[Campaign] Traits
Blackmail
Description: You or someone you know fell in with the seedy underbelly of Baalreisan and now you are paying the price. Through threats or coercion you are being forced to compete in the Parabellum games against your will. Win and the slate will be wiped clean, reject and you will likely wish you had died in the games.
Benefit: Your undesired criminal backers have eyes and ears everywhere that you can take advantage if you so choose. The week before each of your fights, choose round 1, 2, or 3 and then roll a special Diplomacy check to gather information. The later the round the higher the base DC. On success you learn the name of at least one type of monster you will be fighting in that round. For every 5 by which you exceed the DC you learn one additional monster name and type that you will be fighting. If no more monster types are present in the round, you learn one strength or weakness of one of the monsters chosen randomly.
Note: Knowing the monsters in advance allows you or other PCs you inform to make relevant Knowledge checks on the creatures, research them at libraries, and or plan countermeasures for them. Normally gladiators are not told in advance which monsters they will be battling.
Blood Debt
Description: Your life was saved long ago by a citizen of Baalreisan. At that time you swore a blood debt to them should they ever call on you. That debt is now being called in. Whether by unfortunately happenstance, cruel choice, or for some greater scheme your debtor has tasked you to compete and win at the Parabellum festival in order to pay back the debt. You must answer the call, honor demands it.
Benefit: Your blood oath grants you strength when you might otherwise be forced to break it. When subject to a fear or compulsion effect that would cause you to abandon your oath you may reroll a failed saving throw once and add your highest mental score to the reroll. (If Wisdom this effectively adds two times your Wisdom modifier to the reroll) Even if this reroll fails you may forestall the fear or compulsion effect for 1 round before it affects you as normal.
Doth Anyone Object?
Description: One way or the other you will get out of this arranged marriage. Your family is dead set on you marrying and whether you loathe your intended partner or simply have no desire to marry is up to you. In your genius or idiocy you managed to forestall your nuptials by entering the Parabellum games, but such a measure is only temporary. If you win however..... it could earn you the coin and repute to reject such a marriage outright.
Benefit: Despite your obvious desire not to go through with the marriage, one or both sides of the family want to see you survive and continue with the wedding. To that end they are using what resources they have to send you aid. Whether you choose to use said aid is up to you. Each morning prior to your fights you will receive 1d3 random magical consumable items. Each consumable will have a unique beneficial effect determined by the DM.
Gambler
Description: You always enjoyed a good gamble and with the Parabellum games fortunes can be won or lost with the right bet. But why risk your hard earned coin on strangers when you yourself are your most reliable asset? Whether by choice or accident you have entered the games yourself and placed a wager on yourself that you must win or else you will lose everything.
Benefit: You know how to bank your luck and use it when it really matters. Three times per day when you would roll a natural 20 you can choose to treat the roll as a natural 10 instead. You must make this decision before you know the result of the roll. For the remainder of the day any time you roll a natural 1 you can spend one of your banked rolls to convert the natural 1 to a natural 20. You can store up to three banked rolls at once but if not used by the end of the day these banked rolls vanish.
Glutton for War
Description: You revel in the violence of battle. You are not here for glory or gold.... no.... you seek the raw pleasure of walking the razors edge between life and death. You won't be satisfied until you have faced the deadliest beasts and strongest warriors alive. Thus you eagerly sought out the Parabellum games hoping to temporarily quench your thirst and savor the ecstasy.
Benefit: Your fighting prowess improves the more injured you become. When you are below 75% of your maximum hit points you gain +1 attack, +1 damage, +1 AC, and +1 caster level. When below 50% of your max hit points these bonuses improve to +2. When below 25% of your max hit points these bonuses improve to +3. If you possess less than 10 hit points these bonuses double to +6.
Graduation with Honors
Description: This is your final year at the prestigious Crimson Dawn military academy based in the capital of Vlastheim. Though not required, it is unofficially custom for graduates to prove themselves in the Parabellum games. Those who distinguish themselves even within the nonlethal competitions are granted higher positions of honor at their graduation; however, those who put their lives on the line and succeed are given the highest honors by the school. Those who graduate with such honors are often recruited in the upper echelons of the military, offered a position within one of the Tribunal families, or potentially even scouted by a foreign military powers.
Benefit: Your classmate's cheers from the arena seats spur you onward. You cannot look bad in front of your piers. Once per minute on a failed attack, saving throw, or opposed skill/ability check you can choose to reroll the check. This reroll gains a bonus equal to your highest mental ability score modifier.
