plus Bugman 25,000
Proficiencies: Blended Ovate, Bugman and Human Mechanist. I don't use alien intuition (the double proficiency) in my games so have not added it to the proficiency list. Dredger probably shouldn't have ambushing and climbing either given it has the thief skills so I didn't add them here.
Notes:
This becomes a bit of a mechanist/bard hybrid. I deliberately aimed for level 11 max at the start to equal the Ovate. The flaw is a bit of an experiment, I wanted to borrow the Ovate domain but make it lesser, so I gave it an inverted Leadership proficiency. This has an effect out of the gate reducing henchmen numbers and can be made much worse if you have poor charisma. Leadership can be taken to counter it, but it just returns you to the baseline of other classes.
I house rule both the Ovate and Dredger to use the two-handed and duel wield styles using the text presented here. This is done as they have not received a tradeoff benefit for their lack in their build, also the ovate on page 21 has two daggers or swords which doesn’t help.
Edit after release
In my excitement to build this one I forgot how to count. I gave it HD1 and 5 core class values where it can only have 4. Of all the things to remove I couldn't touch the FTR 1 or the THF 3 as they are core flavor so HD took the hit. This adds a level and I dropped alertness from the proficiency list given its already a double up and eavesdropping is present.
This makes it different to the other bugmen classes having a 1d4 HD. I do wonder if a simple fix to restore it would be to house rule that bugman 1 gets “survivability” ie HD1, which would enforce this d6 hit dice for the bugman ranked classes. This would grant an extra level to the ovate which would be nice as it gives it access to caster level 9 and crafting items under the Axioms 7 “Alternate Progressions for the arcane values”. I am not sure about this right now as I think that flight was buried in Bugman 2 to limit its availability, but then hit dice is often not a preferred ability anyway as it doesn't grant class powers. If you did use this house rule this class would return to the xp track of 2,300/7 to 75,000/Post 8 125,000.
I have restored this class to the non-house rule version either way while I contemplate this house rule. Thematically this house rule could fits those above dredger being bigger, which insect sort of do for non-worker casts… But maybe it does make sense for this to have d4 hit dice as it doesn't live the rough and tumble life of a dredger and focuses on abilities like a thief or mage would… As it is you could build a bugman d4 hit dice class at bugman 0 and this house rule wound't stop that... Oh the turmoil, aren't house rules and setting thinking fun...
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