Character du jour

Here’s the four undead adventurers I’ve generated for our one-shot game, primed and ready to download as 4th level characters. These were generated in Character Builder but use my own custom character sheet layout as the default one sucks worse than a bathtub full of lemons. There’s no character backstory or personality to these guys – that’s down to the players – but I’ve dropped plenty of hooks into the builds for them to play around with. As ever, 4e’s character generation system continues to impress.

If you’ve not seen the Revenant race (it was a D&DI exclusive released in Dragon #376), it is an undead soul returned to a semblance of life at the will of the Raven Queen. While they normally gain fresh bodies (which can look unlike their previous one) and little memory of their past life, for these characters I put them right back into their rotting corpses with memories reasonably intact.

Buildwise Revenants gain +2 Dex & Con, +2 Endurance & Intimidate, Low-light vision and access to their previous race’s Feats, Paragon Paths and Epic Destinies (among other things – I’m not going to give away all of Wizards’ secrets!). It’s a great race for any class, and a terrific choice if your favourite character just bit the dust – simply resurrect him as a Revenant and keep on playing.

There’s a whole host of Revenant-specific Feats which bring them closer to their original race (Dwarf Soul, Human Soul, etc) as well as ones which enhance their undying nature. This makes Being Dead a sliding scale – you can decide through the use of the Feats just how far down the path of undeath you want your character to be. For these characters I wanted them to be freshly dead (so to speak) so mainly chose Feats to bring them closer to their racial archetypes, but with a side-order of deadness.

On to each character in turn. Click the names to download the PDF character sheet.

Kudruk the Revenant Dwarf Fighter

Clad in Reinforced Scale Armour +1 and hefting a Thundering Battleaxe +1, Kudruk is the epitome of the Dwarven Fighter archetype. Were it not for the rotting stump of a missing hand behind his Heavy Shield and the maggots in his beard, you’d hardly notice he wasn’t quite… alive. With the Geography – Mountains background, Dwarven Weapon Training and Defensive Challenge Feats (not to mention his prized Cask of Liquid Gold) this is your typical loyal Mountain Dwarf who is a firm friend both in combat and out. The Death’s Blessing feat means he no longer needs to eat, drink or breath. Death has fully taken this brave, noble dwarf.

Gallowine the Revenant Tiefling Rogue

Gallowine was an acrobatic Tiefling burglar. Now he’s a dead acrobatic Tiefling burglar with a missing lower jawbone. One of my players has been wanting to play a mute character for ages, and this is for him. I’m expecting lost of silly mimery at the table :D

Wielding paired daggers (one of which is a Poisoned Dagger +1) and clad in Bloodcut Leather +1, Gallowine is a dextrous knife-fighter through and through who will cut, slice and poison his way into battle. He’s not stupid though – his Amulet of Health +1 grants Resist 5 Poison in case he cuts himself. Shame that forward thinking didn’t help him dodge the Gnoll’s mace. His attacks are all about getting into position for that all important Sneak Attack. I’d be surprised if he didn’t get Combat Advantage every single round. A mute killer, literally.

When it comes to Feats, Tiefling Soul lets him channel his savage infernal glee to gain a +1 attack and +2 damage on one attack once per encounter. It’s a small bonus, but speaks volumes about this guy’s nature. The Life Thief feat lets him reroll 1s and 2s on Sneak Attack damage against the victim of his Dark Reaping power. Combining Dark Reaping with Sneak Attack is Brutal. Literally.

By my math, Trick Strike + Tiefling Soul + Dark Reaping + Sneak Attack with his Poisoned Dagger will do 3d4+2d6+1d8+10 and potentially leave the poor victim with ongoing Poison 5, Weakened and sliding one square with every additional hit. Ouchy ouchy ouch ouch ouch.

Outside combat, I’m sure he’s quite a nice guy though. Bit quiet.

Calder the Revenant Eladrin Wizard

Calder is a Moon Elf Eladrin Wizard with a close affinity to his patron the Moon. He was born in the Feywyld under a Hunter’s Moon and that has been his symbol ever since. His Staff of Wind +1 (and crutch for his missing (presumed eaten) leg) is topped with a silver full moon, his Shimmering Cloth robe is pale lunar grey and his Ornament of Alertness +1 is a moon adorned with a single eye. How many times can I use the word Moon in a single paragraph?

