4e Ravenloft Conversion Thread

[Nikolas of the Mists]

As I have mentioned I am starting with the most salient bits first - character creation, races, classes and feats.

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Caliban v1.2

Racial Traits
Average Height: 6’0” – 6’5”
Average Weight: 200-230 lb.

Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Low-light

Languages: Domain language
Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Endurance

Man or Monster: You gain a +5 racial bonus to death saving throws.

Cursed Lineage: You gain Resist 5 to the damage type of your choice at the cost of having Vulnerability 2 to a second chosen damage type. This ability is represented in minor ways through your misshapen appearance and (if known) the origins of your corrupted birth and existence. (Damage types are: Acid, Cold, Fire, Force, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Psychic, Radiant, and Thunder)

Warrior’s Surge: You can use Warrior’s Surge as an encounter power.
(Warrior’s Surge is the Orc’s exceptional racial power from the new MM.)

Warrior’s Surge Caliban Racial Power
Spilling the blood of your enemy invigorates you.
Encounter Healing, Weapon
Standard Action Melee Weapon
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you can spend a healing surge.
Increase to 2[W] + Strength modifier damage at 21st level.

Heroic Tier Caliban Feats

Thrill of Victory
Prerequisites: Caliban
Benefit: When your Warrior’s Surge reduces an opponent to zero hit points, you gain an action point you must spend before the end of your next turn.

Cold-Blooded Killer
Prerequisites: Caliban
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls against bloodied humanoid enemies.


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[Jester of the FoS]

Whoa... so a caliban is essentially an orc with all the bonuses of an orc PLUS a bonus to a saving throw?

[DocBeard]

You know what I'd do for Calibans?

Something like the Warforged add-on rules in Dragon. Ways to make a Caliban who's a hag-blooded beastie different from a PC-level flesh golem who's different from a ghost-touched lost one.

The Caliban's really the great open pallette of the setting, the horror trope of "The monster who's on your side.", and they should have that flexability.

[DocBeard]

I know that the Knights of the Raven are supposed to get a raven harrier thingy and be able to talk to ravens and whatnot, but the wizard lacked a familiar so I was kind of lost with what to do with it. I don't think it would hurt to make a paragon feat for Knights of the Raven (ouch, though, feats for paragon paths?) that allowed them to talk to ravens at will. Perhaps, though, the raven familiar could just be a fluff thing. The game focuses a lot more on combat now, so things like raven familiars and speaking to ravens is hard to do (as there's no feats/powers to base it on).

That's why I'm waiting on the 4E familiar rules to work on Dread Familiars and other minion monster tropes-they're going to have them, but apperently want to refine the rules to expand the familiar/animal companion's role a little.

The rest seems pretty solid, though. Nice work! Glad to see new fans coming into the community.

[Nikolas of the Mists]

Whoa... so a caliban is essentially an orc with all the bonuses of an orc PLUS a bonus to a saving throw?

Keep in mind that the section at the back of the MM isn't "complete" per se for a player character. Most of the races at the back only have 2 racial abilities, and some (like orcs) don't even have skill bonuses at all.

I made it this way to keep the Caliban in line with the other PHB races, and the same race building structure (2 +2 stats, 2 +2 skills, 3 powers, etc). At first I thought that I would make a few minor changes to the Dragonborn since they fill a similar beatstick role, but it became an outright rewrite.

The race which is really irking me at the moment is the Gnome.
Fade Away and Reactive Stealth are ridiculous powers if you start tacking on class levels of anything with Stealth or mobility. Of course the Gnomes in question are more Woodland Gnomes than the Gnomes of previous editions, and could simply have one or both of their abilities reworked if necessary.

[Nikolas of the Mists]

You know what I'd do for Calibans?

Something like the Warforged add-on rules in Dragon. Ways to make a Caliban who's a hag-blooded beastie different from a PC-level flesh golem who's different from a ghost-touched lost one.

The Caliban's really the great open pallette of the setting, the horror trope of "The monster who's on your side.", and they should have that flexability.

That's part of what I was trying to get with the "Cursed Lineage" feat, but it never really got across.

The more I look at it, the less I like Size is Speed. Going to have to try and find an alternative to it. Maybe move "Cursed Lineage" up to a Racial ability and find something else for a Heroic Tier talent?

[Jester of the FoS]

The races in the back of the MM are pretty much the same power level. Orcs likely don't get skill bonuses for other reasons (stronger racial power, etc). You'll notice how the MM warforged and the Dragon magazine warforged weren't that different.
The only thing really separating them from PC races, in theory, is feats.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Ignoring flavor for the moment, the main difference between elves and eladrin was that one teleports and one's a crack shot.

