three classic rpg monsters, as classes
link: monsters-as-classes tags: glaugust, classes, glog
Three absolutely classic monster classes built from their old stat blocks, made to be played:
THE MUMMY. Your unfinished business compels you through the eons, though your desiccated flesh may wish to rest. You have an all-important One Task from your waking life, given to you by someone whose bones have long turned to dust. You speak of little else.
A: Deathless. No sleep, food, or breath. Poison, disease, and age do
nothing to you. You do not move quickly, but you do not stop.
B: Wrappings. Damage that would kill you takes a wrapping first — two
per template you hold, and it's clear to all how many are left. Fire takes
two. You may add aged cloth as new wrappings.
C: Dread. The first time anyone sees you for what you are, they freeze
until you act or someone shakes them. Old soldiers save; children never.
D: The Rot. Wounds you deal cannot heal on their own — only magic or
your forgiveness closes them. When your One Task is done, choose: crumble
at peace, or accept an impossible task from any living person that helped fulfill your last. You will set out at full wrappings, and be theirs now.
THE MEDUSA. You were beautiful and the gods punished you for it. (The gorgon is the metal bull. This is the lady.) A: Serpents. Your hair is alive and looking all about. You cannot be surprised, and anything that closes to grapple you takes a bite and saves or slows. B: Averted Eyes. Nobody willingly meets your gaze. You cannot be lied to face-to-face — liars stutter and tremble, and everyone sees them do it. C: The Gaze. Once a session, deliberately meet someone's eyes: save or stone. The save is easier if you didn't really mean it. D: Fighting Blind. Anyone fighting you must avert their eyes — all their attacks are made at a heavy penalty — or look, and save each round they attack. This is always on. Your enemies choose it, not you.
THE WISP. You are a light over the marsh, a guide to the fairy circles, fleet and small. A: Glow. You shed lantern-light at will, any color, or go fully dark — in the dark you are next to invisible. B: Drift. You skim above ground, water, mud, and pit alike, and you are nearly impossible to strike: only a cornered wisp can be hit at all. C: The Lure. A creature watching your light must save or follow where it drifts. It gets a fresh save at the brink of anything that would hurt it. D: Blinding. Your light flashes like lightning strike — those within range save or feel a searing burn on their skin and faces. On a save, they can see again in a moment or a dungeon turn. Otherwise they are blind until the following morning and may only wander aimlessly.
Please let me know if you play any of these and how it went!
— Feowulf