[New Idea]Heritage Classes (Example: The Dragonmarked)

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[New Idea]Heritage Classes (Example: The Dragonmarked)
« on: July 17, 2012, 05:40:35 PM »
So, I’m not in any way sure that this is the best way to do this.  The more I look through various settings and add-ons for Dungeon World, the more I start to feel like I’m adding all sorts of useless-doohickies to something that doesn’t need the added complexity.  Also, I’m getting that “Making things that neither I, nor anyone else, will ever use/wasting my time/should just go eat fudge” feeling.

Anyways, my delving into the Psion has made me look back at Eberron and remember just how much I enjoy that setting.  Now, there’re a lot of complications that Eberron includes that wouldn’t be particularly Dungeon World-esque… over-complications, if you will.  But you can’t run Eberron World without including the Dragonmarks in some way.  So, here’s my little idea.

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In order to take a Heritage Class, your history must include some prerequisites.  If you are qualified to take a Heritage Class, while in character creation, you may replace your Racial Move with a Heritage Move.  Characters with a Heritage Move can then take a number of other Heritage Moves as if they were class Moves whenever they level up.

Example Heritage Class:

THE DRAGONMARKED

You are the scion of one of Eberron’s great Houses, gifted with a birthmark that pulses with arcane might.  In order to be Dragonmarked, you must be the child (legitimate or otherwise) of a member of one of the Dragonmarked Houses.  When you choose this Heritage Class you may replace your usual Racial Move with the following Heritage Move:

LEAST DRAGONMARK
You gain a magical birthmark of twisting, scintillating lines.  This birthmark marks you as an important person in the world of Eberron, a scion of one of Khorvaire’s great economic powers.  Choose one Mark and its associated move.  Make sure that the Mark and its associated House fits with your race/family/history (the complexities of which are too much for this fan-conversion):
-   Detection – see something hidden.
-   Finding  - discover where something small is.
-   Handling – calm an animal.
-   Healing – cure a sickness.
-   Hospitality – make a small meal.
-   Making – fix a small broken object.
-   Passage – find a shortcut.
-   Scribing  - instantly write a message.
-   Sentinel  - spot danger.
-   Shadow – hide in darkness.
-   Storm – create a burst of wind.
-   Warding – protect a person from harm.

Whenever you Make Camp lose any previous Hold and Hold 1.  You may spend that Hold to activate your Mark’s move as if it were a monster move.   You may also spend this Hold to activate a Dragonmark-activated item.

Once you’ve taken the Lesser Dragonmark move, you may take the following moves whenever you level up as if they were part of your class’s move list:

CHARGED DRAGONMARK
 Gain 2 Hold when you Make Camp, instead of 1.

SPLIT HERITAGE
Gain your class’s Race Move.

LESSER DRAGONMARK
When you use your Least Dragonmark move, you may alter the move.  Choose one of the following:
-   Add the word “large” to the move or change the word “small” to “large”
-   Add the word "many" or change the word “a” to the word “many”
-   Add the phrase “far away”
For instance, when using the Mark of Scribing, you could use your Lesser Dragonmark power to “instantly write many messages”, “instantly write a large message” (a book could be considered a large message), or “instantly write a message, far away”.  You may only make one of these changes with any usage of the Least Dragonmark move.

GREATER DRAGONMARK
Requires:  Lesser Dragonmark
When you use your Least Dragonmark move, you may add any or all of the changes from Lesser Dragonmark.
« Last Edit: July 17, 2012, 05:45:05 PM by MrPrim »

Re: [New Idea]Heritage Classes (Example: The Dragonmarked)
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2012, 07:27:05 AM »
Hmmm, never played Eberron, however I do like the idea of a Heritage Class, it's the answer to some of my hack issues :)