Class idea using Loyalty and Summon

Pokemon is a poor choice thematically for LotFP, I'll admit.

This would be more along the lines of Faust and Mephistopholis or Prospero and Ariel/Caliban (depending on the interpretation of Caliban).

You might be trading away something significant to this entity and all your power would wrapped up in the bargain and the creature, rather than in your own character.  I could see bargains being made similar to the Drakengard videogame, with characters trading sight/voice/children away for the power to control this creature.  The Handlers (as I'm currently calling the class) might have more trouble with relating to other people, but could be pretty useful in a dungeon depending on the creature they have.

I thought that would create an interesting dynamic to the character's powers and would also give us someone with an explicit Charisma focus.

I planned on using Raggi's Esoteric Monster Generator for the Summon Creature, especially since it includes motivation for creatures and could help in determining the trade-offs in the initial bargain.

I could see, too, that a failed summoning/banishing of your creature could be the same result as casting summon again with an automatic failure on the domination roll.  The class could easily get itself killed, which I find exciting.

Last edited by hanick09 (2014-06-26 15:16:47)

Ok, here's what I've got so far.

Take the MU and hack off the spells.

Instead, the Handler receives a Loyalty bonus of +1/level.  This bonus applies to both the initial creation of the Loyalty rating roll (3d6 on Hiring Retainers chart) and also to Loyalty checks for their Minion.

The Minion is created randomly using a method of the GM's choosing (though the Handler's Player may provide options).  The Handler may declare the number of Hit Dice the Minion will have, but otherwise has no control over the creation process.

The Minion should be at least semi-sentient.  The method used to generate the Minion would preferably have a method for determining motivation/desires.  When the Minion is summoned, the GM and Handler will play out the bargaining process.  This is similar to the Hiring Retainer rules, except the following:
- The Minion is otherworldly and will likely want something unusual for payment.  The GM should consider how offers exceed or fall short and offer modifiers accordingly
- Charisma still modifies both rolls (though the Minion made during character creation should probably be an automatic hire unless the Handler's Player is asking to roll up a new character so soon)
- Minion is automatically long-term employment, but the bargain should discuss the exact level of participation that is expected of the minion.  This will help determine when to make Loyalty checks.

Minion Loyalty should be a major plot hook for the Handler.  The original terms of the bargain marks the line for the Minion and any attempt to push beyond the initial bargain will result in a Loyalty check.  Any attempt to stiff your Minion and pay less than the agreed amount should also result in an immediate Loyalty check.

Some examples of payment could be:
- Handler loses one of their senses or can only use this sense through the Minion (a blind Handler that can see what the Minion sees)
- Handler must give a significant portion of treasure claimed to the Minion.  The Minion does something with it that eliminates any possibility of using it (like eating it)
- Handler and Minion swap bodies for X hours per day. The Handler is unaware of the Minion's activities during this time
- Handler and Minion have a symbiotic relationship and the Minion may literally be attached to the body of the Handler. Whatever the circumstances, both feel any HP loss that the one takes and both suffer the effects of failed saves
- Minion is entitled to consume the bodies of the Handlers family.  All family.  The GM can make random checks to determine if particular NPCs are distant relatives or how many in a given town might be related.  Never allow something to be a one-time penalty

The Handler also has the following options:
- Save vs. Magic to summon the Minion to their current location or banish it to another location. Failure may cause the Handler to be summoned/banished instead or result in an immediate casting of Summon with automatic failure to dominate
- Save vs. Magic twice in a row to banish the Minion back to their otherworld and cancel the bargain.  Failure results in merely cancelling the bargain
- The Handler may only have one bargain at a time.  To summon a new Minion and create a bargain, the Handler must spend 24 hours in isolation and concentration to perform the ritual.  At the end of this 24 hours, they must then begin the bargaining process with the new Minion.  If they fail to hire the new Minion, results should probably follow the rules for a failed domination check on a summon.

Further thoughts:
- Should the Handler's saves be modified at all? And how should the Minions saves be generated?
- Should the Minion be able to gain levels or improve in some way?

Don't know how much this lines up with your idea, but I think it might be useful.

Read here: http://gloomtrain.blogspot.com/2014/06/ … -thee.html