GLoG: The Orb Graver
Image: A color lithograph by Horace Vernet after Charles-Etienne-Pierre Motte, titled Enfance de Napoléon (Childhood of Napoleon), 1822. Public domain source.
The Orb Graver instrumentalizes the beasts of the wild for power and sport through the use of profane orbs. Favorites in arenas and reviled by druids, they follow a strict code - never harm another graver with your own hands, never strive to capture the creatures enthralled by another, and never reveal the secrets of orbcraft to animal or spirit. To do otherwise, would be to risk a league of orb gravers descending upon you for summary justice.
Starting Equipment: Distinctive hat, bandolier with 3 graven orbs, travel bestiary
Starting Skill: 1 Acolyte | 2 Athlete | 3 Naturalist
A Gotta Catch ‘Em All
B To Train Them Is My Cause, Orbcraft
C You Teach Me and I’ll Teach You
D Like No One Ever Was
Gotta Catch ‘Em All
When you throw a specially prepared graven orb at a non-humanoid creature, make a ranged attack roll. On a hit, an unwilling creature must Save or be captured inside the orb. En-orbed creatures are held in stasis, in a pocket dimension akin to a bag of holding. If the creature successfully saves, the orb is destroyed.
An en-orbed creature may be released from its orb by throwing it. You may en-orb a number of HD of en-orbed creatures up to your templates and may release any number of them at once. En-orbed creatures are compelled to follow basic commands, including returning to their orb, but are free to interpret them as they see fit. Most en-orbed creatures resent this relationship.
To Train Them Is My Cause
Each time an en-orbed creature kills a foe, a notch is marked on its orb. At 10, 20, 30, and 50 notches, choose one of the following:
- Increase one of the en-orbed creature’s Attributes by 1.
- Increase the en-orbed creature’s HP by 4.
- The en-orbed creature develops a new special ability. Confer with your GM.
Orbcraft
Given 8 hours and consuming 100 gp worth of precious materials, you can craft and enchant a new graven orb. The necessary rituals must be performed in secret, out of the sight of any animals or spirits, and permanently reduce your HP by 1.
You Teach Me and I’ll Teach You
Over time, you can build a productive working relationship with your en-orbed creatures. You gain the skill of any en-orbed creature that considers you a friend (e.g. “Ooze” might provide a skill bonus to metabolizing things or sliding through dank places.). Such a creature also has access to any of your skills.
Like No One Ever Was
Whenever you defeat a creature enthralled by another, (e.g. a necromancer’s skeleton or a king’s knight), choose one:
- That creature is freed of their bonds.
- The creature’s controller makes a Reaction roll. Take the better result between their current demeanor and the new one.
Design notes:
Sort of odd to start the blog off with a novelty GLoG class based on pokemon, but this sprung fully formed on the page today and really catalyzed me to actually find a way to post it that wasn't a google doc.
This class will take deliberate communication with your GM. It adds a lot of creatures to a typical scene which means you are likely eating more than your share of limelight as is. Future versions may address this. Expect a lively negotiation about what counts as "humanoid." To me this feels more invasive than necromancy, so I'd expect many cultures in setting to have similar proscriptions against it.