His spells are centred around thunder and spheres with the occassional direct attack spell (Magic Missile and Acid Arrow – that’s his Hunter’s Moon heritage coming into play) in reserve for when things get tough. I haven’t listed Calder’s Rituals as they’re unneeded for this one-shot game, but I’d expect them to continue the lunar theme.

Feat-wise he has Eladrin Soul and Moon Elf Resilience. Even though he’s dead Calder is a Moon Elf first and foremost. I’m loving how he can spend a Healing Surge when using Fey Step – even the briefest touch of his home plane refreshes him. Again, it’s a minor bonus that brings great role-playing potential. His remaining Feat is Chill of the Grave. This changes the damage type of his Dark Reaping to both cold and necrotic. Doesn’t get more moonlike that that, methinks.

His friends call him Moony. No idea why.

Sir Bors the Revenant Human Paladin of Pelor

C’mon! Undead Paladin! Underneath that Dazzling Plate Armour +1 Sir Bors is a rotting zombie husk with split guts only barely contained by the solid metal. He wields a mighty Vengeful Greatsword +1 which gives him a stonking +2 attack and +1d10 damage against a foe who hits a bloodied ally. Don’t mess with his friends when they’re hurt! Not even the dead ones.

This is one Paladin who focuses more on Strength rather than Charisma. He’s a might-makes-right kinda guy with attacks that are all about doing as much damage as possible before moving onto the next sinner. Why does Pelor still bless his actions and why does his Lay on Hands work on his undead allies? Why is he allowed undead allies at all? Perhaps some unspeakable deal has been struck in the heavens between Pelor and the Raven Queen to permit this and prevent the spread of Yeenoghu’s domain. Or maybe Pelor just hasn’t noticed yet. Who are we to question the ways of the gods anyhow?

Sir Bors is a hereditary noble with ancestral holdings somewhere in the area (don’t you just love Background options?). The Human Soul Feat gives him +1 to Fort, Ref and Will, and Human Perseverance grants +1 to saving throws. For a dead guy, he sure is determined to stay alive. Add in Mighty Challenge and this is one Paladin who plans to be the last dead guy standing in any battle. Apart from the one where he died, of course.

And there you have it. Four very different characters, but all tied with a common theme, and all very D&D. Did I mention that 4e character generation rocks?

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Legends tell of a long forgotten empire which worshipped the great Cat Goddess Bast. Under her guidance no feline could be harmed in any way, and they roamed free through the winding twisting alleyways of the city.

It so happened that a small family of Halflings lived in the city proper. They were hard-working, honest and canny merchants, and as a result became very wealthy – and unpopular among their peers. Before long a number of them united in their jealousy and fabricated charges of Cat Murder, that most heinous of crimes, against the head of their house, Tobias Caitlin.

Alone in his cell, scared for his life and that of his whole family he prayed to Bast herself, knowing that she would see the untruths of these accusations. He was a good man, as kind to cats as to any creature, and faithfully left a saucer of milk by the door each night as tribute.

The next morning when the jailers came to collect old Tobias from his cell for execution, he had changed. Furry cat-like ears replaced his own, and a long agile tail traced an S in the air. From the other cells the rest of his family were found to share the same Gifts of Bast. All of their accusers had mysteriously died overnight, having choked on hairballs.

The Caitlins were immediately released, their property returned and added to with that of their accusers. No one ever bothered them again.

Caitlins are an offshoot of the Halfling Race that have gained several catlike traits due to their origin. Caitlins and Halflings occasionally intermarry, and the offspring is always a Caitlin. Many share the Halfling’s innate curiousity, though boosted to feline levels. An open window is as inviting as a glass of milk to a Caitlin, and they can be randomly affectionate or uncaring on a whim. Some Caitlins become extremely lazy, particularly if they find a good spot in the sun or a mound of plump cushions. On the other hand, many Caitlins have found a good trade as Assassins – though they do have a bad habit of playing with their targets first.

Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma
Size: Small
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, choice of one other

Skill Bonus: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Stealth
Halfling Heritage: You can take feats that have halfling as a prerequisite as long as you meet any other requirements
Nimble Reaction: +2 racial bonus at AC against opportinuty attacks
Playful Pounce: You gain Playful Pounce as an encounter power

Almost all Caitlin Clerics worship Bast as the goddess of their ancestors. It’s quite likely that Bast has long since forgotten her random act of generosity. Cats are like that.

Notes: The world needs more Anthropomorphic Races, don’t you think?¹

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