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Ouranos
2010-02-01, 05:21 PM
So, I'm a big fan of Highlander. Always have been. Many years ago I found a sourcebook online someone wrote up for a Highlander character, with lots of goodies and extras and details, and still have it if anyone wants the whole thing. But it looks like a poor hodgepodge of a Homebrew, and I wanted to actually flesh it out, make it worthwhile. Here's the template itself, I'd like to start here and then work our way through the rest that really needs fixing.


Template Traits
“Immortal” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, or monstrous humanoid (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The creature’s type changes to Immortal. It uses all of the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted in this book.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2.

Hit Dice: Same as the base creature

Speed: Same as the base creature.

Defense: Same as the base creature.

Attacks: Same as the base creature.

Special Qualities: The following qualities are basic abilities for all Immortals. These powers first appear after the character receives his “First Death.”
First Death: is the date the Immortal dies from his mortal self and is reborn into immortality. First Death can only happen as a violent death. This could come from an accident, combat, or any other form of trauma. If a pre-Immortal dies from old age or disease, (a non-trauma death), then the pre-Immortal, dies a mortal death, and is not reborn as an Immortal. The date of the characters first death should be recorded on the Player Character’s sheet along with the place and how.

Age Freeze: The Immortal’s age freezes at the time of First Death. The Immortal physical appears to remain at this age, and will not age again, until the Prize is won.

Immortals can be magically aged, (with all the effects of normal aging applying), but they will re-grow younger at a rate of 1 year per day, if a successful Quickening save is made at a DC of 12. If the save is not made the Immortal must wait to try again the following day at the same DC.
Quickening Powers: Immortals all have a stored pool of Quickening that can be used for various Quickening Powers. Immortals receive one Quickening Power at first death, then again after every 250 years of age. See chapter on “Quickening” for further details.

Regeneration: Immortals regenerate at 1 Hit Point per every 20 combat rounds, (2 minutes). This rate increases with Immortals age, at a rate of 1 Hit Point per 100 years of age. Thus, an Immortal who is at the age of 2000 would regenerate 1 hit point every combat round. If a limb, or any other body part other than the head, is cut off or lost in some other way, it will re-grow back, eventually. Any limbs that are severed will re-grow in HP x 1 year.

Example: Liam cuts Claris arm off, causing 25 Hit Points of damage. It will take 25 years to re-grow a new arm. If the detached limb can be found before the stump heals up, it will then re-attach normally. But it will take twice as long to regenerate the lost hit points.

Sense Quickening: This allows the Immortal to sense other Immortals at a radius of 1 foot x 10 years of age. Thus an Immortal, who was 250 years old, could be able to sense another Immortal within a 25-foot radius of him.
This ability also allows an Immortal to sense Holy Ground with the same range. This ability will not let the Immortal pinpoint the other Immortal in a crowd of people. Once an Immortal enters the range of another Immortal, nether can be surprised, although they can be caught “flat footed” if they do not make a successful Quickening save at a DC of 10. Newborn Immortals will become nauseated from the feeling. The feeling of nausea will remain until another Immortal explains what he is feeling and the rules of the game to him or her.

Weapon Bond: This is the only trait that appears after his mentor trains the Immortal. This trait cannot be utilized until after the proper training and time is acquired, (six months is a good rule of thumb), at the end of the training period, the Immortal must make a successful Quickening save at a DC or 12 to empower his first weapon. If the save fails, then the Immortal must spend another month in training before he can retry to bond with his weapon.

The Immortal becomes bonded to a particular weapon of his choice. Through this weapon, the Immortal is able to evoke various other Quickening Powers (Empower weapon, Hide weapon, Weapon Breech, etc). Only one weapon may be bonded at one time. If a second weapon is bonded, the first weapon looses the ability to channel Quickening powers. The cost to bond to a new weapon is a permanent loses of ¼ the Immortal’s Quickening Points. This lose can be avoided altogether, if the player makes a successful Quickening save at a DC of 20.

Advancement: By character class.

