The Occultist - LotFP Custom Class

The Occultist

         Before magic had been fully codified, before it was the purview of learned folk in secluded towers or sin-blackened hermitages, it was the realm of those who were willing to to truly sacrifice for power. They gathered underneath standing stones to renew them with fresh blood, huddled in caves to murmur in languages which were old when the world was new, or whispered curses among the bones of the dead. They were the first spellcasters to arise. They were mighty, but their supremacy eroded as newer ways were developed, methods easier to transmit than their own. Defeated, they bound themselves into secretive cults and sects, hiding away from the world in isolated or hidden enclaves, keeping to the ancient ways. Authorities frown on any one having access to abilities outside of their ken, and they exterminate these so called Occultists wherever they are found, but their crackdowns do little to deter the heirs to a legacy older than literacy or civilization.

          Their magic does not come from books, or some distant deity, but through the ghosts of their ancestors, spirits of the land and beings old enough that they have no need for names. They do not intone spells in the crass and low way of magicians, their magic is not fleeting, transitory thing, running from their minds after leaving their lips. The Occultist acts as a window into the world for these beings, and in return they give them the means to hex their enemies and bewitch those who would oppose them. Adventuring parties rarely care about such particulars. All that matters to most of them is that the Occultist knows magic.

Level	Experience	HP	Paralyze	Poison	Breath	Device	Magic	Wyrd Pool	Glamour Limit
1	0	1d8	14	11	16	12	15	3	1
2	2,250	1d6	14	11	16	12	15	5	1
3	4,500	1d6	14	11	16	12	15	8	2
4	9,000	1d6	12	9	14	10	12	12	2
5	18,000	1d6	12	9	14	10	12	17	2
6	36,000	1d6	12	9	14	10	12	23	3
7	72,000	1d6	10	7	12	8	9	30	3
8	144,000	1d6	10	7	12	8	9	38	3
9	288,000	1d6	10	7	12	8	9	47	4
10	432,000	+1*	8	3	8	4	6	57	4
11	576,000	+1*	8	3	8	4	6	68	5
12	720,000	+1*	8	3	8	4	6	80	5
13	864,000	+1*	6	2	4	4	5	93	6
14	1,008,000	+1*	6	2	4	4	5	107	6
15+	+144,000/lvl	+1*	6	2	4	5	4	122	6

*Constitution modifiers no longer apply

B/X & OSE Rules

Requirements	Minimum 12 WIS
Prime Requisite	WIS
Hit Dice	d6
Thac0 Table	As Cleric
Maximum Level	14
Armor	Leather, no shields
Weapons	Dagger
Languages	Alignment, Common

         
          Occultists are not spellcasters in the same way that Clerics or Magic-Users are, they do not memorize spells, nor do they have spell slots. Instead these folk have seized power by calling upon their connections to strange beings that their forebears made pacts with centuries ago. The pacts lay dormant until the Occultist charges them by engaging in behaviors pleasing to these beings. In return for performing these behaviors, they are granted points known as Wyrd to pay for abilities known as Glamour. Unlike spells Glamour are not bound by how many times they can be performed in a day, but instead by the number of Wyrd which the Occultist has accrued through their pact, the upper limit of which is modified by their level, as detailed in their class table above. Wyrd does not fade until spent, any points in excess to that limit are lost. Casting a Glamour takes an action, just like a spell would for a Cleric of Magic-User. There is no limit to the amount of Wyrd or number of Glamours an Occultist may use in a day beyond what remains in their pool.

          The table below suggests possible actions to gain Wyrd points, but these should be taken as suggestions or examples, rather than the only possible sources of it. Unless otherwise stated, Wyrd can only be gained once from a given source (a particular ritual, sacrifice or action) within a 24-hour period.

