2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 31

This is it, the last entry for this year's Character Creation Challenge.  It's even on time!

I had considered writing up a full wizard's guild or magicians academy (The School of the Unseen, with a focus on Enchantment and Illusion magics), but my ambition has left me.

7, 9, 8, 8, 5, 15 - s/he convinces people to die in their name.  No.

15, 6, 7, 7, 10, 11 - another likeable fool. No

5, 13, 11, 11, 11, 8 - an irascible man, who rages incessantly at the injustice of the cruel dice of fate and the games that the gods play with mortals, using us as mere pawns. Yes, yes, indeed.

Not my tattoo (I opted for Tom Servo instead of a wizard), but this is how I picture Mephedrone.

Mephedrone the Apoplectic, C Magic-User 1

S 5 - -2 to hit, damage, open doors

I 13 - reads and writes native language, plus one more

W 11 - none

D 11 - none

C 11 - none

Ch 8 - 3 retainers max, retainer morale 6, -1 adjustment to reactions, 

Current XP: 0       XP required (+5%): 2,501

HP 2

AC 10

Languages Known: Common, Goblin, Orc

Spells Known: 1st- Sleep

Equipment: dagger, light adventurers kit, robe, sandals, a shawl, a permanent snarl and a readiness to rant about anything, hands stained green with the poisons he uses to torture captured clerics.

History and Goals: Mephedrone wants justice against the gods.  He isn't sure how to get it, but that is his goal - determining their games and actively thwarting the gods' plans.  For all his anger and bombast, Mephedrone works well with gangs of humanoids, ambushing other adventurers and taking their things.

Except clerics. Clerics die ... exquisitely.

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No headgear for Mephedrone - he is too weak to wear headgear.  He might make a decent villain or villain's henchman, though.  Opening up an ambush with a sleep spell against a party of 1st and 2nd level B/X PCs kills them just as dead as when those same PCs sleep a band of goblins or orcs.  Turnabout is fair play and all that.

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2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 25

GURPS Dungeon Fantasy.

I used the system before this month, for a Swashbuckler sort, but today it is a .... wizard! Shocking, I know.

Arguably the most important book for a would-be Magic-using player.

Abercrombie the Fitch

Attributes: ST 10 (0); DX 12 (40); IQ 15 (100); HT 11 (10)

Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20lbs; HP 10 (0); Will 15 (0); Per 12 (-15); FP 11 (0); Basic Speed 6.00 (5); Basic Move 6 (0)

Advantages: Energy Reserve 3 (Magical) (9) and Magery 3 (35) and 30 points - Intuition (15), Language (3); Energy Reserve 7 (Magical) (12)

Disadvantages: -15 points - Weirdness Magnet (-15), -20 points Curious (-5); Oblivious (-5); Overconfidence (-5); Stubborness (-5)

Skills:

Staff-14 (8)

Innate Attack (any) -14 (4)

Alchemy-15 (8)

Hazardous Materials-14 (1)

Hidden Lore (Spirits)-15 (2)

Meditation-14 (2)

Occultism-15 (2)

Research-14 (1)

Speed-Reading-14 (1)

Teaching-14 (1)

Thaumatology-15 (1)

Writing-14 (1)

Cartography-14 (1)

Climbing-11 (1)

Diplomacy-13 (1)

Fast Draw (Scroll)-12 (1)

First Aid-15 (1)

Hidden Lore (Magical Items)-14 (1)

Hiking-10 (1)

Scrounging-12 (1)

Stealth-11 (1)

Spells (30 spells 1 point each)

1. Apportation-16
2. Counterspell-16
3. Create Air-16
4. Create Fire-16
5. Create Water-16
6. Deflect Missile-16
7. Detect Magic-16
8. Dispel Magic-16
9. Fear-16
10. Fireball-16
11. Haste-16
12. Heat-16
13. Identify-16
14. Ignite Fire-16
15. Keen Vision-16
16. Light-16
17. Magelock-16
18. See Invisible-16
19. Seek Earth-16
20. Sense Life-16
21. Sense Spirit-16
22. Shape Air-16
23. Shape Earth-16
24. Shape Fire-16
25. Simple Illusion-16
26. Stone Missile-16
27. Turn Spirit-16
28. Walk on Air-16
29. Walk on Water-16
30. Wizard Eye-16

Background and Goals: Abercrombie has always experienced wierdness, which is how he discovered he could work magic.  Since that time, he has functioned mostly as a ghostbuster, and has come out on top so many times that he automatically presumes his luck will hold.  His goal is to become a known and respect pyromancer, but he has a long way to go before that happens.

He is also smart enough to realize that fireballs won't solve every problem.

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As before, I didn't read the descriptions of the various advantages, disadvantages, or skills, I just went with what sounded interesting.  I applied the same logic to spell choice.  Fortunately, there is a master spell table in the back of the Spells book, so page flipping was minimal.  

I do like how GURPS uses prerequisite spells to learn more advanced spells, and how that table in the back of the book spells out the prereqs. These prerequisite spells quickly filled out my starting 30 list, so further reading will dictate how useful this wizard actually is.  If in play, I would learn the hard way, but having this master table is a fine way to customize a wizard, as it provides immediate goals to work towards, spell-learning-wise. A better organized character write up would include the various schools of magic for the spells.

All that said, my understanding is that not all GURPS spells are in Dungeon Fantasy, merely most of them.  This knowledge comes from reading the blog Dungeon Fantastic.

If I were actually planning to play this PC, I would put more thought into spells and such chosen.

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MekHQ and MegaMek: State of the Regiment

MegaMek and MekHQ is still my go-to computer game, despite not having played it in several months.  Basically, I am a victim of my own success, so each game day and week takes forever.  

From SpOoKy777 on DeviantArt - MekHQ opening screen

The Day 13 character creation challenge put the game back in my mind and so I ended up finishing out the current game week. For the record, the game date is Monday, May 17, 3030.  The Blackhearts current contract is to Garrison the planet Pleione under the Federated Suns, fighting off the Capellan Confederation.  They've been on planet since October 14, 3029, and aren't scheduled to leave until September 14, 3031.  That's 23 long months on a desert planet.

