Appendix N Cinema and Beastmaster

Posted By pandabrett on Nov 5, 2020 | 0 comments

Appendix N Cinema and Beastmaster

by Thorin ‘SonOvThrain’ Thompson and Clay Liford

Recently, Goodman Games started up a new show that celebrates movies and the impact they can have on our games. The first episode of this series focused on the 1984 film, Beastmaster. And now the hosts of the show are bringing you some distilled gaming material for you to use.

NOTE: This is all fan-created material, and is not official in any way. It’s unauthorized and meant just for fun.

What-ho, Cinema-fiends! It is we, Thorin & Clay from Appendix N Cinema! The time is nigh to reveal our DCC house-rules from our Beastmaster episode. If you missed the episode you can check it out at the Official Goodman Games YouTube Channel.

The Beastmaster Class:

Perhaps your true origins were hidden and you were birthed from the belly of a beast or hatched from an egg. None-the-less, this traumatic event has awakened something inside you and now you feel a deep companionship with all animals and beasts, drawing strength from nature herself.

The Beastmaster is a friend to animals and a cunning enemy to those who would wreck chaos on the land. To become a Beastmaster, a 0-level PC must have interacted with an animal during the Funnel Adventure. Any successful attempts at Animal Empathy will grant the PC their awakening.

Hit points: A Beastmaster gains 1d10 hit points at each level.

Weapon Training: A Beastmaster may use any weapons or leather armour, but prefers to negate heavy armour due to their Light Armour Expert ability.

Alignment: Beastmasters maintain a neutral outlook on the world, for both the forces of Law and Chaos may endanger the animals in order to meet their own ends.

Animal Empathy: When faced with a natural, non-magical, animal the Beastmaster may attempt to establish empathy with the creature by rolling a Personality check modified by their current Beast die. The creature may attempt a Will save modified by subtracting the number rolled on the Beast die. Once empathy is established with the Beastmaster the animal will become their companion until dismissed or killed. Further empathy tests may be needed in order to command a creature to act against their natural instincts.

The Beastmaster may only control animal(s) with a HD equal to their level + PER modifier. This HD limit may be split between multiple low level animals.

If the animal the Beastmaster is currently empathic with perishes they must succeed a Will save subjectracted by a result of their Beast die or suffer a temporary Personality loss equal to 1 roll of the creature’s HD. 

Bushcraft: You gain +1 bonus per level (+ INT mod) when performing any outdoor survivalist skills, such as setting traps, hunting, wilderness navigation, etc.

Light Armor Expert: In tune with their animalistic nature, the Beastmaster chooses to forgo heavy chafing armours and instead prefers lighter armours like hide or leather. While wearing armour they are trained in, the Beastmaster receives a +1 to AC, reduces check penalties by -2 and reduces the fumble die by -1d.

Remote Viewing: The Beastmaster can view the world through the eyes of any beast already under their empathy. The Beastmaster cannot move or fight while using this power. (Range = Beast die x 1000ft. Round duration = Beast die + level.)

Two-handed Fighter: While attacking with a two-handed weapon, a Beastmaster’s initiative die is not reduced to d16, but remains a d20. Additionally, when rolling a critical hit with a two-handed weapon his die type for the critical table is increased by +1d.

SPECIAL WEAPONS & MAGIC ITEMS:

Caber (1d6 damage): The caber is a specialized ranged weapon that acts as a boomerang. It’s sharp blades deal 1d6 hp damage. When throwing the caber the PC makes a normal ranged attack, however, should the attack miss the PC can attempt a Luck check which is modified by reducing the roll with the PC’s Agility modifier. Should the check succeed the weapon will hit its mark on the return passage. Rolling a 1 (unmodified or not) on Luck check results in a critical hit.

Death-head Mace (+2 to hit, +4 to hit with spikes, 1d6 damage, hits all targets in a 5’ radius in flail mode): This weapon may appear to be crudely fashioned from the skull of some poor wretches, but is in fact a master work in blacksmithing. A switch at the weapon’s handle releases a series of blades that circle the skull, while another switch will turn the spiked mace into a flail.

Only warriors or their ilk may wield such a mace which adds +2 to any strike (+4 when the spikes are released). Releasing the spikes, whether in mace or flail mode increased the wielders chance to fumble (1-3). While in flail mode, any target in a 5’ radius whose AC is rolled will be dealt damage.

All-Seeing Ring of Maax (magic item): Made from the still-living eyeball of an (always) unwilling donor, which is then fused within a ring of gold and imbued with the darkest of magicks (courtesy of a “court witch” under the employ of the dark priest Maax and his Jun followers), this enchanted ring allows its creator to spy anything the ring sees, as if the magic eye was their own. The scrying process requires the additional usage of a “linked” cauldron, filled with a bubbling brew that acts as a “monitor” of sorts, projecting above the roiling waters anything the ring witnesses. Anyone standing around the cauldron may partake of this “remote viewing.” The ring has a virtually unlimited range, and it’s only downside is the natural vulnerability of the naked eye embedded within the ring itself. In fact, any damage visited upon the eyeball directly transfers to a random eye belonging to the creator witch herself (never any additional viewers). 