Alignment or Allegiances: Same as the base creature

Saves: Quickening Save: This is a new saving throw category. To find the Immortal’s total save modifier you add the Immortal’s Honor ability score modifier, plus 1 point for every 250 years of life.

Action Points: If used, same as the base creature

Reputation Bonus: If used, same as the base creature

Ability Scores: Immortal Characters should use the method of rolling ability scores as determined by the game world and the Dungeon Master.

Honor: Honor is a new ability score, and uses the same ability modifiers as the other normal abilities. A player’s Honor Score represents how well your character can follow the rules of the “Game”. You apply your character’s Honor modifier to: Quickening saves, Quickening Powers, Age related abilities, and various other Immortal related skills.

Players begin with an Honor Score between 3 and 18. Alignment does play a factor in your character’s Honor score. The following are modifiers added to your final Honor score.

Lawful add a +1
Good adds a +1
Chaotic subtracts a –1
Evil subtracts a –1
Neutral has no modifiers.

Optionally the DM can determine the player’s Honor score based on the Immortal’s alignment. Average Honor Scores based on Alignment:

A chaotic alignment should start between 12 and 13.
A neutral alignment should start between 14 and 16.
A lawful alignment should start between 17 and 18.

A DM’s review of the Immortal’s Honor score can be at anytime it seems necessary; but a good rule of thumb is to check it after the end of an adventure or story line. Remember that is harder to gain honor than too loss honor. Honor is a set of rules that a person lives and dies by. It is much easier not having a code to live by then it is to live up to one.

A player’s Honor score can be increased or decreased based on the DM’s judgment on how well the Immortal plays the Game. This based on the DM judgment, but some violations of the “Game” have some set loses.

Some examples are as follows:
Exposing the Game to mortals is a loss of 1 point of honor. This loss can be prevented if the mortal can be trusted not to expose the Game. The Immortal then must make a successful Quickening save at a DC of 20.
Attacking on Holy Ground is a loss of ½ of the Honor ability, by the attacking Immortal, and ¼ points of the defending Immortal. The defending Immortal can make a Quickening save at a DC of 30 to avoid the loss of Honor.
Teaming up against another Immortal (i.e. two on one) is a loss of 6 points.
These are but a few examples to be used as guide lines, the final judgment is up to the DM.

Skills: Age of the Immortal has an effect on skills he has learned. Every 100 years, an Immortal can increase his known skills by his Honor score bonus. For each point of a skill, the Immortal must make a Quickening save at a DC of 15 to increase the skill. This can only be attempted once every 100 years.
Feats: Immortals begin play with the "Basic Dueling Feat" once their training is completed. From then on, the Dueling Feats can be acquired, as you would normally gain feats.


This is the base template, and as I said I can provide the netbook they came from, but wanted to start here and then add more of the details later.

Ouranos
2010-02-01, 09:21 PM
Nearly 40 views and not even an opinion?

Zexion
2010-02-01, 09:35 PM
Um... seems like more of a flavor piece, really. I mean, if abilities are supposed to increase with age, then why does it take decades or centuries to increase abilities? It doesn't fit with the idea of D&D: fast paced, lots of combat, try to get to level 20 ASAP, or in an in-game week (which I did with a very quirky group).

Ouranos
2010-02-01, 10:42 PM
Well thing is, they increase slowly by age. Quickly by killing another Immortal. Because you get THEIR QUickening when you kill em.

dragonfan6490
2010-02-02, 12:15 AM
But you don't any rules for taking another immortal's quickening. That's fairly important if I remember correctly, and I do. :smallbiggrin: I too am a big Highlander fan, so I wish you luck with fleshing out this Template.

Zexion
2010-02-02, 12:43 AM
Perhaps:

Absorb:
When an Immortal kills another Immortal, he adds (50+1d6x10)% of their age to his age when determining the effects and range of his special abilities. This bonus is permanent.
If Able (1000 years) kills Bill (10,000 years), she adds (50+1d6x10) 80% of Bill's age (8,000 years), and now calculates all of her abilities as if she was 9,000 years old. If Bob (1000) kills Able, he adds (50+1d6x10) 100% of Bill's age (9,000 years), and now calculates all of his abilities as if she was 10,000 years old.