What allies I have are Green, and the Enemies are Regulars.  The Heartbreakers are rated as Veteran.

We currently have two subcontracts on the planet: Relief Duty and Recon Raid. A third subcontract, Cadre Duty, is completed. These subcontracts pay handsomely for comparatively easy work.  

Overall, the MegaMek fights seem to be more exciting when Sabaton is playing in the background.  Go figure.

Organization

The humble mercenary Heartbreakers 'mech company now sits fat at four Battlemech Regiments, backed by an understrength Armor Regiment and Artillery Regiments.  Those 'mech units are in turn supported by Aerospace fighters, although not quite enough to go around - yet.

I've kept to a consistent pattern of one medium company and two heavy or assault companies to each 'mech battalion.  My oldest pilots are grizzled experts - particularly 'the Inevitables', a heavy lance consisting of a standard Guillotine, a standard Grasshopper, and a pair of Wolverine-Ms.  They don't lose.  Each pilot is a 0/0 with 6 or 7 bonus abilities.  It's ridiculous.

It is also the result of turning off the option for Mechwarriors to leave at the end of a contract.  In my mind, if a unit makes payroll regularly while also having a bit of action, Mechwarriors would stay, especially in light of the rather liberal hiring policies of the Heartbreakers, namely recruiting the Elite and Veteran prisoners that are interested in turning coats - given that it is Capellans and Kuritans that are mostly swelling the Heartbreakers' ranks this way, I suppose regular meals are why they do so.

Balancing lances is the next step, and can be a tedious one, but is key to making the most of the hard rules on lance weights.  Medium lances should be between 180-200 tons total, heavy lances 260-280 tons.  Weight advantage boils down to more guns and armor, but really, better damage when meleeing, which is the best way to salvage 'mechs.  My in-game battlefields are scattered with one-legged and headless 'mechs, which often end up in my hangar.  Apart from weight is trying to match up movement speeds: I prefer pairs that move the same rate: 4/6/4, 5/8/5, 6/9/6.  The assaults are 3/5 and rarely jump, but it is what it is.

I can say that I certainly have preferred 'mechs, as seen when I alphabetize the hangar contents by 'mech name.  Nearly 80 Wolverine-Ms, between 20-30 each Awesome, Warhammer, Thunderbolt, Stalker, Vindicator, Quickdraw, Griffin, Grasshopper, Ostsol, and Guillotine 'mechs.  I've found myself duplicating 'mech lances, varying only by pilots, especially among the lighter companies: Phoenix Hawk, Firestarter, Vulcan-5T, and Javelin.  There are others, but these are my mainstays.

All that said, I am close to starting up a Fifth Regiment, and already have a battalion-plus in Mechwarriors ready to be issued 'mechs and proper spots on the MTOE, if only to better earn their keep.  The 'mechs are there in the hangar, awaiting pilots and unit designations.  This time, I am thinking a two-medium companies, one-heavy company per battalion might be best.  I already have a name: Bottled Lightning. 

Another loadscreen from MekHQ.  I'm fairly certain that's a Highlander followed by a Crab.

Preferred Tactics

Close and melee, particularly with kicks - one-legged 'mechs are regularly salvaged from the battlefields, and then repaired.  City fights see me damaging buildings so the 'mechs standing atop them fall.  

In addition to dropping buildings, I have figured out how to set forests and buildings alight, which is terribly useful when battling infantry. I've also learned how to change modes on LRM launchers for true indirect fire, with and without a spotter, so I have this in my kit box now.  

My favorite skills among pilots are jumping jack, melee master, and sniper.  Not everyone gets all three, and I do use others, but I would guess three-quarters of my veteran pilots have one or more of these skills.  

I'll admit that I have chases turned off, because they always take so long to complete - if only because it is one of my nonjumping heavy lances in terrible weather or terrain (or both).  Before finding that toggle switch, my preferred method for the 'chase' was to stand and fight, smashing everything, then typing /victory to end it.

As an aside, before I discovered /victory, I lost so much salvage as I waited for the game to end naturally, which means no viable targets.  In MegaMek, a one-legged, prone 'mech with an unconscious pilot is considered viable, at least to the AI, so I followed that rule, as well, kicking downed 'mechs into scrap.

Maintenance and Supply

While the goal is one tech per 'mech, I am only about halfway there.  Aerospace fighters are better staffed with techs, but honestly, those aerotechs mostly just perform maintenance and repair broken weapons in the warehouse. 

The unit POW camp is massive, as is the hospital.  I have more than enough doctors for my own troops (1 doctor per regiment), but have hired several others for prisoner overflow.  So I have 14 doctors on staff, and when fighting is constant, their sick bays fill up fast.  That same POW camp has supplied about half of my regiments' berths, but those Veteran and Elite prisoners serve well as the seeds for a new regiment.

More than half of my 'mechs joined the Heartbreakers as salvage, particularly the Wolverines.  While I am biased, it is a sweet mix of speed, armor, maneuverability, and punch - especially, the WVR-6M model.  The hangars contain probably another regiment's worth of Battlemechs, and once this game month is over, I will likely begin standing up that Fifth Regiment.

Individual parts are ordered in bulk when needed (so the needed 60-ton arm actuator sees me order 5 or 6), and those random spares go towards filling instant needs.  Armor is an issue, to the point where I prioritize salvaging wrecked 'mechs and vees especially for the armor plating.  

Similar to this is ammo. Given the opportunity, I take all the LRM and SRM launchers I can, primarily to keep from buying missiles. 

For the most part, this strategy works out for me.  That said, in a pinch, I can start activating mothballed units to either replace badly damaged 'mechs or merely to strip of armor. 

Monthly marketplace updates keep the ranks growing, not so much with replacements as with additional troops.  Self-training Astechs into other things takes a looooooooong time.

