[Ars Magica] Arnaud Delacroix

[Badasterysk]

Arnaud Delacroix (ar-No de-lə-k(r)wä\ )

SPOILER: Click to show

Background: Wanderer
Bonus Skills: Gather Information
Bonus Feats: Literacy
Favored Feats: Well-informed, Jack-of-all-Trades

Virtue: Propriety
Vice: Excess

Ability Scores:[/u]
Strength -1
Dexterity +2
Constitution +1
Intelligence +0
Wisdom +1
Charisma +3

Role/Level Expert 1

Combat:
Attack: +2 (0 BAB, +2 dex)
Dodge: +2
Parry: -1

Saves:
Fort +4 (+1 con, +3 cha)
Reflex +5 (+2 dex, +3 cha)
Will +6 (+2 favored, +1 wis, +3 cha)
Toughness +2 (+1 con, +1 feat)

Languages:
French (speak/read/write)
Latin (speak/read/write)
German (speak)
Greek (speak)

Skills:

Acrobatics +6 (4 ranks, +2 dex)

Diplomacy +7 (4 ranks, +3 cha)

Gather Information +7 (4 ranks, +3 cha)*

Knowledge (Nobility/Royalty) +4 (4 ranks)

Language (4 ranks, see Languages heading)

Notice +5 (4 ranks, +1 wis)

Perform (Fiddle) +7 (4 ranks, +3 cha)

Perform (Oratory) +7 (4 ranks, +3 cha)

Sense Motive +5 (4 ranks, +1 wis)

Feats:
Literacy*
Lucky
Well Informed
Connected
Defensive Roll

*bouns skill/feat

Equipment:
- Basic gear
- Fiddle
- Light Crossbow. +2 damage, 19-20/+3 Crit, Piercing, 80' range increment.
- Knife. Str+1 (+0) damage, 19-20/+3 Crit, Piercing/Slashing, 10' Range increment.


Background:

SPOILER: Click to show

Arnaud was born in southern France to a wealthy merchant family. In his youth, he relished traveling with his father. The marvels of countless wares and the diversity of numerous cultures enthralled Arnaud. Very curious, he sought and studied new things constantly- particularly the arts. This caused his father to become angry with the young man during several journeys where Arnaud allowed his curiosity and his quest to learn more to cause a dereliction of his merchant duties- after all, he was brought along to help, not satisfy his own indulgences.

Arnaud eventually took over the family business, but the tedium of inventory and finances quickly wore on the man. Turning operations over to his younger brother, Arnaud struck out on his own to discover everything the world had to offer. It wasn’t long before the man found himself a socialite amongst various courts. At times, he was an entertainer, a voice of insight and reason, or, most often, a lover. The life suited him well, providing a means to support his lifestyle while allowing him the freedom to pursue whichever fancy tickled his interest.

Currently, Arnaud seeks (or has found) a Covenant while he searches for… (whatever it is his patron wants. Kinda leaving this up to Udjat). While on this journey, he hopes to find experiences that well help him compose what he considers will be his opus.

[TheUdjat]

You might want to take 'Literacy' as your Wanderer bonus feat, since Skill Focus can be picked up on your regular feats. Reading/Writing cannot be bought through skill points--I'm trying to keep it appropriately rare.

This does mean, on the other hand, that you get another skill. New languages only cost 1 rank (2 to be literate in them as well as your native tongue, assuming you picked up Literacy), so that's even more skills to work with.

As far as feats--you will definitely be interested in 'Lucky', I think, which adds your Charisma to all your saves (except Toughness). A straight +3 to Fort/Ref/Will is hard to beat. Well-Informed lets you make a Gather Information check as a reactiong every time you encounter a significant individual, group or organization, so see what you've heard about them. Very appropriate for a wandering troubadour. Jack-of-all-Trades lets you use any skill untrained, even if it can't normally be used untrained (such as all knowledges, Sleight of Hand, Ride, Chirurgy, Disable Device, all Crafts, and Acrobatics).

You also might be interested in good old-fashioned Weapon Training if you want to have a decent weapon. Armor Training and Shield Training are obvious, as well, if you want to bother with those things. Many combat-oriented ones depend on how you want to fight, but the usual candidates are around--ranged combat ones like Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, etc.; finesse ones like Dodge Focus, Move-by Action, Improved Speed, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, etc; and so on.

There are interaction ones that simulate classic bardic abilities, too, like Inspire, Fascinate, Suggestion, Mass Suggestion, and even a couple of new ones like Taunt (Bluff check to make an opponent Shaken). Some extend on the Well-Informed concept, things like Connected (can call in favors on occasion) and Contacts (faster Gather Information checks). Eidetic Memory may interest you as a collector of stories and information--it grants a +4 bonus to recall information or remember things (this also lets you make Knowledge checks untrained, perhaps making Jack-of-all-Trades less attractive, or vice versa).

Hope that helps.

EDIT: Oh yeah. Since these are the same guys that created M&M, pretty much anything that appears in that game also makes an appearance here as a feat. That might help

[Badasterysk]

Mar 9, 2009 9:57:51 GMT -5 TheUdjat said:

You might want to take 'Literacy' as your Wanderer bonus feat, since Skill Focus can be picked up on your regular feats. Reading/Writing cannot be bought through skill points--I'm trying to keep it appropriately rare.

