domenica 29 giugno 2025

Bestiary: Erotes Swarm

Ever seen a Neapolitan presepe with a flight of musician cherubini darkening all the sky? Here.

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Erotes Swarm CR 5

XP 1,600

CG Tiny outsider (azata, chaotic, extraplanar, good, swarm)

Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect charm, detect desires, detect evil, low-light vision; Perception +11


Defense

AC 18 (+3 deflection, +3 Dex, +2 size)

hp 51 (6d10+18)

Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +4

Defensive Abilities swarm traits; DR 5/cold iron or evil; Immune electricity, mind-affecting effects, petrification; Resist cold 10, fire 10


Offense

Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)

Melee swarm (1d6)

Space 10 ft., Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks distraction (DC 16), euphoria

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +9) 

Constant—detect charm, detect desires (DC 16), detect evil

At will—tiny hearts

3/day—distracting cacophony, intensify psyche (DC 15)


Statistics

Str 11, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 17

Base Atk +6; CMB —; CMD

Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative

Skills Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Fly +24, Knowledge (planes) +10, Perception +11, Perform (any one) +12, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +16

Languages Celestial, Common, Sylvan; truespeech

SQ love’s grace


Ecology

Environment any (Elysium)

Organization solitary or flight (2-8 swarms)

Treasure none


Euphoria (Su) A creature damaged by an erotes swarm is dazed for 1d6 round unless it succeeds at a Will saving throw. With a successful save, the creature is only dazed for 1 round. The save is Charisma-based.


Love’s Grace (Su) Erotes adds their Charisma modifier as a racial bonus on all their saving throws, and as a deflection bonus to their Armor Class.


Erotes swarms help lovers in distress and lost travelers, are sometimes called to entertain divine events and banquets with their music, but most often only cause trouble both on Olympus and among mortals.

sabato 28 giugno 2025

Greek/Roman Deities: Hecate

A mysterious goddess, Hecate was an Underworld deity largely worshipped in the Mediterranean area as patron of magic, witchcraft, necromancy, darkness, and the moon, queen of ghosts and demons. She was represented with three faces or bodies, matching the moon phases (hence, maybe, the traditional coven of three witches), and offerings were left for her at the crossing of three roads, since one of her names in Latin was Trivia. The goddesses Selene (“Moon”), Artemis, and Persephone were said to be Hecate’s aspects in the sky, on earth, and in the Underworld. Hecate had not only an evil aspect in ancient times: she is also known to be honored as Soteira (Savior) and an universal goddess. In Europe, witches are said to have still worshipped Hecate in the Middle Ages and even beyond.

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Hecate (CE)

Favored Weapon: dagger

Sacred Animal: dog

Symbol: torch

Sacred Color: black

Domains: Chaos, Darkness, Death, Evil, Magic

Subdomains: Arcane, Demon, Moon, Night, Shadow, Undead [Witchcraft]

Apocryphal Subdomains: Alchemy, Rites

Druidic Domains: Serpent

Inquisitions: Conversion, Damnation, Fate, Heresy, Secrets, Spellkiller, Vengeance

Mysteries/Spirits: Bones, Lunar, Occult, Shadow

Witch Patron: Death, Jynx, Moon, Occult, Portents, Revenge, Shadow, Spirits, Transformation, Vengeance

Variant Channeling: Darkness, Death, Fate, Magic, Revenge/Vengeance, Secrets, Undeath

Clergy: clerics, inquisitors, magi, oracles, shamans, sorcerers, summoners, witches, wizards

Spells: moonbeam (shamans can prepare/learn it as a 1st-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 2nd-level spell); threefold face (sorcerers, witches, and wizards can prepare/learn it as a 2nd-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 3rd-level spell); threefold aspect (witches can prepare it as a 3rd-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 5th-level spell); grim stalker (magi and summoners can prepare it as a 5th-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 6th-level spell); threefold form (witches can prepare it as a 8th-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 9th-level spell)

Unique Summon Rules: orthrus (summon monster IV), cerberi (summon monster V)

mercoledì 25 giugno 2025

New Spell: Moonbeam

A necessary conversion!

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Moonbeam

School evocation (light);  Level druid/hunter 2, shaman 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components: V, S, DF

Range 30 ft.