Ouranos
2010-02-02, 01:31 AM
Lemme dig out the combat rules I guess, lol. Was hoping to take the thing step by step, but is too interweaved.




Quickening is the magical life essences of Immortals. It is an ancient and powerful form of mystical energy. It has the combined forces of arcane and divine power, into one pure form.

The Quickening is only released when an Immortals head has been severed from his/her body. The release of Quickening from a beheaded Immortal can be viewed as a fantastic display of electricity and raw power.

This release of power will cause some damage to the surrounding area. The extent of damage is as follows:

Each remaining Quickening Point that wasn’t absorbed by the winner of the duel will cause 1 point of damage to the surrounding area, with a radius that is equal to the fallen Immortal’s “Sense Quickening Range”.

This damage includes the winner of the duel and everyone with in its range. There is a Quickening saving throw save at a DC of 18 for ½ damage.

The winner of the duel is considered to be “fatigued”. This based on how much Quickening was absorbed from the defeated Immortal.
For every 3 points of Quickening absorbed, the Immortal will have a -1 to all rolls for an equal number of combat rounds.

Gaining Quickening

Quickening is gained through age and combat.
Age
Immortals Receive 1 Quickening Point (plus the Immortal’s Honor score bonus), for every 100 years of life. In addition, as the Immortal gets older their power gain increases per the table below. An Immortal begins with a base Quickening pool of 10 points, plus their honor score modifier, plus a bonus of 1d2 points.


Immortal’s Age
Quickening Gained
Pre-Immortal 1d2
200 - 500 years 1d4
501 - 1000 years 1d6
1001 - 1500 years 1d8
1501 - 2000 years 1d10
2001 - 2500 years 2d6
2501 - 3000 years 2d10
3000 +years 3d10+ 1d10 for every 500
Combat
When an Immortal loses his head, the nearest Immortal within the dead Immortal’s Sense Quickening range will gain the fallen Immortal’s Quickening.
This is determined by dice rolls. The winner receives 1 point for every 100 years of opponent's age, as well as 1d4 points per 100 years of opponents age, to a maximum of his current pool maximum. The amount released also cannot exceed the loser's maximum Quickening pool. Any excess Quickening NOT absorbed by the winner is dealt to random objects and targets within the dead Immortal's Quickening Sense range, 1 point for every point of Quickening released. Quickening Save DC of 15 for half damage.






There are other ways of gaining it as well, powers and traits/flaws that reduce or increase your points pool. Shall I post that list? Is rather long, lol. I wanted to try and re-write this into something useable, because as it stands I do alot of grammar and spelling, as well as proper stats, repair each time these get posted. Things like the gain by age being a ice roll instead ot simply listing 1-6, etc.

Altair_the_Vexed
2010-02-02, 07:40 AM
I'd ditch the requirements for Weapon Bond, or rename it - characters in the Highlander setting are only bonded to a particular weapon through normal training and feats, or emotional attachment. At least one character switches weapons without any drawback, or on-screen need to retrain.
The features you've associated with weapon bond are appropriate.

I'd certainly not change the creature type to "Immortal". You should pick one of the already exisiting creature types. I recommend just adding the Augmented subtype.

I suspect the CR of the Immortal should be higher - there are many abilities gained, alongside taking class levels.
Maybe you could make a Racial Paragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm) class to provide some of these abilities - that'd stop characters exploding with awesome.

Ouranos
2010-02-03, 03:47 PM
Well the bonded weapon isn't really there to penalise using others. It gives them big bonuses with their Immortal Duelling feats, which I will post up either later tonight or tomorrow, have to re-write half of them because either they suck or are following rules that are... outdated, or poorly written in the first place.

