Patty Pendragon
– Pathfinder Core rulebook
Context
- A homemade character from a Pathfinder campaign from 2012. I was on the road during that time. I played this character over Skype.
- She is a 3rd level human Wizard from the School of Abjuration.
- Patty was somewhat inspired by the TV series Charmed. “Pendragon” just flowed, wasn’t even thinking about the Arthur legend. Or Vampirella, for that matter.
- The Old-School D&D Genre article and the Vance-Arneson-Gygax Magic article dive into the technical aspects of Dungeons & Dragons for MEGS.
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Background
- Real Name: Patricia “Patty” Pendragon.
- Known Relatives: Unnamed (father), unnamed (mother).
- Group Affiliation: She took up with a group of adventurers for a time but they never had an official name.
- Base of Operations: Mobile ; formerly the town of Delvin.
- Height: 5’4″ (1.62m). Weight: 133 lbs. (60 Kg.).
- Eyes: Light Brown. Hair: Black with red tips. Age: 17, though this certainly does not afford her the Age (Young) Drawback in the world of Pathfinder.
Powers & Abilities
As a graduate from Delvin’s local wizards’ school, Patricia wields real magic! As an abjurer, she masters the art of defensive and warding spells.
Like most Player character wizards, she’s darn near a genius. 🙂
She learned simple weapons and some exotic ones, like Alchemist fire.
Patty has done some adventuring on her own but usually as support for a mercenary style-group. So, she has some experience with dungeoneering and fighting creatures in her world. Like goblins, orcs, various slimes, and wolves.
Patty’s magical familiar is a pet hedgehog.
History
Patricia Pendragon grew up in the small town of Delvin. Delvin is known for its School of Wizardry. Her parents afforded her a good education from a young age.
In her early years, she only took mercenary work with people she knew and trusted. That changed quickly and soon she found herself delving down into earthy holes seeking treasure with men and women she hardly knew.
Patty’s first real adventure
There was some kind of trouble with the gods of magic. I know, right? How can gods have trouble?
Anyway, Patty learned this from her teachers at the Delvin Wizards’ school. Soon she found, as did others, magic was acting much less reliably.
It was decided. A group (our group), would travel to retrieve a relic, known to allow a Priest of Boccob of enough renown (level), to actually commune with their deity. As it was, there were apparently no Priests of Boccob left. The wizards hoped to tap into the relic at a time when magic was stronger than normal.
The party had quite a trip to make across a continent to an ancient tower that supposedly held the relic in years past. Instead of taking the long trip on horseback, we begged the wizards for a teleportation spell. They relented but still charged us most of the group’s gold.
Bo the hedgehog.
Planes, trains, and… teleports?
The diverse group had some rough characters. One, a half-orc Barbarian voiced his distrust of magic. Suddenly, he reached out at the last moment of the teleport’s casting, and pulled one of the school mages into the circle, forcing them along for the ride.
We appeared outside a crumbling wall, surrounding an ancient stone tower. We were set-upon by gargoyles. Several human-sized, but three were giants. The group dispatched them without too much effort. The wizard brought along against his will was not happy. He helped with this fight but wouldn’t help further.
Getting inside the tower was no easy task. Once inside the wall, there were magical guardians and traps to overcome. The tower itself was only a three-story structure, and a little unsafe our dwarf told us. But we soon learned it went deep into the ground. Many unknown levels deep.
At one point, the party traversed a ledge into a narrow hallway. We were set upon by a mage at the other end. He used a Lightning Bolt spells to much effect since we were all lined up like ducks. Patty was nearly killed but happily surprised to see her new allies rushing to save her.
Then what happened?
Well, the next room held the ghost of a priest. We had to convince him we were priests too and that he was still alive. Then he would show us where the key was to the massive steel cellar door.
What was beyond that door, I’ll never know. It was the last time I played Patty.
Adνеrtisеmеnt
What’s in a world….
The world Patty lived in is your standard-fare D&D-styled world with moderate magic. The pantheon of deities was straight from the Dungeons and Dragons Player’s Handbook.
The over-arching storyline had to do with Boccob, the god of magic. Something was happening and it was affecting magic on a global scale. Each game session, characters using magic, like Patty, would be faced with not knowing if their magic would work at double strength or not at all.
Description
Patty is a young woman in her late teens. She’s decked out like an adventurer. She wears studded leather armor, a grey traveling cloak, a backpack, and a bedroll.