Combined Arms

I mentioned earlier that the Heartbreakers have understrength Armor and Artillery Regiments.  My mainstay battle tank is the Manticore, and the Artillery is a mix of Thumpers and LRM launchers, backed by a lance of Forward Observing 'mechs.  

Manticore mini.  Not mine.

Armor is sweet because you can fire everything and not worry about heat, but the downside is mobility kills and a lack of jump jets.  When my tracks are mobility kills, I tend to keep the crew inside and fighting, and they mostly survive.   I've gone against mixed 'mech and Vees and they work well enough that I've taken to doing so, and it can be brutal, as the 'mech's can often save the mobility-killed tanks when the computer circles round them to play kickball.

Artillery is neat, though I prefer using the LRM-based versions, because it hits now, and not later, and watching an opposing 'mech melt in the face of 60 missiles is almost as funny as when they're hit with 120 damage from an SRM Launcher's full salvo.  Thumpers work, but the delay and tendency to miss is frustrating.

Aerospace support exists, but I have to use the computer to control the fighters (and VTOLs, for that matter), so I tend to not use what I have.  In the past, I have used them for bombing runs, and those can be quite satisfying to watch.

Infantry, well, I have them.  They are a pain to use for too little impact, so they stay in the TOE and provide in-game security for my in-game regiments.

Future Challenges

From experience, I need to watch how fast and large I grow my units, or else I run out of memory and the whole game goes kaput.  Which is a shame, as there are three regiments' worth of short-fiction bios I can no longer access.  It's not that they were great fiction, but they added flavor for me.

In addition, MegaMek and MekHQ lets me toggle all sorts of options off and on, and currently, many of the combat options are off.  Flipping sympathetic explosions on would alter my playstyle, because my 'mechs like to kick the shit out of things, and when those things explode, it tends to take my 'mechs with them, and I am not a fan of that.

Then again, that would make MegaMek almost new again.

Another toggle that I may switch on is the hidden opponents toggle.  Perhaps my current mode of being able to see the whole map is easy mode, but it's what I know.  Not being able to see everything until it's in line of sight could be fun.  If nothing else, it lets me make use of the variety of sensor arrays each 'mech carries.

Of course, the most immediate challenge is finishing the current contract.  I'm hoping that the Cappies Rout after this month's steady losses to the Heartbreakers, but I suspect it will run through Low and Very Low, first.

Such is life.

2022 Character Creation Challenge - Summary

It is finished.  31 PCs of various sorts, mostly wizards and their ilk.  The astute among my two regular readers will see that some of them (near the beginning and the end) did not fall on their actual dates, with the 25th being a particular victim of procrastination.

Lessons Learned

My favorite PCs to roll up are magic-users of the AD&D nature, at least partially because I enjoy rolling the random starter spells.  That said, the B/X Headgear chart is fun in a more general sense.

Magic cards and Scryfall.com are an excellent source of art.  Even if I rarely play Magic anymore, it is still an influence on my game time - which is something I consider this blog.

This month solidifies my view that faster (shorter) character generation games are better than games with long ones, although familiarity with systems may leave me biased.  My plans to explore some other games (Chill!, Gangbusters, Dark Conspiracies, Ars Magica) were scuttled due to the time it takes to even craft a PC, let alone write up all the details on the character sheet. 

I have zero qualms regarding joke names or allusions to reality - in the end, the G in RPG is Game, a game for players in the real world.  The only simple methods I didn't use were my name spelled backwards or an anagram of my first and last names.

Dice-rolling apps are a godsend - for mass-PC production, at least. Discord's Avrae does Method I rolling even better than my dice app.  If you use Discord for your gaming, give Avrae a try and thank me later.  

If only for the insult generator (which reminds me of this insult generator).

Despite all of this technology making life better, I prefer the clatter of actual dice, though.

All things considered, I won't be participating in this challenge again.  The impetus to write every day was grand, but things fell apart near the end (at least partially because all my coworkers ended up with COVID, leaving me the sole person in the office), resulting in a rushed series of B/X PCs.  Not that there is anything wrong with such PCs or the B/X ruleset, mind you. Still, all this PC-making leaves me jonesing for a game, either as a player or DM.

So I reckon that after today, I'll be back to my more sporadic posting schedule.

2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 30

More B/X - this challenge is rough these last few days, but I will persevere!

Dramamine the Steady, N Magic-User 1

S 12 - none

I 14 - reads and writes native language, +1 additional language

W 12 - none 

D 8 - +1 AC, -1 initiative, -1 to hit with missiles

C 11 - none

Ch 10 - 4 retainers max, retainer morale 7

Current XP: 0       XP needed (+5%): 

HP 2

AC 11

Languages Known: Common, Goblin, Elf

Spells Known: Sleep

Equipment: traveling clothes and boots, adventuring gear, stout staff, dagger, sky blue head scarf (a gift from mother), big dreams, naive trust

Goals: to see the world and try to make it a better place.  Ironguard Keep is where she plans to start.

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Blackrazor Headgear is in use, as is the medicine-based naming.  The dice know my habits, though.

 

2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 29

I can feel that time crunch!  More B/X.

Joe Average, Veteran, L Fighter 1

S 11 - none

I 8 - can write simple common words

W 9 - none

D 11 - none

C 9 - none

Ch 11 - none

Current XP: 0    XP needed: 2,001

HP 7

AC 7

Languages known: Common

Equipment: leather armor, spear, sword (technically a falcata), dagger, adventuring gear

Background: Joe was conscripted to fight in the never-ending border wars against the goblinoids and their allies.  His tour of duty over, Joe found he was good with a sword and spear, and preferred travelling and fighting over dirt-farming at home.  So he invested his final pay in some adventuring gear and followed rumors to Ironguard Keep, hoping to fall in with like-minded sorts and win back lost treasures from Chaos. As a tribute of sorts, Joe still wears his hair like they did in his unit - long, but tied off in the back.

