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SPECIAL FEATURES DECK

Absentee Landlord
Your character has inherited a piece of land, rented out to tenants, which nets him an income of 50gp each month.

Backup Weapon
Your character receives a new crossbow for free through gambling or a gift. If they aren't already proficient, they gain proficiency with the crossbow to back up their comrades if and when magic fails.

Brawler
Your character can inflict 1d4 points of damage when fighting with his fists.

Cottage in the Woods
You own a sturdy cottage nestled in the woods, near to the action.

Dagger Man
Your character gets a +1 to hit and damage when using a dagger.

Enduring
Your character can keep moving even under the most trying physical conditions. They may make any checks to avoid Exhaustion at advantage.

Expert Horseman
While riding a horse, you add 10' to the horse's movement speed in combat. If you don't already have Riding proficiency, you get it.

Eye for the Stones
Your character can reliably appraise the market value of gem stones and jewelry.

Family Heirloom
Your character inherits a permanent magic item, chosen at random. It can't be arms or armor, and must be a kind that does not expend charges.

Far-Sighted
Your character gets a +2 on his ranged weapon attacks made at Far Range (which are still at Disadvantage nonetheless).

Father Confessor
Your childhood parish priest moves nearby, he is a 4th level cleric and you can count on him for help and advice. He won't participate in adventurous quests, as he has a bad back.

Fearless
Your character is immune to any spell or monster-effect that causes fear or panic, and never needs to make a morale check.

Frontier Post
You inherit a fortified farm stead or trading post right on the border, with 2 hides of land in title.

Good Connections
When your character sells stolen goods, double the usual fence's price (typically raising 10% price to 20%).

Good Judge of Horseflesh
Any horse that your character buys will have 1 extra hit point per die.

Great Balance
You can leap to your feet from a prone position as a quick action with no chance of failure.

Guts
Your character has seen it all. They may make any checks to avoid Stress at advantage.

Hero's Legacy
Your character inherits a magical or blessed sword, chosen by the DM.

Hideout
You've found an abandoned cave near civilization you can make into your secret hideout.

Holy Bourbon
Your character receives 4 Greater Blessed Healing Potions (each heals all lost hit points of damage)

Horse Killer
When using any martial slashing weapon, if you score a critical hit against a horse, you cut its head clean off.

Huntsman's Legacy
Your character inherits 25 magic arrows chosen by the DM.

Iron Stomach
Character can eat spoiled food without ill effect and gets +3 on any checks vs. poisons that have been eaten or drunk.

It Suddenly All Makes Sense
Your character gains proficiency in one skill of his choice.

Knightly Legacy
Your character inherits a heavy warhorse with maximum hit points and a regular riding horse. Saddle and all other trappings included.

Little Brother
You gain a new henchman who has identical attributes as your character, has the same class and archetype, but is first level. He is either a long lost relative, or a brother in spirit. He does not require a retainer's salary, and does not count toward the number of Retainers or Henchmen the character can command.

Lordly Legacy
Your character has inherited a ruined keep and the lordship of “hundred” of vacant land just over the border. The area is accessible, but the land is empty of population and the keep requires some repair.

Loyal Squire
Your character gains the service of Squire (first level warrior) with his own Riding Horse, light armor, shield and mace. Each time the character advances in level, the squire advances as well. When the squire reaches 3rd level, he will ask to be knighted. When the squire is knighted, your character makes a CHA check, success indicates that the squire wishes to remain in the character's service as a household knight. This squire does not require a retainer's salary, and does not count toward the number of Retainers or Henchmen the character can command.

Master Chucker
You have learned an old Viking technique of throwing two spears or javelins simultaneously from each hand. You must throw both weapons at the same target, but do get two attacks. Two keep this up, you must have a bunch of them planted in the ground or be wearing a javelin quiver.

Medieval Nerd
In a pile of your family's old stuff, you discover a book randomly chosen from the uncommon magic books.