Check it out, she has weapons too. Many are geared towards the beasts she learned about in school. So, she carries silver, cold-iron, and magical weapons.
(I did some extra portraits to spruce up Ethan’s writeup, but the character portrait tool I’m using means I couldn’t do the hair colour right — Ed.).
Personality
Patty has always loved magic. Magic makes life easier. Smart from a young age, she excelled in school.
She’s pretty optimistic and still young enough to believe others may die but she won’t.
This is her story.
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Quotes
“I love magic !”
Patty: “Don’t worry Mom, I’ll just do mercenary work for a short while, then I’ll be home again.”
Patty’s Mother: “Oh dear.”
Kassandrah: “You can trust me, but watch out for these other guys.” (speaking of the rest of the party.)
Patty: “Ummm… Ok.”
“Absence of natural affection – sounds a lot like Behavioral Sink”.
D&D Universe History
Obviously, Patty can fit in alongside other D&D characters.
In a game of heroes, I still see her as a student. Put her with one of the many established mystic characters. She’d be learning from them but she’s also the one who heads out to find adventure.
DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Patricia Pendragon
| Dex: 03 | Str: 02 | Bod: 02 |
| Int: 06 | Wil: 02 | Min: 03 |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 03 |
| Init: 013 | HP: 012 |
Powers:
Energy Absorption: 02, Iron Will: 01, Skin Armor: 01, Sorcery (VGA): 05
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Energy Absorption is only one type of energy but may be changed to a different type each day. Choices are: Fire, Cold, Lightning. (Represents the Pathfinder Abjurer’s ability “Resistance”).
- Skin Armor has area effect and is useable on others. Only affects allies and may only be used seven times in a 24 hour period. (Represents the Pathfinder Abjurer’s ability “Protective Ward”).
- Sorcery (VGA) has the Spellbook Limitation (-0 FC).
Skills:
Military Science (Cryptography)*: 06, Occultist: 03, Thief (Stealth)*: 03, Weaponry (Melee, Missile)*: 04
Advantages:
Languages: (Common, Draconic, Elven, Dwarven, Giant), Expertise (Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Linguistics, Nature Lore, The known Planes, Religion, Spellcraft).
Connections:
Delvin’s School of Wizardry (Low).
Drawbacks:
MIA to Magic, Power Loss: Iron Will drops to 00 APs if Patty’s familiar is killed.
Motivation:
Lawful Good.
Occupation:
Wizard for hire.
Wealth:
000 (34 gold pieces)
Equipment:
- Spellbook [BODY 01]. A wizard must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for Read magic, which all wizards can prepare from memory (see spells below).
- Studded Leather Armor [BODY 03, Conditional Soaking (Slashing), Blunting: 01, Damage capacity: 02, Enhance (Cold RV): 01 (cap is 04), Enhance (Slashing, Bludgeoning and Piercing RV): 01 (cap is 06), Bonuses & Limitations: Damage Capacity has the Instant Recovery Bonus]. 15% spell failure.
- Silver Dagger +1 [BODY 04, Enhance (EV): 01 (cap is 05), Descriptor: Piercing, Advantage: +1].
- Quarterstaff [BODY 02, Enhance (EV) 01 (cap is 06) Descriptor: Bludgeoning)].
- Heavy Crossbow [BODY 04, Projectile Weapons: 04, Ammo: 01, R#2]. Ammo – 10 quarrels/ 10 silver tipped quarrels/ 10 Cold iron quarrels
- Alchemist fire (X2) [BODY 01, Flame Project: 04, Grenade Drawback, Bonus: Flame Project has Area Effect at 01 AP and will continue to burn for 03 APs of time].
- Anti-Toxin [BODY 01, Systemic Antidote: 05, Grenade Drawback].
- Ring of Protection [BODY 02, Advantage: +1].
- Minor Healing Potion (x2) [BODY 01, Damage Transference 02, Bonuses: User doesn’t suffer risk of injury (+3), No time limitation, works immediately when drunk (+1), Grenade Drawback, R#2].
- A paint light riding Horse – use standard horse stats.
More mundane items:
- 50′ Silk rope.
- Backpack.
- Bedroll.
- Flint & steel.
- Spell component pouch.
- Explorer’s outfit.
- Rations (4 days worth).
- Large sack.
- Map of area around Delvin.
Design notes
Minor Healing Potions borrowed directly from Peter’s Major Comar even though he’s from the Palladium system.
