ModuGLOG: or, Build-a-Knave Workshop

Art by Andy Romanchik

Someone on Reddit got me thinking about a loose class system that really lets you go wild with building your character the way you see fit.

This is probably wildly broken.

Regardless, I love it.

And it should "just work" with most GLoG systems.

ModuGLOG

At level 1 gain a "History".

With each level, gain 2 "Feat Points". Spend a Feat Point on any Path to gain a feat of your choice from that path.

Histories

Each history grants a Skill, Starting Gear, and a Feature. You may choose your history, or roll a d6: 1-3. Human | 4. Dwarf | 5. Changeling | 6. Returned

Human

Anywhere you can find water, sun, and dirt, you're sure to get humans. Skill (d8): 1. Chef | 2. Sailor | 3. Smith | 4. Doctor | 5. Merchant | 6. Herbalist | 7. Thief | 8. Noble Starting Gear: 1 Weapon, Light Armor or Bow, Tool related to Skill, 2d6 GP. Versatile: Gain +1 Feat Point at level 1.

Dwarf

Carved from stone and sung to fleshy life, the dwarves don't typically walk above ground. You must have done something real bad to wind up up here. Skill (d6): 1. Engraver | 2. Smith | 3. Brewer | 4. Accountant | 5. Tunneller | 6. Soldier Starting Gear: Warhammer or Crossbow and Dagger, Helmet, Tool related to Skill, 2d6 GP Stone Song: by singing softly to a small stone or loudly to a large one, it will reveal its secrets.

Changeling

You don't see elves around much, but they've got a weird habit of leaving their young behind for us to raise. Doesn't happen often, but it's hard to miss it when it does. Skill: As Human Starting Gear: 2 Daggers, Tool related to Trade, 2d6 GP Hunger: By eating a creature, you may absorb a single feature from it, such as a lizard's scales, a bird's wings, or a wolf's claws. You may have a total number of features up to 1/2 your level rounded up. Wings allow you to fly while carrying no more than 1/2 your total bulk.

Returned

Sure, you died, and I know you can't remember a thing, but look on the bright side! Um... I'm sure there's one around here somewhere. Skill: None Starting Gear (d4): 1. Spear & Shield | 2. Cooking Pots | 3. Grappling Hook & Rope | 4. Lockpicks Animated by Magic: You can sense the world around you out to 60', and magical objects vibrate softly to your senses. You don't need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep. Dry Bones: Weapons designed to cut and slash deal 1/2 damage to you. You do not heal extra from bandages or meals, though potions still seem to affect you.

Path of the Warrior

Wandering Island

For each feat point devoted to this path, gain 1 max HP.

When you devote 1, 3, 5, and 7 feat points to this path, gain +1 to Hit and Damage rolls you make.

If you devote five points to this path, you may take an extra action in combat, which may be an attack.

1. Brawler: Your fists deal d6 melee damage when you are not wielding a weapon. You gain +2 on all non-attack d20 rolls made in combat.
2. Command: You may shout an order to an ally. They may use their reaction to take any action that is in line with that order, including an attack.
3. Devout: While openly wearing your holy symbol, gain +2 to Hit and Damage against demons and undead. Once per day you may restore d8+Your Level HP to a creature you touch as an action, including yourself.
4. Glower: Force a creature of your level or less to test Morale or flee as an action.
5. Mastery: While wielding a particular weapon type (Bows, hammers, swords, etc.), lower its Critical threshold by one (Typically, this means you will score a critical on a 19). You may take this feat a second time at level 3, choosing the same weapon type or another.
6. Parry: When you are the target of a melee attack, you may negate d4 DMG as a reaction so long as you are holding a melee weapon.
7. Riposte: If a melee attack made against you fails to deal damage, you may make a free melee attack against the initiating creature.
8. Size Up: If you spend a minute studying a creature, or are targeted by that creature in combat, you can immediately learn its HD and level of intelligence.
9. War Cry: Once per combat you may shout a loud war cry. Your party gains d4 Inspiration that any member may use to reroll any d20 rolled during the combat.
10. Wrath: While at 1/2 HP or less, reduce melee damage taken by 1/2, and deal bonus damage equal to 1/2 your level, rounded up. If you would drop to 0 HP, drop to 1 instead, unless you're already at 1 HP.

Path of the Scoundrel

Wandering Island

For each feat point devoted to this path, gain 1 point of Luck. You may spend luck to cause a dice to roll its max, even after rolling it. You may also spend luck to avoid all damage or ill effects from one source.

