The Player Character Worktable

(Also, Sneak Attack only works with one-handed weapons in any case.  So if the Blackguard comes at you with a greatsword or other two-handed weapon, that's his idea of being nice.   )

Okay, let's go with that.  Out with Hide 5, in with Intimidate 4, and Knowledge (Religion) increases from 2 to 4.  The Blackguard's spells are Divine in origin (as is his/her summoning of hellspawn), so that last one makes enough sense, I think.  We'll see if that works.

(And no, GD, I'm not throwing out the Blackguard's Sneak Attack.   )

Looks like a good compromise to me.

Thank you. I think so too. What say you, Tiger?

Anyway, if you need help or have any questions about spending those Skill Points, here I am. Ask away.

The House of Ainsley wrote:

(Also, Sneak Attack only works with one-handed weapons in any case.  So if the Blackguard comes at you with a greatsword or other two-handed weapon, that's his idea of being nice.  

Is this the same thing as saying that a Blackguard's idea of being subtle is kicking in the back door?

The House of Ainsley wrote:

Okay, let's go with that.  Out with Hide 5, in with Intimidate 4, and Knowledge (Religion) increases from 2 to 4.  The Blackguard's spells are Divine in origin (as is his/her summoning of hellspawn), so that last one makes enough sense, I think.  We'll see if that works.

(And no, GD, I'm not throwing out the Blackguard's Sneak Attack.   )

I like this idea better it seems to make more sense to me, but I haven't seen the D&D 3rd edition.  Here is how I would like to spend my skill points.  If my math is correct I will have one extra.  Do I have to spend the extra point now or can I wait until I get more?  Also how often will my character get skill points and how many will he receive when he does get them?  As always any advice you can offer is much appreciated.  

Ride Horse:  3
Intimidate:   3
Handle Horse:  2                                        
Climb:  2                                              
Knowledge Religion:  3
Wildness Lore:  1
Use Rope: 1

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

As always any advice you can offer is much appreciated.

Have an idea of what you want from your character, but be flexible in case it changes through gameplay. IE: OK, he's a cavalry officer, fine. Now what does he do when he's not on the battlefield? If he is in direct line for assertion in the nobility, perhaps consider some political or intrigue options? Even if low, (1 or 2 points) they might be extremely useful to you.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

Is this the same thing as saying that a Blackguard's idea of being subtle is kicking in the back door?

Pretty much. It is possible to build a sneaky Blackguard, mind you, but that's the stereotype. When you can summon up Infernal allies, who needs to hide? (Answer: Your enemies.)  

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

I like this idea better it seems to make more sense to me, but I haven't seen the D&D 3rd edition.  Here is how I would like to spend my skill points.  If my math is correct I will have one extra.  Do I have to spend the extra point now or can I wait until I get more?  Also how often will my character get skill points and how many will he receive when he does get them?  As always any advice you can offer is much appreciated.  

Ride Horse:  3
Intimidate:   3
Handle Horse:  2                                        
Climb:  2                                              
Knowledge Religion:  3
Wildness Lore:  1
Use Rope: 1

1)  Everything here looks correct.  Knowledge, Wilderness Lore and Use Rope are Cross-Class, so they cost double; add to the other amounts and you get 20 Skill Points.  You're good to go here.

2)  You can indeed bank Skill Points instead of expending them.  This is usually done for the sake of taking an extra Rank in a Cross-Class Skill come the character's next Level; though done less commonly, it can also be done to keep the character's mind "pliable" and more quickly learn any new skill which he happens across in the course of gameplay (though at least one player out there has banked SPs simply to handicap himself, by way of making a point).  So Gustov has 1 Skill Point banked, which he can cash in at any time.

3)  As I briefly mentioned earlier, one of the shortcomings of the Fighter class is the amount of Skill Points they get, which is at the low end compared to most Classes.  Fighters only get (2 + Intelligence modifier) Skill Points, +1 more if they're Human.  So Gustov will get 3 Skill Points with every new Level (plus any banked SPs, of course).

4)  Though it may sound nitpicky, the Skill is Handle Animal, not Handle Horse.  Though Fighters most often use that skill for handling horses or other mounts, fighters are also known to use other animals, such as dogs and wolves (for hunting, pursuing fugitives or guarding places under their defense) and oxen, mules, donkeys and other beasts of burden (for hauling stone, lumber and metal by way of crafting goods or building houses, defensive structures or other structures).  So Handle Animal applies equally to those animals as well.


So it looks like we're done with Skills.  Gustov's Intelligence is 11 and he didn't take any ranks in the Speak Language skill, so we can skip languages.  That moves us on to Feats, which--unlike Skills--are one of the Fighter class' strongest suits.

Every character starts off with one Feat at Level 1, regardless of anything except for race; humans, being as flexible, ambitious and comparatively short-lived as they are, get 2 Feats at Level 1 instead.  Beyond that, characters get a new Feat every three Levels.  So most other Level 5 characters would have two Feats, three if human.

However, two Classes get Bonus Feats to improve their evolution more swiftly: Fighters and Wizards.  Fighter bonus Feats are geared for augmenting the warrior's prowess with arms and martial defense, while Wizard Bonus Feats augment the mage's spellcraft and manipulation of arcane forces.  Fighters get a Bonus Feat at Level 1, Level 2 and every two Levels beyond that (4, 6, 8, 10...).

So Gustov, as he stands, has three Feats ("anything" Feats) and three Fighter Bonus Feats.  The Feats can be found in this post.  Gustov's three Feats can be anything, as long as he meets any and all requisites for that Feat (ie. he must first have ranks in the Ride skill before he can take the Mounted Combat feat).  Gustov won't be able to take some of those Feats due to their requisites; ie. he can't take Extra Music because he's not a Bard, he can't take Leadership because he's not Level 6 yet, and he can't take Dead Man Walking because that requires him to have a near-death experience during the course of gameplay (unless the DM gives you special permission to include a NDE in your backstory...and I won't, because it cheapens the drama.   ).

Note that some of those Feats are eligible to be taken as Fighter Bonus Feats as well as regular Feats; just look for the cyan daggers (†).  This is the reason why Human Fighters are the only characters who can learn the mighty Whirlwind Attack as early as Level 4, if they invest both Feats and Bonus Feats into the requisites.  Given Gustov's occupation, you may want to consider Mounted Combat and its descendents.  Given Gustov's apparent destiny as a Blackguard, you may also want to consider Power Attack and its descendents (specifically, Cleave and Sunder).  But don't feel limited to these choices; if you decide that you want to take Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization to get really good at a certain type of weapon, go for it.  If you want to take Necropotent to give Gustov an edge against the undead, go for it.  It's your sandbox.  As long as you don't overlook the red text and/or take a regular Feat as a Bonus Feat, you can take whatever you want.

