The Devourer
Hunger
is ever present. We need to consume to survive, to nourish our minds
and bodies. We kill
animals, sometimes brutally, to feed ourselves; a river of blood with
a bed of bones sustains civilization. But what if the target of our
hunger was something too terrible to countenance? Devourers are those
folk who have been saddled with such a terrible burden: every one of
their sorry lot is in some way anthropophagic, whether it be a hunger
for human flesh, blood, or carrion, they must in some way eat other
sapient beings to continue existing themselves. Any ethical standards
typically vanish in short order in the face of such odious appetites.
Often
called Ghouls, Vampires, or Wendigo, many have been cursed in some way, or infected with some repugnant
disease. Devourers find themselves at the absolute brink of any
society, civilized or savage. Most try to hide what they are, leading
double lives as seemingly average members of a community or tribe,
eating only when they absolutely must. Others hold no such pretenses,
becoming predators in the wilderness, feasting upon unwary travelers.
Their need for flesh alienates them to almost everyone, but their
frightening comestible requirements can often be ignored (at least
temporarily) by the desperate and the unscrupulous, taking advantage
of the Devourer's potent abilities while doing their utmost to forget
the terrible costs.
Level
|
Experience
|
HP
|
Paralyze
|
Poison
|
Breath
|
Device
|
Magic
|
Hunger
|
Consumptions
|
1
|
0
|
1d6
|
13
|
15
|
15
|
13
|
16
|
12
|
1
|
2
|
2,000
|
1d6
|
13
|
15
|
15
|
13
|
16
|
12
|
1
|
3
|
4,000
|
1d6
|
13
|
15
|
15
|
13
|
16
|
12
|
1
|
4
|
8,000
|
1d6
|
13
|
13
|
13
|
11
|
14
|
12
|
1
|
5
|
16,000
|
1d6
|
11
|
13
|
13
|
11
|
14
|
11
|
2
|
6
|
32,000
|
1d6
|
11
|
13
|
13
|
11
|
14
|
11
|
2
|
7
|
64,000
|
1d6
|
11
|
9
|
9
|
9
|
12
|
11
|
2
|
8
|
128,000
|
1d6
|
11
|
9
|
9
|
9
|
12
|
11
|
2
|
9
|
256,000
|
1d6
|
9
|
9
|
9
|
9
|
12
|
10
|
3
|
10
|
384,000
|
+2*
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
10
|
10
|
3
|
11
|
512,000
|
+2*
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
10
|
10
|
3
|
12
|
640,000
|
+2*
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
10
|
10
|
3
|
13
|
768,000
|
+2*
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
8
|
9
|
4
|
14
|
896,000
|
+2*
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
8
|
9
|
4
|
15+
|
+128,000/lvl
|
+2*
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
8
|
9
|
4
|
*Constitution
modifiers no longer apply
B/X & OSE Rules
Requirements
|
None
|
Prime Requisite
|
DEX
|
Hit Dice
|
d6
|
Thac0 Tables
|
As rogue
|
Maximum Level
|
14
|
Armor
|
Any, including shields
|
Weapons
|
Any
|
Languages
|
Alignment, Common
|
Devourers
can see in the dark as Dwarves or Elves. Though shackled with an
eternal hunger, Devourers do not age or have any other dietary needs.
They also increase their unarmed damage from a d2 to a d4,
representing the vicious claws or teeth that they need to consume
their victims.
The
ability which defines Devourers is known as Hunger and it takes the
form of two parts, the Hunger Gauge & Consumptions.
The Hunger Gauge has six levels: Starving, Ravenous, Hungry, Peckish, Sated and Gorged. Each of the different levels gives the Devourer a set of effects depending on which level they are currently on. Each day a Devourer must make a save against their own Hunger, if they fail they drop down an additional level, i.e. from Hungry to Ravenous. When the Devourer hits Starving and they fail their hunger save, they roll their HD against themselves as damage instead of dropping down a level, if they survive they must make another check the following day unless they've managed to feed. At character creation Devourers start at Sated and must select whether they feed on blood or flesh. Feeding upon flesh results in the death of the intelligent creature being fed upon, the wounds are simply too great to feasibly survive in most settings. Dead or rotted flesh provides sustenance at half the rate that fresh meat does. Being fed upon for one's blood results in a cumulative -2 Constitution penalty and a save vs Poison to not catch a virulent disease, this penalty persists until they have taken to bed for at least a week. The Referee may rule that certain creatures are large enough that they may provide more than one hunger level worth of sustenance or that others may prove insufficient.
