OK, heres the first draft of the WWs stats. Some notes:
- I`m using my own system and tweaks to come up with this character
description, not the one in the BRCS. I`ll not go into my tweaks for the
sake of everyone`s eyeballs, and because for the most part it should be
invisible to the BR “user community” for the sake of the description
itself. Ideally, one uses such a system and is left with a workable
character whose stats, abilities and faults are balanced with the existing
rules, and that still expresses the theme of the character. There may be
differences here and there, but when it comes to actual play the end result
should be fully functional.
- In the BP system the original 2e Charm Aura and Persuasion are combined
into the Persuasion blood ability. Instead of Charm Aura (major) and
Persuasion (major) this version of the WW has Persuasion with 7BP dedicated
to it (which would be equivalent to a great ability.) This grants her all
the powers of both those two original blood abilities, plus a few here and
there.
- The original WW has Major Resistance (Charm) as a great blood
ability. In this 3e conversion, that ability is a pretty redundant because
she`s walking around with a +20 Will save modifier. (Actually, it was even
more redundant in 2e if her wisdom was as high as it would appear to be
since high wisdom in 2e granted spell immunities to most charm and fear
effects.) I could still give her the blood ability, but it would require
adding as many as three levels of the awnshegh class, and it just doesn`t
seem worthwhile because the character already has 18 character levels.
- I raised her bloodline score to 21 from 20 because in the BP system at
21 she gets another BP and she`s got a lot of blood abilities. Also
because I`ve always been amazed that her bloodline score is so low in the
first place… In fact, I wouldn`t mind bumping her up to around major,
30-35 since she is such a prominent character, but I`m trying to stay
relatively close to the original character description, so a single point
is a minor transgression. BTW: There is an older version of the BP system
available on birthright.net download section, but an updated version will
be forthcoming in my (seemingly never-ending) BR project now called
Legendary Beings and Mythic Monsters.
- I reduced the WW`s cleric levels to 13 even though she is 14th level
priest in the original BR material since that is the point at which a
cleric can cast 7th level divine spells. Arguably, the WW had access to
the most powerful 2e divine spells, so she should in a 3e/D20 conversion,
but that would mean bumping up her cleric levels to 17. That doesn`t seem
quite right, and in combination with portraying the character using an
awnshegh character class would mean putting her a few levels into the epic
level, which I`m trying to avoid.
- The feats Blood Aesthete and Major Transformation are part of the BP
system and grant additional blood abilities, as do her levels as an
awnshegh. I also gave her an increase to her wisdom score from the
transformation effects of her awnshegh levels. Thematically, the WW has a
kind of “old crone” theme, and wisdom is often associated with age. At
least, that`s the justification for her wisdom bump as part of her awnshegh
transformation.
- When it comes to the rest her feat selection, I figure the WW needs to
manufacture several types of magic items, so I gave her three item creation
feats; potions, rings and wondrous. It`s possible she created her ring of
beauty, but its origin is unexplained, so we don`t know for
sure. Regardless of that, rings figure prominently in Nordic myth, so she
should be able to create them IMO. Creating potions is kind of a
ubiquitous witch power, so she had to have that, and creating wondrous
items has a similar vibe. When it comes to her spell related feats, I had
her focus on both enchantment and necromantic. The WW is a sort of
dualistic character; one half focusing on charm, the other half upon curses
and other stereotypical witch-like, which is more necromantic. Game
mechanically it probably makes more sense to stick to one or the other, but
for the character I think a bit of both fits better.
- I`ve not added a list of memorized spells in this character write up,
nor picked a domain for her since I haven`t found one yet that is quite
right… She should, however, have +1 spell/level for domain spells and
some special ability.
- Most of the stats below assume that the WW is wearing her ring of
beauty. The skill modifiers listed below, for instance, assume a charisma
score of 19. They do not, however, include modifiers if her Heightened
Ability (int) is in effect.