Wyrd Gained	Action
1	Honor your ancestors or pact spirit when you awaken. Offer up a small amount of food or alcohol to the spirits, equivalent to a day's rations.
2	Sacrifice a small animal, such as a chicken, or a goat in a ceremony lasting at least a few minutes. Perform a ten minute long ceremony at a ritual site, such as a standing stone, sacred grove or necropolis.
3	Ritually desecrate the remains of an enemy in a ritual lasting at least an hour. Return the bones of an ally to grounds sacred to you or them. Give up your blood to your ancestors or pact spirit, dealing 1d6 damage to yourself in the process.
4	Perform a three hour long ceremony at a ritual site with at least three assistants. Sacrifice a large animal, such as a bull or horse in a ceremony lasting at least an hour.
5	Commemorate a successful hunt or battle with a ritual lasting at least half an hour. Destroy a temple, church or another site holy to those who hail from civilized lands. Burn a spellbook.
6	Sacrifice an intelligent creature in a ceremony which lasts at least an hour. Imbibe some sort of hallucinogen or heavy intoxicant and go on a vision quest lasting at least 72.
7	Erect a new standing stone or plant the basis of a sacred grove; this may only take a few hours, but the research on where it must be placed can take months of observation. Remove and then burn a part of your own body; the body part must be something irreplaceable such as a digit or an eye.

         
           Wyrd can be used to power various effects known as Glamour. These are somewhat more varied than spells in that they are not memorized beforehand, and that they have different tiers within them, allowing the Occultist to choose which version of the effect they'd like to use. Only the chosen tier within a Glamour takes effect when it is cast. An Occultist has no need to memorize their Glamours, they have access to all of them at all times. Glamours require no material components, but they do require that the caster be able to speak and make gestures with their hands.