(Note to self: Finish alphabetically integrating the Libris Mortis feats into the rest of the list.  Apologies for any confusion that may cause.)

Also: Most Classes begin with a number of Feats as freebies.  Gustov, as a Fighter, already has Shield Proficiency, every Armor Proficiency, every Simple Weapon Proficiency and every Martial Weapon Proficiency, so don't bother taking those Feats.  Exotic Weapon Proficiency is still beyond him, however, so if he wants to ride into battle lopping off heads with a bastard sword, he will need Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword (unless he doesn't mind really sucking at swinging that bastard sword).

You can find the list of weapons (and other equipment) here.  Keep that list handy, because we'll be getting to starting equipment after Feats.  

Okay I hope I did this right.  Here is the list of feats that I would like Gustov to have.  As you will see I like the idea Gustov being something other than your typical fighter with a longsword.  I am debating between a warhammer or battleaxe as his primary weapon.  I like warhammer better, but I could use some friendly advice from you or Golden Drakon.  

Power Attack:                            
Sunder:                    
Weapon Focus:  (BattleAxe or Warhammer)
Mounted Combat:                        
Alertness:                        
Combat Reflexes:

Bardosylvania is a well-forested land, and axes of all varieties find frequent use in utility and warfare alike.  Even the Ainsley lords have been known to wield such weapons; Borogon Ainsley was a ranger known to wield a battle axe in one hand and a handaxe in the other (even if the more infamous accounts of him doing that were during the years when he hunted captives for sport).

So don't let the longsword's sexiness deter Gustov from taking up the battle axe.  It may not have as broad of a Critical Threat range as the longsword does (and only crits on a Nat 20), but roll that Nat 20 with it and you can deal triple the damage dice instead of double.  Axes bite very deeply indeed.  

Of course, warhammers make sense too.  The warhammers of nobility tend to be more fancifully crafted than common warhammers are, but no one can deny their effectiveness (particularly when it comes to smiting undead, constructs and other creatures known to stand fast against the axe's cut or the longsword's thrust).  A warhammer weighs 1 pound more than a battle axe does, but that won't matter if you have the Strength for it.  And like the battle axe, the warhammer crits on a Nat 20 and deals triple damage dice when it does.  The damage is Bludgeoning instead of Slashing, of course (though warhammers with spiked peens that deal both Bludgeoning and Piercing are not unknown; Gustov might even find one of them in-game).

So which do you prefer: the satisfying THWUNK of an axe ripping through dense thews and biting deeply into a thighbone, or the sharp hhhWACK of a hammer splintering someone's jaw and scattering teeth to the wind?  Sound effects matter, you know.  


(Speaking of throwing axes, handaxes, battle axes and greataxes, have a look at what Conan of Cimmeria has to say about the ones in his collection here.   )

I after much debate and advice I will go with the Warhammer.  I think is looks cooler than a mother in law, I mean Battleaxe, and I think wielding a Warhammer will make Gustov look more bad ass than if he were to use a sword.  

The warhammer may not have the grace of a longsword, but it can certainly be crafted elegantly enough to befit nobility.  I mean, look at that warhammer which that Aion babe is holding.  Is that a sexy hammer or what?  

Warhammers can be just as deadly as longswords or battle axes, of course.  Just do a Google search for "warhammer skull Battle of Towton" for proof of that.  Apparently there was some big project to take a bunch of skulls from some English soldiers who had died in that battle (and since the Battle of Towton was part of the War of the Roses, both sides were English), and the scientists handling this project considered it their crowning achievement because soldiers armed with warhammers were fielded in that battle, and more than one soldier's head got pretty well pulverized by said warhammers.  

And you'll be pleased to know that both warhammers and battle axes are one-handed weapons in D&D 3, meaning that either can be wielded from horseback.  Remember how battle axes and warhammers sucked compared to longswords back in Old School D&D?  Yeah, those days are gone.  So grab your mighty hammer and rock some faces, knowing that you will indeed rock (even against those longsword-wielding pansies).  

That said, it is now time to choose Gustov's starting equipment.  At the moment, that Starting Gold is virtual money, representative of what goods and gear Gustov acquired over his previous Levels and career; hence, the prices for the special and magical goods may be reduced to reflect this.  Whatever money he has left after buying his starting equipment makes the transition to actual coin, ready for him to spend further down the road.  Given his status, he may easily be able to haggle or coerce merchants into lowering their prices so long as they are on Bardosylvanian soil.  But that power does come with a price tag, as we shall discover later....

Begin your shopping spree here.  Note that a special selection available to Gustov and Gustov alone--this one time only--may be found in the last post, here.  And if you have any questions, you need but ask.  


EDIT:  Don't forget the horse!  Remember that, as a cavalry officer, he may still claim a horse from the provincial stables for use in the line of duty (and as one of the ruling family, he would take priority for claiming the most desirable of the horses).  A provincial military horse comes with its own bit and bridle, a military saddle, scale barding and a simple caparison to denote nationality, unit and rank.

But if he wants a horse for use in his day-to-day life, then that would come out of his own pocket (and would include the horse's grooming and other basic upkeep).  He also has the option of leaving his personal steed at Ainsley Manor and riding a provincial horse in his military duties if he doesn't wish to endanger his own horse on the battlefield.  And don't forget to consider horse barding, bits and bridles, saddlebags and extra feed for any long, personal journeys that may come up.

You might also consider investing in a masterwork warhammer and/or masterwork armor.  Such items are forged by the most masterful of smiths, granting such goods an inherent +1 Attack bonus (for weapons) or an inherent +1 reduction to Armor Check Penalties (for armor, which might make masterwork leather or padded armor a bit pointless).  Such items are also considered to better resist wear and tear, and their designs can be as simple or as fancy as you wish.  Want a masterwork warhammer with a Celtic-style rune of inlaid copper on either of the hammer's cheeks?  Go for it.  Want a masterwork suit of half-plate with a flame-wreathed hill giant's face reliefed on the breastplate?  Go for it.  Just be reasonable with the design; some silver trim or a few semi-precious stones is fine.  Platinum plating and 24-karat diamonds are not.  