Here`s the 1st draft:
—ooOoo—
The White Witch
Cleric 13, Awnshegh 5
Medium-sized Awnshegh
Hit Dice: 13d8-13, 5d10-5 (71 hp)
Initiative: +1 (+1 dexterity)
Speed: 30 ft
AC: 15 or 18 (+1 dex, +4 or 7 magic)
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+11
Attack: Dagger +13 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Dagger +13/+8/+3 melee (1d4)
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Persuasion, Rebuke Undead (12/day), icy burst, spells
Special Qualities: Heightened Ability, Unreadable Thoughts
Saves: Fort +11 Ref +8 Will +20
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 12, Con 8, Int 16, Wis 24 or 28, Cha 9 or 19
Skills: Bluff +20, Concentration +12, Diplomacy +20, Intimidate +20,
Knowledge, arcana +12, Knowledge, religion +15, Profession, trade/finance
+20, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +15.
Feats: Blood Aesthete, Brew Potion, Craft Ring, Craft Wondrous Item,
Major Transformation, Spell Focus-Necromantic, Spell Focus-Enchantment/Charm.
Environment: Cold
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Chaotic Evil/Lawful Good
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0
Bloodline: Azrai, minor, 21.
Bloodline in BP Style: Az(5/21) Heightened Ability(1) Persuasion(7)
Unreadable Thoughts(3).
Inventory: Withering (see below), ring of beauty (see below), periapt
of wisdom +4, bracers of armor +4, dagger +2 of icy burst.
In addition to the items listed above that the White Witch carries on
her person she has access to a large supply of magic items. Some of these
items were made by the White Witch herself, others have been acquired from
various travellers in her domain. Amongst her hoard at any given time will
be 20-30 potions, a like number of scrolls, 5-10 magical weapons or armor
of +1 to +3 enchantment, and
Wintering: This magical ring was a gift direct from the White Witch`s
patron, Karesha. It is a minor artifact that renders the wearer immune to
cold-based damage and allows the wearer to use the following spell-like
abilities as standard actions:
- Freezing Sphere (at will.) This power is the equivalent of a Flaming
Sphere spell with the energy type changed to cold.
Weather spell`s blizzard effect.
Strong abjuration and evocation; CL 12th
Ring of Beauty: When the White Witch dons her ring of beauty she is
physically transformed (equivalent to Alter Self) into a youthful and
beautiful woman. The power of this ring is such that it can overcome the
changes of an awnsheghlien transformation, not only returning the character
to her original physical appearance, but enhancing that appearance to its
most comely form. In addition, the ring of beauty grants her a +10
enhancement bonus to her charisma. As a side effect, the wearer must at
all times behave in a lawful and good manner while wearing the ring. Any
attempt to lie, cheat, steal or otherwise deceive while wearing the ring of
beauty fails (no use of bluff skill and -20 penalty to diplomacy checks
made to negotiate.) No actions can be performed to harm another person
that are not in self-defense. The wearer of the ring of beauty is aware of
the changes made to her personality, and can remove the ring whenever she
desires in order to perform actions that it will not allow the wearer to
perform.
Strong transmutation; CL 12th
Note: The White Witch may not use her ability to rebuke undead while
wearing the ring of beauty.
COMBAT
The White Witch prefers not to engage in melee combat. She will let her
henchmen, hirelings and those she has charmed do her fighting while she
supports them by casting spells. If cornered she will fight with her dagger.
Heightened Ability: Once per day the White Witch may apply a 2-5 point
enhancement bonus to her intelligence score. This bonus remains in effect
for 1-4 hours.
Persuasion: This blood ability gives the White Witch the ability to cast
the following spells 1/day: Suggestion or Mass Suggestion, Charm Person or
Mass Charm, Charm Monster or Mass Charm Monster.
Unreadable Thoughts: The White Witch is immune to magics that detect her
alignment, presence, or read her thoughts.
Spells: 6/8/7/6/6/5/3/2 (plus domain spells.)
