Hello, new DM here running a game of Call of the Netherdeep. We are a few sessions in and just left Jigow, the first town. Based on some character backstories I was wanting to reward characters at different points some boons/abilities that make sense for their story, was seeing what you all think, just wanting to make sure it wouldn’t harm the game or be too powerful. they are a party of 4 (campaign is written for 5), so first off I did give them a sidekick (expert class) to give them a little more power. The rest of the party, a moon cleric and juggernaut barbarian (both from the Taldorei Reborn book), a fey wanderer ranger and a chronurgy wizard. Here are the background character ideas I have as rewards I need your take on:
- moon cleric: she has two personas, based on the two moons Catha and Ruidus, I thought of giving her a blessing of the moons in a vision, where she can add either bless or bane to her moon cleric Domain spell list (doesn’t count against spells prepared) depending on which persona she is taking on. Also she would be able to use those spells using the 6th level mind of two moons ability, where the cleric can concentrate on two spells simultaneously as long as both spells are part of the domain spell list.
-juggernaut barbarian: his name is boar bait, he’s a goblin. He single handedly slayed a giant boar and was heralded by his tribe. He’s going to meet some “fans” that actually still have some boar jerky from his infamous kill, when he partakes in eating of the jerky, he gains one of the following abilities from the boar called “the Spirit of the Boar” choose one: Charge. If the boar moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3 (1d6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Or Relentless (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If the character takes 7 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.
-Wizard: he’s concecrated through the Luxon (has lived several lives) so with all the memories his mind is fractured. I’ve had him make some sanity checks on certain situations, but I will have him find a Luxon beacon soon(dodecahedron item from Critical Role), that will have the ability of giving the character one d20 reroll per day, but also with studying the Luxon he is able to find the fractured point in time for him that could heal his mind.
-ranger: he has a fey fairy wife. So I was thinking at one point, he may wake up with a note at the foot of his bed, with a neatly wrapped gift, thinking possibly of a +1 weapon that can bonus action cast misty step, that feels fey like.
Anyway that’s my way to try to bring their backstory to the game, opinions? Again just making sure I’m not doing anything that could be too powerful and is balanced for all characters
Thinking of these as boons as akin to Magic Items, which are the kind of things you can throw around willy-nilly in a campaign and most people won't bat an eye, I think these seem fairly balanced. You are, in essence, providing players with the equivalent of magic items that just don't require attunement. I don't think any of these feel like they would break the game... maybe the barbarian charge ability, since it both adds damage and a shove feature, but I think the limitation that they need to move a certain distance in a straight line balances it out... they can't just repeatedly hammer on a single enemy with that feature over and over again without taking opportunity attacks, although the fact that it takes half their total movement as a barbarian is fun for those moments where enemies might be perfectly spaced apart for them to be able to pull this off on two targets in a single round.
Thanks for your input. Yeah the barbarian one was the feature I was questioning most, but like you said it won’t happen every round since he must move at least 20 feat to take advantage of the ability. I think he would probably lean more toward the relentless effect instead of the charge, I’m only going to let him pick one and he’s been leaning more defensive. Thanks again
Mythic Odyssseys of Theros has the piety system that gives players special abilities as a reward for their service to the gods. Of course not every system has such active gods as Theros, but with a little adjustment, the system could be used as a reputation/honor system that rewards service to an organisation like the Harpers, the Esoteric Order of Aureon or Knights of Solamnia.
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+ Instaboot to murderhobos + I don't watch Critical Role, and no, I really shouldn't either +
I think there are a two things you might be trying to address here, mechanics and thematics. Mechanically if you give a player a magic item/boon/special ability what behavior are you expecting the player to exhibit based on that? For instance, if you give your moon cleric the ability to concentrate on two domain spells at once you can reasonably expect them to cast a lot of concentration domain spells. Check over that list and make sure that having two of them active at the same time doesn't obviously create a problem. Another way of doing what BigLizard suggested is to have exhalted weapons that improve with the character. This lets you meter in power to the party as needed. Thematically, it seems the reason you're thinking about giving out boons is to engage with the characters backstory. I like that idea a lot, but a way to engage them even more deeply is to incorporate their backstories into the main adventure or side quests. Perhaps the rangers wife has been kidnapped by a hag, or maybe one of the bigger bads is a past life version of the wizard.