I have a basic shopping list for now.  The following are the basics that I think Gustov should have.   I haven't added things up just yet so bear with me as we go through this and I may have to put a few things back on the shelf as I wheel my cart through the store.  

1 Master Warhammer with family crest.  (I was wondering if I could use Gustov's influence to bring the price down a few bucks)
Light lance
2 daggers.
Axe. (I am looking for something between a full battle axe and a throwing axe to serve as Gustov's backup weapon. I am not sure what that would be.)
Half Plate Armor
1 Large Steel Shield
Light Warhorse for personal use ( I know I need stuff for the horse, but I will deal with that later.)
Rope 50 ft hemp
Water skins
Hextor holy symbol (type TBD)
Black Wolf Cape to be used to for formal and military events as well as to intimidate on occasion.  Not to be for daily use.  
2 Iowa Class Warships just for shits and giggles.  


This I just a basic list of things I believe Gustov will need.  How specific do I need to get with the things I am buying?  By that I mean do I get anything to start with IE cloths, boots.  I could have the badest weapons and armor in the land, but no cloths to wear.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

1 Master Warhammer with family crest.  (I was wondering if I could use Gustov's influence to bring the price down a few bucks)

I'll roll for an Appraise and Diplomacy check when I get back, but for the most part you already get that extra moolah to give you an edge over the non-Ainsleys.  It's the bonus you get for having to deal with the occasional snafu with the family curse and all.  

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

Axe. (I am looking for something between a full battle axe and a throwing axe to serve as Gustov's backup weapon. I am not sure what that would be.)

You might be thinking of the old Red Box battle axe, which was two-handed (and is now called a greataxe, and it has a meatier and less sucky damage die).  If you want a one-handed melee axe, you can go with either the battle axe (which has the d8 damage die) or the handaxe (which has a d6 damage die but weighs less than the battle axe).

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

Hextor holy symbol (type TBD)

Functionally, wooden holy symbols and silver holy symbols are the same; they're equally effective at Turning or Rebuking undead, they both work as focii for Divine spells and they both can keep vampires at bay.  The major differences?  1) displaying wealth and social status, 2) vulnerability to certain spells or other effects of magic (like Heat Metal and Warp Wood) and 3) giving the bearer a last-resort defense against lycanthropes (e.g. a silver symbol mashed into a werebeast's snout might convince it to back off for a few seconds; a wooden one will cause the werebeast a slight annoyance before it eats your face).

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

2 Iowa Class Warships just for shits and giggles.

Yeah, okay.  Let me just grab my calculator and no.  

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

This I just a basic list of things I believe Gustov will need.  How specific do I need to get with the things I am buying?  By that I mean do I get anything to start with IE cloths, boots.  I could have the badest weapons and armor in the land, but no cloths to wear.

The clothes are in the gear section too, under Clothing, and you should probably buy a change of clothes or two...something for the road, something for formal occasions, et al.  Did you have any questions about the various types of clothing?

(Anyway, it's now 5:41 PM, and I'll be on my way back to the academy at 6.  Sorry about not getting back to you over the weekend, but I was alternately recovering from last week and getting ready for this week...dethreading and ironing my new uniforms, filling out insurance forms, reading up on the Carrasco Incident/1974 Huntsville Prison Siege and other things included in this week's lesson plan, et al.  As you might expect, there's a lot to do, learn and memorize in order to be a prison guard.  But if I want that $2,727 a month, I gotta do what I gotta do.)

(I'll be back Friday evening, though.  And just in case I do get some free time at the academy, I'll be bringing some D&D books and game notes so I can finish cooking up the finer details for Gustov's prologue.  Wish me luck, and I'll see you on the flip side.)

*dicey-dicey dice...*

Okay, Tiger, let's bring the price of that Masterwork Warhammer down to 285 Gold. How does that grab you?

Is there anything else that I can help you with? Besides the battleships?

Sorry I got behind in the whole character building thing, but losing a job to bullshit will do that you to you.  So here is the latest on Gustov.
I think I got enough stuff to start with.  I don’t know if I need more or if I bought stuff that I don’t need.  Advice in this matter will be much appreciated. Hopefully my math is correct and you being the GM are free to check.    Starting GP 1979

1 Master Warhammer (Shatter Storm) -285= 1691                               1 Light lance:  -6= 1685
2 Silverd Daggers:  -20= 1665                   1 Battle-Axe:  -10= 1655  
Half Plate Armor:  -600= 1055                  1 Large Steel Shield:  -20 = 1035  

Light Warhorse (Personal Use):  -150= 885                                                       Saddle Military & 2 Saddle Bags:  -28= 857
(I’m not sure how to figure out the feed and stabling costs for the horse.  This horse is for personal use only.  Any time he has an official military mission he will use his military horse.)

1 Royal Outfit:  -200= 657                                          3 Traveler’s Outfit:  -3= 654                                        1 Nobel’s Outfit:  -75= 579
Black Wolf Cape (Broach in the shape of a wolf’s head):  -70= 509

(I am not sure if this is enough clothes for my character or if I should buy more.  Do I need both a royal outfit and a noble outfit or should one be okay?  Also what is the difference between a traveler’s outfit and an explorer outfit?   Please Advise.)

1 Backpack:  -2= 507                              50 ft. Hemp Rope:  -1= 506                                            2 Waterskins:  -2= 504
Flint and Steel:  -1= 503                                          2 Torches: and 1 Blanket:  -1= 502
1 Hextor Silver Holy Symbol:  -25= 477                                               1 HOA Signet Ring:  -5= 472

Left Over GP:  472

I didn't think about this untill after I already gave you the equipment list above. What type of poison would be good for putting on a blade? You know for those poeple that Gustov really hates and wants to get rid of. I mean as a future blackguard this seems to be something I should consider.

Indeed, especially since you get Poison Use at Blackguard 1.  Normally, anyone attempting to apply poison to anything has a chance of accidentally poisoning himself.  As a Blackguard, you never have to worry about that; all attempts to use poison are automatically successful.  The same goes for the Assassin class.  This doesn't necessarily apply to certain vectors or applications, however; a Blackguard who tries to sprinkle an Ingested poison into the duke's wine goblet is bound to succeed, as long as he's standing or sitting right next to the goblet.  If he tries to sprinkle the poison into the goblet from a balcony two stories overhead, he's going to have some problems.