The eye must be struck, however, in order to inflict damage upon it and its creator witch. For this purpose, the ring has an AC of 16, but only 1 hp. That single hit point of damage is magnified when transferred to the witch, who takes 1d4+1 damage and is blinded in one eye (Fort Save vs Attack Roll or permanent blindness, otherwise the blindness lasts 4d4 rounds). To protect against this unfortunate weakness, the eye is lidded in gold and (typically) remains shut, unless its cauldron “master” is in the process of utilizing it. When closed, the ring’s AC increases to 19. 

Once damaged, the ring becomes useless (and actually leaks blood!) and the enchantment instantly fades away. So, though a powerful and versatile scrying device, it is quite susceptible to pokes from fingers, sticks, needles, etc.

The creation process adheres to that set out in the DCC Annual (p. 120), with the additional requirement of the aforementioned unwilling eyeball donor (hopefully with 20/20 vision), and roughly 500 gp worth of solid gold. It should be further noted that once removed from the donor, the eyeball must be introduced to the ring within 2d4 hours, or it becomes useless and yet another eyeball must be procured. Judges have a fun opportunity to instill fear in their PCs by threatening to steal their eyeballs whilst they sleep (take THAT long rest!).     

MONSTERS:

Archon (winged creatures): Init +3;dual claw swipe +5 melee (1d4+2, see special); AC 15; HD 3d10; hp 16; MV 40’ fly, 20’ ground; Act 1d20; SP winged grapple (on a successful attack target must roll a Ref save vs. Att roll or be grappled suffering 1d8 dam/round, DC 15 STR check to escape), recognize characters with animal empathy; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6; AL N.

The race of the Archon have lived for thousands of years, inhabiting the world long before humans evolved. Slightly humanoid in appearance, archon’s leathery green skin is riddled with veins. Fleshy wings grow from the sides of their bodies, extending from under their arms to the heels of their clawed feet. Not much is known of their culture, for the Archons prefer solitude and will not hesitate to consume someone foolhardy enough to trespass on their habitat. Those that have escaped with their lives from their mysterious glowing tree villages tell of crudely hewed obsidian statues dedicated to a bird god.

The Archon, having no mouth, consumes its food through their fleshy wings. When a prey is grappled the wings secrete an acidic liquid which quickly dissolves the flesh (1d8 hp dam per round), leaving nothing behind by ichor covered bones. While feeding, the Archon cannot move and must succeed a Will save (DC 10 + victim’s level) roll to stop feeding. Should an PC attack the Archon while it’s feeding there is a 50% chance of hitting the entangled victim, who then suffers half the damage inflicted.

Archons can perceive those few mortals who have the power to communicate with animals. When a Beastmaster meets with an Archon they may attempt an Animal Empathy roll to establish telepathic communication. The Archon society has no words, but is able to communicate emotions through those with animal empathy. 

Death Guards (2d6): Init +4; Atk spiked gauntlet assault +4 melee (1d4+2); AC 14; HD 2d10+5; hp 15; MV 30’ (40’ when raging); Act 2d20; SP immune to sleep, charm, paralysis spells and poisons, death squeeze (if both attacks hit target is grappled, 1d6+2 dam per round), uncontrollable rage (fleeing targets cause guards to berserk for 1d4 rounds: -2 AC, +2 to hit, -5 damage reduction, DC 10 Will save to end rage after duration); SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will -2; AL C.

Once normal men, the Death Guards are created through a series of tortuous experiments and the implanting of a corrupted maggot found only in the pits of Zurjaarraq across the Silent Sea. Used by evil clerics, wizards and other such fiends, the Death Guards are beastial protectors of guarded secrets and magical treasures. Their armour consists mainly of black leather straps, a helm (from which their horrid green eyes smoulder), gauntlets, and boots. To the untrained eye it would appear to be extremely lacking except for two factors: every inch is covered in sharp spikes and the Death Guard, after his transformation, feels no pain! 

Death Guards are formidable foes and if their targets flee it puts them in such a blind and terrifying rage that they forgo what little thought they have in an attempt to capture their quarry and kill it. This gives them a +2 bonus to hit and increases their speed from 30’ to 40’ per round, but it also lowers their AC by -2. During a rage any damage dealt to the Death Guard is reduced by -5 points. This rage lasts for 1d4 rounds, afterwards the Death Guard must succeed a DC 10 Will save or continue to rage for another 1d4 rounds.

Jun Warlord: Init +3, Atk death-head mace +4 melee (1d6+2, see description) or trample +5 melee (1d8+1); AC 16, HD 4d8+6; hp 32; MV 30’, 60’ mounted; Act 1d20; SP horsemanship (+1 to all attacks and damage while mounted), inspire horde (after an attack that deals max damage the warlord may inspire his army adding +2 to their attacks for 2d4 rounds), sunder helm (can forgo damage from any 2 attacks that instead damage the helm’s wings); SV Fort + 4, Ref +4, Will +6, AL C.

The warlord of the Jun Horde is an opposing figure. His winged bat-like helm instills dread to his opponents and his death-head mace can cripple even the mightiest of warriors (see Death-head Mace for more details). 

Jun Horde (3d50): Init +2, Atk sword +2 melee (1d6), bow +2 ranged (1d6), or trampled +4 melee (1d8); AC 13; HD 1d8; hp 6; MV 30’, 60’ mounted; Act 1d20; SP horsemanship (+1 to all attacked and damage while mounted); SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3; AL C.