Glamour Name	Wyrd Cost	Glamour Effect
The Evil Eye	1+	The caster focuses on the target(s) of their ire and hexes them with terrible luck. The target must save vs Magic, upon failure, for a number of rounds equal to 1/4 of the Occultist's character level (minimum 1), the target suffers disadvantage on all Attacks, Saves & Skill checks. Additional targets may be chosen by spending an additional Wyrd per target in addition to the first.
Beckon the Beast	1 or 2	The Occultist infuses their speech with Wyrd, giving them the ability to speak to beasts. For 1 point of Wyrd the caster may simply speak to animals for a number of minutes equal to twice their character level. For 2 points the Occultist instead is able to command beasts to do their bidding, though magical or tamed creatures get a save beforehand. The control breaks if the animal is injured.
Cloud the Mind	1, 2 or 3	One of the most basic manifestation of Glamour are illusions. For 1 Wyrd the Occultist may use this Glamour to craft a simple illusion which affects a single sense and persists for an hour. Spending 2 points of Wyrd gives the caster the ability to project complex illusions, involving multiple senses, they persist for a number of hours equal to the Occultist's character level. 3 points allows the caster to vanish from sight as per the Invisibility spell as a caster of their own level.
Freeze the Prey	1 or 3	Locking eyes with their foe, the Occultist robs them of their ability to move. For 1 point this affects both the caster and target, the caster is only affected if the target fails their save. Spending 3 points of Wyrd allows this Glamour to paralyze the intended target with no risk to the caster. This Glamour is broken if any damage is dealt to the target, and they are allowed a save on each of their turns to end the effect.
Spirit Whispers	1, 2 or 5	Infusing their senses with Wyrd allows the Occultist to consult the spirits in the area, bidding them to answer their questions. For 1 point of Wyrd the Occultist may ask about the true nature of an object, such as a potion, scroll or other magic item. Increasing the cost the 2 points allows a glimpse of the future as per the Augury spell. 5 Points grants the Occultist the ability to see distant locales as per Clairvoyance.
Discern the Truth	2 or 3	Lies whether they be verbal or magical, fall a part in the presence of Occultists who employ this Glamour. At 2 points the Glamour allows the caster to see through illusions or invisibility 5 rounds plus their CL. 3 points allows the Occulstist to detect when others are lying to them for a number of rounds equal to 5 plus their character level.
Banish the Unnatural	2 or 5	Wyrd is a product of the natural world, and beings which do not hail from it abhor it's touch. By spending 2 points of Wyrd and threading it into their words, they may attempt to Turn Undead as a Cleric of their equivalent level. Spending 5 points of Wyrd and suffusing it into the environment around them, they may forbid Undead and Outsiders from entering the area for a number of hours equal to 2 plus their level.
Shatter the Hex	3 or 5	The Wyrd despises anything that is not of nature, including the enchantments of others. For 3 points this Glamour functions as Dispel Magic, but it affects both Cleric and Magic-User spells. For 6 points the Glamour functions as per Spell Turning with a caster level equal to the Occultist's.
Commune with Nature	3 or 5	Syncing themselves up with the environment around them, the Occultist can use Glamour to ask questions of the world itself. For 3 Wyrd the the caster may speak with plants for a number of rounds equal to their level. For 5 points the caster may learn the nature of a structure of their choice, provided that it is in contact with ground. This would include the number of rooms, inhabitants and any entrances or exits.
Twist the Shape	4 or 6	Glamour isn't merely illusion, the changes it can wreak can also be quiet real. By binding their power into the bodies of themselves or others, the Occultist may change their shape. By spending 4 points the character may mimic the effects of Polymorph Self or Polymorph Others (provided the target is willing). For 6 points the Glamour functions as Polymorph Any Object.
Take Flight	3	Anointing a length of wood and then charging it with Wyrd, the Occultist may then use it to sail across the skies. Using 3 points of Wyrd, the caster may fly at a speed of 120' in a round. The Glamour lasts for a numbers of rounds equal to 1d3 plus the caster's level.
Bridge the Dead	3 or 5	Through the power and influence of their familiar spirits, the Occultist gains power over the dead. For 3 points the Occultist may converse with a humanoid corpse; they are allowed 3 questions which the corpse must answer, but they may lie if they wish. The corpse must have an interact head and jaw for this Glamour to function. 5 points allows the caster to raise relatively intact corpses as undead under their control. The undead are equivalent to 2 HD Skeletons or Zombies (depending on the age of the corpses). Raised corpses are loyal to the caster and can follow simple, one sentence commands. The undead last until dispelled, or until the next sunrise. The caster may raise a number of Undead in a single use of this Glamour equal to half their CL, and may control that same number of Undead.
Jinx	4	Twisting the skeins of fate with their Glamour, the Occultists dooms their enemy to an awful fate. Intoning a perpetual curse against them, their target must save. On a success, nothing happens. On a failure the target is cursed, which can have a number of effects, but some examples include: -6 to a single ability score. -4 to all Attack, Skill and Save attempts. A 50% chance that the target simply takes no action during combat. The curse is permanent until dispelled by the caster, the caster dies, or the target has an effect such as Dispel Magic cast on them.
Bind the Fool	6	The Wyrd is as much a force of fate as it is a magical one. With the most powerful of utterances, the Occultist binds another to a task of their choice. The task may be a length of service, or an immediate action, but it cannot require the target to deliberately harm themselves in the process. The target is allowed a save, after which they are subject to whatever whims that the caster may have, the refusal of which results in a Jinx (with no save) of the caster's choice taking effect on them. This Glamour lasts for a year and a day, or a Dispel Magic or other similar effect is cast on the victim.

Less grit, through more grit, through less grit.

     So this is a little late, considering that this is the fourth overall entry in my series of house rules for Lamentations, but I should finally get around to writing a mission statement of sorts for the project. I love B/X and it's derivatives,in particular Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and part of the point of presenting these house-rules is to distance myself from the base edition of the game. I've pushed the system on to my sometimes unwilling players again and again, even as I continue to run 5th Edition as the main system for my weekly game. Though certainly not an uncommon experience for those of us in the OSR blogosphere, but i'm a late comer, being that i'm part of the third wave (DIY & Dragons does a great job of explaining it here) and have something of a different perspective on OSR. I feel that it would be helpful to share some of the structural changes I have made over the last few years to my personal B/X games, in the hope that I can both refine them and promote them to others.