-Happy Gamming
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Hello, new DM here running a game of Call of the Netherdeep. We are a few sessions in and just left Jigow, the first town. Based on some character backstories I was wanting to reward characters at different points some boons/abilities that make sense for their story, was seeing what you all think, just wanting to make sure it wouldn’t harm the game or be too powerful. they are a party of 4 (campaign is written for 5), so first off I did give them a sidekick (expert class) to give them a little more power. The rest of the party, a moon cleric and juggernaut barbarian (both from the Taldorei Reborn book), a fey wanderer ranger and a chronurgy wizard. Here are the background character ideas I have as rewards I need your take on:
- moon cleric: she has two personas, based on the two moons Catha and Ruidus, I thought of giving her a blessing of the moons in a vision, where she can add either bless or bane to her moon cleric Domain spell list (doesn’t count against spells prepared) depending on which persona she is taking on. Also she would be able to use those spells using the 6th level mind of two moons ability, where the cleric can concentrate on two spells simultaneously as long as both spells are part of the domain spell list.
-juggernaut barbarian: his name is boar bait, he’s a goblin. He single handedly slayed a giant boar and was heralded by his tribe. He’s going to meet some “fans” that actually still have some boar jerky from his infamous kill, when he partakes in eating of the jerky, he gains one of the following abilities from the boar called “the Spirit of the Boar” choose one: Charge. If the boar moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3 (1d6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Or Relentless (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If the character takes 7 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.
-Wizard: he’s concecrated through the Luxon (has lived several lives) so with all the memories his mind is fractured. I’ve had him make some sanity checks on certain situations, but I will have him find a Luxon beacon soon(dodecahedron item from Critical Role), that will have the ability of giving the character one d20 reroll per day, but also with studying the Luxon he is able to find the fractured point in time for him that could heal his mind.
-ranger: he has a fey fairy wife. So I was thinking at one point, he may wake up with a note at the foot of his bed, with a neatly wrapped gift, thinking possibly of a +1 weapon that can bonus action cast misty step, that feels fey like.
Anyway that’s my way to try to bring their backstory to the game, opinions? Again just making sure I’m not doing anything that could be too powerful and is balanced for all characters
Thinking of these as boons as akin to Magic Items, which are the kind of things you can throw around willy-nilly in a campaign and most people won't bat an eye, I think these seem fairly balanced. You are, in essence, providing players with the equivalent of magic items that just don't require attunement. I don't think any of these feel like they would break the game... maybe the barbarian charge ability, since it both adds damage and a shove feature, but I think the limitation that they need to move a certain distance in a straight line balances it out... they can't just repeatedly hammer on a single enemy with that feature over and over again without taking opportunity attacks, although the fact that it takes half their total movement as a barbarian is fun for those moments where enemies might be perfectly spaced apart for them to be able to pull this off on two targets in a single round.
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Thanks for your input. Yeah the barbarian one was the feature I was questioning most, but like you said it won’t happen every round since he must move at least 20 feat to take advantage of the ability. I think he would probably lean more toward the relentless effect instead of the charge, I’m only going to let him pick one and he’s been leaning more defensive. Thanks again
Mythic Odyssseys of Theros has the piety system that gives players special abilities as a reward for their service to the gods. Of course not every system has such active gods as Theros, but with a little adjustment, the system could be used as a reputation/honor system that rewards service to an organisation like the Harpers, the Esoteric Order of Aureon or Knights of Solamnia.
+ Instaboot to murderhobos + I don't watch Critical Role, and no, I really shouldn't either +
I think there are a two things you might be trying to address here, mechanics and thematics. Mechanically if you give a player a magic item/boon/special ability what behavior are you expecting the player to exhibit based on that? For instance, if you give your moon cleric the ability to concentrate on two domain spells at once you can reasonably expect them to cast a lot of concentration domain spells. Check over that list and make sure that having two of them active at the same time doesn't obviously create a problem. Another way of doing what BigLizard suggested is to have exhalted weapons that improve with the character. This lets you meter in power to the party as needed. Thematically, it seems the reason you're thinking about giving out boons is to engage with the characters backstory. I like that idea a lot, but a way to engage them even more deeply is to incorporate their backstories into the main adventure or side quests. Perhaps the rangers wife has been kidnapped by a hag, or maybe one of the bigger bads is a past life version of the wizard.
-Happy Gamming