Let's Make a Character: Shadow of the Demon Lord Part II

The last post covered creating a chipper little 'hero' named Amanda Crowley:

Name: Amanda Crowley
Background: Amanda is a manipulative 14 year old girl that has found her way with a dark cult whose members identify themselves with a tiny idol of a demon carved in green stone. Amanda recently stopped a zealous crusader for the New God from killing one of her fellow cultists, likely saving the cult (for now) from the tender mercies of the Inquisition.
Ancestry: Human
Wealth: Comfortable
Level: 0
Paths: -
Strength 9(-1), Agility 10(+0),Intellect 11(+1), Will 11(+1)
Perception 11, Defense 10, Health 9, Healing Rate 2
Size 1/2, Speed 10, Power 0
Languages: Common, Dark Speech (Literate)
Professions: Charlatan
Magic: -
Talents: -

In this post we will start to advance her, step by step.

Level 1: Novice Path

At 1st level, PCs have the choice of Warrior, Rogue, Priest or Magician.

Given Amanda's history, it seems that Priest or Magician would be a given. Let's make little

Amanda a Magician to start.

It runs out the would be crusader that she killed had quite the occult book collection, Amanda spends the better part of the next year studying the darker sections.

Attributes: Increase two by 1 (Will and Intellect)

Characteristics: Health +2, Power +1

Languages and Professions: She ca now read all the languages she knows how to speak, and

gets to add one academic scholar profession. We will give her Occult Area of Scholarship for her academic profession. 

Magic: Here we make four 'choices' which are discovering new traditions or adding a new spell for each.

Amanda has learned three new traditions: Necromancy*, Arcana and Divination.

From these she gets two level 0 spells for each due to the 'Cantrip' talent below.

Necromancy: 0: Hide from the Undead*, Spectral Grasp*

Arcana: 0: Magic Dart, Arcane Armor

Divination: 0: Eavesdrop, Epiphany

For her last choice she chooses one level one spell, Grave Grasp from the Necromancy school.

Sadly, learning a dark magic tradition grants her one point of Corruption, and for each dark magic spell she learns she rolls a d6 and if it is under the number of such spells that she knows, she gets another point.

She rolls a two after choosing Grave Grasp, which is under the 3 spells she knows and gets another point of Corruption. She passes her Corruption check and doesn't get a 'Mark of Darkness'.

Cantrip: Every time she uncovers a new tradition she gets and additional level 0 spell.

Sense Magic: She learns the level 0 Sense Magic spell.

At level 1 this is what Amanda looks like:

Name: Amanda Crowley
Background: Amanda is a manipulative 14 year old girl that has found her way with a dark cult whose members identify themselves with a tiny idol of a demon carved in green stone. Amanda recently stopped a zealous crusader for the New God from killing one of her fellow cultists, likely saving the cult (for now) from the tender mercies of the Inquisition.
Ancestry: Human

Novice: Magician
Wealth: Comfortable
Level: 1
Paths: -
Strength 9(-1), Agility 10(+0),Intellect 12(+2), Will 12(+12)
Perception 12, Defense 10, Health 11, Healing Rate 2
Size 1/2, Speed 10, Power 1, Corruption 2
Languages: Common, Dark Speech (Literate)
Professions: Charlatan, Scholar: Occult
Magic: 

Necromancy*: Hide from the Undead(2), Spectral Grasp(2), Grave Grasp(1)

Arcana: Magic Dart(2), Arcane Armor(2)

Divination: Eavesdrop(2), Epiphany(2)

Misc: Sense Magic(2)

Talents: Cantrip

Level 2: Novice Path (Magician)

Characteristics: Health +2, Power +1

Magic: Here we make two 'choices' which are discovering new traditions or adding a new spell for each.

Amanda has been studying over time and has now learned Bone Splinters from Necromancy and Truth Ear from Divination.

She now has four potentially corrupting spells, but is lucky with the dice and accrues no more Corruption.

Spell Recovery: Use an action to heal damage equal to your healing rate and regain one casting of a spell. (Like most such talents, this can only be used once between rests)

At level 2 this is what Amanda looks like:

Name: Amanda Crowley
Background: Amanda is a manipulative 14 year old girl that has found her way with a dark cult whose members identify themselves with a tiny idol of a demon carved in green stone. Amanda recently stopped a zealous crusader for the New God from killing one of her fellow cultists, likely saving the cult (for now) from the tender mercies of the Inquisition.
Ancestry: Human

Novice: Magician
Wealth: Comfortable
Level: 2
Paths: -
Strength 9(-1), Agility 10(+0),Intellect 12(+2), Will 12(+12)
Perception 12, Defense 10, Health 13, Healing Rate 2
Size 1/2, Speed 10, Power 2, Corruption 2
Languages: Common, Dark Speech (Literate)
Professions: Charlatan, Scholar: Occult
Magic: 

Necromancy*: Hide from the Undead(3), Spectral Grasp(3), Grave Grasp(2), Bone Splinters(1)

Arcana: Magic Dart(3), Arcane Armor(3)

Divination: Eavesdrop(3), Epiphany(3), Truth Ear(1)

Misc: Sense Magic(3)

Talents: Cantrip, Spell Recovery

Level 3: Expert Path

Level 3 is another big decision point for PCs. There are 16 options, and NO prerequisites in terms

of the Novice path.