That reminds me: Jester's "Races of the Mists" article on Ravenloft elves, from QtR13, described an optional subrace, the "mist-elf". They weren't a distinct subrace of elf, any more than calibans are a separate subrace of human, but elves who were conceived and/or born in the Mists. Lacking the usual elven connection to the Land, they instead shared an affinity for the Mists that would ordinarily be seen only in the Fugued.

As teleportation in Ravenloft has been depicted as similar to Mist-travel for most of the setting's history, why not portray eladrin in this setting as mist-elves, rather than a race in their own right? Their "fey step" would convert to a "Mist step" ability, which would work even in places (like the Mists, Nightmare Lands, Aggarath, etc) where the Feywild isn't necessarily present and/or traversable. Born with abilities even their elven families find disturbing, they'd face the same alienation among elves as half-Vistani do among giorgios; even if mist-elves aren't very numerous, those that do exist could be prone to adopt wandering and/or adventurous careers, justifying their disproportionate appearance as PCs.

That would keep the elven populations in Darkon and Sithicus more on a level with the human majority: eerie enough to scare the superstitious, but not enough so as to violate the Land of Mists' usual veneer of mundane normality ... or to suggest the Tepestani Inquisition is in the right when it condemns them as "invading fey". Both nations would be home to standard PHB elves, but each population would also give rise to occasional mist-elf offspring, whether through chance, bad timing (i.e. elf woman goes into labor early while on a Mistway), or perhaps even deliberate eugenics. (Think Azalin confines his breeding-experiments to his own clones? )

[Jester of the FoS]

That would be one option. But even in said book I thought of Darkonians as more High elves (aka the generic elves from the PHB) while Sithicans were more Grey elves (from the DMG), the former being archers and woodsmen while the latter being magical folk.
And I played-up the idea of Sithicus being similar to Faerie or, in 4e terms, the Feywild.

For 4e Ravenloft I'd have a limited Feywild over the rest of the domains, but Sithicus overlaps with its Feywild. You can enter Sithicus from either a plane and exit into either plane. Those that wander across its border might find themselves unable to return home or wander through endless forests.
It is the strange enchanted wood.

Sithicans, being based on the Silvanesti from Dragonlance, were always meant to be a magical people. Being eladrin works for them. In their homeland they step though the Mists to teleport and in other lands they move through the Feywild.

People wanting to play elf-elves from Sithicas can play the wild elves from that Realm, who would be similar to Darkonian elves.

[Nikolas of the Mists]

Incorporating the Elfin racial split to Ravenloft really isn't all that bad. As Jester mentioned earlier the Sithican Elves would be Eladrin, while the elves of many other domains are more likely to be Darkonian woodland Elves. The most common Elfin people encountered by PCs across the Demiplane would be woodland Elves.

Eladrin (and Eladrin families) outside Sithicus, while rare, could be noble houses that have emigrated across Ravenloft for trade taking up residence in domains like neigbouring Kartakass, or those realms with higher cultural levels.

The only RL specific change to Eladrin vs woodland Elf would possibly be increasing the OR of Eladrin by one to reflect their more mystical and feybound origins. (On a sidenote OR may have to be reworked or tweaked because of the alterations to functionality and advancement of skills in 4e).

[Mistress of Mockery]

Goblyn
Goblyns are vicious and loyal monstrosities created by dark curses, powerful rituals, and ancient artifacts. The transformation changes their appearance and behaviour, causing them to lose any memories of their previous lives. A goblyn is in constant contact with its creator and is severly loyal, doing anything that is commanded of it.

Goblyn Level 2 Lurker
Medium natural humanoid XP 125
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +1; darkvision
HP 30; Bloodied 15
AC 16; Fortitude 14, Reflex 16, Will 14
Speed 6
Claw (standard; at-will)
+7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage
Bite (standard; at-will)
+5 vs. Reflex; 1d6 damage, and the target is grabbed and takes ongoing 5 damage (until escape). While the target is grabbed, the Goblyn cannot attack.
Alignment Evil Languages Common
Skills: Athletics +6, Stealth +9
Str 10 (+0) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 12 (+1)
Con 12 (+1) Int 6 (-2) Cha 8 (-1)

Goblyn Tactics
When not commanded by a creator or more inelligent being goblyns are vicious and unimaginative in their attacks. When faced with one-on-one or other such even odds the goblyn will grab and gnaw on their victims. If outnumbered, goblyns usually shy away from combat until they have some form of advantage.

Adapted from Dragon 339. Again, I don't know too much about Ravenloft. Don't shoot me if it's not entirely accurate.

[Nikolas of the Mists]

Languages and Linguistics

Problem: Unlike the world 4e is set in, which has but a single "common" tongue, the Demiplane of Dread possesses a vast multitude of languages spread across it. The only way currently to learn further languages is to take the feat Linguist granting you 3 additional languages.