Patty’s Studded Leather armor causes her to have 15% spell failure. Since this isn’t covered in the Sorcery (VGA) article, just use the 2D10 for percentage whenever she casts a spell.
Patty isn’t trained in the use of armor, so it takes her a little longer to don/remove it without help.
This was one of my first times playing Pathfinder, also a rare occasion that I played a woman. It felt a lot like Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 but base classes had a few extra abilities.
Number of Spells Patty can cast per day
1st – 3
2nd – 2
I swiped several spells from the Baldur’s Gate writeups. I know those are based on 1st/2nd edition D&D, but thought it would mesh easier with what’s online now. Added two 2nd level spells.
Bo, Patty’s familiar
Having a familiar is great.
- The wizard gains a small boost to will saves which translates to an AP of Iron Will.
- Protective spells cast on the wizard are also in effect for her familiar.
- Bo may use the wizard’s mental and mystical stats as RV.
- lastly, Bo may deliver spell effects cast by Patty by touch. Effectively giving her touch spells a Range bonus.
Bo, the Hedgehog
| Dex: 03 | Str: 00 | Bod: 01 |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 01 | Min: 01 |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 01 | Spi: 01 |
| Init: 006 | HP: 000 |
Powers:
Claws Being: 01, Shrinking: 08, Ultra-vision: 03
Bonuses and Limitations:
- A hedgehog can roll itself into a spiny ball. While rolled up the Hedgehog may engage its Claws Being power.
- Shrinking is always on.
- Ultra-Vision only functions in low light conditions.
Skills:
Thief (Stealth): 05
Motivation:
Serve Patricia.
Occupation:
Familiar.
Wealth:
000
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Cantrips
Cost: Free.
In the game I played, the GM allowed Cantrips/Prestidigitation to do almost anything. Examples:
- Clean yourself and all equipment.
- Set up a campsite.
- Dishes, mops, and brooms could take care of cleaning the house.
- Zap a pesky insect.
The main limitations was: As long as the magic didn’t affect combat or the storyline.
1st level spells
Patty knows:
Burning Hands (Alteration)
Cost: 6
Powers: Flame Project: 04
Bonuses and Limitations: Flame Project has a Range of 0, but has Multi-Attack 1.
•••
Magic missile (Evocation)
Cost: 7
Power: Mystic Blast (no AV): 03
Bonuses and Limitations: Mystic blast cannot penetrate the Shield VGA spell (-1 pt).
Notes: A rare spell with no AV, which is instead governed by the Accuracy (Magic missile) Skill (BC 5, FC 1). However, this skill can have twice as many APs as the AV of a fighter of a similar level in our power scale discussion. Magic missiles do not normally miss, and multiple missiles are represented by Critical Attacks leveraging this big AV.
Example: Lvl 5 fighters generally are capped to an AV of 05. A lvl 5 mage could thus have 5×2=10 APs of Accuracy (Magic missile).
•••
Protection from evil (Abjuration)
Cost: 7
Power: Darkness: 01, Duration: 06
Bonuses and Limitations: Darkness only affects creatures with the Evil alignment, Darkness has a further +4 APs Special Volume Bonus.
Note: Summoned fiends cannot enter the Darkness, but this is considered a small Drawback of theirs rather than a property of the Darkness.
•••
Shield (Evocation)
Cost: 9
Powers: Duration: 10, Enhance (Physical RV): 02 (cap is 05), Enhance (Ranged OV): 02 (cap is 05).
Bonuses and Limitations: Can only affect the caster (-1).
Notes: Creates an invisible barrier floating in front of the caster.
2nd level spells
Patty has learned:
Protection from Missiles (Abjuration)
Cost: 30
Powers: Duration: 12, Skin Armor: 05, Bonuses and Limitations: Skin armor only against missile attacks. (-1 FC) Skin armor doesn’t apply against magic weapons/attacks (-1 FC).
Notes: Component is piece of a tortoise/turtle shell. (+1 FC)
•••
Scorching Ray (Evocation, Fire)
Cost: 09
Powers: Flame Project: 05, Range: 02, Bonuses and Limitations: Flame Project doesn’t have its own Range (-1 FC).
Notes: Has Verbal and Somatic components (+1 FC).
Source of Character: Homemade character from a 2012 Pathfinder campaign.
Helper(s): Animals file on W.org, “Bo the Hedgehog” picture came from smithsonianmag.com , All the Balder’s gate writeups, Major Comar writeup. Darci.
Writeup completed on the 17th of March, 2020.