Elves are classically pretty bishonen and self-serious, but the fact that in OSR games they fight as well as a Fighter while magic-using as well as a magic-user makes them the perfect OC-do-not-steal anime protagonist character option. This is good. Only the small-souled will object to it. As I have long maintained, race-as-class options are a positive.
The swordfighter-that-can-cast-spells (aka "gish") is so conceptually perfect, so immediately appealing to the eternal 12-year-old that lives in your brain, that many shy away from it. "Too excessive," they say. "Too indulgent."
And then you get contemporary D&D, where there are a dozen different ways to almost make Elric. You can be an eldritch knight or a paladin or a kensai monk or a sword bard or a hexblade or a bladesinger or a pact of the blade or Blade from Blade (ranger with dhampir lineage) with the cantrip Booming Blade—but you can't be all of them. The ever-narrowing specificity of each option fragments the underlying concept. Compromises have to be made. The best you can get, even with ludicrous Reddit-guide multiclassing, is a sliver of what you wanted.
Enough, I say. Honor that 12-year-old. You are not above them, because you and they are the same. Open yourself to the majesty of the sword-mage and be free.
 |
| The glowing sword. The parried fireballs. The drama. These are elves, to me. |
Fighters get Might Dice because the are the superior combatants. Elves get Spellblade Dice (SD), which they use to channel specialized spells through their swords. These they call "splendors."
Preparing a SD fills a spell slot of any level. Up to four SD can be prepared a day.
Example: A level 5 elf has two 1st level spell slots, two 2nd level, and one 3rd. They can choose to prepare 4 SD for the day, meaning they may only prepare one 3rd level spell for the day. If they choose to only prepare 2 SD, they have two 2nd level and one 3rd level spells they can prepare.
SD are rolled to cast any splendor an elf has mastered. Certain magic swords can channel a splendor even if an elf hasn't mastered it. Splendors don't require concentration but other spells can't be cast while one is active.
SD work like GLOG Magic Dice—roll 1d6, on a 1-3 the SD returns to your SD pool, on a 4-6 it is exhausted. Rolling triples means your sword breaks at the end of the spell, unless it is magical.
Mastering splendors increases in difficulty as an elf progresses their training. Learning your first splendor requires a cost, training time, and PC level requirement equivalent to researching a 1st level spell; a second splendor requires the cost, time, and level requirement of a 2nd level spell, and so on. New splendors can also be learned from wizened elf sword masters and magic crystals.
Elves of 8th level and above can channel splendors into any melee weapon. At 10th level all things are one to an elf, and so they are capable of channeling splendors into ranged weapons, mundane objects, and even their bare fists. Other elves are awe-stricken when they witness this for the first time.
Splendors
Fire Whip
Your blade becomes a ribbon of lashing flame for 2+[dice] rounds. Add [highest] to your attack and damage rolls and your range increases to 20'. On a hit, you can choose to constrict the target; they save vs. paralysis or are immobilized and suffer automatic damage until the whip is removed or they free themselves with a successful save on a subsequent round.
Grasscutter
Release an air-blade whirlwind that travels 60’ per round in a line or arc. Creatures in its path save vs. spells or take 1d8+[dice] damage, half on a success. If 4 SD are invested, the whirlwind severs a random limb off targets who lose their save by 5 or more. The whirlwind can double-back like a boomerang once per round but otherwise cannot pivot more than 90 degrees in a round. It persists for 1+[dice] rounds.
Smoke Needle
Your blade dissipates in a cloud of dense smoke, from which a stream darts forth to strike a foe. up to 60' away. Make an attack against the target, adding [dice] to your attack and damage rolls. You disappear in the smoke cloud and reappear anywhere within an unobstructed 60' at the start of your next round.
Path of Thorns
Black thorny vines coil around the hilt and blade of your sword, adding [dice] to your attack and damage rolls until you deal damage. The next time you strike a creature this combat they save vs. spells or have a thorn implanted in their heart. If the blow were to slay the foe, you can choose to forego damage and instead implant the thorn without a save. At will, you can remove the thorn from the victim’s heart and deal [sum] damage, or twist it to cause excruciating pain. Creatures with a thorn in their heart will believe everything you say, but those with higher HD than you will ignore obvious or overtly harmful falsehoods. The thorn lasts until it’s dispelled or you die. Only one creature can be implanted at a time.
Angel Claws
Talons of lightning arc from your blade. Creatures in a 30’ cone save vs. spells or take [sum] damage, half on a success if 2+ SD are invested. Ghouls take an extra dice of damage. Creatures who fail their save may have their armor sundered or be dragged 10’ in any direction. The claws are strong enough to rend castle walls and fell mighty trees.
Mirror of the Moon
Hoarfrost gathers along the blade of your sword and encases it in mirror-sheened ice. The sword gets +1 to attack and damage and harms creatures vulnerable to cold. Foes who see their reflection in the ice (when they avoid your attack or target you with theirs) save vs. spells or suffer a vision of getting impaled by your sword, taking damage as if landed a hit. The damage counts against the creature's hp total but fades after 10 minutes given its illusory nature. Reducing a creature to 0 hp this way instead causes them to pass out for 10 minutes. Creatures that succeed on the save are no longer effected. The effect lasts for [dice]+[highest] rounds, or if the ice is melted by magic flame or dragon fire.
No comments:
Post a Comment