Potential Fixes:

i) Characters receive additional languages at character creation equal to their Intelligence Ability Modifier (a la 3 and 3.5).
ii) Characters within the Demiplane of Dread receive additional languages with level progression. This could be something as simple as a new language every even level (2, 4, 6, 8 ), or three levels (3, 6, 9, 12), or a progression based upon class (Wizard/Warlock/Cleric every 2, Ranger/Rogue/Warlord every 3, Fighter/Paladin every 4).
iii) some combination of i and ii.

This advancement would be on top of the option to select the Linguist feat, which would work as normal.

**Sidenote: I think 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 might be rather quick seeing as how there is 30 levels to play in 4e vs the effective 15-20 of 3 and 3.5

[Mistress of Mockery]

Carrionette
Carrionettes are evil puppet-like dolls or tiny constructs who act as parasites among humans. Their sole purpose is to acquire human bodies to steal for themselves. Carrionettes can lie still for years, hiding among dolls or puppets that look like them, ready to strike. A carrionette can be constructed of any material and can be of any type (clowns, knights, or something more wild like a dragon).

Carrionette Level 3 Lurker
Tiny natural animate (construct) XP 150
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +7
HP 36; Bloodied 19
AC 17; Fortitude 13, Reflex 16, Will 14
Resist 15 electricity
Speed 4, climb 3
Short Sword (standard; at-will) + Weapon
+7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage
Slow Needles (standard; recharge 6) + Weapon
Ranged 5/10; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage. On a hit, the carrionette makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +4 vs. Will; the target is slowed (save ends).
Paralyzing Needle (standard; encounter) + Weapon
Ranged 5/10; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage. On a hit, the carrionette makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +4 vs. Will; the target is paralyzed (save slows).
Ventriliquism (standard; at-will) + Illusion
Ranged 10. Effect: The carrionette magically throws its voice to sound like anything it desires. It can mimic the voice of a character or NPC, or mimic the sounds of combat to throw off players.
Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages –
Skills: Stealth +8
Str 6 (-1) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 12 (+2)
Con 12 (+2) Int 8 (+0) Cha 10 (+1)


Carrionette Tactics
A carrionette or group of carrionettes will attack when the time is right and they have the upper hand. When a character is alone or when they’re unarmed. The key element to any attack involving carrionettes is surprise. Carrionettes will often focus their attacks and try to overwhelm and hinder one opponent in hopes of switching bodies.

Again, adapted from Dragon 339. Again, not entirely familiar with Ravenloft. Again, please don’t shoot me if it’s not entirely accurate.
Might make the whole mind switch thing a ritual (haven’t read into those too much), add it as another power later, or simply leave it out and let the DM handle it however they wish.
I think they might be a little on the tough side as is.

[Nikolas of the Mists]

Undead Turning v1.0

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Channel Divinity: Turn Undead Cleric Feature
[Ravenloft]
You can sear undead foes, and sometimes push them back, rooting them in place.
Encounter ✦ Divine, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action Close burst 2
(4 at 11th level, 6 at 21st level)
Target: Each undead creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will (Will+2 for sentient undead)
Hit: 1d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and affected undead targets in the burst must roll a secondary save of Wisdom vs. Will (Will+2 for sentient undead) or be pushed a number of squares equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier and immobilized until the end of your next turn.
Increase damage to 2d8 + Wisdom modifier at 5th level,
3d8 + Wisdom modifier at 11th level, 4d8+ Wisdom
modifier at 15th level, 5d8 + Wisdom modifier at 21st
level, and 6d8 + Wisdom modifier at 25th level.
Miss: A failed turning attempt in Ravenloft causes no damage
and the target is not pushed or immobilized.

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Notes:
-Reduced burst range at higher levels
-Gave sentient undead a bonus of +2 to save vs turning attempts and any subsequent saving throw.
-Reduced top end damage from d10s to d8s
-Added a secondary save for the push and immobilize effects
-Removed incidental Damage from a failed or missed Turning Attempt

It *might* be a little harsh currently, I still have to grind some more statistics and evaluations on it.

[DocBeard]

The more I look at it, the less I like Size is Speed. Going to have to try and find an alternative to it. Maybe move "Cursed Lineage" up to a Racial ability and find something else for a Heroic Tier talent?

Yeah, I agree. I'd rename Warrior's Surge something along the line of Monsterous Fury or Outcast's Rage ...something to focus more on the Frankenstienian "Angry Caliban smash puny humans!" thing instead of just being mighty, bloodthirsty warriors. Hrm...

How about this:
Judging By Its Cover
The twisted form of the Caliban can have the strange effect of soothing savage beasts...
Prerequisites: Caliban.
Benefit: Before acting in an encounter, the Caliban can use Bluff attempt to convince a monster that it is a fellow beast; preaditors see the Caliban as a lower priority to the meatier targets, humaniods see someone like them not attacking, and so on. Any monster can make a Will save to see through the lie, and the lie is immediately ruined after the Caliban takes a hostile action.