Jester's 4E Rules Pamphlet

JJeesstteerr’’ss 44EE RRuulleess PPaammpphhlleett For use with the RAVENLOFT Campaign Setting P A LEGAL Introduction DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Compatibility Logo, D&D, PLAYER’S HANDBOOK, PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 2, DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE, MONSTER Welcome to Jester’s 4E Rules Pamphlet MANUAL, MONSTER MANUAL 2, and for the RAVENLOFT CAMPAIGN SETTING. ADVENTURER’S VAULT are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other WHAT THIS DOCUMENT IS countries and are used with permission. Updated Rules: This booklet contains Certain materials, including 4E References in optional rules for playing a 4e D&D this publication, D&D core rules mechanics, game in the world of Ravenloft. and all D&D characters and their distinctive Advice: Included is advice on using and likenesses, are property of Wizards of the applying the rules, adjudicating when Coast, and are used with permission under the th and when not to use them. Dungeons & Dragons 4 Edition Game System Modular: Much of this document is License. All 4E References are listed in the 4E System Reference Document, available at designed to be flexible. GMs should www.wizards.com/d20. use what they want and ignore what they don’t. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4th Edition PLAYER’S HANDBOOK, written by Rob Heinsoo, Andy WHAT IT IS NOT Collins, and James Wyatt; DUNGEON Replacement: This is in no way a MASTER’S GUIDE, written by James Wyatt; replacement for any of the previous and MONSTER MANUAL, written by Mike Ravenloft products. At least one Mearls, Stephen Schubert and James Wyatt; version of the Campaign Setting is PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 2, written by Jeremy required, and strongly encouraged. Crawford, Mike Mearls, and James Wyatt; Mandatory: If you want to run the game MONSTER MANUAL 2, written by Rob Heinsoo, with just the official books or 3e rules and Chris Sims; Adventurer’s Vault, D&D 4E feel free. Game System License ©2008, 2009 Wizards of the Coast page 3 of 7 written by Logan Excuse not to buy: Support the game, Bonner, Eytan Bernstein, and Chris Sims. © WotC, and your FLGS. Keep D&D alive 2008, 2009 Wizards of the Coast. All rights for the next generation. Piracy is reserved. wrong and illegal folks! RAVENLOFT and all related terms and materials are © 2009 Wizards of the CREDITS Coast, Inc WRITTEN AND EDITED BY: David “the Jester” Gibson Jester’s 4th Edition Rules Pamphlet: August COVER BY: 31st, 2009 David “the Jester” Gibson [email protected] With an image stolen from: Steven “ScS” Fraternity of Shadows® Sutton Keep away from pregnant women. In no event is the Fraternity of Shadows liable for FEEDBACK FROM: damages caused by the misuse of its Nathan of the Fraternity products. Rotipher of the Fraternity Joël of the Fraternity Nikolas of the Mists (almost a co-writer) 2 Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS FEAR AND HORROR PAGE 4 Fear PAGE 4 Horror PAGE 5 Horror Challenge PAGE 6 MADNESS PAGE 7 Sanity PAGE 7 Recovery PAGE 9 CURSES PAGE 10 Recovery PAGE 12 POWERS CHECKS PAGE 14 Making Checks PAGE 17 Stages of Darkness PAGE 18 Redemption PAGE 20 SAMPLE PATHS PAGE 22 THE WORLD PAGE 26 General Restrictions PAGE 26 The Planes PAGE 27 Resonance PAGE 28 3 Fear and Horror Fear and Horror checks are made when not feel ready, prepared, or equipped confronting the unknown and unnatural, to fight. The check is made when the typically facing monsters or magic. lack of preparation becomes Fear and horror effects only occur apparent. when a character encounters a monster, Deadly Enemy: If a character has spell effect, or scene that is unlike one fought a foe before and been easily ever encountered before. Once defeated, they still have to make a something has been confronted it is less Fear check when confronting it. This frightening and horrifying; a character applies even if they know its true that has faced undead is less disturbed nature and are prepared. The check by other walking corpses. However, is made when the foe is identified. certain monsters may require a new Surprise Round: Being surprised is check: just because a character has shocking and often calls for a Fear fought lowly and mindless zombies and check. The check is made at the skeletons does not mean they are beginning of the surprise round. prepared for an intelligent and powerful Combat advantage applies to the vampire. attack roll for the Fear check. Unlike other attacks on the PC, fear and horror checks are made using the WHEN TO NOT MAKE A CHECK PC’s own attacks against themselves: Same Name: Monsters of the same their own mind attacks itself! Do not name never require additional apply any implement or proficiency checks; if a character has faced a bonuses to the attack roll. All bonuses cannibal zombie they do not require to the PC’s Will defence apply