Grim Hunter
Description: You are the only survivor of a vicious monster attack that took the lives of people close to you. You could never forget the image of the beast that still haunts your nightmares. You have spent years training and hunting the beast only to recently learn that it was captured to be used as one of the fights in the Parabellum games. With no way to acquire the beast directly from the Arena Master, you vowed to enter the games and reap sweet revenge upon the bane of your life.
Benefit: Your hatred of your chosen creature spurs you onward and aids you in slaying lesser beasts of their kin. You gain Favored Enemy tied to the creature type of the beast you are hunting. You treat your level as your Ranger level when calculating the benefits.
Special: Those who select this Campaign trait must use their Monster Encounter to craft the very beast your character seeks to slay. This beast must be of a challenge rating of 13 or higher as it has distinguished itself even possibly amongst its own kind as being fiercer and more deadly than the rest.
Hidden in Plain Site
Description: You are a wanted criminal (actual or falsely accused) from another kingdom and whether by choice or necessity you found yourself hiding out in Baalreisan with pursuers hot on your tail. They chased you down and cornered you in the capital city of Vlastheim. In your desperation to escape the law you discovered a legal loophole within the rules of the Parabellum games. The long and short of it is combatants in the Parabellum games have diplomatic immunity while on arena grounds and any attempt at extraditing criminals must wait until the completion of the games. With no choice, you quickly signed up for the games and your pursuers were indeed halted for a time by Baalreisan authorities; however, should you be caught outside arena grounds you will be arrested on the spot. Now you must not only plan your escape but survive the games in the meantime.
Benefit: Your extended stay on the arena ground has granted you certain after hours access normal visitors are not allowed. With a bit of subtly you are able to slip in and out of the arena's restricted areas to gain an advantage on your upcoming fights. The week before each of your fights, choose round 1, 2, or 3 and then roll a special Stealth check to gather information. The later the round the higher the base DC. On success you learn the name of at least one type of monster you will be fighting in that round. For every 5 by which you exceed the DC you learn one additional monster name and type that you will be fighting. If no more monster types are present in the round, you learn one strength or weakness of one of the monsters chosen randomly. If you fail this check by 10 or more you are caught by the arena attendants and held in isolation until your next match begins. In addition, future Stealth attempts have their DC's increased by 5.
Note: Knowing the monsters in advance allows you or other PCs you inform to make relevant Knowledge checks on the creatures, research them at libraries, and or plan countermeasures for them. Normally gladiators are not told in advance which monsters they will be battling. Being isolated makes it impossible for the PC to communicate with his allies or to purchase additional supplies. He will literally be allowed to join his team minutes before the fight is to start.
Hunger for Glory
Description: You seek the fame and glory that the victors of the Parabellum games reap. Your battles will be sung of in taverns for years to come while young aspiring warriors shall look to you as a role model. Even facing down death your pride will not allow you to falter.
Benefit: You becoming emboldened with each successful strike or spell. When you successfully hit with three attack rolls and or combat maneuvers in a row you roll your next attack or combat maneuver check made before the end of your next round twice and add the two d20 rolls together to determine the total. (For purposes of calculating a natural 1 or natural 20 you take the higher of the two d20 rolls). These attacks need not all take place on the same turn, but if you go longer than one round without making the next successive attack or combat maneuver check the counter resets.
When casting spells you gain a boon if the same target fails three successive saving throws against your spells or if at least three enemies fail a saving throw against a single spell on your turn. This boon takes effect on the next spell you cast after meeting the criteria. Your next spell either gains a +4 bonus to the saving throw DC or gains the benefit of one of your metamagic feats without increasing the spell's level or casting time. If you do not cast a spell by the end of your next turn upon gaining this boon the counter is reset.
In Remembrance
Description: An important ancestor of yours once competed in the games but perished in their attempt. Their death and perhaps even their failure have had a lingering effect over your family line ever since. You have taken it upon yourself to complete what your ancestor started and bring closure to their name and spirit.
Benefit: You gain a magical relic worn or used by your ancestor during their failed battles in the colosseum. This item begins as a simple magic item, but will grow in power with each successful battle you complete in the games.
Note: The item type will vary based on your character, but I will allow you to choose a base form. (Think +1 magic weapon, +2 magic armor/shield, or a minor wondrous item). This item will start out weaker than a standard item of your starting wealth might allow, but it will gain unique effects tailored to your character as it grows.
