Charmed Hero

The following is a theme for Dungeons and Dragons, 4th edition. Presented as part of the ‘A Night in Lonesome October’ Blog Carnival.

Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some are just surrounded by abyssal horrors! Fantasy is filled with examples of heroes who aren’t smarter, faster or stronger than everyone else, they’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet somehow these hapless regulars wind up on top!

These characters may be the main protagonist, such as the hobbits in the Lord of the Rings, or they may be plucky side characters, like Xander in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One way or another, they not only survive the fight, but they manage to contribute significantly to the final victory, while fighting alongside epic hunters and powerful wizards.

Charmed Heroes rarely begin adventuring careers by choice. More often than not, adventure springs right up around them. In the popular anime Inuyasha, the heroine Kagome, is attacked and pulled into another world, seemingly randomly, but we learn she is the embodiment of a sacred jewel, making her the target of many enemies. Another possibility is that monsters have invaded the heroes’ hometown, and for some reason no else seems to notice. Perhaps, a group of established heroes are venturing into the local woods, and the charmed hero is persuaded at knife point to come along as their guide.

No matter your reason for adventuring, you soon pick up other useful skills (your base class), and may even eventually gain a bit of courage and self confidence. Even when you’re battling against epic foes, there’s always that bit of luck or fate that shines through.

Charmed Hero Starting Feature

The charmed hero always seems to be have just a little bit of extra skill just when it seems that failure is inevitable. Whether it’s fate or just a surge of willpower, when all hope is bleak, the charmed hero gets the job done when it’s the most critical.

Burst of Hope Charmed Hero Utility 1

Encounter

No Action Personal

Trigger: You make an attack roll, a saving throw, a skill check, or an ability check and dislike the result.

Effect: You add 1d4 + 1 to the triggering roll. At 11th level you add 1d4 + 2. At 21st level you add 1d4 + 4.

Charmed Hero Level 5 Feature

With all the crazy stuff happening in your life, you find yourself constantly running just out of reach of the next villainous threat. You gain a +1 power bonus to all defenses vs. opportunity attacks. This bonus increases to +3 vs. opportunity attacks made by aberrations or undead.

Charmed Hero Level 10 Feature

Sometimes when things seem their worst, that’s when the greatest opportunities arise. Whenever you roll a natural 1, your action fails as normal. Your next attack roll, saving throw, skill check, or ability check gains a +2 power bonus.

Optional Powers

Burst of Speed Charmed Hero Utility 2

Sometimes you just have to get across the room in an impossible amount of time.

Encounter

Minor Action Personal

Effect: You gain a +2 power bonus to speed until the end of your next turn.

Tougher Than I Look Charmed Hero Utility 6

When you’re surrounded by mages flinging balls of acid and barbarians hefting giant war axes, it’s easy for enemies to forget just how tough you can be.

Daily

Minor Action Personal

Effect: You gain resist 3 to all damage until the end of your next turn. At 21th level this increased to resist 6.

Sudden Revival Charmed Hero Utility 10

Just when it looked like you were out of the fight for good, you stand and do what’s needed.

Daily

Free Action Personal

Trigger: You start your turn dazed, dominated or stunned (save ends).

Effect: You make a save vs. that effect with a +2 power bonus.