New Template Seventh Son

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You come from poor, unassuming, ordinary people; but you were born different. As the seventh son of a seventh son, you are destined to become a great hero, just like in the faerie stories you heard growing up. You may not be as strong and skilled as other adventurers searching for their fortunes -- many of whom consider you backward or a "rube" -- but you're clever and the fates keep you safe from many dangers. (And note that "seventh daughters" certainly exist -- the "son" version is just the most traditional term.)

Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 13 [30].

Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs.; HP 12 [0]; Will 13 [5]; Per 13 [5]; FP 13 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [-5]; Basic Move 6 [0].

Advantages: Fit [5] and Rapid Healing [5]. • Another 45 points spent on Daredevil [15], Luck [15, 30, or 60], and Serendipity [15/level]. • A further 50 points spent on the previous advantages or ST +1 or 2 [10 or 20], DX +1 or +2 [20 or 40], IQ +1 [20], HT +1 [10], Per +1 or +2 [5 or 10], Will +1 or +2 [5 or 10], Increased Basic Move +1 [5], Absolute Direction [5], Alchohol Tolerance [1], Ally (Hound†; Built on 50%) [Varies], Animal Empathy [5], Animal Friend [5/level], Blessed [Varies]; Common Sense [10], Danger Sense [15], Honest Face [1], Luck Talent‡ [5/level], Magic Resistance [2/level], No Hangovers [1], Outdoorsman [10/level], Rapier Wit [5], improve Fit to Very Fit [10], or improve Rapid Healing to Very Rapid Healing [10].

Disadvantages: Social Stigma (Uneducated) [-5]. • Another -15 points chosen from among Chummy [-5] or Gregarious [-10], Curious [-5*], Gullibility [-10*], Honesty [-10*], Impulsiveness [-10*], Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions [-5], or Truthfulness [-5*]. • A further -25 chosen from the previous disadvantages or Charitable [-15*], Clueless [-10], Compulsive Carousing [-5*], Easy to Read [-10], Gluttony [-5*], Language (Native/None) [-3], Laziness [-10], Stubborness [-5], Stuttering [-10], or Wealth (Struggling) or (Poor) [-10 or -15].

Primary Skills: Climbing (A) DX+1 [4]-13; Hiking (A) HT+1 [4]-14; Navigation (Land) (A) IQ [2]-12; Scrounging (E) Per+1 [2]-14; Swimming (E) HT [1]-13; Weather Sense (A) IQ [2]-12. • One of Axe/Mace, Spear, Staff, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace, all (A) DX+2 [8]-14. • One of Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace) or (Knife), both (E) DX+2 [4]-14; Bow or Throwing, both (A) DX+1 [4]-13; or Sling (H) DX [4]-12.

Secondary Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4]-14; Knife (E) DX+1 [2]-13; Stealth (A) DX [2]-12; Wrestling (A) DX+2 [4]-14; and one of the following professional packages:

1. Farmer: Animal Handling (Horse, Cattle, or other "work animal") (A) IQ [2]-12. • Either Naturalist (H) IQ [4]-12 or both Veterinary (H) IQ-1 [2]-11 and one of Bolas or Lasso, both (A) DX [2]-12. • Spend another 2 points on Weather Sense, raising it to IQ+1 [4]-12.
2. Fisherman: Boating (Unpowered) or (Sailboat) (A) DX [2]-12; Fishing (E) Per+1 [2]-14; Knot-Tying (E) DX+1 [2]-13; and Navigation (Water) (A) IQ [2]-12.
3. Craftsman: Armoury (any) (A) IQ [2]-12 and Leatherworking (E) DX+1 [2]-13. • One of Carpentry or Masonry, both (E) IQ+2 [4]-14; or Smith (Iron) (A) IQ+1 [4]-13.
4. Woodsman. Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [2]-13; Survival (Forest) (A) Per [2]-13; and Tracking (A) Per [2]-13; • Spend another 2 points on Stealth, raising it to DX+1 [4]-13.