But any of those poisons with Injury as its vector can be applied to bladed or pointy weapons.  Blue Whinnis is useful for rendering victims unconscious and ready for capture; just slather a dart with it and throw.  Large Scorpion Venom is handy for taking the fight out of archers, rogues, assassins and anyone else who relies heavily on Dexterity; the only hard part is actually hitting them with the poisoned pointy object, but things usually get a lot easier from there.  Bloodroot has a delayed effect, but once it gets working, it can continually ravage both Constitution and Wisdom, which makes it useful for crippling and eventually killing Clerics and Paladins; unfortunately, such enemies typically have ways of delaying or curing poison, so have a back-up plan ready.  Don't bother with Small Centipede Venom unless you're desperate; it's cheap, but it winnows Dexterity at a glacial pace and it can be easily negated with Fortitude Saves.

Bear in mind that Contact poisons can be substituted for Injury poisons or Ingested poisons; they work whether you splash it on your victim's skin, stab him with a tainted dagger or dribble it into his roasted quail while he's not looking.  Contact poisons tend to be the most expensive and the most troublesome to handle (especially for the inept or the inexperienced), but a capable poisoner will find no end of uses for Contact poisons.

And, of course, the Poison Use ability won't protect the Blackguard from Inhaled poisons if he's dumb enough to walk back into the toxic cloud that he just unleashed.  Be careful with Inhaled poisons, even if they are pretty useful for taking down multiple enemies at once. Inhaled poisons know no friends.

Okay, here's what we have thus far:


Name:  Gustov Ainsley
Player:  That Tiger dude.

Race:  Human
Class:  Fighter
Level:  5
Alignment:  Lawful Evil
Deity:  Hextor
Size:  Medium
Age:  19 (14 or 15 at the time of his prologue)
Gender:  Male

Height:  5' 6"  (short)
Weight:  165 lbs  (stocky)
Attitude:  Pretty ornery over being short and stocky.
Hair:  Light Brown (just like his father's)
Eyes:  Hazel (just like his mother's)
Skin:  Fair (just like everyone else in his thrice-damned bloodline)  

Strength:  16 (+3)
Dexterity:  12 (+1)
Constitution:  14 (+2)
Intelligence:  11 (0)
Wisdom:  13 (+1)
Charisma:  13 (+1)

Base Attack Bonus:  +5
Melee Attack Bonus (BAB + Str Mod):  +8
Ranged Attack Bonus (BAB + Dex Mod):  +6

Hit Die:  d10
Hit Points:  53

Armor Class:  20  (10 +1 (Dex Mod) +7 (Half-Plate) +2 (Large Steel Shield))
Flatfooted AC:  19  (no Dex Mod)
Touch AC:  11 (no armor or shield)

Skill Points per Level:  3 (2 (Fighter) +1 (Human) +0 (Int Mod))

Skill Ranks
Climb 2
Handle Animal 2
Intimidate 3
Knowledge (Religion) 3
Ride (Horse) 3
Use Rope 1
Wilderness Lore 1

Feats
Alertness
Power Attack
Sunder

Fighter Bonus Feats
Combat Reflexes
Weapon Focus (Warhammer)
Mounted Combat

(The only one which couldn't be a Fighter Bonus Feat is Alertness, so I just sorted Power Attack and Sunder (which takes Power Attack as a requisite) into the base Feats.  If I assumed wrongly, let me know.  If you don't really care, that's fine too.   )

I'll list Gustov's equipment as soon as you're done sorting out the whole poison thing.  How does this look so far?

Just a few questions since I don't have a D&D 3ed book handy.  First is the new D&D system like the Pladium RPG where everything is based on 20 sided dice?  Second what is flatfooted AC,  does that mean when Gustov is tied down and can't move or something else?  How did you figure BAB?  

I think that this is correct when Gustov is using Shatter Storm he gets a +1 for weapon focus and a plus +1 since it is a master warhammer.  Thus that would bring his warhammer melee up to +10 correct?  

As far as the feats go the way you have them alloted is fine.  I will just hold off on the poison thing at this time, but it will be something to consider as the campeign moves on.    Instead of poison I was thinking maybe Gustov should invest in a long range weapon like a crossbow or something.   I was also thinking of getting a dog for Gustov to aid in tracking and hunting.  What do you think about that idea? Other than that everything you got matches up with my charcter worksheet.  The only thing I dont see here is saving throws or am I getting ahead of myself again?

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

Just a few questions since I don't have a D&D 3ed book handy.

Shoot.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

First is the new D&D system like the Pladium RPG where everything is based on 20 sided dice?

No, it's still the same as 1st Ed and 2nd Ed/AD&D.  You still use d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20 and d100/d% in a variety of situations.  Some of those dice have changed, however; you may have noticed that the Fighter's Hit Die has improved from a d8 to a d10, the club's damage die has improved from a d4 to a d6, the chance of a random encounter now uses a d10 instead of a d20 or a 2d6, and so on.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

Second what is flatfooted AC,  does that mean when Gustov is tied down and can't move or something else?

Flatfooted AC is used in situations like you described (ie. Gustov's ankles are chained firmly to the floor, and here come the enemy archers...) as well as any other situation where a character cannot use his or her Dexterity to evade an attack, whether it be a surprise attack, a backstabbing Rogue striking from the character's blind spot, an invisible stalker taking a swing at you (and shame on you for not bringing any See Invisibility potions...), someone swinging at you while you're up to your waist in quicksand, and so on.

You've probably guessed what Touch AC is, but that's for attacks that only need to touch you or anything on you.  It's mostly used against armor-ignoring undead (like ghosts, wraiths, spectres and the occasional vampire) trying to touch you and sap your lifeforce, enemy spellcasters trying to touch you with spells like Shocking Grasp and Vampiric Touch, and so on.

Two other Armor Class modifiers (along with Armor bonuses, Shield bonuses and Dodge bonuses) include Natural armor and Deflection armor.  Natural AC bonuses come from tough skin or tough flesh in general, be it permanent or temporary; the Barkskin spell provides a useful Natural bonus to AC for the duration of the spell.  Deflection bonuses come from protective magic, such as the Mage Armor spell or a Ring of Protection +2.  But most of these modifiers don't stack; only the highest bonus of that type applies.  So casting Barkskin on a treant won't accomplish much, and wearing a Ring of Protection +1 on one hand and a Ring of Protection +2 on the other hand only results in a +2 Deflection bonus to your AC, not a +3.  The Dodge bonus to AC is the only one that does stack; a Dexterity of 15 has a +2 adjustment (and thus gives a +2 Dodge bonus to AC), and the Haste spell gives a +4 Dodge bonus to AC, so casting Haste on that Dex:15 character results in a grand Dodge AC total of +6.