normally. a fear check from a Strahd zombie. Defeated Earlier: If the character is Fear and Horror Attack facing something that is similar to Attack against the self something they have previously The PC’s Intelligence vs. the PC’s defeated, then they do not require a Will defence Fear check. Prepared: If a character has planned FEAR for the encounter and feels ready Also known as shock, panic, or terror; and prepared to fight, they do not characters feel fear when physically require a Fear check. threatened or in a combat situation. FEAR IN ENCOUNTERS Typically, a person or thing is Not an encounter: Fear is never an frightening. encounter and never awards WHEN TO MAKE A CHECK experience. It is simply a condition Unknown Foe: When the character is akin to environmental effects, such unaware of the nature of their as terrain. It is not a hazard in its enemy, or is mistaken regarding its own right. nature. This check is made when the Out of combat: Fear should rarely be mistake becomes apparent. used outside of combat encounters. Unprepared: If confronted by Characters can be frightened, but the something that the character does effects seldom last long enough to 4 have any impact. If used during a detail or fact that inspires dread. Horror skill challenge, characters might checks might also be required after a instead suffer a -1 penalty to all Skill successful Knowledge check reveals the checks (save ends). unnatural. Frightened Monsters: In rare Horror checks are less clear-cut than situations it might even be Fear checks. There are no hard rules for appropriate to have opponents be when a Horror check is absolutely frightened. This might occur if the needed. Horror does not need to be PCs surprised their foes or had overt or obvious, subtle wrongness can soundly defeated them in the past. be just as horrifying. Elite or Solo monsters should never Characters can feel horror when be subject to Fear checks. confronted with extreme violence or the supernatural, either witnessing it directly Fear As man becomes monster your heart pounds or coming across the results. Characters against your ribcage and you hands and knees also feel horror when they encounter shake. something that seems impossible, defies Mental Assault: Your mind turns on itself when logic, or questions their beliefs and confronted with the terrifying. assumptions of the world. Trigger The character is confronted with a thing of There is something darkly ironic fear. about horrifying situations, where the Attack assumed reality is not so and the true Immediate Interrupt Personal situation is the exact opposite of the Targets: Every defending creature. Attack: Intelligence vs. Will expected. Finding a dead body is mildly Hit: Character suffers -1 penalty on attack rolls horrifying, but finding one in a place (save ends). believed to be a safe haven is truly Miss: Character can act normally. horrifying and worth of a check. Critical Hit: Character also loses a Sanity point. Special HORROR IN ENCOUNTERS The unknown is more terrifying than what is In-combat: Horror can be used in known. Before making a Fear check, a character combat, possibly with the horrifying can choose to make a Monster Knowledge event triggering the encounter, but check to identify their attacker. requires several changes: there are If this roll succeeds the character receives a no negative effects for a missed +2 bonus to their Will defence. If this roll fails they receive a +2 bonus to their attack. attack and characters that suffer a A character can choose not to attempt the critical hit are not stunned. Treat the check. Horror check as a minion of appropriate level which grants HORROR appropriate experience. Also described as repugnance, revolt or Trap: Horror checks can also be dread; a character usually feels horror considered traps, awarding outside of combat, when not physically experience as a trap of appropriate threatened. Typically, a place or event is level. Horror check traps make a horrifying. secondary attack (Intelligence vs. Will) on the target and deal ongoing WHEN TO MAKE A CHECK psychic damage 5 + 2 per tier (save Horror checks are required of a ends). character when they enter an area Skill challenge: Horror checks – but considered horrifying or when they not Fear checks – can be made into make a Perception check to notice a an encounter by increasing the 5 Countermeasures to a skill challenge into stunned silence. You attempt to recover of an appropriate difficulty and from the terrifying shock in time to flee or warn your companions. complexity. This awards experience Complexity as a skill challenge. Horror 3 (8 successes, before 3 failures) challenges should be rare and occur Success at crucial moments, such as when If the PCs overcome the skill challenge they time is of the essence or for key recover from their paralyzing horror in time to make the first move.

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