Frodie
2010-06-15, 09:26 PM
Hey, I was the one who wrote the Highlander netbook. I am rewriting the rules at this moment and I am looking for good ideas and feed back. I am using the Pathfinder system, but I plan to make it as generic as possible, so it can fit into easily any D20 system, (I guess it should be OGL). As I am writing the new rules I am making a data-set for the use with Hero Labs. I am not a programer, (or a writer for that matter, lol), so I am also basing the new rules on how well they can be imputed into Hero Labs, (which is not user friendly at all).
So taking all that in, this is the direction I seem to be going in. The Quickening Powers and pool of points will not work well in Hero Lab, (or at least I can't figure it out). So I was thinking of using something like the SAGA system. Quickening becomes a skill and Quickening Powers become feats with a DC to activate. Different I know, but works well with Hero Labs and most D20 systems, (kind of basic I know).
I am also cutting out some of the extra “fluff”, (like the weapons, dueling feats, etc), because it seemed like a repeat of weapons already in various other systems and also there are many 3rd party products out there, that handle dueling better than I did. So if I keep with the basics, everyone can use what setting and supplements they want.
So any ideas?

Athaniar
2010-06-16, 07:26 AM
It looks good, but I don't know about regeneration. Xavier didn't regenerate his hand, did he? And Kalas never did heal that throat wound, either.

Ouranos
2010-06-16, 09:19 AM
I was just thinking of this thread the other day, actually. I was looking at re-writing portion of it to better sync up with 3.5 and first up would have been removing the dueling feats system altogether and replacing it with Discplines. Every Immortal in my version regardless of class would be able to learn one Discipline, and ALL of it's stances/manuvers, but they would have been limited on readied to keep it from being insane. I like the system in general, there are just afew things needing to be meshed in. I'm not GREAT with the system, but would love to help in a re-write for 3.5, and of course anything done there can be ported to Pathfinder as you see fit.

Frodie
2010-06-16, 10:34 AM
Hey thanks for the help and comments. I agree the system needs a lot of work. It has gone through many re-writes and versions, (from 2nd ed, Skills & Powers, 3.0, 3.5, D20 Modern), so a re-write from the ground up would work best. There are so many “rules” that happened in the movies and TV shows that they sometimes just don't mix. So it's hard to get a set “rule” on something, (limbs re-growing or not, etc), so the rules of “The Game” have to be flexible.

I like the idea of “Disciplines”, but they are hard to work into Hero Lab, (I am sure there is a way, but I'm not good with xml), so I'm kind of limited to what I can create in the software. The reason I am using software to base the system on is because, making an Immortal can get complex and time consuming. IDK, it might not be the best way to go, but I think in the long run everyone will enjoy the convenience of it.

The basic mechanics, (at the moment), are similar to the SAGA system. Basically a Template with a few things added. A Quickening skill used to activate a DC of a Quickening feats. Quickening feats can do various thing based on the DC. Every 100 years the Immortal gets a bonus to Quickening skill and an extra feat. Same for a duel. There is a lot of tweaks and such, but that is the basic run down.

nonsi
2010-06-16, 10:44 AM
several things:
1. Detecting another immortal should occur whenever the effect areas intersect or even border one another. Furthermore, an immortal should be able to sense another's strength quickening-wise.
2. I believe you meant Sickened, not Nauseated.
3. You should find some simpler mechanics of handling immortal honor than with a new ability score. Quickening saves, OTOH, seem appropriate, given immortality progression is separate from class progression.
4. Maybe, instead of honor, violating the CoC should directly hurt one's quickening.
5. What's "Basic Dueling" Feat? Where is it from?
6. What does one get from having more quickening while alive (other than immortal-detection radius)? you might want to enable immortals to generate of several effects using temporal and/or permanent quickening payment.
7. Bonded Weapon: Empower weapon, Hide weapon, Weapon Breech, dueling feats...... what are they? How do they work?