Per Mortem Vivimus
Description: You were a slave in Baalreisan until you invoked the ancient right of Per Mortem Vivimus. By this ancient right you are given one chance to earn you freedom in the Parabellum festival by fighting and winning one of the deadly competitions. You literally have nothing left to lose save your life.
Benefit: You would sooner die before allowing yourself to be chained once more. You gain the Liberation domain and treat your character level as your effective cleric level. (Using your highest mental ability score in place of your casting modifier) You may cast each Liberation domain spell normally available to you as a spell-like ability once per day.
Pride of the Kingdom
Description: You were selected to represent your homeland in the Parabellum games. It is a great honor but also a heavy responsibility. To fail will be to bring shame to your nation, your family, and you personally. Success however will uplift your status in your homeland by unimaginable margins.
Benefit: Bolstered by your pride in your nation, you refuse to accept failure. A natural 1 on an attack roll or saving throw is no longer an automatic failure. Three times per day when you would fail an attack roll or a saving through due to rolling a natural one, you may choose to reroll the attack or save and add your highest mental ability score to the roll.
Right of the Strong
Description: You have been gravely wronged by a high ranking member of Baalreisan society. Perhaps a military official unjustly accused a your friend or family member of a crime they did not commit? Maybe a noble tricked your family out of their entire lands and gold? Or perhaps one of your loved ones spoke out against the Tribunal itself and was struck down in cold blood for their arrogance? Whatever the reason, you sought revenge only to be rejected for your lack of strength and reputation. In your foes pride, arrogance, or ignorance however you found an opportunity. Gold is not the only thing that can be wagered at the Parabellum games and any bet sanctioned by Arena Master of the Volker Macht Collesuem is absolute. So you concocted a plan and managed to convince or trick you target to a wager. Should you win at the Parabellum games you will be given the right to face your foe in battle and gain your rightful vengeance free of reprisal from the laws of Baalreisan.
Benefit: When the chips are down you remember the injustice done to you by the target of your revenge. Their face appears before you and invokes a fury few can match. You gain a special form of Rage that enhances both your body and mind but takes a toll once used. While in this special rage you gain the following: +4 to one physical ability score, +4 to one mental ability score, and can convert half the damage you take to nonlethal damage. You can use this special rage for a number of rounds per day equal to your hit die plus Constitution modifier. After using this Rage you suffer a -4 penalty to the chosen ability scores and move at half speed for twice the number of rounds of rage you just spent. Unlike normal rage, you are not limited to the actions you can take during this allowing you to make complex decisions, cast spells, ect....
Stubborn Crossfang Candidate
Description: You sought to enter the legendary Crossfang monster hunter's guild; however, through misfortune, treachery, or some other machination of fate you were barred from entering through the traditional means. You were undettered in your efforts however and planned to take advantage of an ancient rule held by the Crossfang guild. Those who succeed in besting the monster trials in the Parabellum games are granted unconditional acceptance into the guild should they desire. All you have to do is survive....
Benefit: When you think about it, every creature or person could be considered a monster. Through your training you have learned how to choose weak spots with exceptional speed and accuracy. Anytime you successfully identify a creature's strengths and or weaknesses through a Knowledge check or other similair ability you gain special bonuses against the identified target. Against the target you gain Sneak Attack as rogue of half your hit die and whenever you successfully land a sneak attack against the target you may choose attack, armor class, movement, or one type of saving throw. Your attack applies a -2 penalty to the chosen score or a 5ft penalty to the creature's speed. (If a creature has multiple types of movement you must select which movement type is being impaired.). These penalties stack with themselves but can be removed as a Standard action by your target.
The Things We Do For Love
Description: For one reason or another you have entered the Parabellum games to prove or affirm your love for another. Maybe you are a chivalrous knight dedicating your victories to a fair lady? Perhaps you seek to impress a potential spouses family by winning the competition? No matter your reason, love is your driving passion and you will not let something as trivial as deadly monsters stand in the way of it.
Benefit: Your burning passion is so great that it strengthens your body making otherwise deadly blows seem like mere flesh wounds. While in combat you gain Fast Healing 5. This Fast Healing can heal a total amount of damage per day equal to [(5 + Con Modifier) x HD]. In addition, three times per day when you would normally be subject to a critical hit you may choose to negate the extra damage (and any effects dependent on a successful critical hit). Doing so however disables your Fast Healing for 1d4 rounds.