Kingdom of Ice

Here are some firmer ideas about the classes for Kingdom of Ice.

I’m going to play around with three power sources: Arcane, Martial, Elegant (one I made up).
Elegant: You draw your power from your grace, your air of nobility and your otherworldly sense of calm.

The classes detailed below: Librarian, Martyr, Knight, Muse, Consul.

Librarian (Arcane Leader)
Using ancient and forgotten knowledge, the librarian exposes the true names and weaknesses of his enemies.
Powers can: force enemies to grant combat advantage/opportunity attacks/reduced Defenses, mirror enemy powers.
Builds: Demonologist, Chronicler
Key Stats: Wisdom, Intelligence.
“I know your true name, demon!”

Example Power:
True Name (Librarian Attack 1)
You utter the true name of your foe, and watch as their flesh boils and their corporeal form weakens.
Encounter * Divine, Book, Radiant
Standard Action  (Ranged 5)
Target: One Demon
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 1d6 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and the target grants combat advantage to all attacks until the end of the encounter.
…Demonologist: Instead, do 2d6 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage.

Martyr (Martial Defender)
Self-effacing and self-sacrificing, the Martyr risks their own life to defend the people.
Powers can: take HP damage to gain combat bonuses, shift to take damage for allies, regulate damage dealt.
Builds: Crazed, Calm
Key Stats: Constitution, Strength, Dexterity.
“I decide when I take damage, thank you!”

Example Power:
Blood Offering (Martyr Utility 2)
You draw your own blood, offering it to the stars in return for their favor and strength.
Daily * Divine, Weapon
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: Lose 2d6 Hit Points. Gain a 2d6 power bonus to all attacks and damage rolls until the end of your next turn.

Knight (Martial Striker/Controller)
A lumbering, but deadly, force. You declare mighty vows against your foes, which grow in power every round. You control a retinue. It starts as just your Squire, but with feats you can get fellow knights and even become a captain. They follow minion rules (1 hit kills them. In the case of the Squire, only knocks him unconscious).
Powers: vows (stances) that grant cumulative/increasing bonuses, control retinue, make powerful attacks.
Builds: Born Leader, Born Warrior
Key Stats: Strength, Intelligence, Constitution.
“Every minute, I grow stronger, and my men press closer.”

Example Power:
And Furthermore (Level 1 Attack)
You attack your foe with great gusto, capturing all of their attention as a fellow knight moves in for the follow-up.
Encounter * Martial, Weapon, Retinue
Standard (Melee Weapon)
Target: One target
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. If a member of your retinue is within 5 squares of the target, slide them to the target and they make a basic melee attack against it.
…Born Leader: Your retinue member receives a +1 power bonus to their attack.

Muse (Elegant Leader/Controller)
Inspiring greatness, the Muse excels in healing, granting extra actions, giving bonuses and captivating enemies.
Powers can: Heal allies, Utilize healing surges in interesting ways, give bonuses, stall enemies.
Builds: Senator, Songbird
Key Stats: Charisma, Intelligence.
“Fight for me, children of Polaris. Show them that they cannot dampen our spirits or our hearts.”

Example power:
Song of the Stars (level 1 Attack)
You sing the purest note known to this world, and your allies remember that hope is not yet lost.
Encounter * Elegant, Song, Radiant
Standard (Close Burst 5)
Effect: all allies within burst can spend a healing surge. All Demons within burst take Charisma modifier damage.
…Songbird: All allies who don’t spend a healing surge still regain 1d6 hit points.

Consul (Elegant Striker)
A tricky, agile class that specializes in moving about the battlefield without interruption – teleporting, phasing, ignoring opportunity attacks, shifting enemies out of the way. Also, can shapeshift and take on the form of an enemy’s loved ones and loyalties, exploiting their emotions and attentions.
Powers can: Move about the battlefield easily, Ignore opportunity attacks, move enemies, shapeshift, confuse enemies.
Builds: Moonwalker, Spy
Key Stats: Charisma or Intelligence, Dexterity.
“Who, me? How could I possibly be of any threat?”

Example power:
Flit Past Danger (level 1 Attack)
You walk right past an enemy, confusing it with your words and flourishes.
At-Will * Elegant, Move
Move (Close 1)
Target: One enemy.
Attack: Charisma vs. Will or Reflex (whichever is higher)
Hit: Target is dazed, and you shift 4.
Miss: Shift 4.

I’ve created no strictly Controller class. If you want to play a Controller, you need to either play a Knight (Striker/Controller) or Muse (Leader/Controller). This is because I don’t think Controllers are interesting, and I don’t see them being useful in a variety of encounter types. They often spend certain encounters sitting around, firing off Magic Missile over and over again. So, instead, the Controllers in Kingdom of Ice are hybridized, to the one.