Frodie
2010-06-16, 12:21 PM
Here is a link the 3.5 book. It should help explain a few things for you.
http://www.4shared.com/document/pwdheNkU/Highlander_-_The_Immortals_D20.html

Frodie
2010-06-16, 12:41 PM
several things:
1. Detecting another immortal should occur whenever the effect areas intersect or even border one another. Furthermore, an immortal should be able to sense another's strength quickening-wise.
2. I believe you meant Sickened, not Nauseated.
3. You should find some simpler mechanics of handling immortal honor than with a new ability score. Quickening saves, OTOH, seem appropriate, given immortality progression is separate from class progression.
4. Maybe, instead of honor, violating the CoC should directly hurt one's quickening.
5. What's "Basic Dueling" Feat? Where is it from?
6. What does one get from having more quickening while alive (other than immortal-detection radius)? you might want to enable immortals to generate of several effects using temporal and/or permanent quickening payment.
7. Bonded Weapon: Empower weapon, Hide weapon, Weapon Breech, dueling feats...... what are they? How do they work?

1 - Is covered in the Sense Quickening ability given to Immortals:

Sense Quickening: This allows the Immortal to sense other Immortals at a radius of 10 feet per 100 years of age. Thus an Immortal, who was 1000 years old, could be able to sense another Immortal within a 100 foot radius of him.

This ability also allows an Immortal to senses Holy Ground with the same range.
This ability will not let the Immortal pinpoint another Immortal in a crowd of people.
Once an Immortal enters the range of another Immortal, nether can be surprised.

New-born Immortals will become nauseated, (see Conditions), from the feeling until he is out of range of the other Immortal's Quickening. The feeling of nausea will remain until the new-born Immortal has trained with his mentor.

2 - Both "Sickened and Nauseated" are covered in the Pathfinder system, but I think you are right. Sickened would work better.

3 Honor and Quickening saves are out. New way - The basic mechanics, (at the moment), are similar to the SAGA system. Basically a Template with a few things added. A Quickening skill used to activate a DC of a Quickening feats. Quickening feats can do various thing based on the DC. Every 100 years the Immortal gets a bonus to Quickening skill and an extra feat. Same for a duel.

4 - Yep, I think that is a good way to go. Not sure how to go about that. On the to do list.

5 - "Basic Dueling" Feats are out. It came from some 2nd Ed, along time ago, lol. There is enough Feats out there that it is just not needed.

6 - I don't think you have Quickening before your first death. I do know other Immortals can sense that you are. Another to the "To Do" list.

7 - These were Immortal powers, feats, etc. Looks like everything will now be a Quickening Feat with DC to activate, etc

I hope that helps some.

Innis Cabal
2010-06-16, 12:44 PM
Um... seems like more of a flavor piece, really. I mean, if abilities are supposed to increase with age, then why does it take decades or centuries to increase abilities? It doesn't fit with the idea of D&D: fast paced, lots of combat, try to get to level 20 ASAP, or in an in-game week (which I did with a very quirky group).

Wasn't aware there was one way to play D&D :smallconfused:

Frodie
2010-06-16, 12:53 PM
If I can keep the rules simple and flexible enough, it should be able to fit in any setting easily.

Frodie
2010-06-16, 01:01 PM
If anyone want I can send them my work notes, (they are a mess, lol) and the .user file I am working on for Hero Lab. Again, notes are random stuff and ideas. The Hero Lab file has just some basic stuff, but most of the mechanics are in there. IDK if you can attach files to this board or not. Anyways thanks again for everyone's ideas and help. Hopefull this will turn out something everyone will be happy with.

Ouranos
2010-06-16, 09:51 PM
Tell ya what man, add me, or add me on yahoo. [email protected] . I only know 3.5 to be honest, be happy to help though with flavor and such. I've seen most episodes of the show, seen both the original movies, big fan of the setting. If possible, I would like to see a 3.5 version with the new write-ups, will help with that conversion if you're willing to write that up with assistance :)

animeenut
2010-06-17, 12:10 AM
id like to help as well.

i alos have the whatchers cronicels cd if any one needs any info. and i have to agree i liked many of the films but to me on the movies the 2nd and the source wasnt all that great but there in my collection for the sake of collections,lol

grant

Frodie
2010-06-17, 01:05 PM
That will be cool. I used to have a Yahoo group for the book. I guess I can get a new one up in the next few days.
BTW - 3.5 and Pathfinder are close enough that it should work in both systems.