Amanda could take some Paladin advancements. Not likely, but it is an option.

Also note that from here on out, some levels will get you Novice path advancements, Expert Path advancements or Ancestry advancements, so Amanda is not done growing as a Magician regardless of which Expert path she chooses.

At Level 7 we will add a Master path, and level 10 is the end game.

Some time has passed, and Amanda has had to dispatch a few more would be crusaders from her growing cult. She has grown quite adept at dispatching foes via subterfuge and deception... And those corpses for her Necromantic studies aren't just going to make themselves.

Amanda's Expert Path is to be an Assassin. (This choice also demonstrates some of the flexibility inherent in the system)

Attributes: Increase two by 1 (Agility and Intellect)

Characteristics: Health +3, Perception +1

Languages and Professions: She can add another language or add a criminal profession. Cultist counts as a criminal profession so we will take that as she is no longer just a 'dabbler'.

Assassinate: If you damage a surprised creature from hiding, it needs a Strength challenge roll or it takes damage equal to its health.

*Ouch*

Disguise Expertise: Can use an action to expend a use from a disguise kit to don a disguise.

Quick Reflexes: You can use a Triggered action on your turn to hide or retreat.

At level 3 this is what Amanda looks like:

Name: Amanda Crowley
Background: Amanda is a manipulative 14 year old girl that has found her way with a dark cult whose members identify themselves with a tiny idol of a demon carved in green stone. Amanda recently stopped a zealous crusader for the New God from killing one of her fellow cultists, likely saving the cult (for now) from the tender mercies of the Inquisition.
Ancestry: Human

Novice: Magician

Expert: Assassin
Wealth: Comfortable
Level: 3
Strength 9(-1), Agility 11(+0),Intellect 13(+3), Will 12(+12)
Perception 14, Defense 11, Health 16, Healing Rate 4
Size 1/2, Speed 10, Power 2, Corruption 2
Languages: Common, Dark Speech (Literate)
Professions: Charlatan, Scholar: Occult
Magic: 

Necromancy*: Hide from the Undead(3), Spectral Grasp(3), Grave Grasp(2), Bone Splinters(1)

Arcana: Magic Dart(3), Arcane Armor(3)

Divination: Eavesdrop(3), Epiphany(3), Truth Ear(1)

Misc: Sense Magic(3)

Talents: Cantrip, Spell Recovery,Assassinate, Quick Reflexes, Disguise Expertise

Level 4: Expert Human 

At Level 4 you get some more benefits from your Ancestry choice.

For humans:

Characteristics: Health +5

And you get one spell or the Determined talent which lets you reroll a 1 on the boon die.

Let's give Amanda Determined.

Level 5: Expert Magician

At Level 5, your Novice path comes back into play.

Characteristics: Health +2, Power +1

Magic: Here we make one 'choice' which is discovering a new tradition or adding a new spell for each.

Amanda chooses Cannibalize Magic from the Necromancy school. She gains a point of corruption

and sadly fails her Corruption check acquiring a 'Mark of Darkness'.

Rolling on the chart we get: "A silver pentagram appears on your forehead"

That's going to be inconvenient when trying to avoid the Inquisition...

Counterspell: You can use a triggered action to counter another creature's casting. 

So at level 5, here is Amanda, much less helpless and well on her way to damnation:

Name: Amanda Crowley
Background: Amanda is a manipulative 14 year old girl that has found her way with a dark cult whose members identify themselves with a tiny idol of a demon carved in green stone. Amanda recently stopped a zealous crusader for the New God from killing one of her fellow cultists, likely saving the cult (for now) from the tender mercies of the Inquisition.
Ancestry: Human

Novice: Magician

Expert: Assassin
Wealth: Comfortable
Level: 5
Strength 9(-1), Agility 11(+0),Intellect 13(+3), Will 12(+12)
Perception 14, Defense 11, Health 18, Healing Rate 4
Size 1/2, Speed 10, Power 3, Corruption 3
Languages: Common, Dark Speech (Literate)
Professions: Charlatan, Scholar: Occult
Magic: 

Necromancy*: Hide from the Undead(4), Spectral Grasp(4), Grave Grasp(2), Bone Splinters(1), Cannibalize Magic(1)

Arcana: Magic Dart(4), Arcane Armor(4)

Divination: Eavesdrop(4), Epiphany(4), Truth Ear(1)

Misc: Sense Magic(4)

Talents: Cantrip, Spell Recovery,Assassinate, Quick Reflexes, Disguise Expertise,Determined,Counterspell

Mark of Darkness: Silver Pentagram on Forehead.