I’ve been working on identifying the classes for KoI and how they fit the four basic roles. I want to share now, before I go too far off the deep end. Question anything that looks broken.

I’m going to present each of my current classes in the same format: Name, description, Role, Common Themes (which help me build powers)

Senator
A damage negator and healer. Specializes in buying time and enabling people to use their healing surges.
Leader/Controller

• Enables people to spend their healing surges / gives people his healing surges
• prevents opponents from attacking
• provides buffs to saves, AC

Librarian
A combat leader, specializing in using knowledge skills to grant combat advantages and new options to allies.
Leader

• Using Arcana, History and Perception to grant combat advantages and bonuses (learning True Names!)
• Giving allies buffs and temporary abilities (lent powers)
• Using enemy powers against them

Martyr (in a thousand words, this)
An over-eager warrior, willing to inflict harm on himself in order to take down his mark. Cool movement options.
Striker

• Inflicting damage on himself, in order to deal more damage to the enemy.
• Risking consequences if an attack fails, in order to deal more damage to the enemy.
• Moving quickly in and out of combat.
• Playing around with flanking and combat advantage in interesting ways.

Knight
A defender of the people, loyal and mighty, whose power grows throughout a fight.
Defender

• Stances that have effects which are cumulative across rounds (turning the Knight into a late-fight powerhouse).
• Powers that allow you to take additional actions when you spend healing surges or action points.
• Powers that penalize enemies who ignore the knight.
• Vows – marks that have an effect when the enemy dies (like the Warlock’s curse does).

Below are the three races available in Kingdom of Ice. The basic concept here: they’re all people who co-exist in Polaris, but who have different backgrounds. The noble, first citizens of Polaris are born of the stars. Those of more mundane origin, the actual backbone of Polaris, are born of this world. Some citizens have a less-than-honourable background, born of an affair with a demon, and these are born of the mistake.

I’d like a critique of their class traits – are they balanced? do they give a distinctive flavour? Do they step on the toes of things that classes/roles should be doing?

Born of the Stars
A fair child of Polaris, lithe and pale,
descended directly from the stars.

Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma
Languages: Common, Celestial, choice of Wind or Sparrow
Skill Bonuses:+2 Diplomacy, +2 Religion
Educated in the Leftmost Academy: You gain training in one additional skill.
Starlight Calling: You gain proficiency with the Starlight Sword.
Easily Enchanted: Bluff checks made against you gain +2.
Light as a Feather: You can use Carried By Breezes as an encounter power.

Carried By Breezes
You are as light as a feather, and even a light draft can pick you up, whisking you across the room.
Encounter Power
Move Action Personal
Add 3 squares to your normal move and ignore difficult terrain.

Born of this World
A descendant of man, living in Polaris
as one of the people.

Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom, +2 Constitution
Languages: Common, choice of one other
Skill Bonuses:+2 Athletics, +2 Insight
Strong of Will and Heart: Heal an additional HP when you use a healing surge.
Worldly: You are never Surprised.
Resourceful: You know one extra encounter power from your class.

Born of the Mistake
The offspring of an affair between demon and citzen,
still loyal to Polaris, still hearing the song of the stars.

Ability Scores: +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Choice of Celestial or Wind
Skill Bonuses:+2 Arcana, +2 Bluff
Already Seared: You have resist fire 5 + one-half your level.
Demonic Understanding: You gain the Lore of Demons feat automatically.
Fury of Demons: Gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when bloodied.
Traitorous Blood: Gain a healing surge when you show sympathy for a demon.

A beautiful city, made of ice and starlight. A world coming undone, in the rays of its first dawn. The mistake, a giant crater from which demons spill forth.

Knights, defending their kingdom and dying alongside it. Moonwalkers, upending perceptions and tampering with fate. Librarians, consulting the stars and the ancient tomes for the vital solutions to the demon scourge. Senators, rallying their people and singing the songs of salvation.

Polaris, converted to Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition. Partially because it’s a good idea, partially because it’s an amusing idea.

It’s a good idea for the following reasons:

• Polaris is thematically unified, which is something that D&D could benefit from.
• Polaris is, to a big extent, about being a badass warrior and fighting terrible and ferocious things.
• Polaris has cool weapons and items and powers.
• Battling epic battles with demons on the tundra is something that doesn’t get old or go out of style.

This blog will be used to introduce ideas, tighten up powers/class abilities/races/classes/equipment lists, talk about possible adventures, and talk about any actual play that emerges from this project. I’m looking for collaborators, in the casual sense of the word, which means I’m looking for people to nitpick and deconstruct what I’m working on and be juiced on the project generally.

So, post here if you’re enthusiastic and just want to say so. I’ll have stuff up pretty soon, to specifically usher in some feedback on.