Ouranos
2010-06-17, 02:51 PM
Cool. I've never played Pathfinder, but if is close to 3.5 I can be of asisstance there. Also, on the thought of duelling and discplines, perhaps some of the abilities there could be turned into Manuvers or even an entire discipline of it's own? Give Immortal's access to 1 discpline of their choice and the Duelling one both? Make the Duelling one generic, not based on any specific weapon and then they can choose one based on their weapon preferences :)

Frodie
2010-06-18, 11:06 AM
Ok, I got the old group back up
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/highlanderd20/?yguid=7318678
or just search the yahoo groups for Highlander d20

Ralasha
2010-06-18, 09:43 PM
Simple, for D&D, they gain Monstrous Regeneration, Fast Healing equal to hit dice +Con. The Attributes can be gained Vampirically when one kills another, they gain the other Immortal's stat modifiers to their own statistics. They also gain 1/2 their skill ranks, and their lowest versions of any feats that the victor does not possess, such as weapon focus if the one killed had greater weapon focus. Age is not what makes an immortal stronger according to Highlander, they merely learn things and hone their skills with their weapons through near constant training. Monstrous Regeneration would solve the whole 'you can't kill me without removing my head' deal.

Almost Forgot: Unaging, This character no longer ages by normal means, and grows younger when aged magically to the age at which it gained this template. This rejuvenation occurs at a rate equal to it's hit dice divided by the number of years it is old.

Frodie
2010-06-25, 01:18 PM
Well I finished the new Highlander rules and Hero Lab data set.
They can be found at:
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/highlanderd20/

Let me know what yall think!

Kev

Ralasha
2010-06-25, 01:31 PM
I think it sucks: I don't use yahoo.

Frodie
2010-06-25, 02:29 PM
Well it can also be found here:

http://forums.wolflair.com/showthread.php?t=10627

Ralasha
2010-06-25, 03:08 PM
Ooo! another link I can't use. -.- Stick it on Fileshare or something.

Frodie
2010-06-26, 11:07 AM
ok, try see if this works
http://www.enworld.org/forum/pathfinder-rpg-discussion/279124-highlander-immortals-data-set-rules.html

Frodie
2010-06-29, 08:11 PM
Here is a link to the pdf
http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-legacy-house-rules/279123-new-highlander-immortals-open-gaming-license.html#post5228192

Athaniar
2010-06-30, 04:56 AM
I'm still not sure about the regeneration. Also, shouldn't Watcher be a class?

Frodie
2010-06-30, 10:16 AM
Watchers used to be a class, but I thought it would fit better as a template. It seems Watchers have various jobs (classes), so it seemed to fix a little better. Also I think it worked well as ogl, so it could fit into anyone setting.

The reg is a hard one, again it's hard to match up the show to rules, lol. So IDK.

Frodie
2010-07-06, 10:57 AM
Here is the pdf with art. The website also now has all the old rules upload and NPC and other stuff coming. Hope yall enjoy it!

It can be download here:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/pathfinder-rpg-discussion/279124-highlander-immortals-data-set-rules.html

or here:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/highlanderd20/

icaros04
2010-08-26, 08:01 PM
Hi guys a just downloaded the Rule set book to play highlander.. But where can i find the character sheet??? Thx !

Frodie
2010-09-02, 07:53 PM
Sorry, no Char Sheet, the one that are posted are from the datasets used in Hero Lab

Archeron
2020-11-28, 06:12 PM
Ok I agree with certain things all have said. True a immortal highlander hones skill and what not by killing the other highlanders. As according to the rules there can be only one. So what happens if two highlanders fall in love and refuse to kill each other?

Archeron
2020-11-28, 06:14 PM
As for a group for this for fleshing it out and making it usable and realistically playable in any 3.5 setting? There's always discord.

Peelee
2020-11-28, 07:09 PM
The Mod on the Silver Mountain: Not so immortal, as it turns out.