1. Acrobat: When you attempt to climb, leap, hide, sneak, etc., your fumbles become failures, failures become successes, and successes become criticals.
2. Backstab: If you have advantage on an attack, deal +d6 Damage. At level 3, you may invest a second feat into this to deal +2d6 Damage instead.
3. Banter: You may spend a Luck point as a Reaction to inflict a -d4 penalty on a d20 roll made by any creature that can understand you. If their roll fails, the next attack made against them has advantage.
4. Con Artist: You can lie with ease out loud and on paper. This allows you to draft legal documents that will appear legitimate at a cursory inspection.
5. Concoctions: You may spend an hour dissecting a creature to gain a number of Reagents equal to the creature's HD. You may brew a potion over the course of 10 minutes from one of those reagents. Drinking the potion grants you a single feature from that creature for 10 minutes, inflicts 2d6 damage (poison), or grants d6+Drinker's Level in healing. Decide when you create the potion.
6. Machinations: Once per month you may write a letter and post it for 1 GP. At any point over the next month, you may declare "My letter has arrived!" Someone who knows you then arrives.
7. Scout: You can hear exceptionally well. When leading the party, they are never surprised by encounters that could be heard at all.
8. Smuggler: You gain 2 inventory slots hidden in your clothing. No one else can access these slots. You may retroactively shop during an adventure to fill these slots at any point.
9. Thief: When you attempt to pick a lock or a pocket, fumbles become failures, failures become successes, and successes become criticals.
10. Trap Smith: Whenever you lead the party and can see, you are aware of traps before they spring. Your attempts to disarm, dismantle, repurpose, and set traps gain advantage.

Path of the Sage

Wandering Island

When you devote 1, 3, 5, and 7 feat points to this path, gain a Magic Dice and two spells from a school of your choice. Magic Dice are d6.

For the rules of magic, and many spell schools, see Salty Goo's Spells, or the Big List of Schools.

1. Elementary: Learn two cantrips of your choice.
2. Enchantment: You may invest a single MD and Spell into an object you touch over the course of ten minutes. Anyone wielding the object may activate the spell, using the MD. Casters may use the MD to power other spells. The MD returns to the object instead of you. You may recall the MD by touching the object.
3. Familiar: An intelligent spirit follows and serves you in the form of a natural creature with 1 HD. It can communicate with you telepathically, and you may cast spells from its location as if it were your own. If it dies, it returns d4 days later, understandably upset.
4. Ritualist: You may cast any spell you know over the course of an hour. If you do, you may adjust the MD to roll whatever you wish them to.
5. Skin Changer: Choose a single natural creature such as a bear, raven, or toad. You may change into that creature, absorbing all items held or worn into the form. You retain your HP and all stats, but cannot use items. You gain any features of the form. You may take this feat 3 times.
6. Sorcery: You may draw on your innate being to cast spells. Whenever you cast a spell, you may take d4 damage to add a single MD to the roll.
7. Spell Eater: When a spell would affect you, you may use a reaction to attempt to "consume" it. Make a Save. On a success, the spell fails and you learn it. On a failure, take d8 damage. Either way, gain one fatigue.
8. Spell Sight: Magical objects and effects glow to your eyes when you are within 20' of them. You can tell how many MD a caster still has by making eye contact with them.
9. Wizard: If you spend an hour studying a spell, you may add it to the list of those you know.
10. Wonder: If you touch a natural being, you may absorb a single feature from it (a wolf's claws, a tree's bark, a troll's regeneration, etc.) into yourself. You may have 1 such wonder at a time.

Cantrips

1. Bolt - Shoot arcane energy at a target within 150’. +Will to Hit and Damage, d8
2. Confusion - A target within 60' must save or take  d4+Will damage and -d4 to their next Test or Save.
3. Flare - The caster shoots a bright flare of magic up to 300'. A target must save or take disadvantage on its next test relying on sight.
4. Flames - Produce flame from your hands. Up to two creatures within 5' must save or ignite, taking d6 DMG each round until they put the flames out.
5. Glow - An object the caster touches glows with 15' of  light for 10 minutes.
6. Telekinesis - Lift 1 bulk of goods and move it up to 30’.
7. Ward - The next d4 attacks made against you take a -1 penalty to hit you.
8. Whisper - The caster whispers a message which is heard only by a creature within 120'.