Deal with a Patron ...

[abk108]

One of my players has got out of the funnel adventure the worst of his PCs: Ararose, 68 yo jeweler, STR 4, AGI 7, STA 6, PER 8, INT 13, LUCK 6.
Not having many options, with just one ability with a positive modifier, he went for becoming the Wizard of the party. Now, we thought that said character could use some help, especially if compared to the oter PCs, and what better tool than the Dark Arts, and a soul-deal with a patron?
Here's what has happened in the 6 months between the funnel adventure and the next one: Ararose went to open a jewelry in the nearby town, with the profit from the dungeon crawl. There she secretly practiced with the spell book she found in that dungeon. She learnt a few spells and she bargained with a supernatural patron that made her young and beautiful, like if she was 18 again (thus +2 STR, +2 STA, +2 PER). She went back to her hamlet 6 months later to go on further adventuring with her companions, just pretending to be her own grand-daughter.
Now the question is: what kind of deal could the patron make with her, to justify those bonuses? (ok they are quite good bonuses, but they still leave her with -1 STR and -1 STA)

I thought that like she could age 3 years for every spell she casts, rejuvenating back to 18 at the rate of 3 years a day. This might reveal her secret.
But this is just RP... we should find something that affects her gameplay more directly.
Please help, any idea is welcome

[GnomeBoy]

I like the aging thing, and am of the mind that there may not need to be any particular debt defined right now. The deal could be open ended, giving you time to come up with a really good, character/player appropriate idea.

Is it balanced? Depends on how your other players feel. If they think she got a 'freebie', I guess that needs to be addressed. If the group it happy to have a Wizard that's more likely to survive, that may be enough.

[abk108]

I like the aging thing, and am of the mind that there may not need to be any particular debt defined right now. The deal could be open ended, giving you time to come up with a really good, character/player appropriate idea.

I like this! It could also be something weird like the PC ages 1 year/day unless it drinks the fresh blood of another human being...

Is it balanced? Depends on how your other players feel. If they think she got a 'freebie', I guess that needs to be addressed. If the group it happy to have a Wizard that's more likely to survive, that may be enough.[/quote]

I think they won't have a problem with that. They all ended up with good characters, that shine (stat-wise) in comparison with "the old lady" like we called her. I think gameplay will benefit from having a character that gets more than 1d4-2 HP per level!

[JediOre]

Abk108, give us a few details on this patron. Is it evil, or perhaps just selfish? I'm guessing good is not an option here. Give us what your thoughts are on the patron & I'll wager you'll get several good ideas concerning what the down side is to the boost in abilities.

[abk108]

well, reading the Beta i got the idea that wizards get their powers from demons, devils and elementals, never from angels and celestials. I thought that meant every patron is most likely to be evil in some way.
Well what i had in mind could be some lesser demon or ancient one with some petty curiosity for the troubles and foolishness of humans, therefore helping the girl to see what happens next. Or it could be some fire elemental/Eefreet, since the deal could represent the rejuvenating power of fire, but also implies that there is the need for some sort of "fuel" to keep it alive. Or perhaps some sort of evil demonic mastermind that has some hidden scheme...

[claytonian]

I don't like restricting patronage to evil entities. They should just be beings with agendas that don't coincide with mortal concerns about law or morality.

I would make this character have to give "free" rings to customers with each sale. What these rings are for, only the patron knows, but it provides to the character as they sleep at night.

[JediOre]

Well, if your going to go with a evil/diabolical patron, and you mention a fire elemental, here's my thought:

All things will go well for the PC. However, flame always bends in her direction. Further, large wood fires pop and blaze all the hotter when she is present.

Second, at some point in the future, when the patron has come to claim her soul, the PC will immolate. The patron would appear before the party and claim her soul. This would be the opportunity for the whole party to either attempt to beat back the patron, or attempt a new deal to re-claim her soul for herself. Of course, the partial immolation would have removed all the benefits she have received.

[GnomeBoy]

All things will go well for the PC. However, flame always bends in her direction. Further, large wood fires pop and blaze all the hotter when she is present.

Fires burn faster, too. Torches don't last as long, nor do campfires, meaning more time, more effort and possibly more expense for such things.

If it were me, I'd also throw in some fire resistance -- which only works on a 3 in 7, or some such similar chance. The player doesn't even know the odds, as the roll would be made in secret.

[abk108]

Thanks! I think I could incorporate both those ideas (ring-giving & fire empathy), with this Patron:

Nektherazzan, the Everburning Flame of the Desert
A whimsical and unpredictable being, Nektherazzan resides in a dimension where everything is fire, flames and dusty winds. He sometimes tears the veil of reality between his world and Aereth, producing unexpected fires and, more rarely, sandstorms. He demands that his servant do his bidding no matter what that may be; he demands that the servant upon completing the soul-binding ceremony holds with his bare hands a piece of searing metal; he also demands that his servant sets to fire at least one living humanoid after any major assistance.

Invoke Patron Results:

12-13 . Nektherazzan is worried for his servant. He engulfs in flames the body of the caster (these flames do not hurt him), giving him a complete (100%) fire immunity for 2d4 rounds. Moreover, these flames give him +1 to AC and deal 1d3 damage to anyone nearby every round.
14-17 . The Efreet sends a powerful wind of hot, blinding dust against the caster's enemies. This deals 1d6 fire damage to every creature in a 30ft cone, and blinds those who fail a Fortitude (DC 13) Save for 1d6 rounds.
18-19 . Flames engulf one of the caster's enemies for 2d6 damage (Reflex (DC 13) Save for half damage). If the Reflex Save is failed the target takes an additional 1d6 damage at the end of the next combat round, unless he/she wastes one action to roll on the ground to put off the fire.
20-23 . Any weapon in the wizard's hands becomes surrounded by magical flames. Any attack with that weapon is treated as if magical, and deals +1d6 fire damage. This effect lasts for 3d6 rounds.
24-27 . Nektherazzan sends an Incubus to help the wizard. The beast has the following stats : HP 4d6, AC 14, att +4, fire hoof: 1d6+2 dmg; Act 2d20; MV 50', also flying; Saves Ref +2/Fort +1/ Will +1; The incubus remains for 1 minute per Caster Level.
28-29 . Nektherazzan is angered agaisnt the wizard's foes. Gouts of flames erupt from the caster body, engulfing everyone in a 20ft radius. Those affected take 4d6 damage (Reflex (DC 15) Save for half damage), then if they failed the Save they will take another 2d6 damage at the end of the next combat round, then another 1d6 at the end of the combat round after that. These flames cannot be extinguished by normal means (water, rolling no... holy water, water spell yes)
30-31 . The Everburning Flame of the Desert restores completely the consumed energies of the caster or one of his allies, renewing his life force so that it burns stronger than ever. The target is healed 6d6 HPs and is imbibed with supernatural fire : +4 to STR, AGI, STA, every attack he makes rolls the damage two times and chooses the best result. This effect lasts only for 2d6 rounds. The target will be permanently marked by mystical signs all over his body.
32+ . As above, but works on 1d4 targets, who are also engulfed in flames as in the result 12-13 for the duration of the effect.

Nektherazzan, the Everburning Flame of the Desert grants 2 unique spells:

Level 2 : Scorching Sandstorm - the caster fills the area of blinding, searing dust that hurts and blinds enemies and friends alike.
Level 4: Immolation - This spell deals damage to a nearby creature; the more spellburn points put into this spell, the more damage is dealt.



...
What do you think? I worked trying to emulate the example of Blobgulbliz the frog demon we got in the BETA