So, you know, don't let Karnoz hog all the Haste potions.  

And out of all those Armor Class adjustment types, the only one which factors into regular AC, Flatfooted AC and Touch AC is Deflection.  So grab the absolute best Ring/Cloak/Boots/Amulet/Bowtie/Dainty Princess Tiara of Protection that you can find; when those spectres come roiling out of their graves and dart towards Gustov with unholy soul-hunger burning in their hollow eyes, you'll be glad that you did.  

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

How did you figure BAB?

It's determined by the character's Class and Level, on a chart for each Class.  As a norm, Classes which eat combat, sleep combat and breathe combat (ie. Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins, Rangers) increase their BABs the fastest.  Classes which are fair to middlin' at combat (ie. Bards, Clerics, Druids, Monks, Rogues) progress a bit more slowly with BAB.  And Classes which typically shy away from combat (ie. Sorcerers, Wizards) have the slowest BAB progression of all.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

I think that this is correct when Gustov is using Shatter Storm he gets a +1 for weapon focus and a plus +1 since it is a master warhammer.  Thus that would bring his warhammer melee up to +10 correct?

Correct.  Adjustments from individual weapons or specific Feats aren't permanently factored into any Attack Bonus; they're only added in as the situation demands.  If Gustov drops Shatter Storm and takes up an ordinary warhammer, his Attack bonus would drop to +9.  If a rust monster then eats his ordinary warhammer and Gustov grabs an ordinary longsword, his Attack bonus would be a normal +8.  And if the rust monster eats the longsword and forces Gustov to defend himself with a broken, poorly balanced chair leg (in effect, a club with a -1 penalty to Attack), his Attack bonus would drop even further, to a comparatively lousy +7.  Saints forbid he should grab a cursed battle axe with a -3 to Attack....

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

As far as the feats go the way you have them alloted is fine.  I will just hold off on the poison thing at this time, but it will be something to consider as the campeign moves on.    Instead of poison I was thinking maybe Gustov should invest in a long range weapon like a crossbow or something.   I was also thinking of getting a dog for Gustov to aid in tracking and hunting.  What do you think about that idea?

The hunting dog would be a sound idea; he already invested in Handle Animal, so you might as well make the most of it.  Give him a horse, a dog and the Skill to manage both, and Gustov will be one duck-hunting, deer-hunting, boar-hunting, outlaw-hunting, goblin-hunting, damn-near-anything-hunting motherlover on his days off from kicking ass.  

A crossbow is all right, but if you're interested in rate of fire, get a shortbow or a longbow instead.  Crossbows only get one shot per round (unless you're lucky enough to have a repeating crossbow), while bows get as many attacks per round as you can manage.  And Fighters get one extra attack per round with every five Levels (starting with two attacks at Level 6), so bows make more sense than crossbows in the long run, especially for Fighters.  There's a reason why crossbows are Simple weapons and bows are Martial weapons; even a Wizard can wield a crossbow, but kicking ass with a crossbow is a tad more difficult.  

Another consideration for you is that neither heavy crossbows nor longbows can be wielded while on horseback (or tigerback, griffonback, whateverback).  So if Gustov plans on going the Mounted Archery route later on, he might consider boning up on his skills (and Feats) with light crossbows, hand crossbows, shortbows and/or thrown weapons like daggers, throwing axes or javelins.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

Other than that everything you got matches up with my charcter worksheet.  The only thing I dont see here is saving throws or am I getting ahead of myself again?

No, you're right.  I forgot to include Gustov's Saving Throws, so here they are:

Fortitude:  +6 (4 (Fighter) +2 (Con Adj))
Reflex:  +2 (1 (Fighter) +1 (Dex Adj))
Will:  +2 (1 (Fighter) +1 (Wis Adj))

As you can see, another change with D&D 3 is the streamlining of Saving Throws (or Saves).  No longer do we have five or six types of Saving Throws which fluctuate all over the place and allow no deviation; now it's just Fortitude (for resisting things like poison, paralysis or petrification), Reflex (for dodging traps, dodging spells like Ray of Frost or Fireball, stopping yourself from falling, etc.) and Will (for resisting Command and other mind attack spells, resisting psionics, seeing through illusions, et al).  And there are no set-in-stone target numbers; each check is assigned a certain Difficulty Class (or DC) based on factors such as the task's complexity, the intricacy of the trap, the Level of the mage casting the spell at you, certain magical effects on you, and so on.  So dodging a tiny poisoned needle on a rusty old spring might be a Reflex Save against DC 5, while dodging a massive stone block swinging on a chain through a narrow gorge might be a Reflex Save against DC 30 or more.  Yes, when you're a high enough Level (or you have an unearthly Dexterity to make up for it), you can beat a DC of 30 with a Reflex Save.  And for the majority of Saves, the "Natural 20 = automatic success" rule applies.  But don't go looking for those swinging stone block traps when you're only Level 5.  

Most Classes excel at some Saves and suck with others, as usual.  Fighters and Barbarians are tough and rugged, yet their lifestyles don't particularly demand great nimbleness or cunning; why duck it or mentally dominate it when you can just stand there and shrug it off?  So they excel at Fortitude and lag at Reflex and Will.  Sorcerers and Wizards are their cerebral opposites, with great Will but not-so-great Fortitude and Reflex.  Clerics are warriors at times and spellcasters at times; their Reflex sucks, their Fortitude is strong (but not as strong as a Fighter's) and their Will is strong (but not as strong as a Wizard's).  Bards live by their wits and their deftness; they enjoy strong Reflex and Will, but their Fortitude is lacking.  Monks are the only ones who progress strongly with all three Saves, which makes Monks useful in a variety of situations (and helps compensate for that hefty "no armor and your weapons suck" limitation).

One thing I have noticed in D&D 3ed is that there is no such thing as THAC0.  The higher the AC number the harder the charcter is to hit. That is similar, but slightly different to the old paldium games where you have to roll above a charcter's AC to score a hit or cause damage.  I think that this way is much simpler than trying to fiqure out THAC0, where unlike D&D 1&2 ed -10 was the greatest armor class.  Now if you have a -10 AC you really suck and your charcter will probably get hit by anything that puporsly or accidently comes your way.  Your walikng through the forest ,an accorn falls from tree, and oops you have a -10 AC and the accorn hits you for -7 hp.  Just out of curisoity what is the highest AC one can achieve in 3ed?  