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Blackrazor's Headgear was not forgotten for Joe.  B/X will let this guy survive, or at least die usefully.  At this point, I can generate a B/X PC without much consultation of the actual ruleboook.  That is what I call a good character generation system!

2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 28

Wizards!

I suspect that I'm addicted to rolling up the random starter spells for AD&D magic-users.

Anyhow, Method I should net me a magic-user: 9, 15, 14, 12, 11, 12.  

This works, but let's try again: 11, 13, 15, 10, 12, 10

Hellfire.  The PHB recommendation haunts me.  A third try: 12, 10, 11, 12, 15, 8

14, 14, 15, 14, 9, 16. The fourth set meets the PHB admonition of 2 scores above 15, so I'm keeping it.  

Verdurian the Envious, NE Human Magic-User 3

S 9 - open doors 1-2, bend bars/lift gates 1%

I 16 - 5 additional languages, 8th level spells max, chance to know spell 65%, 7/11 min/max spells/lvl

W 14 - none

D 15 - -1 defensive adjustment

C 14 - system shock survival 88%, resurrection survival 92%

Ch 14 - 6 henchmen max, +5% loyalty base, +10% reaction adjustment

Current XP: 7,500       XP needed: 10,001

HP 10

AC 9

Languages Known: Common, Dragon, Elf, Giant

Spell Known: 

1st- Friends, Protection from Evil, Message, Read Magic, Unseen Servant, Charm Person

2nd- Web, ESP

Equipment: letter of introduction from master; dagger, mustache cream (to keep mustache properly twirlable), adventuring gear, wand of magic missiles, potion of gaseous form

History and Goals: A student of history, Verdurian is fascinated by the wizard Bargle the Infamous, a fascination that has led to Verdurian mimicking many of Bargle's odious habits of selfish evil and wicked displays of power for its own sake.  Verdurian's main goal is to live with no responsibilities beyond his own whims and plans.  If people die along the way, so be it.

Being a student of history, Verdurian is also a traditionalist, with a mustache he twirls and the adoption of slightly ridiculous attire to signify how he, as a magic-user, is above the common people and their fashions and such.

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Kind DM strikes, once again, providing a miscellaneous spell to her favored apprentice.  It occurs to me that having players create (in part) their magic-user's master would provide more player buy-in, as well as build my world for me.  Kind of like using the I know a guy houserule preemptively.

2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 26

Originally, I had planned for some Gangbusters! but I am a day behind and there is no letting up this week (I am the last non-COVID person on staff, so it's me in a building), so B/X it is.

11, 11, 15, 16, 12, 16 - this might be the best set of 3d6 I've rolled in my remembered history.  Could be a Cleric, could be a Thief.  A Thief is ever-so-slightly a stronger choice, maybe.  

I can combine some recurring themes from this month, and Thin Lizzy, the B/X Thief is what we get.

Thin Lizzy, Deft Duelist, by David Palumbo WotC 2008

Lisbet 'Thin Lizzy' Delacroix (known aliases: The Black Rose, the Fox), N Thief 7

S 11 - none

I 11 - reads and writes native languages (usually 2)

W 15 - +1 on magic-based saving throws

D 16 - +2 hit with missiles, -2 AC, +1 initiative

C 12 - none 

Ch 16 - +1 adjustment to reactions, 6 max retainers, retainer morale 9

current XP: 50,000        XP until next level (+10%): 80,001

HP 19

AC 8

Languages Known: Common, Elf

Thief Skills: 

Open Locks 55%

Find/Remove Traps 50%

Pick Pockets 55%

Move Silently 55%

Climb Sheer Surfaces 93%

Hide in Shadows 45%

Hear Noise 1-4

Equipment: thieves tools, daggers, disguise kit, sword, leather armor, caches of treasure and gear across several cities

History: Lisbet is actually the child of a noble family, but as a youth, she dreamt of a spirit dragon, who warned her to leave her house.  Terrified, she listened, narrowly avoiding the mass assassination of her family.  Rightfully fearing for her life, Lisbet disappeared into the shadows and soon into another city.

The dragon spirit comes to her in dreams, and offers advice, which Lisbet generally heeds.  Over the years, she has adopted several aliases in several cities, establishing contacts and allies in each place, all in a life-quest to retake her family lands and exact revenge on those that killed her family off.

Within the last year, in her guise as the Black Rose, Lisbet has discovered the people behind the plot, and now works to first discredit, then destroy them from within.  As the Fox, Lisbet has been orchestrating a series of targeted robberies to pauperize the same people.

All the while, the dragon spirit waits in the shadows, providing enough guidance to push Lisbet into unknowingly accomplishing its inscrutable goals. 

The spirit in Thin Lizzy's Dreams, from the album art for Chinatown 1980

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This may all suggest that I am huge Thin Lizzy fan.  Don't believe it; I am just treading the line of 'inspired, yet not too drunk to be silly and unfathomable.'  

Thin Lizzy's sigil when acting as The Black Rose, from the album Black Rose 1979

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2022 - Character Creation Challenge - Day 27

Another long day, another quick character.  B/X again.

'Mongo only pawn in game of life.'  My first thought after rolling these numbers.

Mongo 'the Pawn' N Fighter 1

S 10 - none

I 8 - can write simple common words

W 7 - -1 on magic-based saves

D 10 - none

C 14 - +1 hp

Ch 7 - -1 adjustment to reactions, 3 retainers max, retainer morale 6

Current XP   0       XP required for next level: 2,001

HP 9

AC 9

Equipment: clothes, chains, near-shapeless hat, improvised weapons, terrible gas

Goal: a full stomach and people to like him; to get them to like him, he does whatever is asked.

Mongo, from Blazing Saddles, on his trusty steed.

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Sometimes the dice aren't with you, and in those cases, you roll with it or roll a new PC.  Given that this is B/X, I kept the first set rolled.  It's true that I immediately thought of Mongo when I looked at the numbers in whole.  So why not?  He would be fun to play, for a short series of adventures or a one-shot.

Note that if you haven't watched Blazing Saddles, or other Mel Brooks' films, you're missing out.  

