Pre-Generated Templates

These are new rules that will appear in v.18. I would appreciate your thoughts as to whether these templates meet the following criteria:

  1. Archetypical - these are general ways a class might be built, not esoteric builds
  2. Easy to play - the more complex proficiencies (such as Familiar) are not used
  3. Effective - the character isn’t gimped from using the starter template; a reasonably competent gamer could justify these choices
  4. Diverse - a party made up of all the templates would “cover its bases” and be playable
  5. Equipped - the equipment selections are appropriate for the characters and represent choices an actual player might make
  6. Flavorful - the ‘fluff’ associated with the descriptions is enjoyable and not confusing

Selecting equipment and proficiencies can be time-consuming, especially for new players. As a faster alternative, we offer a pre-generated template for each class, with weapons, armor, equipment, proficiencies, and spells ready for play. If you want to use these templates, you can skip step 8 (picking proficiencies and spells) and 9 (rolling for starting wealth and purchasing equipment) of character generation and simply use the template.

FIGHTER Template: Mercenary
Proficiencies: Combat Reflexes, Military Tactics
Starting Equipment: Well-oiled sword, metal shield re-painted many times, slightly battered chainmail armor, crossbow, case with 20 quarrels, military tunic, boots, backpack, 2 weeks iron rations
Mercenary Template: This pre-generated template represents a wary sellsword. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your fighter’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

MAGE Template: Magical Scholar
Proficiencies: Loremastery, Collegiate Wizardry
Starting Equipment: Rune-etched quarterstaff, blue mage’s cassock, shoes, backpack, spellbook with sleep, 2 weeks iron rations, 85gp
Magical Scholar Template: This pre-generated template represents a curious magical scholar from an organized guild of mages. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your mage’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional General Proficiencies and starting Spells before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3 and Spells Known in Section 4).

CLERIC Template: Priest
Proficiencies: Divine Blessing, Theology
Starting Equipment: Mace, wooden shield, banded plate armor, priest’s cassock, shoes, backpack, 2 weeks iron rations, holy symbol (winged sun of Ammonar), holy book (The Laws of the Light)
Priest Template: This pre-generated template represents a devout priest from an organized religious order. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your cleric’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

THIEF Template: Tomb Raider
Proficiencies: Trap Finding, Mapping
Starting Equipment: 10’ pole, shortsword, 2 throwing daggers, crossbow, case with 20 quarrels, sturdy leather armor, tanned brown cloak, thick tunic and leggings, high boots, backpack, 2 large treasure sacks, thieves’ tools, 50’ rope, tinderbox, lantern, hammer and 12 iron spikes, 2 flasks of military oil, wineskin, 2 week’s iron rations, 20sp
Tomb Raider Template: This pre-generated template represents a bold tomb raider. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your thief’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

ASSASSIN Template: Bravo
Proficiencies: Fighting Style (Two-Weapon Fighting), Intimidation
Starting Equipment: Serrated sword, left-hand dagger, black leather armor, armiger’s tunic, duelist’s cloak, high boots, belt pouch with bone dice made from last foe, backpack, 2 weeks iron rations, 36gp
Bravo Template: This pre-generated template represents a swaggering killer-for-hire. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your assassin’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

BARD Template: Chronicler
Proficiencies: Eavesdropping, Profession (Scribe)
Starting Equipment: Crossbow, quiver with 20 bolts, shortsword, dagger, well-maintained leather armor, traveler’s tunic and sturdy boots, backpack, blank parchment book half-filled with journal entries, quill and ink, 2 weeks iron rations
Chronicler Template: This pre-generated template represents a wandering chronicler of high adventure. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your bard’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

BLADEDANCER Template: Temple Bladedancer
Proficiencies: Swashbuckler, Performance (Dance)
Starting Equipment: Pair of gracefully curved swords, polished leather armor, golden silk cloak, bladedancer’s head dress (20gp value), holy symbol (9-pointed star of Ianna), backpack, 2 weeks iron rations
Temple Bladedancer Template: This pre-generated template represents a temple-trained bladedancer of Ianna. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your bladedancer’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

EXPLORER Template: Pathfinder
Proficiencies: Precise Shot, Tracking
Starting Equipment: Sturdy longbow, quiver with 20 arrows, spear, shortsword, dagger, chainmail armor, wind-battered fur cloak, boots, backpack, 2 weeks iron rations, wineskin, lantern, tinderbox, 2 flasks of common oil, blanket, 50’ rope, 12 iron spikes, small hammer and 20sp
Pathfinder Template: This pre-generated template represents a keen-eyed archer and tracker. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your explorer’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

DWARVEN VAULTGUARD Template: Goblin Slayer
Proficiencies: Goblin-Slaying, Caving
Starting Equipment: Dwarven battle axe, brace of 3 hand axes, rust-free banded plate armor, large steel shield with painted vault insignia, backpack, 2 weeks iron rations, lantern, 2 flasks of military oil, 3 flasks of common oil, tinder box
Goblin Slayer Template: This pre-generated template represents a dwarven vaultguard specializing in fighting goblins, kobolds, and other denizens of the darkness below. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your dwarven vaultguard’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

DWARVEN CRAFTPRIEST Template: Reclaimer
Proficiencies: Sensing Evil, Magical Engineering
Starting Equipment: Warhammer with carved head, engraved banded plate armor, steel shield with craft insignia, steel holy symbol (craft insignia), backpack, 2 weeks iron rations, craftsman’s tools
Reclaimer Template: This pre-generated template represents a craftpriest focused on reclaiming lost artifacts from evil forces. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your dwarven craftpriest’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

ELVEN SPELLSWORD Template: Fighter-Mage
Proficiencies: Battle Mage, Military Tactics
Starting Equipment: Gracefully curved sword and dagger, elven composite bow, quiver with 20 arrows, chainmail armor, embroidered cloak, boots, backpack, 2 weeks iron rations, spellbook with magic missile
Fighter-Mage Template: This pre-generated template represents a traditional fighter-mage of elven heritage. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your elven spellsword’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick oone or more additional General Proficiencies and starting Spells before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3 and Spells Known in Section 4).

ELVEN NIGHTBLADE Template: Silent Slayer
Proficiencies: Quiet Magic, Alchemy
Starting Equipment: Crossbow, case with 20 quarrels, sword, dagger, leather armor, dark hooded cloak, backpack, 2 weeks iron rations, grappling hook, 50’ rope, crowbar, flask of military oil, tinder box
Silent Slayer Template: This pre-generated template represents a silent killer with a penchant for poisons and potions. The Template is ready for adventure. However, if your elven nightblade’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Section 3).

Those look really good. I love the little details in some of the items.
Two things I noticed -

  1. No one is buying torches? A few of them have lanterns, but torches seem like pretty standard adventuring gear.
  2. With 36gp burning a hole in their pockets, I imagine every player is going to buy the assassin a range weapon. So it might be best to add a shortbow or some throwing daggers to the template, or even a more exotic weapon like the bola for a little more flavor.

Templates are a great idea! It makes me wonder though, is there a page limit to the finished product? At some point, you would think there would be decisions on keeping this or that. Just curious.