The Hunger Gauge has six levels: Starving, Ravenous, Hungry, Peckish, Sated and Gorged. Each of the different levels gives the Devourer a set of effects depending on which level they are currently on. Each day a Devourer must make a save against their own Hunger, if they fail they drop down an additional level, i.e. from Hungry to Ravenous. When the Devourer hits Starving and they fail their hunger save, they roll their HD against themselves as damage instead of dropping down a level, if they survive they must make another check the following day unless they've managed to feed. At character creation Devourers start at Sated and must select whether they feed on blood or flesh. Feeding upon flesh results in the death of the intelligent creature being fed upon, the wounds are simply too great to feasibly survive in most settings. Dead or rotted flesh provides sustenance at half the rate that fresh meat does. Being fed upon for one's blood results in a cumulative -2 Constitution penalty and a save vs Poison to not catch a virulent disease, this penalty persists until they have taken to bed for at least a week. The Referee may rule that certain creatures are large enough that they may provide more than one hunger level worth of sustenance or that others may prove insufficient.
Hunger Level
|
Effect
|
Starving
|
+3 to Initiative, +3 to Damage rolls, -1 to Attack
rolls.
|
Ravenous
|
+2 to Initiative, +2 to Damage rolls.
|
Hungry
|
+1 to Initiative, + 1 to Attack rolls, +1 to Damage
rolls.
|
Peckish
|
+1 to Initiative, + 1 to Attack rolls, +1 to Damage
rolls.
|
Sated
|
+1 to Attack rolls, +1 to Reaction rolls
|
Gorged
|
+1 to Attack rolls, +2 to Reaction rolls
|
The
second part to the Devourer's abilities are known as Consumptions,
which are enhancements or abilities fueled by their Hunger Levels on
a one to one basis, no hunger save is made, they are simply spent.
Spending hunger levels does not require an action, but Devourers can
only spend them on their turn. They also cannot spend more hunger
than their Constitution modifier in a single turn, or use a
Consumption multiple times unless stipulated. Consumptions fade at
the end of combat, or after ten minutes if used outside of it.
Consumption of the...
|
Effect
|
Mighty
|
Augment your Strength a number of points equal to
1/3 of your level, minimum 1. This Consumption may be used
multiple times in a combat.
|
Agile
|
Enhance your Dexterity equal to 1/3 of your level,
minimum 1. This Consumption may be used multiple times in a
combat.
|
Resilient
|
Gain damage resistance equal to 1/3 of your level,
minimum 1.
|
Fleet
|
Add your level to your movement speed. Double your
jumping and leaping distances.
|
Everlasting
|
Regain 1d4+1 HP. This HP may take you over your
maximum, any excess fades at the end of combat. This Consumption
may be used multiple times in a combat.
|
Skinchanger
|
Transform into a carnivorous creature a number of
times per day equal to 1/3 of your HD, plus your Charisma
modifier, minimum 1.
|
Changeling
|
Take upon the visage of the last intelligent being
that you fed upon.
|
Necroscope
|
You may see and interact with ghosts, spirits and
other intangible beings.
|
Stalker
|
You may hear through doors and thin walls, and may
notice hidden doors as an Elf of your level.
|
Predator
|
Your unnerving gaze can hold others in place. A
number of times per day equal to 1/3 of your level, minimum 1, you
may force a creature to make a save vs Paralysis or be unable to
move until attacked or otherwise harmed.
|
This class feels very LotFP. I like that the effects of hunger level don't just go from weaker to stronger, but are different. It's a smart way to combine the game mechanic with an intended roleplay / narrative effect, and also means that the GM does not have to prepare the session around the needs of the devourer; they'll be competitive either way, it's just a matter of what advantages they'll have at any given moment.
ReplyDeleteThanks a ton for the compliment. My goal throughout development was to foster a feeling of the class being a devil's bargain. It should always be powerful enough to make you want to keep them around, but damaging enough make others constantly question whether they should.
DeleteI love this class! Finally, playing a vampire, with all the horror it entails, without this being OP.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! Can they use any weapon/armor?
ReplyDeleteYes they certainly can. They're only slightly less martially inclined than the fighter.
DeleteThis is an awesome sounding class. You really put some great thought into it and it appears really well balanced for play.
ReplyDeleteSuch a high compliment, thank you! I really wanted to try and capture gothic horror with my classes. I think this is one of the better ones in that regard.
Delete