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2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 24

Short and sweet tonight, with some B/X.  

I'll be using the ability set rolled up on Day 22, for the solid fighter: 17, 12, 11, 8, 12, 9.

Baird, Steward of Argive, by Christine Choi, WotC 2018

Holger 'the Bear' Karhu, Champion, L Fighter 7

S 17 - +2 hit, damage, open doors

I 12 - none

W 11 - none

D 8 - -1 missile to hit, +1 ac penalty, -1 initiative

C 12 - none

Ch 9 - 4 retainers maximum, morale 7

Current XP: 72,500           XP until next level (+10%): 120,001

HP 43

AC 2

Languages Known: Common, Orc

Equipment: Armor of the Steadfast, Cloak of the Northern Lords, Trollsear (sword), a Keep (on the borderlands) and all the mundane gear that he or his followers (about 200 soldiers and twice as many nonsoldiers) may require.

Holger is a tough old bastard, renown through the kingdom for his deeds on and off the battlefield. As a reward for his deeds, the Queen knighted him, then raised him into the ranks of the nobility with a title and estate of his own - a place he calls Ironguard Keep, located to the East in the Troll Hills, beyond the Worldspine Mountains. Resplendent in his enchanted armor and cloak, Holger has lived long enough to transition from youthful hero to progenitor of his own bloodline, with a brood of children coming up to carry on the family name, glory, and honor.  While happy enough with a mug of ale and his children and dogs running underfoot, he has secretly determined to die in battle, as a Champion of Law.  This death may happen sooner than later, as during the last major skirmishes with the giants and trolls, Holger personally bested a Frost Giant prince, claiming the Giant's massive sword as a trophy that now hangs in Ironguard Keep.  

As a matter of pride, the Giants are determined to take the sword back.  There will be a reckoning.

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Magic items:

Armor of the Steadfast - functions as plate +2, but also makes wearer immune to fear and charm effects; in addition, followers of the wearer of the Armor of the Steadfast receive a +2 bonus on saves vs fear and charm effects as long as the wearer is in their sight.

Cloak of the Northern Lords - functions as a Displacer Cloak, but also keeps the wearer warm and comfortable, regardless of the weather.  Followers of the wearer of the Cloak of the Northern Lords check morale as if the wearer had a Charisma of 16 (retainer morale 9).

Trollsear - this blade is enchanted as both a flaming sword AND a giant-slayer.  Its wielder can speak and understand the languages of giants and trolls and can call down a pillar of fire once per day on a target within sight.

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Work and social commitments threaten to keep me from writing, but I will persevere - just not with my grand plan of a variety of other ruleset-based characters.  With B/X, I already have several sets of abilities rolled up.  

2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 23

Shadowrun.  The very word conjures up memories of a cool softback book, lots of dice, and a video game that I'm not sure I've ever played.

This makes you wanna grab a Crown Royal bag full of d6s, don't it, chummer?

My copy of the 1e rules went away in my second great games purge (the first claimed ALL the AD&D 2e softcover supplements - I am forever a dumbass), and there are times I regret that.  With time, I have acquired PDFs of it (and other books), so the memories are still accessible, but without the awkward, albeit impressive, storage of it all.

So yes, today's wizard is from Shadowrun 1e.  How different it is from Catalyst Games Lab 5e version, I could not tell you (but I bet the forums can).  So let's get started, chummer.

Archetypes are faster than page-flipping and finally working out a PC that looks an awful lot like an archetype, just without the associated artwork.  I'll be skipping that, because an archetype works out fine - after all, it's the background and roleplay that's important, not the mechanics, right?  I'll use the picture, as well, because it fits.

Cybereyes, a component pouch, and a big honkin' pistol.  Eat your heart out, Harry Dresden!

William 'Wild Bill' O'Rourke, Burned Out Mage

Attributes:

Body 3

Quickness 2 (3)

Strength 3 (4)

Charisma 1

Intelligence 4

Willpower 4

Essence 1.4

Magic 1

Reaction 3 (5)

Skills:

Conjuring 4

Etiquette (Corporate) 2

Etiquette (Street) 2

Firearms 2

Magical Theory 4

Sorcery 4

Stealth 2

Unarmed Combat 2

Cyberware:

Cybereyes with Thermographic Imaging

Wired Reflexes 1

Muscle Replacement 1

Skillwires 4

Smartgun Link

Skillsoft (Fichetti Pistol 4)

Contacts:

Bartender

Mr. Johnson

Street Doc

Talismonger

Gear:

Lined Coat

DocWagon Contract (gold)

Fichetti Pistol with Smartgun Adaptor

Two Specific Spell Focuses (1 point each)

1 Trauma Patch (5)

Spells:

Analyze Device 5

Analyze Truth 5

Armor 4

Clairvoyance 5

Heal Moderate Wounds 5

Hibernate 4

Invisibility 4

Mana Bolt 5

Mind Probe 5

Sleep 5

Telekinesis 5

History: William "Wild Bill" O'Rourke earned his sobriquet as a rising star of a street mage, taking chances and always pulling through.  After several sizable scores, Wild Bill began to believe the hype, and it damn near killed him.  His hubris did kill most of his team, and that haunts him - thankfully not literally (not often, at least).  Since that time, William has been trying to redeem himself, to the point of giving up (partially) on the magic that 'failed' him on that fateful mission.  He still runs the shadows, and is handy in a firefight, his magic providing a surprise that mostly pays off.

Goals: Sad William most desperately seeks redemption and forgiveness.  On the anniversary of that disastrous mission, William remembers his dead friends.  The alcohol combines with William's magical ability and memories to effectively bring back the ghosts of his team.  They have mostly forgiven him, but there are two holdouts, and until they forgive, the entire lot of them meet up annually.  

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FASA uses archetypes in this book, similar to what they did in Mechwarrior.  They also use the same priorities set up, A-D.  I guess if it (kinda) works, there is no need to fix it.  My distaste for long chargen makes these archetypes a handy addition to the game.  