Mighty War Cry
Once per fight your character can make a mighty shout as a quick action, causing all within 10' to make a Morale check or lose their next turn, stunned by the noise.

Musical Genius
Your character can play all known musical instruments. Once per day, you can use a musical instrument to cast a Charm Spell.

Mystic Trove
Your character has discovered 4 random Arcane Scrolls.

Naturally Suspicious
You can never be Charmed or hypnotized.

Property in Town
Your character receives a townhouse in a nearby town or city. The townhouse is fully furnished and a housekeeper is already employed.

Pure of Heart
Any attempt by demons to inflict or increase Corruption on your character is done at disadvantage.

Room at the Inn
Your character inherits or wins at the gambling table a working inn.

Shield Buster
Every time you score a critical hit, with weapon or damage spell, you destroy the target's shield if he has one.

Showy Fighter
You are adept at fancy footwork and weapon speed displays. You may use your Charisma bonus to attack in place of Strength or Dexterity bonus for one handed melee weapons.

Sneaky Bastard
Any stealth related check made by your character receives a double proficiency bonus.

Spear Catcher
If you have one hand free, you can make a DEX check to catch a single spear or javelin thrown at you during a turn. You can either hold onto it or throw it at someone as a Quick Action.

Sprinter
Add 5' to your character's movement rate.

Superior Education
Increase your character's Intelligence and Wisdom by 1 point each.

Sword Brothers
You have sworn an oath of loyalty with a group of 5 warriors, any of you can call on the others for help when in real trouble.

Terrifying Glare
Once per fight, you can cause one enemy within 30', who can see you clearly, to make a morale check or flee in terror for 1d6 combat rounds, just by looking at him.

Totally Trustworthy Companion
Your character gains the service of a first level thief, with his own light armor and club. He gains 1 level each time your character advances in level, until he reaches 3rd level, when he makes a morale check and either leaves or agrees to keep working for the character. There's something you don't trust about him though. He does not count toward your total of retainers or henchmen and doesn't require a retainer's wage.

Tough Upbringing
Add 3 hit points as a one-time bonus to your character's hit point total.

Treasure Map
You come across a map to a fortune hidden in the wilderness by an infamous highwayman. You think there could be as much as 1000gp work of lot there, but something else may have inhabited the locale in the meantime.

Weapon Master
Pick one specific weapon (e.g. Arming Sword, Dane Axe, Lance) and from now on you gain +1 to hit and damage with examples of that weapon.

Windfall
Your character receives an unexpected gift, inheritance, award or settlement of 500gp.

Wise Mentor
You have acquired the good friendship with a learned sage in a nearby town, hermitage or monastery. Details of location and fields of knowledge will be worked out with you and DM.

Wolf Hunter
You have been initiated into a secret society dedicated to wiping out Werewolves. you have a silver dagger, marked with glyphs of the order. You can get a set of 10 silver arrows whenever you go hunting werewolves. If you refuse to pursue and destroy werewolves the order becomes your enemy.

Workout Montage
You redouble your efforts at physical fitness. Increase your character's Strength and Constitution by one.

Wrestler
You always have advantage in an attempt to avoid or escape being grappled by man or beast.

Wrong Crowd
Your character has 4 childhood friends who have moved to a town nearby. All 4 are thieves of the same level as the PC. They can always be counted on to take part in robberies or burglaries in that town, for a fair share of the take.


Design Notes

It seems to me that this deck often gives the PC a material bonus rather than a character feature bonus. I do see a few features, but most are generalized so they might help anyone (+1 hp, +5' movement) and don't measure up to the power of archetype features - except maybe “Sneaky Bastard” which IMHO really only becomes overpowered when a character reaches +3 proficiency bonus. Can you confirm these assumptions? May I make a few, putting them in appropriate alphabetical order? –AHS Add as many as you like, they shouldn't rival archetype features, especially now that we get so many. I guess since I moved out the “weird ones” there's a preponderance of material, but that was a byproduct.

special_features.1578074004.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/01/03 17:53 by dave