Area cone-shaped emanation

Duration 1 minute/level (D)

Saving Throw none or Will negates; see text; Spell Resistance no

As you complete this spell, a swath of pale moonlight springs from your hand. On your turn each round, you can change the direction of the cone of light. The cone emanates dim light in its area of effect. 

Light from a moonbeam spell does not adversely affect creatures that are sensitive to light, but lycanthropes in humanoid form caught in the cone must make a Will save to avoid involuntarily assuming their animal forms. A lycanthrope in animal form can change out of it on the creature's next turn (spending a round in animal form). However, if it is still in the area of the spell, it must succeed on a Will save to do so. Once a lycanthrope successfully saves against moonbeam, it is not affected by any more of your moonbeam spells for 24 hours.

Moonbeam penetrates any darkness spell of equal or lower level, but does not counter or dispel it. Darkness spells of higher level block a moonbeam.

domenica 22 giugno 2025

Android Favored Class Bonuses

For a class that still hadn’t any.

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Androids

Alchemist: Add +⅙ to the alchemist’s Intelligence bonus gained for the use of a cognatogen.

Arcanist: Add ¼ to the arcanist’s effective class level when determining the effects of the energy shield and force strike exploits.

Barbarian: Add +¼ use per rage of the clear mind, moment of clarity, or ultimate clarity rage powers.

Bard: Add one spell known from the wizard’s spell list that can affect constructs or technology. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the bard can cast. The spell is treated as being one level higher, unless it is also on the bard spell list.

Bloodrager: Add ¼ to the bloodrager’s effective class level when determining the power of her bloodrager bloodline powers.

Brawler: Add ½ to the brawler’s limit of cybertech implantation points. She can allocate these points between his Intelligence and Constitution scores as she chooses. If the brawler has the improved implantation ability, the bonuses stack.

Cavalier: The cavalier’s mount gains a +½ bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects. If the cavalier ever replaces his mount, the new mount gains this bonus.

Cleric: Add +⅓ to the cleric’s level when determining the effects of one power from the Artifice, Destruction, Knowledge, Law, or Strength domain.

Druid: Add +1 hit point to the druid’s animal companion. If the druid ever replaces her animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points.

Fighter: Add ½ to the fighter’s limit of cybertech implantation points. He can allocate these points between his Intelligence and Constitution scores as he chooses. If the fighter has the improved implantation ability, the bonuses stack.

Gunslinger: Add a +¼ bonus on attack rolls when using one of the following deeds: deadeye, utility shot, dead shot, or targeting.

Hunter: Add +1 hit point to the hunter’s animal companion. If the hunter ever replaces her animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points.

Inquisitor: Add +⅙ to the number of times per day the inquisitor can use the judgment class feature.

Investigator: Add ⅙ rounds to the duration of the investigator’s studied combat.

Kineticist: Add +¼ point to the maximum burn that the kineticist can accept.

Magus: Add one of the following to the magus’ list of arcane pool weapon special abilities: breaking, catalytic, conductive, corrosive, corrosive burst, grounding, ki focus, rusting, shattering, smashing. Once selected, it cannot be changed.

Monk: Gain ⅙ of a new ki power.

Ninja: Add +¼ point to the ninja’s ki pool.

Medium: When channeling self, the medium can use spirit surge without reducing influence ¼ time per day.

Mesmerist: Choose one mind-affecting mesmerist trick that the mesmerist knows. The mesmerist can affect intelligent construct creatures with that trick as if they weren’t immune to mind-affecting effects.

Occultist: Add 1 point of mental focus per day, but these additional points can be invested only inside implements which are technological items.

Omdura: Add ½ to the omdura’s level when determining the effect of the divine might ability.

Oracle: Add one spell known from the wizard’s spell list that can affect constructs or technology. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast. The spell is treated as being one level higher, unless it is also on the oracle spell list.

Paladin: Add ½ to the paladin’s level when determining the effect of the smite construct ability.

Psychic: Gain ⅙ of a new phrenic amplification or psi–tech discovery.

Ranger: Add ⅕ to the ranger’s favored enemy bonus against constructs. The ranger must have favored enemy (construct) to select this option.

Rogue: Add a +½ bonus on Disable Device checks regarding mechanical traps.

Samurai: The samurai’s mount gains a +½ bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects. If the samurai ever replaces his mount, the new mount gains this bonus.

Shifter: Increase the AC bonus from defensive instinct by ¼ against constructs.

Skald: Add ½ to the skald’s bardic knowledge bonus.