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2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 22

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.  

Beguiler of Wills, Eric Deschamps, WotC 2012

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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2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 21

I have lots of games in pdf form, acquired for uncertain and/or forgotten reasons (perhaps I am actually a dragon, and RPG PDFs are what I hoard?).  One such game is Victorious.

Victorious is from Troll Lord Games and is a game set in the Victorian Steampunk Age that Never Was. Powered by TLG's SIEGE engine, a system that sounds familiar (perhaps from skim-reading Castles and Crusades), Victorious has its own take on wizardry.

Like most games, PC generation is a multi-step process.  The first step is to 'imagine the persona.'  Wizard.  Done.  The rest of the steps include way too many pages of choices - kind of like GURPS, but without points assigned.  Unlike GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, they aren't even conveniently grouped into shortened menus, so I am hoping for Archetypes.  

There we go, the Magician is on page 27.   Thank you TLG!

Attributes:

A: Intelligence, B: Dexterity, C: Wisdom - I'm guessing these are kinda like Prime Requisites.

Skills: History/Legend 1 (Local Mythology), Occult 2, Prime 2 (Dexterity, Wisdom), Profession 1 (Parapsychology)

Supernatural Powers: Attribute 2 (+10 Wisdom)

Packages: Magick 4: Blast 1, Entrap 1, Phantasms 1, Telepathy 1

Shortcomings: Enemy (Black Magicians), Notorious, Watched (Theosophist Society)

Equipment: Incense and burner, Wand, various Crystals, Cloak with hidden pockets, Crystal Ball, plot armor, standard comic book tropes, but in the Victorian Age.

Goals: save the world, again.  ensure that the Sun truly never sets on the Empire.  keep feeding the monster under her bed.

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As I was working through the PC design, I was immediately taken with two ideas: one, that this is an awful lot of work and page flipping for one PC, especially if one wants a focused PC, and two, that Victorious reads like a superhero game.

Then on page 23, I find this quote: Victorious is a Steampunk Superhero roleplaying game.  The Steampunk is great.  And I do appreciate the honesty of the game for stating Superhero right in the description (unlike 5e, which still pretends to not be superheroes).  

At least the parts about awarding xp are lootable.  Maybe other parts, as well, but I cannot be bothered to seek them out.

I need to read the game premise more closely before committing.  So I apologize for this entry.  These Characters are supposed to be quick and fun, not timesinks involving too much virtual page-flipping.  In a world of short sporadic gaming sessions (this should improve for me in about 10 years, when my youngest can drive himself around), spending an entire session trying to roll up a playable PC is waste of time.  Victorious is not the only game that takes this route, but it is the game most recently on my mind.

Sometimes people complain on various online fora (notably Facebook), about how players cannot be bothered to 'learn their PC's abilities and spells and skills.'  Perhaps it's because there are too many things to learn.  Especially when sessions are for 3-4 hours every 6-8 weeks.  

The charm of some older game systems is how quickly you can actually be playing the game, instead of playing the subgame of PC creation.  Clones and new games that mirror this fast PC generation have realized this.  Maybe I need to create some Wizards in those rulesets.  

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2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 20

Three guesses as to what character type this is gonna be.  I'll wait.

To shake things up, though, this will be a B/X Magic-User.  As such, it is 3d6 down the line, and I will keep rolling sets until I get a high Intelligence.

11, 11, 9, 12, 11, 3

7, 13, 12, 15, 11, 8

14, 17, 7, 9, 15, 10

12, 14, 11, 13, 14, 11

6, 10, 12, 13, 13, 6

8, 5, 12, 10, 13, 10

11, 8, 10, 6, 15, 9

15, 10, 13, 8, 12, 11

15, 8, 12, 8, 11, 13

6, 8, 14, 10, 11, 14

12, 11, 14, 10, 10, 12

10, 13, 11, 12, 10, 11

Twelve sets of abilities, both because I had forgotten how little the ability scores affect PCs in B/X and I got caught up rolling dice, mostly the latter.  I suspected the third set would be the best for my purposes, and I wasn't wrong.  The Intelligent, yet incautious and downright foolish Magic-User that relies on brute force and ignorance when his spells won't carry the day, and depending on which spells are known (randomly determined), that might prove to be quite often.

Technically, B/X has a method to adjust ability Prime Requisite scores before play, at a rather specific 2-for-1 cost, so I could conceivably drop the Strength score to 12 to raise my Intelligence to 18, but why?  All I get out of the deal is knowing another language, as 17 already qualifies me for +10% on the Prime Requisite table. 

Over at Doomslakers! there is a lovely table of potential wizard names (amid many other lovely random tables) and I cannot pass up an excuse to use it.

Starting with a name might seem backwards, but Pristinio the Delicious just cries out for creation!

Cinder Seer, by Donato Giancola, WotC (Urza's Destiny)

Pristinio the Delicious, Medium, N Magic-User 1

S 14 +1 to hit, damage, open doors

I 17 literate, +2 languages

W 7 -1 on magic-based saves

D 9 none

C 15 +1 hit points per die

Ch 10 4 max retainers, retainer morale 7

Current XP 0     XP until next level: 2,501

HP 4

AC 10

Languages Known:  Common, Gnome, Orc

Spells Known: Sleep 

Equipment: staff, dagger, adventurer's kit, adventuring clothes (not a robe), pipe, tobacco

Personality/Habits: Hits the pipe regularly in the belief it makes him unpalatable to monsters (in reality it is making him taste smoked). When magic is gone or won't obviously work, will happily charge in swinging his staff and bellowing a battle-cry.  In a tavern, Pristinio leaves magic and staff alone, swinging with fists, instead.  After a brawl, is likely to buy drinks for everyone.  Despite his love of carousing and brawling, Pristinio does enjoy his quiet.

Goals: to not be eaten; to acquire more spells; to find a better tobacco; to become a tobacco farmer, with a plantation all his own.

