ROGUE - ADVENTURER Scavenger Kit Description: Scavengers represent a variety of personality types, ranging from those with a scholarly fascination with the past to the wild obsession of gold- hungry claim jumpers. Whatever their motivations, Scavengers all love nothing better than grubbing about in dank caves and dungeons and musty, crumbling ruins, trying to search for any scrap or crumb of treasure that might fall their way. Often living a solitary existence in a small camp far away from his or her home and family, a Scavenger may be a lone operative trying to see what can be found or may be working for some larger organization with a very specific objective laid out in his or her searching. In the latter case, Scavengers may pass by large piles of coins or other bulky troves, marking them for later recovery by heavily armed adventuring parties, and concentrate on recovering lost magical knowledge and devices, historical records, religious objects, and so forth. When working alone, however, a Scavenger will rarely pass over so much as a single copper. In appearance, a Scavenger looks much like a common Prospector, wearing light armor and carrying fair amounts of weapons, rope, and other dungeoneering equipment. Under the filth and grime picked up from exploring ancient ruins, however, a Scavenger often hides a lively intellect and a large collection of books, papers, writing instruments, and packing materials for storing treasures they might recover. Though their interest extends to lore as well as loot, Scavengers are far from helpless, trusting bookworms. No one trespassing on a ruin or dungeon where a Scavenger has 'set up shop' is above suspicion, as Scavengers are always alert for attacks from would-be claim jumpers. Requirements: As a standard Adventurer, but Scavengers frequently flaunt or ignore legal restrictions on their activities and cannot be of lawful alignment. They must also have scores of at least 13 in Intelligence and Dexterity. Weapons & Armor: As a standard Adventurer, save that they must become proficient in at least one missile fire device at 1st level. Thief Abilities and Modifiers: Appraisal, Detect Magic, Find/Remove Traps, Hide in Shadows, Move Silently, Open Locks Scavengers of 5th level and above gain the Climb Walls and Read Languages skills to assist them in investigating and pillaging ancient ruins of lore and loot alike. They gain the usual amount of discretionary points for Adventurers. Special Benefits: Scavengers are among the most successful professional treasure hunters around, having a variety of skills developed over a long and hard life of experience to assist them in this regard: Archaeology: As a standard Adventurer. Backstab: Because of their naturally suspicious (and cowardly) natures, Scavengers learn how to ambush their enemies and cut them down from surprise. Survival and success are the objects of their existence, and 'honor' is a meaningless abstraction to them when danger threatens. As a result, in any situation where a Scavenger can attack from surprise against a basically humanoid foe of size L or smaller, he or she can carefully strike so as to inflict massive damage against that target. In practice, the Scavenger gains a +4 bonus to hit when attacking from surprise, and in addition the Scavenger multiplies damage as follows: Level Damage Multiplier 1-4 x2 5-8 x3 9-12 x4 13-16 x5 17-20 x6 21+ x7 The damage multiplier applies only to the base damage dice of the weapon being used, not to any other modifiers or adjustments. Note that knowledge of the Anatomy non-weapon proficiency will increase a Scavenger's effective level by one for the purpose of determining his or her proficiency at backstabbing. A successful Backstab attack by a Scavenger on a basically humanoid creature of size L or smaller has a percentage chance equal to the Scavenger's level to instantly kill the victim. If the defender is of a higher level than the Scavenger, then this difference is subtracted from the Scavenger's instant kill chance. Size H creatures can be attacked with a Backstab but will suffer only half the normal damage multiplier (rounding up) and cannot be instantly killed. Likewise, non-humanoid targets likewise halve the backstab multiplier (hence, a non-humanoid size H creature would suffer one-quarter the normal damage multiplier) and cannot be instantly killed. Size G targets cannot be effectively backstabbed, nor can amorphous creatures (e.g., elementals, gray ooze). Note that size S Scavengers (e.g., dwarves, gnomes, and halflings) can backstab normally against size M opponents but may backstab at only half their normal effectiveness against both size L and size H targets. Danger Sense: As a standard Adventurer. Dungeoneering: As a standard Adventurer. Evasion: As a standard Adventurer. In addition, since Scavengers are so wary about traps of all kinds in picking through ruins and dungeons, they can make unlimited use of Evasion to avoid traps. They may still use this ability only once per round, versus a trap or for any other purpose, and they must select only one of the benefits each time it is used, but use of Evasion to negate or reduce damage from traps does not count against the normal limit of one use of the ability per level per day. Scavengers also have to flee with their pickings from predators, claim jumpers, and the like, and they are thus extremely good at running away. As a result, Scavengers can use their Evasion ability to negate any chance for others to get 'free attacks' against them when they are running away. Each time a Scavenger flees combat with a creature eligible to receive a free attack, he or she must expend one use of his or her Evasion ability for each attacker. If the attacker is able to pursue the Scavenger and remain within melee range, Evasion can be used each round to negate the attacker's normal chance for free attacks. Legends & Lore: As a standard Adventurer in terms of learning 'a little bit of everything' and