Okay lets get Gustov a puppy for hunting and other stuff.  A German Sheppard has always been my favorite dog.  An Akita would be a good hunting dog too, but I don't know if that breed would be avalable in Bardosylvania (-25 GP=447).  Gustov has purchased a horse and I will need to know the HP for both the puppy and horse.  I will hold off on the bow for now, but I think I will acquire one by the time he reaches his next level.  
If am reading this correctly Gustov gets two attacks per melee right now.  One because of his level and one because of combat reflexes or am I reading the description of combat reflexes wrong?

By the way I think I need to readjust Gustov's skill points.  I would like to drop climb by one and with the banked skill point I have left use the two points to take Knowledge (Royalty and Nobility)+1.  That okay with you?

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

One thing I have noticed in D&D 3ed is that there is no such thing as THAC0.  The higher the AC number the harder the charcter is to hit. That is similar, but slightly different to the old paldium games where you have to roll above a charcter's AC to score a hit or cause damage.  I think that this way is much simpler than trying to fiqure out THAC0, where unlike D&D 1&2 ed -10 was the greatest armor class.  Now if you have a -10 AC you really suck and your charcter will probably get hit by anything that puporsly or accidently comes your way.  Your walikng through the forest ,an accorn falls from tree, and oops you have a -10 AC and the accorn hits you for -7 hp.  Just out of curisoity what is the highest AC one can achieve in 3ed?

Yeah, I never liked calculating THAC0 either. The new system is so much better.

But there's really no maximum AC in D&D 3; the sky's the limit. Right now, I'm looking at the entry for the Boneyard (in Libris Mortis). A Boneyard is an undead creature which is basically an entire graveyard's worth of bones animated collectively into one creature, a creature which can then assume any form it wants...more or less like a nightshade, only formed from a buttload of skeletons instead of a buttload of souls. Its base Armor Class is 30, which is pretty big. And it's by no means the maximum; I've seen Player Characters in Neverwinter Nights (one of D&D 3's many video game forms) buffed up to Armor Classes over 50. So yes, the sky's the limit.

Your saving grace here is that a Natural 20 always hits, just like a Natural 1 always misses. So, Attack bonuses aside, how is an Armor Class of 30 any better than an Armor Class of 20? The obvious answer is when debuffs come into play. Slap an AC 20 creature with Slow, and his AC drops to 18, thus improving your chances of smacking him by a cool 10%. Slap that Boneyard with Slow, and its AC drops to 28, so you might still need a Nat 20 to smack it. And don't forget to use a mace or a club; it still takes half damage from Slashing and Piercing attacks.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

Okay lets get Gustov a puppy for hunting and other stuff.  A German Sheppard has always been my favorite dog.  An Akita would be a good hunting dog too, but I don't know if that breed would be avalable in Bardosylvania (-25 GP=447).

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

Gustov has purchased a horse and I will need to know the HP for both the puppy and horse.

Let me get back with you on that one. As soon as I enter Gustov into The Party thread, I'll roll 'em up. Gustov might go ahead and get two or three dogs, for all I know.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

I will hold off on the bow for now, but I think I will acquire one by the time he reaches his next level.

Okay. If nothing else, Gustov can probably kill an archer on the battlefield and take his bow. He might have to dodge a few arrows to get his hands on it, that's all.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

If am reading this correctly Gustov gets two attacks per melee right now.  One because of his level and one because of combat reflexes or am I reading the description of combat reflexes wrong?

You're reading it wrong, alas. Combat Reflexes affects Attacks of Opportunity. Attacks of Opportunity are a mechanic newly introduced with D&D 3, in which you get a free attack on an enemy doing certain actions which give a meleer an opening of attack. If an enemy runs past you full tilt, you can take an AoO against him. If he's in melee with you and he turns tail and runs, you get an AoO. If he drinks a potion in melee? AoO. If he casts a spell in melee? AoO. And so forth, with other such actions. It's another way for Fighters to eat Wizards alive if the Wizards let them get that close.

But normally, a character only gets one AoO per round, no matter how many attacks per round he has; if a Fighter is in melee with two Wizards and they both start casting Burning Hands at him, he can take a free swing at one Wizard or the other, but not both (unless he also has Cleave, in which case he has to kill one Wizard with his AoO before he can attack the other one). But with Combat Reflexes, you get an extra AoO for each plus from your Dex modifier, so a Dex of 16 (with its +3 modifier) would add up to three AoO's each round, for a total of four. Gustov's Dex isn't stellar, but those two AoO's per round could help him mop up a few wizards.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

By the way I think I need to readjust Gustov's skill points.  I would like to drop climb by one and with the banked skill point I have left use the two points to take Knowledge (Royalty and Nobility)+1.  That okay with you?

Sounds good.

Anyway, I have to get to work now. I'll continue this tomorrow. See you then.

I think we are almost done with Gustov, and I even think I found a theme song for him (see Metal Tune of the Week for more info).  I still need you to go over the equipment list from a previous post and see if everything is up to snuff.  I would also appreciate it if you could answer the questions that I posted along with the equipment list.  Other than that I'm pretty sure the basic character is finished so we just need to get him into the campaign so that Willard and Wolflen,  I mean Gustov and Karnoz can get to work doing whatever it is they do.

Okay, I'm back.  Sorry about not following through like I said; I'll save the whining about my job for the OOC Discussion thread.

Anyway, I overlooked answering you about the dog.  A lengthy elucidation follows, so brace yourself:

As Gustov likely knows (because he so shrewdly took Knowledge: Royalty and Nobility), the House of Ainsley is roughly 300 years old, as is the Lordship of Bardosylvania itself.  Bardosylvania was originally a harsh, untamed, heavily forested wildland, south from the Duchy of Konegheim and the neighboring Barony of Nellowswann in their dawning years, and home to both a small number of human barbarian tribes (most notably the Serg tribe and the Vorgir tribe, with a smattering of the much smaller Lugoi, Talhar, Jurat and Borishka tribes) and a number of elven villages inhabited exclusively by the semi-cultured wood elves and their more barbaric wild elf cousins.  Aside from the odd hunting dispute, intrusion on sacred ground or random act of cruelty, the human barbarians left the elves alone, and the elves were content to return the favor.