          In this post I want to talk about Hit Points. There's always been a bit of back and forth as to what they actually represent: Are they emblematic of the heroic effort that higher level characters have access to? Are they literal representations of damage being done to the character's body? Are they abstractions, merely to show the back and forth of a fight until a fatal mistake is made? This ambiguity is one of the intriguing areas which has largely been unfilled by mechanics or extrapolation beyond a few attempts, most notably in WoTC's version of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, as well as Cavegirl's Wolf-packs and Winter Snow

          This idea was borne out of the experience of running a number of hexcrawl styled games in Lamentations. I noticed that while the players did most everything they could to avoid combat, it quickly caused a cascade effect when they actually did engage in it. Even if they happened to survive, they were forced to in essence spend a few days (and subsequent encounter checks) recuperating before moving onward. Obviously this can appeal to many people, after all fights are puzzles, and shouldn't be trifled with, but on the other hand I don't think that the PCs should necessarily have to be punished with additional fights should they stop to replenish their resources after one. So instead of simply accepting this problem as it is or removing random encounters, I thought the best solution was simply to accelerate the rate at which hit points are restored. This of course presents another problem, if HP is restored too fast (as in the cast of 4th & 5th Edition D&D) then the risk associated with combat is blunted and player behavior becomes reckless instead of calculated.

          My solution is to split HP into two pools, each representing the differing interpretations of what hit points are:

          The first pool known as Moxie represents heroic effort and regenerates relatively quickly, the second pool is known as Trauma, and is meant to represent physical damage dealt to the PC. These pools are derived from the PC's Hit Die and Constitution score respectively. Moxie is equivalent to the PC's Hit Die, therefore a Fighter's Moxie per level is 1d8. Constitution is not added. Moxie restores at a rate of 1 HD per hour of rest, a full night's rest would allow a PC to regenerate up to 8 HD worth of Moxie. PC's always take damage to their Moxie first, Trauma is only dealt after Moxie is fully expended. Trauma is derived from the PC's Constitution Bonus at a 1:1 ratio, a PC with a +2 to Constitution would therefore gain 2 Trauma per level. PCs always gain at least 1 Trauma per level, even if they have a negative Constitution modifier. A PC reduced to 0 Trauma is dead. Trauma cannot be restored by any other means than natural healing, which may only be done in a completely safe environment such as a settlement. Trauma is restored at the same rate as natural healing as detailed in B/X or LotFP.

          Throughout my development I have waffled on including an injury table in some way, shape or form. The idea was that it would be triggered upon taking Trauma, causing you to take additional penalties. While I may revisit the idea in a later article, ultimately I decided against including it in this one because I wanted to test the first change fully before adding another variable, and because I feared it would be too punishing.

Beasts, Hungry for Blood & Coin

           From steely-eyed killers seizing their destinies at the end of a blade, to desperate folk looking for coin to feed their hungry families, there have always been those who are willing to fight not for the defense of their homes or homelands, but for their own financial gain. They range far and wide, looking to throw themselves into situations which sensible folk have to be tricked into using honeyed lies like honor or glory. Their skills and methods are as varied as their motives, but their desire for payment unites them all.