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Spell acquisition in B/X RAW is rough: a first level character will only have one spell (a first level spell) in the spellbook.  Furthermore, either the DM or player gets to choose the starting spell, but from then on, it is player's choice as to which one spell they learn with each level.   Scrolls still require Read Magic to read, as well as a good light source.  This strongly implies that the spell gained at 2nd level should be Read Magic.

Presuming player choice of starting spell, there are only two of the twelve worth considering: Charm Person and Sleep.  It all depends on if the magic-user player wants servants or not, because Charm Person can last up to a month on creatures with Intelligence scores of 3-8.

B/X also uses race-as-class, something that I would love to see reworked (and am actually slowly working on) so that each nonhuman race is essentially a multiclass PC with extra abilities (this line of thinking stems from this post at Brain Leakage).  A fine example is the Elf as fighter/magic-user.  This is doubly useful because B/X doesn't allow multiclassing.  

Beyond bonus XP in the Prime Requisite, ability scores provide little in the way of bonus - unlike newer games, from AD&D through 5e.  Still, I am conditioned to prefer higher numbers, so here we are.

Most of the sets of abilities I rolled are serviceable characters, except maybe the first one, but even that 3 in Charisma can be mitigated by not letting that PC speak.  Ever.

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2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 19

Molly Hatchet.

A fun band, with a top song that defines the US (and most countries) political agenda.

Molly Hatchet is also a grand name for an AD&D fighter (or ranger) that uses a two-handed fighting style, with an axe in each hand.  Method I.

No idea of source; looks like something from the Vikings show.

Using the above picture as inspiration, I am thinking they are an Elf whose true name is unpronounceable by the ephemerals they run with, so the keep the sobriquet given them by the irreverent King Crimson when their party presented themselves at court for a well-earned reward.

Molly Hatchet, Swordswoman Elf Fighter 3

S 16 - +1 damage, +350 weight, open doors 1-3, bend bars/lift gates 10%

I 14 - 4 possible additional languages

W 13 - none

D 18 - +3 reaction/attacking adjustment, -4 defensive adjustment

C 13 - system shock survival 85%, resurrection survival 90%

Ch 11 - 4 maximum henchmen, normal loyalty, normal reaction adjustment

Current XP: 5,500              XP needed: 8,001

HP 24

AC 3

Languages Known: Common, Elf, Goblin, Sylvan

Equipment:  leathers, furs, matched axes, adventurer's kit, patronizing amusement at and faint disdain for the doings of humans and other ephemerals

Goals: explore and learn the secrets of the Worldspine Mountains, populated from here.  

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I rolled an 18/80 for Strength, but the Elf limit is 18/75 for male Elves (and 16 for female Elves), so there it is.  Female humans max out at 18/50, female half-elves at 17, and male half-elves at 18/90. Under normal circumstances, I would stay as a human (or more likely ignore the gender and racial maximums, while keeping the racial minimums), but I felt committed after writing the comments about the picture and background and have been trying to stay RAW.

2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 18

It occurs to me that I have a barely-read hardback on my games shelf that needs some spine-cracking.

Dungeon Crawl Classics, DCC for short, is a grand game.  

Or so I have read, as I have yet to play it.  It has elements that have ended up in my personal houserules for 5e (Mighty Deeds), and elements that I want to incorporate (the entire magic system).

In all honesty, I should just run DCC games once time allows me to run games.  It is simpler than houseruling everything.

Being on a wizardly kick of sorts, here is another wizard, DCC-style.

Magic-Users come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, as the cover to this DCC adventure proves.

DCC is 3d6 in order.  No fudging, no rearranging, none of the Methods for AD&D.  Should be entertaining, if nothing else.  As I want to roll up a wizard, I'll be rolling sets until the Intelligence score is ... reasonable.

8, 12, 12, 12, 10, 9

16, 13, 7, 10, 11, 7 might make an interesting, if short-lived, fighter.

10, 6, 10, 16, 14, 11 the 14 in Intelligence is what I wanted.  It turns out this makes for a decent Elf, which is basically a fighter/wizard, so I'll shift over to an Elf, instead.  For names, I found a nifty one-page wizard-naming sheet in the OSR RPG Facebook group, but I don't have permission to share it.

Vyntralun the Judge of Crows, Wanderer, Survivor of Funnels, Chaotic Elf 1

Strength 10 - no adjustment

Agility 6 - -1 adjustment

Stamina 10 - no adjustment

Personality 16 - +2 adjustment

Intelligence 14 - +1 adjustment, +1 spell

Luck 11 - none; Seventh Son - spell checks

Current XP:  15     XP to next level 50

HP 4

AC 8?

Languages Known: Common, Elven, Goblin

Class Abilities: Infravision; Immune to magical sleep and paralysis; heightened senses; luck; languages; action dice

Spells Known (3): Charm Person, Ekim's Mystical Mask, Spider Climb

Original Occupation: Elven Sage

Equipment: Dagger, Parchment and Quill Pen, Adventuring Gear, Longsword, Leather Armor

Goals: master magic before it masters them.  Find peace without death.

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2022 Character Creation Challenge - Day 17

Another AD&D magic-user, because I enjoy rolling them up.  In theory, someone is scouring the web, seeking AD&D magic-users for various purposes, and they find me.  How flattering!

Artist unknown (anyone), but found picture at Sandbox Sorcerer.

I'll continue using the naming convention from Day 16, but go with Method V, instead, if only because Method I was rather disappointing yesterday.  (Given that I write these ahead of time, the future past tense bits gets confusing, especially with wine).

Anyhow, I present a wealthy, arrogant snob of a magic-user, hiding his frailty behind a sneer and a variety of social contacts among the upper class in the city of NAME in the kingdom of NAME.

