Character Oddities
| Game Mastery | |
|---|---|
| Character Oddities | Player Survival Guide |
| Sewers | Treasure |
| Character Quirks | Honor |
| Jousting | Mystery |
| PC Glue | Piecemeal Armor |
| Plot Ideas | Random Encounters |
| Crime and Punishment | |
Arcane Fighters
Aside from pouches, robes, and components, sometimes an arcane spellcaster needs a little more in his arsenal for those times when spells alone are not enough. With the judicious use of skill allotment, a spellcaster can find himself not just a magical engine of destruction but a valued member of the party in almost any situation. For instance, a character who puts points in a combination of craft, knowledge, or profession will find that he is not reliant upon his spell selection or other party members to earn gold. By putting skill points in these areas, he can create a completely alternate persona to use when traveling or during times when the revelation of his true identity would be a detriment.
Feat selection is by far more important than most players grant to arcane casters. Although arcane spell failure for armor is often prohibitive, with careful selection and manufacture an arcane caster can find that certain types of armor become beneficial enough to spend a precious feat slot on gaining the appropriate armor proficiency. Weapon selections for arcane casters are somewhat limited but still useful enough for simple protection, however spending a feat to gain proficiency in a high damage weapon is well worth the investment. Consider the spellcaster who spends a feat to pick up proficiency in a Greatsword or a Longbow. They become just as useful as non-spellcasters in combat situations. That is a very useful ability when one begins to run low on spells or is thrown against a magic resistant foe.
Sangel
A wandering sorcerer masquerading as a warrior for hire is a prime example of an arcane spellcaster who has abilities and skills not typical for the spell slinging archetype.
Priestly Rogues
Rogues are the consummate masters of deception and deceit. Most players choose to focus on the skills and abilities of the rogue to become a stereotype. Rogues often find themselves at odds with local authorities and can even become a challenge for Game Masters to find ways to make sure the party can function in civilization with a wanted Rogue. Even Rogues who choose not to practice their talents in towns and cities where the party resides still accumulate enemies that often will come looking for retribution. Worst still are those enemies who oppose the Rogue on moral or ethical grounds and simply push to bring them to justice or kill them outright. These problems can drive entire campaigns as the Rogue and her companions try to cope with the consequences of someone who lives their life in the open.
Clever Rogues will travel with some type of cover or alternate persona. Rogues can often easily take a level as a Cleric or Priest of a sympathetic deity and disguise themselves as wandering spokesmen of the gods. This can solve a lot of issues for the Rogue, allowing them to freely operate in towns and cities while secretly plying their real trade. Furthermore, they can seek aid and succor inside the temples of friendly deities during their travel. This will often be a boon to the adventuring party as temples will often provide their services at a reduced cost to friends of the faith.
Even Rogues who do not have a level in a divine class can pretend to be a Cleric or Priest. This can be difficult to accomplish and runs the risk of angering the church they choose to represent. Should someone choose to pretend to be a divine messenger, they should at least be a follower of the deity they wish to represent. Many deities will ignore the faithful pretending to be a member of the clergy as long as they follow the tennents of the faith. Lawful deities seldom accept this without punishing the transgressor. No matter how the deity feels, the official temples and clergy will know an imposter and treat them harshly when encountered. For this reason, some intrepid Rogues even go so far as to invent deities to worship in their travels.
Prerifax
A simple rogue who was a devotee of Vusha began hiding himself while traveling as a wandering Cleric. It wasn't long however before his proselytizing took root and he began to channel the power of his deity.