Enter the House of Ainsley's progenitor, Lord Bardos Ainsley I.  The Ainsley family ultimately has their roots in Nellowswann, but those who predated Bardos were defrocked and disenfranchised noblefolk who had emigrated to Konegheim for asylum.  Generations later, a young man named Bardos Ainsley finished his squirehood and took the oath of knighthood in service to Duke Welleg Eowuld IV.  Sir Bardos quickly earned a reputation as being fierce, unforgiving and bluntly honest to a fault, factors which made him feared among the commonfolk and unpopular among the nobility.  Sir Bardos found himself scapegoated over a faux pas committed by Duchess Freigda (the details of which have been erased from history, likely by Bardos himself and others directly involved), and he was summarily stripped of his knighthood.  Never one to endure disgrace and humiliation without quarrel, Bardos gathered about himself a band of highwaymen, cutthroats and other criminals--many of them liberated from Konegheim's gaols, dungeons and oubliettes--and built his estate in Southeast Konegheim into a keep, a veritable fortress from which to assail and plunder the Duke's messengers, tax collectors, travelling treasurers and other officials, retreating to the keep when threatened and killing any constables, knights or other men-at-arms who approached the keep to enforce the Duke's laws and exact retribution.

To this end, Raubritter Bardos (having assumed the mantle of robber-knight) and his brigands began to crossbreed black timber wolves and greyhounds, refining the new breed by slaughtering the pups who were sickly, weak or otherwise undesirable.  This particular breed of wolfdog became known as the Bardos Steedhound or the Bardos Horsehound, also colloquially called "Horse Nippers," "Saddle Nippers" or "Horsedogs".  The Bardos Steedhound combined--and still combines--the timber wolf's strength, ferocity and capacity for teamwork with the greyhound's swiftness and intelligence, making the breed well-suited for the tasks for which Bardos and his scoundrels trained them: chasing down people on horseback, herding the panicking horses--and their riders--into traps or ambushes, and even leaping and pulling the horsemen from their saddles, leaving them unseated and at the mercy of Bardos and his robbers.

Ultimately, Duke Welleg decided that Raubritter Bardos had been a thorn in his side for far too long; the robber-knight had taken too much coin from his coffers, and though Bardos Ainsley was greatly feared for his cruelty and savagery, the commonfolk had come to regard him and his rebellion as folk heroes simply because Duke Welleg's reign was seen as being even worse.  These commonfolk had gone so far as to build a town around the Ainsley keep, serving Raubritter Bardos and depending on him from protection from the duke; they named the town Bardoston, and Bardoston--with the old Ainsley keep--still stands in Southeast Konegheim to this day.

So Duke Welleg mustered his army and laid seige to Bardoston and the Ainsley residence.  After a fortnight of skirmishes and blockades, Bardoston's defenses crumbled and the duke's soldiers intruded on Ainsley Keep under force of arms.  Bardos Ainsley fell in battle yet survived his wounds, leaving well over a score of the duke's men slain around him.  He was taken into captivity, along with whichever brigands had survived the siege.  The worst of the brigands--those known to be remorseless murderers and other criminals--were swiftly put to death in the public's eye, but with Bardos Ainsley the duke faced a dilemna: Were he to execute the robber-knight along with his lowborn scum, the disgruntled commonfolk could very well ferment insurrection, perhaps leading to a full-scale revolt throughout the duchy.  Duke Welleg needed to demonstrate to the people that he was (or, at least, could be) a merciful man and a wise judicator, and the untamed forestland to the south could yet be turned to Konegheim's dominion.  And so, Duke Welleg opportunistically sentenced Bardos Ainsley and his remaining highwaymen to exile, banishing them to the land which would become Bardosylvania.  "Tame this land," spake the duke, "and give it to me, and I shall see you pardoned of all crimes against my throne."

So Bardos Ainsley, his remaining brigands and a large band of settlers from Bardoston made way into the wildland, meeting bloody resistance from the Serg tribe yet invariably cutting the barbarians down through proven tactics, steel and raw brutality.  A new Ainsley estate was erected in the heart of the wilderness, and there did Bardos take upon himself the title of lord and resume what he had started in Bardoston, including the breeding of Bardos Steedhounds (which proved no less capable at hunting game and fending off wolves, making them essential to the settlers' survival).

But that great and savage forest had long held a dread reputation as a place of curses, unholy monsters and dark magic, and that reputation was largely deserved.  Though the barbarian tribes were ultimately oppressed, subjugated and culturally interbred out of existence, their shamans did not make that an easy task for Bardos Ainsley and his people; his priests and mages, in particular, proved themselves many a time over in the struggle and conquest over the Serg and the Vorgir.  The people turned to worship of Wee Jas--the goddess of death and dark magic--and redoubled their efforts to placate her, that she might show them mercy and aid them in surviving such a queer and merciless land.  By the time the settlement of Dark Grove Hollow was built on the blood, sweat and torment of enslaved Vorgir and wild elf laborers, Lord Bardos Ainsley I publicly recognized Wee Jas as the divine matron of the fledgeling Bardosylvania, and a great many shrines and temples were erected to her glory.

Duke Welleg eventually wearied of Lord Bardos' lack of communication and, most importantly, lack of coin from taxes and fealty dues.  So Duke Welleg sent several bands of officials and men-at-arms into Bardosylvania--much of which remained untamed--to demand the duke's due from the young lord and his estate.  And very few of those officials or men-at-arms returned alive, each of the survivors ranting and raving as any madman would.  But this time, it was not Bardos and his men who struck the duke's men down; the delirious survivors instead spoke of great wolves hunting with all the cunning and wit of men, of blood-crazed werebeasts who seemed to grow stronger and more berserk with every drop of blood spilled, of vampires and other undead striking from the shadows without warning and vanishing just as immediately, of dark witches descending from blackening skies and snatching the weakest among them away before the duke's men could mount any defense, of the duke's own slain rising from the red earth to seize their former comrades and tear them to pieces...and worse.  It would seem that the land of Bardosylvania itself was recoiling against the duke's intrusions, as if protecting Lord Bardos and his followers.  And that land's nebulous malice had seemed to grow ever stronger since Bardos' arrival; perhaps it was feeding off of Bardos' oppression and atrocity somehow, or perhaps it was grooming him and his descendants for a greater and more horrible destiny yet to come....