Slayer: Add ¼ to the studied target bonus on Knowledge and Perception checks. When the slayer gains the stalker class feature, he also adds this amount to the studied target bonus on Intimidate checks.

Sorcerer: Add +½ to the number of times per day a sorcerer can use the nanite strike bloodline power. The sorcerer must possess the applicable power to select this bonus.

Spiritualist: While the spiritualist’s phantom is confined in her consciousness, add +½ bonus on the skills enhanced by the emotionless class ability.

Summoner: Add +¼ evolution point to the eidolon’s evolution pool. These bonus evolution points must be spent on evolutions that alter the eidolon’s physical form (like flight, hooves, or pincers).

Swashbuckler: Gain a +⅓ bonus on all critical hit confirmation rolls made while using the precise strike deed (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus doesn’t stack with those gained through Critical Focus and similar effects.

Vampire Hunter: Gain a +½ bonus on Fort saves made to avoid fatigue when using the relentless ability.

Vigilante: Add ½ to the DC increase from unshakable.

Warpriest: Add ½ to the number of times per day the warpriest can use blessings, but he can use these additional blessings on only those from the Artifice, Destruction, Knowledge, Law, or Strength domains.

Witch: The witch’s familiar adds +¼ point of bonus to saves vs. mind–affecting spells.

Wizard: The wizard gains ⅙ of a bonus item creation, metamagic, or spell mastery feat.

sabato 21 giugno 2025

The Bestiary of Passion Is Out!

 The long-waited companion book for The Book of Passion, written by Will Wells and me (and some guest authors), is out now for Misfit Studios! Hopefully, Will and I will do more collaborations in the future!

Peruse The Bestiary of Passion on Drivethru!

And tomorrow, a new snippet for patrons only on my Patreon page. Enjoy it!

mercoledì 18 giugno 2025

The Bardess’ Library #8 Is Out!

Even this month we have an issue of my magazine, this time featuring “forgotten” classes: the omdura, shifter, and vampire hunter, that were shown less “love” in the rules confronted to all the others. To these I add the valkyrie class from TPK Games, written by my friend Aaron Hollingsworth.

Tomorrow you will find another little bit of exclusive content on my Patreon page. Enjoy it!


domenica 15 giugno 2025

Greek/Roman Deities: Psyche

Psyche, “Soul”, was the personification of the human soul and life in the Greek/Roman mythology, seen as a young woman with butterfly wings or as a butterfly that left the human body with the last breath. Since the human soul longs for love above all, Psyche became in later myths the bride of Eros. Apuleius tells her story as a fairy tale in his novel The Metamorphoses. Psyche was a human princess, chosen by Eros to be his wife, under one condition: she would only meet him at night and could never try to see his true appearance. When Psyche broke this prohibition, Eros had to flee from her and the desperate girl had to search for him in the world and pass many painful trials (symbolizing the growth of the soul to wisdom) to regain his trust, lastly dying and being resurrected as a goddess. Their daughter was Hedone/Voluptas, “Pleasure” or “Joy”. 


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Psyche (NG)

Favored Weapon: dagger

Sacred Animal: butterfly

Symbol: butterfly

Sacred Color: white

Domains: Animal, Charm, Good, Healing, Repose

Subdomains: Agathion, [Birth] Love, Redemption, Psychopomp, Resurrection, Souls

Druidic Domains: none 

Inquisitions: Conversion, [Emotion] Persistence, Redemption, Revelation, Zeal

Mysteries/Spirits: Life, [Passion]

Witch Patron: Animals, Devotion, Enchantment, Endurance, Healing, Mercy, Recovery

Variant Channeling: Beauty/Love/Lust, Self-Perfection

Clergy: bards, clerics, inquisitors (few), oracles, psychics, shamans, witches

Spells: charm animal (all clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 1st-level spell); reveal true shape (bards can learn it as a 1st-level spells; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 2nd-level spell); joyful rapture (bards can learn it as a 3rd-level spell; clerics and oracles can prepare/learn it as a 5th-level spell; inquisitors, psychics, shamans, and witches can prepare/learn it as a 6th-level spell); resurrection (clerics and oracles can prepare/learn it as a 6th-level spell; shamans, and witches can learn it as a 7th-level spell; psychics can learn it as a 8th-level spell)

Unique Summon Rules: erotes (summon nature’s ally IV)