          The eighth in my series on how to roll up the various aspects of a settlement primarily through tables, this post covers warriors for hire, whatever form that may take. As always, I've done my best to largely divorce the tables from specific setting elements outside of a generalized fantasy setting. To use this generator, simply roll 4d8 and consult the results.

d8	What kind of warriors are these?
1	Light Infantry, trained to do battle loose-order and to fight as raiders, scouts and skirmishers. They are equipped with a mix of ranged and melee weapons.
2	Heavy Infantry, troops meant to fight in pitched battle and in line, these folk are equipped with the heaviest weapons and armor that they can afford.
3	Light Cavalry possessed of fleets mounts and raged weapons. These troops are talented marauders and scouts and will eagerly run down any retreating enemies.
4	Heavy Cavalry, meant to shatter the enemy with brutal charges. These mounted warriors are heavily armed and armored, with mounts large and powerful enough to carry them.
5	A siege train, which includes transports, specialists and ammunition. These could take the form of cannon, rams, sappers or even stranger things.
6	Ranged troops, whether they are equipped with bows, crossbows or firearms, these soldiers will do their best to stay far away from the enemy and pepper them with missiles.
7	Privateers, using whatever kind of vessel is appropriate for the setting. Most commonly this means a sea-going ship, but this could also mean a river vessel or even something more exotic like an airship.
8	A mixed force, roll twice on this table (ignoring this result if it comes up again) to determine what kind of soldiers make up this varied unit.

d8	How numerous are they?
1	A small handful, perhaps just a dozen
2	Several squads, comprising a couple of units and several dozen troops.
3	A company, including several officers, which number a little over a hundred in total.
4-5	A cohort, hundreds of battle-ready soldiers and their attendant camp followers.
6-7	A brigade or legion, several thousand soldiers, along with their support staff, commanders and wagon train.
8	A veritable army, comprising ~20-30,000 soldiers, along with command staff and various support troops.

d8	Who leads them?
1	A noble, fallen from glory and perhaps even exiled from the land of their birth. Their leader is likely skilled at both battle and diplomacy, but they are consumed by bitterness from their state and will likely do nearly anything to rectify it.
2	These troops mutinied against their officers, and are commanded by the former ringleaders. the ringleaders have grouped themselves into a council, and will vote on important decisions. Discipline and uniformity is likely lax.
3	A soldier's soldier, someone who has fought their way through countless campaigns and has risen to a position of command. They are likely skilled in the arts of war and death, but lack tact.
4	A member of the nobility in good standing. Their troops are likely drawn from lands the noble's family controls. The Noble isn't likely a mere adventurer, they are looking to advantage their family or themselves.
5	These are mercenaries in name only, they are barely better than bandits in behavior and their leader is no exception. Likely a vicious killer themselves, the commander of this band keeps control through violence and bribery.
6	Founded as a money-making endeavor, the commander of this group is more akin to a merchant than a warrior. The leader is likely skilled at negotiating contracts and sniffing out profitable battles.
7	Led by a devout worshipper of a deity, the troops have been enticed or forced into the worship of their commander's god. Whether or not their devotion is true, their leader's is, and they will use the miracles granted by their deity to help them in battle.
8	A spellcaster, known for their strange and often baffling ways, leads this group by dint of their abilities. They will aid their folk with spells and mystical knowledge.

d8	How skilled are they? Are they loyal?
1	Rabble, hardly a cut above levies. They are cowards, who will run if the battle goes against them (-2 to all Morale checks), they are however extremely cheap (-40% to costs)
2	Decently trained and equipped, but they lack motivation (-1 to all Morale checks) and they have little care towards their own reputations. They will betray their employer if given a better offer.
3-5	Average pay for average skill. They have been trained to acceptable standards, but are nothing special beyond having a reputation for loyalty.
6	Well drilled and disciplined (+1 to all Morale checks) troops with an iron-shod reputation.
7	The elite, the cream of the crop (+2 to all Morale checks, +1 all Attack rolls). They are brave and unshakably loyal, but they are hideously expensive (+40% to costs)
8	Elite (+2 to all Morale checks, +1 all Attack rolls) soldiers who know all too well their own worth. They cost more (+20% to costs) but that coin does not win their loyalty. They fight for whoever pays them most, even switching sides in the midst of battle.