I will most definately do this.

This does mean, on the other hand, that you get another skill. New languages only cost 1 rank (2 to be literate in them as well as your native tongue, assuming you picked up Literacy), so that's even more skills to work with.

A bit confused here. I was under the impression that this game didn't operate on ranks, but rather skill 'slots', each 'slot' providing 4 ranks. Are we able to break up skills into individual ranks? That is to say, if I take 2 ranks to read/speak Latin and another rank to speak German, then I have 1 rank to spend in another skill, say, Gather Information?

As far as feats--you will definitely be interested in 'Lucky', I think, which adds your Charisma to all your saves (except Toughness). A straight +3 to Fort/Ref/Will is hard to beat. Well-Informed lets you make a Gather Information check as a reactiong every time you encounter a significant individual, group or organization, so see what you've heard about them. Very appropriate for a wandering troubadour. Jack-of-all-Trades lets you use any skill untrained, even if it can't normally be used untrained (such as all knowledges, Sleight of Hand, Ride, Chirurgy, Disable Device, all Crafts, and Acrobatics).

You also might be interested in good old-fashioned Weapon Training if you want to have a decent weapon. Armor Training and Shield Training are obvious, as well, if you want to bother with those things. Many combat-oriented ones depend on how you want to fight, but the usual candidates are around--ranged combat ones like Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, etc.; finesse ones like Dodge Focus, Move-by Action, Improved Speed, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, etc; and so on.

There are interaction ones that simulate classic bardic abilities, too, like Inspire, Fascinate, Suggestion, Mass Suggestion, and even a couple of new ones like Taunt (Bluff check to make an opponent Shaken). Some extend on the Well-Informed concept, things like Connected (can call in favors on occasion) and Contacts (faster Gather Information checks). Eidetic Memory may interest you as a collector of stories and information--it grants a +4 bonus to recall information or remember things (this also lets you make Knowledge checks untrained, perhaps making Jack-of-all-Trades less attractive, or vice versa).

Lots of good insight here. I'll definately be taking the Lucky feat!

Hope that helps.

Immensely.

EDIT: Oh yeah. Since these are the same guys that created M&M, pretty much anything that appears in that game also makes an appearance here as a feat. That might help

Immensely- er.

[TheUdjat]

Mar 9, 2009 12:28:09 GMT -5 Badasterysk said:

A bit confused here. I was under the impression that this game didn't operate on ranks, but rather skill 'slots', each 'slot' providing 4 ranks. Are we able to break up skills into individual ranks? That is to say, if I take 2 ranks to read/speak Latin and another rank to speak German, then I have 1 rank to spend in another skill, say, Gather Information?

Okay, yes, the way they do skills by default is kind of weird. I may change it in successive games. They said 'pick a number of skills equal to #+Int. You get full ranks for level one in these skills.' and then 'at level up, you get skill -points- equal to #+Int, to distribute wherever you like'. It's kinda weird. I don't know if they were trying to simplify or what. But since Languages are weird in that 4 ranks doesn't actually do anything as opposed to 1 rank, that kind of derails the whole thing.

So yes, you can distribute, like you were getting (#+Int)x4 skill points. We can all do math here. I hope.

Also, Gather Information is a great skill for any social character or wanderer--doubly important in my opinion for a social wanderer.

[Badasterysk]

Finished-ish, with the following modifications:

- changed Bonus Skill to Gather Information
- changed Bonus Feat to Literacy
- modified skills to clean up Languages
- added feats- Lucky, Well-Informed, Connected, Weapon Training (as needed?)
- added background and appearance

[TheUdjat]

Looking good! As far as Weapon Training is concerned, think of it as Martial Weapon Proficiency. It opens up stuff like swords, polearms, bows, etc. However, all characters are considered proficient with simple weapons, such as daggers/knives, crossbows, clubs, staves, spears, etc.

So if you just want to do dagger and crossbow, no need for Weapon Training.

[Badasterysk]

In that case, I'll drop Weapon Training for Defensive Roll.

[TheUdjat]

You can assume Arnaud has clothes and other basic supplies in his pack, ever a lone wanderer. As for weapons, Arnaud gets:

- Light Crossbow. +2 damage, 19-20/+3 Crit, Piercing, 80' range increment.
- Knife. Str+1 (+0) damage, 19-20/+3 Crit, Piercing/Slashing, 10' Range increment.

You can freely assume he has enough ammunition.

[Badasterysk]

Added virtue (propriety) and vice (excess) to character sheet along with weapons and equipment (plus a fiddle).

Are my V&V acceptable?

[TheUdjat]

Could you clarify a bit better what you mean by propriety? Are you talking politeness and grace and etiquette or justness and rightness? Or something else?

[Badasterysk]

Politeness, grace, etiquette, pomp, courtesy. Recognition of station and showing respect to those who deserve it, and the expectation for others to do the same.

Someone doing the right thing but doing so without being a gentleman would anger Arnaud more than someone doing something dastardly in a civilized manner. Appearances must be maintained.