I have finally realized that the theme for me this month is wizards. Today's magic-user is brought to you by the letter X, because the Moldvay Basic magic-user was fun, so today is another in that vein, but from the Expert rules.
The Basic book carries players through level 3 and focuses on dungeon crawls and site-based adventures. The Expert book runs all the way to level 14 and adds wilderness adventures to the mix.
Companion books exist, via third party, but at that point, it is worth considering the original BECMI rules or the OSE rules, which is merely B/X with better organization.
13, 10, 8, 12, 13, 10 - fighter or halfling
9, 12, 10, 10, 12, 7 - smart fighter or magic-user
10, 10, 12, 11, 13, 9 - cleric
12, 8, 11, 9, 14, 4 - fighter or dwarf
14, 7, 6, 9, 18, 12 - likeable, survivable, dumb fighter or dwarf
14, 5, 10, 6, 7, 4 - brute force and ignorance fighter
14, 10, 8, 17, 10, 11 - a competent, if greedy, thief or halfling
8, 10, 10, 13, 15, 17 - paladin tough, wiseguy thief or halfling
7, 11, 8, 15, 10, 7 - thief
14, 13, 14, 13, 9, 6 - cleric
17, 12, 11, 8, 12, 9 - solid fighter
16, 15, 11, 13, 14, 11 - magic-user or elf
9, 5, 15, 9, 13, 11 - dumb cleric or wise dwarf (also dumb)
6, 14, 5, 14, 11, 14 - thief or magic-user
10, 8, 11, 12, 6, 13 - thief or fighter
9, 12, 15, 13, 12, 13 - cleric
9, 13, 11, 11, 9, 10 - magic-user
12, 14, 8, 10, 10, 15 - magic-user
9, 11, 5 11, 11, 8 - fighter
11, 10, 15, 13, 5, 11 - cleric
A new record for me - 20 sets of abilities until I gave up and went with the best. I suspect this is how some folks play B/X, rolling up PCs in a variation of AD&D's Method III until they get something more than just playable.
The goal for a straight magic-user in B/X is a 16 or greater Intelligence, almost entirely for the +10% xp bonus. Extra languages are useful, at some tables, but the bonus xp is where it's at. B/X has that odd 2-for-1 trade, so I can ramp up Intelligence at the cost of Strength, as long as Strength doesn't drop below 9. I bolded the sets that meet my needs, if only after the ability trading.
I'll be using the last set of bolded ability scores for that Charisma score (yes, I know it's not the mechanically strongest choice) and employ the Doomslakers! naming chart again, this time for Luminezent the Impish.
Luminezent the Impish, Wizard, N Magic-User 9
S 10 none
I 15 +1 additional language, +5% xp
W 8 -1 on magic-based saves
D 10 none
C 10 none
Ch 15 5 max retainers, 8 morale of retainers, +1 adjustment to reactions,
Current XP 310,100 XP until next level: 450,001
HP 28 (lots of 4s rolled)
AC 10
Languages Known: Common, Elf,
Spells Known
1st- Charm Person, Read Magic
2nd- Mirror Image, Web
3rd- Fly, Hold Person
4th- Charm Monster, Polymorph Self
5th- Contact Higher Plane
Equipment: Scroll of Protection from Elementals, Ring of Command, Staff of Power, sexy (but useful) robes and clothes, dagger, adventuring kit, content henchpersons AND charmed monsters that serve her.
History: Lumin (as she refers to herself in private) has only recently achieved the title of Wizard and is immensely proud of it. She has focused on a variety of enchantments and illusions - anything to keep her in charge. She thinks of herself as a benevolent tyrant, but is really just a selfish bitch with delusions of grandeur. Either way, she has manipulated and spelled her way to her current level and position, and has no intention of changing a plan that works. On occasion, her follies and ill-advised plans bite her in the ass, but so far, she has survived such setbacks and views them as 'bad luck.'
Lumin prefers to get others to fight (and die) for her, otherwise, she has to do so, and there is no need for that.
Goals: to rule, with herself as the witch-queen; this will no doubt become a reality after constructing her Tower (at level 11).
Quote: (from the MtG card Beguiler of Wills) "Come, let me free you of the tyranny of thought."
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Ring of Command - this ring functions as Rings of Control Animal, Control Humans, and Control Plants. It also pushes its user to use the ring rather than merely ask. At some point, its wearers end up dead at the hands of those they sought to control. Every. Damn. Time. (I'm certain I read of something similar somewhere, so this is not an altogether original item).
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Spell Research is addressed in the Expert rules, as is magic item construction, both of which Lumin can theoretically perform. While the rules talk about researching entirely new spells, there is nothing against researching other rules-based spells, allowing Lumin (or other researchers) the ability to fill their spellbooks with known spells (at the low cost of 1,000gp per spell level and 2 weeks per spell level).
Presuming that said PC magic-users invest the time and money to do so. Otherwise, without Spell Research, PC magic-users are incredibly limited in the spells they can cast. Lumin has not taken advantage of Spell Research, but really, really needs to.
As an unrelated aside, I now have 19 possible NPCs rolled up, should they ever be needed. I should probably edit in the proper headgear from BX Blackrazor.
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