Arcane Savant, by Chris Rallis, WotC 2016

Benedryl the Clear-Headed, Enchanter LE Human Magic-User 7

S 14 - +200 weight, open doors 1-2, bend bars/lift gates 7%

I 16 - 5 possible additional languages, 65% chance to know spells, 7/11 min/max spells per level

W 14 - none

D 16 - +1 reaction/attacking adjustment, -2 defensive adjustment

C 7 - system shock survival 55%, resurrection survival 60%

Ch 15 - 7 henchmen max, +15% loyalty base, +15% reaction adjustment

Current XP:  71,000     XP required: 90,001

HP 14

AC 8

Languages Known: Common, Dragon, Elf, Infernal

Spells Known:

1st- Detect Magic, Magic Missile, Read Magic, Jump, Mending, Shield, Unseen Servant

2nd- Continual Light, ESP, Locate Object, Mirror Image, Wizard Lock

3rd- Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Fireball, Suggestion

4th- Fear, Remove Curse, Wizard Eye

Equipment: fancy clothes, Ring of Sanctuary, Brooch of Shielding, Walking Stick of Convenience, masterwork dagger, purse of coins, social-class based expectations, behaviors, and contacts.

Personality: In public, Benedryl is refined and polite, the model gentleman of his time and place.  In private, he is vicious and driven in pursuit of his goals and avenging himself against real (and imagined) slights.

History: A gifted child, Benedryl was forced into apprenticing to the magic-user Diphenhydramine, and soon outpaced his master.  While Benedryl put in his time delving dungeons and looting lost tombs and towers, much of his current wealth stems from casting spells for profit.  In addition, Benedryl's divinations and henchmen allow for minor blackmail and business advantages.  The wealth and social connections keep Benedryl in the luxury he is now accustomed to, notably wine, lotus powder, and cheese.  He is not above sending agents (or himself) to remove useful items or spells from adventurers.

Goals: Continue to rise in power until he holds a salaried position with the government or a wealthy merchant family; Benedryl can easily help the latter become the former.

-----

The DM was kind again.  The additional starting spell was on the Defensive list, with a roll of 10, so my choice.  Artwork is another example of fine art being wasted on a shitty Magic card, luckily, repurposing such art is child's play.

Among Benedryl's trusted henchmen are a half-elf Fighter/Thief (agent), a human Fighter (shieldwoman), and a human Magic-User (his apprentice).  They are quite loyal and willing to engage in ... shady endeavors for Benedryl.  PCs that have Benedryl as a patron are well-paid for their successful efforts, but are not given the opportunity to fail more than once.

Benedryl's spellbooks are so filled because he has turned his wealth and influence towards researching and recovering as many spells as possible in quest for power.  In addition, he knows how to recharge his Walking Stick, but as of yet lacks the spells required, forcing him to ask favors from Magic-Users more powerful than he, which Benedryl finds degrading.

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Walking Stick of Convenience - this simple item provides its wielder access to the spells Levitate (2), Knock (2), and Dimension Door (4).  Numbers in parentheses are charges per use.

Ring of Sanctuary - as the name suggests, the wearer is able to cast Sanctuary 3/day. In addition, the Ring provides its wearer a constant Protection from Evil and Protection from Normal Missiles 1/day. 

MtG Monday: Away Decks Redux

A few weeks back, I wrote about the decks I plan to leave in Ohio and why.

Since then, I have settled on commanders and determined decklists.  The decks themselves are currently in a state of sleeved, cards in the mail, or a decklist scribbled on paper. The final cards will be ordered in March, as a birthday present of sorts for me.

As for the Commanders chosen, I went with a favorite, a classic, and a brand new (for me) options.

First up is an old favorite, Heartless Hidetsugu.  I've written about this Commander before, and this deck uses that decklist as a start point, but subbing in far cheaper cards than some of the Commander gems in the decklist at the link.  The deck's strategy is burn, supported by Dragons and Goblins.  It was tough to NOT add Goblin Welder and his favorite toys, Ichor Wellspring and Mycosynth Wellspring, to the deck.  Maybe I will include some possible 'sideboard' cards to the deckbox, after all, Welder can muck about in any graveyard, not just my own.

Second is the classic Brago, King Eternal.  The deck's focus is on flying, not blinking, although some of that is going on, as well.  What blinking there is shouldn't be too gross, and without lots of mass-blinking support, like Eerie Interlude or Ghostway, triggers shouldn't get too out of hand.  On the whole, I have played against tuned, efficient Brago decks, so know what degenerate tricks to avoid.  

Third is Chevill, Bane of Monsters.  Yes, Ikoria is several years old at this point, but is still new to me.  The deck is mostly goodstuff, but only affordable goodstuff (most cards under $1, some between $3 and $8), so no Exsanguinate, Torment of Hailfire, or Ohran Frostfang.  Of the three decks, this one contains the most new cards (for me), notably Harness Infinity.

Looking at all three decklists as a whole, there are similarities.  Each deck is designed to be played with the Commander shuffled into the deck, as the Ohio group may use Commander decks, but only rarely actually play Commander.  In addition, there are no planeswalkers in the three decks, although each deck has some means to get rid of them.  Also in each deck are Monarch and other cards/mechanics aimed at multiplayer games.  Lastly, there are few mana rocks among the decks - not even Sol Rings!  The Ohio group never focuses all their ramp into one deck, so I can build decks that move at normal speed.  

That said, the BG deck has land-fetching sorceries (I avoided Sylvan Primordial, despite its low cost - just in case a true Commander game breaks out), the R deck has some burst mana, and the UW deck can fetch Plains.  All three decks feature lots of draw power, and frankly, the Ohio group uses the 'mill for land' houserule - in lieu of a draw, you can announce you're milling for land and reveal cards from the library top until you get a land.  The revealed cards aren't even technically milled, just maybe shuffled and certainly put on the bottom of the library.  

Yes, a serious group could abuse this houserule in several ways (by stacking the bottom of the deck or running an otherwise inadequate amount of lands), but that isn't an issue with the Ohio group.

Lastly, I am aware that Star City Games has higher prices, but on the whole, they have ALL the cards I want - if not now, then they will later. The Dragonshield Matte Sleeves all came from the local game store, Gamers n Geeks.

With luck, I'll get to playtest these decks before taking them back to Ohio next winter.