Anyway, the House of Ainsley has been steadily breeding Bardos Steedhounds through the centuries ever since.  Most breeds of large dogs enjoy the following stats:

Dog
Medium-Size Animal
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (typically 13 HP)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 40 ft
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 Natural)
Attacks: Bite +3 Melee
Damage: Bite 1d6+3 (Piercing and Slashing)
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft / 5 ft
Special Qualities: Scent (Through sense of smell, the dog is able to detect hidden or approaching creatures, track by scent and recognize familiar scents.  The difficulty of such checks depends on the strength of the odor and the prevalent strength and direction of the wind.)
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +5, Wilderness Lore +1.  Dogs receive a +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Feats: None
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary.  Dogs may appear in greater numbers if kept by sentient handlers, of course.
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always True Neutral
Advancement: None


A common wolf enjoys these stats:

Wolf
Medium-Size Animal
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 HP)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 50 ft
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural)
Attacks: Bite +3 Melee
Damage: Bite 1d6+1 (Piercing and Slashing)
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft / 5 ft
Special Attacks: Trip (A wolf that hits with a bite attack may attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a Touch Attack or provoking an Attack of Opportunity.  If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to stop the wolf.)
Special Qualities: Scent (as above)
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +3, Listen +6, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +1.  Wolves receive a +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)
Climate/Terrain: Any forest, hills, plains and mountains
Organization: Solitary, pair or pack (7 to 16)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always True Neutral
Advancement: 3 HD (Medium-size), 4 to 5 HD (Large)


And then there's the Bardos Steedhound (and, perhaps, other assorted wolfdogs as well):

Bardos Steedhound
Medium-Size Animal
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 HP)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 50 ft
Armor Class: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 Natural)
Attacks: Bite +3 Melee
Damage: 1d6+1 (Piercing and Slashing)
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft / 5 ft
Special Attacks: Trip (as above)
Special Qualities: Scent (as above)
Saves: +5 Fort, +5 Ref, +1 Will
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +1, Listen +5, Move Silently +2, Spot +4, Swim +3, Wilderness Lore +1.  Bardos Steedhounds receive a +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Feats: None
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary (without handlers)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always True Neutral
Advancement: 3 HD (Medium-size)


...and just in case Gustov decides to go the "Dachshund, bulldog and rat terrier" route:

Small Dog
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8 (13 HP)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 40 ft
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Size, +3 Dex, +1 Natural)
Attacks: Bite +2 Melee
Damage: 1d4+1 (Piercing and Slashing)
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft / 5 ft
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Scent (as above)
Saves: +4 Fort, +5 Ref, +1 Will
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +5, Wilderness Lore +1.  Small dogs receive a +8 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Feats: None
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary (without handlers)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always True Neutral
Advancement: None


Because of the breed's proliferation in the House of Ainsley's kennels, Gustov may take one Bardos Steedhound for free if he wishes.  Any additional dogs, wolves or wolfdogs will cost anywhere from 25 to 100 Gold, depending on the breed.  Extra Steedhounds will cost around 100 Gold, as will any equally formidable attack dog.

The stats for the above animals may vary depending on the breed.  A bloodhound, for example, may enjoy a +6 bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.  Such advantages will likely be offset by deficits elsewhere; that bloodhound's Wilderness Lore bonus may be offset by a mere +1 Melee rating, as the dog has trouble biting prey or enemies without its hallmark floppy jowls getting in the way.

However many canines Gustov takes, with his current Handle Animal score he may teach each dog up to two voice commands, each with its own command word or command phrase (of your choosing), and each commanding a simple action. Actions such as "Attack!", "Guard this spot" or "Fetch my sword" count as simple actions. Actions such as "Alert me if anyone wearing blue approaches," "Open that door" or "Fetch any gold necklaces or other items of great value" do not.

Spirit of the Tiger wrote:

I think we are almost done with Gustov, and I even think I found a theme song for him (see Metal Tune of the Week for more info).  I still need you to go over the equipment list from a previous post and see if everything is up to snuff.  I would also appreciate it if you could answer the questions that I posted along with the equipment list.  Other than that I'm pretty sure the basic character is finished so we just need to get him into the campaign so that Willard and Wolflen,  I mean Gustov and Karnoz can get to work doing whatever it is they do.

Which questions do you mean?  I think I just answered your questions about the dogs, but I may be overlooking something.

Also, don't forget to get on Google and find a picture for Gustov!  I'll be making his Gametable pog, and I need a pic to crop it from.  Just find a picture that looks at least passingly like him and post it here, and I'll post a pog or three for you to pick from, just like I did with Sylvea, Karnoz, Keitha and the rest.

Again, apologies for the delay.  Work's really been kicking my ass up over my shoulders, let me tell you.  

I am glad you wrote the history above it helps get a lot of background for the campaign.  As far as the puppy is concerned we will go with one Bardos Steedhound.  Make it a birthday present of some kind.  Just like his War-hammer was gift from his family when Gustov received his officers commission.  When is comes to commands does the dog know any basic commands such as sit, stay, fetch, and other commands most dogs know?  If that is the case the two, I will call them advanced commands, will be "Attack" and "Find".  The "Find" command will be Gustov's command to track what ever prey be it human or animal that Gustov is looking for. I also need the HP for Gustov's Warhorse.

As far as the questions about equipment look back about 7-8 ago posts ago when I  gave you a detailed equipment list.  There were questions embedded in that list on if I am spending my GP right and if Gustov should by other things instead.   Some of them are just for clarification others are to make sure I don't waste money.

I have been looking for a picture of Gustov, but when I type in Warhammer or Kinght with Warhammer mostly I get pictures of Space Marines from Warhammer 40k.  I do like the idea of having a badass space rifle and futuristic warhammer, as the picture below shows , however I don't think Bardosylvania has invented such weapons yet.   

Spoiler:

While the first picture in more awesome, this second one in probably more in line with the campaign.  If you have and site in mind that I could peruse that would be cool too.

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Hello again. Sorry (again) if I've taken overly long to get to this, but good news! I bought a new computer last week: An Acer AXC-603G-UW31, and it rocks! It's easier to work with than my laptop, and it's worlds better than my old hunk-of-junk Compaq. All for $300, too. I've pretty much gotten the hang of Windows 8 by now; it's not as bad as I expected it to be.

My job hunt is still ongoing, unfortunately, and I'm never going to find any measure of peace until I get a new job so I can say goodbye to the prison. The money's great, but this job's the kind that will send me to an early grave (one way or another) if I keep at it.

I'll be installing Paintshop Pro on this new computer by the weekend, then we'll see about getting Gustov on the road. Again, apologies for the delay, but life sucks right now. Stay tuned.