the ability to find treasure maps and clues, but Scavengers do not gain any reaction bonus, the ability to select non-weapon proficiencies from all lists, or the ability to use scrolls. Special Hindrances: Scavengers are generally considered unseemly and their occupation and habits distasteful at best (though occasionally useful), suffering a -1 penalty to reaction rolls. In addition, they tend to be loners and may never have more than one henchman at a time, though the total number of henchman they may attract over the course of their career is unchanged. Scavengers as a rule are cowardly in the extreme. Their ability to survive in their career depends largely on their ability to get by without taking dangerous chances or put themselves into stressful leadership positions and to 'get out while still ahead' in any situation. The credo of living to fight another day resounds in the lifeblood of all Scavengers, and the idea of standing firm in the face of adversity is an foolish ideal in their minds. Unlike other PCs, all Scavengers have a Morale score, which is equal to 5 plus their level (to a maximum of 15 at 10th level and above), and they are subject to making morale checks whenever called for by the DM (such as in combat situations). If the morale check fails, the Scavenger must flee the scene and cannot return until the danger has passed. Note that certain magical spells can boost a Scavenger's morale score or obviate morale checks temporarily, but even a high-level Scavenger may be forced to flee when confronted with a stressful situation. Scavengers very frequently take up their chosen career path as a matter of necessity rather than by choice, and the expertise they develop usually comes as a result of experience rather than careful study. They typically start out very poor, having only half the normal amount of money at the beginning of their career. They also lack the opportunities for studies prior to beginning as adventurers, gaining only half the normal amount of weapon and non-weapon proficiencies (including bonus slots due to high Intelligence and rounding up) at 1st level, though they gain new slots at the normal rate thereafter. Their somewhat idiosyncratic approach to their career of exploring ruins, raiding tombs, and so forth also combines with a sense of respect for the ancients; despite what others may think of them, Scavengers in general do not consider themselves thieves or tomb robbers or anything of the sort. As far as they are concerned, the ancient ruins they explore belong still to the ancients, and those present in such ruins who do not approach them with a degree of respect are trespassers and defilers. In short, DM and the player of a Scavenger should develop a list of things that the Scavenger considers 'taboo' and will not do, regardless of circumstances. Some examples might include: - Do not loot the tombs of creatures of the same race - Always remove and carefully store all holy items - Always destroy (un)holy items and shrines - Never unnecessarily damage or disturb a ruin (or a ruin of a particular type) - Drive out all creatures of a particular race (or who are not of a particular race, typically the Scavenger's own) from ruins - Cleanse or repair any defiled or damaged shrine to deities of the Scavenger's race or culture if discovered in ruins - Make offerings at undefiled shrines to deities of the Scavenger's race or culture if discovered in ruins - Certain items must be left alone and not removed or defaced (e.g., statues, weapons, thrones) The particulars of a Scavenger's taboos (including how many are required) may depend on the individual or may be dictated by his or her employer (if the DM decides the Scavenger is being sponsored in his or her 'recovery work') and should be worked out between the player and the DM. Once they have been established, any Scavenger who violates a taboo will suffer a -2 penalty to all saving throws and ability checks (including proficiency checks) for each episode of such violation. This penalty can only be removed by seeking atonement from a priest of his or her own race or culture, which will always include performing a quest to recover some ancient lost item or to clear out a ruin of invaders. While on such a quest, a Scavenger is not subject to morale checks. Bonus Proficiencies: Direction Sense, Foraging, Survival (choose one) Preferred Proficiencies: Ancient History, Artistic Ability, Brewing, Cartography, Cooking, Engineering, Fire-building, Fishing, Gaming, Gem Cutting, Hunting, Languages (any), Local History, Mining, Mountaineering, Reading/Writing, Religion, Rope Use, Running, Set Snares, Stonemasonry, Survival, Tumbling ***DISCLAIMER*** As with all postings by me of classes or races, it should be noted that portions of the information contained herein were inspired by or derived from information in published works of TSR, Inc., and may contain references to those works, quotations or passages of text (especially in the area of 'Character Description', where applicable sections from TSR works were often carried over more or less intact into my campaign world), or particular powers or abilities invented by TSR staff writers. No relationship with TSR, Inc., is to be implied by this use, nor is any attempt being made to solicit profit or remuneration of any kind. I have read the TSR Online Policy document, and have tried to accommodate the stipulations contained therein. In instances where I have lifted an essentially complete class or race without significant alteration, I have not included these in my postings but instead have inserted a reference to the appropriate D&D sourcebook for those curious in including it in their campaign. Only variations that include a significant component of original work, alteration, or reformulation (including the compositing elements from various TSR sources into new combinations) of have been included in this set of postings. Jason Eric Nelson < tjaden@u.washington.edu >