Background Skills: Choose four of Area Knowledge (Any), Current Affairs (Regional), First Aid, Games, Gesture, or Panhandling, all (E) IQ+1 [2]-13; Gambling or Packing, both (A) IQ [2]-12; Riding (Horse) (A) DX [2]-12; Carousing (E) HT+1 [2]-14; Running (A) HT [2]-13; or Survival (Any) (A) Per [2]-13.

* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
† DF5: Allies (p. 8). Cost depends on frequency: (9 or less) [2], (12 or less) [4], (15 or less) [6], or (Constantly) [8].
‡ Gambling, Games, Stealth, Strategy, Tactics, and Survival. Reaction bonus from gamblers and the superstitious. (Created by Michael Kreuter)

Customization Notes

A seventh son is focused on advantages and attributes, rather than skills, spells, or powers. Of course, with so many luck-based traits, he has a good chance of pulling off any skill that has a default. The biggest choice to make in the son's advantages is how many points to sink into luckiness. With a minimum of 45 points (for, say, Extraordinary Luck [30] and Serendipity 1 [15]) and a maximum of 95 points (usually in Daredevil [15], Ridiculous Luck [60], Serendipity 1 [15], and Luck Talent 1 [5]) to put into lucky traits, this peasant wanderer can start off with a charmed life and practically nothing else! Because of that, this template is a good fit for a player who wants to play an "underdog" without sacrificing playability or survivability.

GMs may wish to make Daredevil into a leveled trait. If so, its cost becomes 15/level, and it adds a bonus equal to its level (instead of a flat +1) to all rolls when the character is putting himself in unnecessary danger. There is no other change; if you roll a critical failure, you may reroll it once, regardless of your Daredevil level.

The skill choices are based on the son's previous profession; note that the farmer's skills depend on whether he raised plants (Naturalist) or livestock (Veterinary and a wrangling weapon). Dungeon Fantasy doesn't recommend Carpentry and Masonry as appropriate skills, but they can be useful in a dungeon. Specifically, they can be used to shore up doors, walls, and similar structures made of wood or stone (respectively). This takes minutes equal to the square footage (assume 10 minutes for a typical door) and requires an appropriate tool kit (DF1: Adventurers, p. 24). On a successful roll, add +1 to the door or structure's HT rolls to maintain structural integrity. On a critical success, add an effective +1 DR (or +10% to existing DR, rounded down, for DR 20+) to the structure as well. This lasts until the object fails a HT roll. Players are encouraged to find other creative uses for these skills as well.

Further Lenses

Treat the seventh son as a scout for the purpose of the occupational lenses in DF3: The Next Level. That is, if a seventh son wants to become a bard, apply the Scout-Bard lens to the son's template.

The reverse does not really make sense -- a bard could not "decide to become a seventh son," because the son's abilities reflect a lack of training and an inborn luck that cannot be learned. However, the following simple lens is provided for games with enough starting points that PCs can have both a template and an occupational lens. In such a case, a Bard-Seventh Son (for example) could represent a bard who started off as a lucky peasant, but has since mastered his craft. In all cases, if this lens contains skills that the template already has, combine them if possible. Apply any leftover points to other lens skills.

Seventh Son Lens (+50 points)

Advantages: 45 points spent on Daredevil [15], Luck [15 or 30], and Serendipity [15/level].

Skills: Climbing (A) DX-1 [1]; Hiking (A) HT-1 [1]; Scrounging (E) Per [1]; Swimming (E) HT [1]; Weather Sense (A) IQ-1 [1].

Credit

This template was created by aesir23 on the SJG forums; I contributed feedback and rewrote the statistics to match the existing templates. Note that for compatability's sake, this template does not use my house rules for separating IQ from Per and Will. You can find the conversion for this template at Splitting IQ in Dungeon Fantasy.

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