Tuesday May 04, 2004

Life for a maverick is lived by the toss of the coin or the roll of the dice, and a deck of cards is his signature trademark.  He is just as able to strike it rich at a gamble as he is to lose his shirt.  Taverns, racetracks, fighting rings, and every street corner where someone will listen—there is no place where the maverick is not at home, wagering another gold coin that he’ll beat you out at something.  Many people gamble, but only the maverick truly lives by a bet, owing his very life several times over to a run of good luck at the games.  And several more have lost their lives from a similar run of bad luck.  Some might say he’s lucky; he would say decidedly so.

Adventures:  The adventuring road is where most true mavericks can be found, for the adventurer’s life is itself a wager that one will live.  To most, the goal is unimportant; it’s the risk-taking along the way that satisfies.  Many a maverick has proven his worth in many a tight spot, saving the day with a death-defying maneuver that swung the tide of a battle or solved the unsolvable puzzle.  And just as many have died a miserable death, victim to the odds they played against.  The risk is pure adrenaline; success itself is glory, and failure’s penalties are just part of the game.  Puzzles, traps, chaotic devices and items, and the occasional death-defying stunt draw the maverick like Pooh to honey.  He thrives on the chance to beat the odds, and while often placing himself and his companions in grave danger, he just as often pulls off a staggering feat of quirky luck to the amazement of all.

Characteristics:  It’s not that a maverick actually has a hand up in any game—some never even bother to learn the rules.  They simply fly by the seat of their pants, and come away winners.  With long years embracing fate, the maverick begins to find patterns in the chaos around him.  At first this paradox is a bit disconcerting, and some give it up after discovering this (some even take their lives from the depression that can sink in).  But for those that learn the patterns, there is great reward indeed, and the potential to twist fate to his own liking, stacking the odds in his favor.  As he becomes the master of his own fate, the maverick begins to unravel the destinies of people around him, changing for his own purposes what otherwise would have been.   A master maverick is seemingly capable of doing just about anything short of destroying a deity.  But who knows if he cannot get lucky enough even for that?

Alignment:  Nearly all mavericks are chaotic neutral, with very few exceptions.  All mavericks shun order and stricture, and some go so far as to shun the very laws of the land.  They live by the seat of their pants, and they’re good at it.  Indeed, they determine the vast majority of their lives by rolling dice or flipping a coin, leaving their decision entirely up to chance.  Suffice it to say that a maverick cannot be of lawful alignment, and most care not one whit for whether an action is good or evil; they care only that it was done or happened by chance.

Religion:  Few mavericks worship a god formally, though some are given to the understanding that their life of chance is guarded—and that word is chosen carefully so as not to imply control—guarded by a god of chance or chaos.  The majority simply distance themselves from the pantheon as an entrapping order, preferring by far to live by their own wits and whims.

Background:  The life of being a maverick begins on the day he finds his lucky Fate Coin.  What the maverick was doing with himself up to that point no longer matters, and typically is as diverse a subject as the catalog of careers available to men.  Each one abandons his former life to pursue a life totally controlled by fate.

Races:  A maverick can arise from nearly any race, but a human’s natural flightiness or a halfling’s natural mischievousness make them the most likely candidates.  Dwarves are not nearly as likely to be mavericks, for they are normally much too rigid in their ways to embrace the sheer chaotic life of a true maverick.

Other Classes:  Some have referred to the maverick as the rogue’s rogue.  True, the rogue in the party has more in common with the maverick than any other class, but relations between the two can sometimes be strained at best.  Fighters, and especially paladins, and monks are usually more frustrated at the maverick’s apparent lack of commitment and seriousness.  Clerics often stress at his disdain for caution, throwing himself into harm’s way with no regard for his safety.  The barbarian, for this reason, sometimes finds a comrade in the maverick, but also finds him oddly tied to his rituals.  Druids and rangers simply don’t know what to do with him.  No class is comfortable with the maverick, for he breaks all the molds.  Perhaps that, then, is why a party generally keeps one around.

Abilities:  A maverick must have his wits about him and be quick on his toes; thus, wisdom and dexterity are the foremost abilities he will employ.  A good charisma will also help guarantee that he can bluff his way through life.  His goodly amount of skills necessitates a healthy intelligence in order to take full advantage of skill points.

Hit Die:  d6

Restrictions/Requirements:  Must possess a Fate Coin to gain levels; cannot multi-class.

Skill Points/Level:  At first level: (6+INT mod) x4 (+4).  Thereafter: 6+INT mod (+1) per level.

Skills:  Appraise, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, First Impression, Forgery, Gather Information, Listen, Open Lock, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot.

Starting Gold:  5d4 x 10.

Armor & Weapon Proficiencies:  A maverick is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor, but not with shields.  He is also proficient with these martial weapons: rapier, cutlass (or falchion), short bow and composite short bow.  Furthermore, he is proficient with these exotic weapons: hand crossbow and whip.

The Maverick’s Table

The maverick begins play with his Fate Coin, at least one set of dice and/or a deck of playing cards, and his Gambit.

Pawn of Fate:  The Fate Coin typically is the maverick’s “lucky penny,” a coin that he found on the first day he had a run of good luck.  The event of finding this Fate Coin is what links the maverick to fate and begins his connection to luck and chance.  The Coin may or may not have any intrinsic value, but will be revered as the maker of all his decisions, whether mundane or direly important.  He believes strongly in the lot cast, and will not deviate his course of action from the result regardless of the perceived outcome.  He knows that perceptions are not to be trusted, for who knows when his luck may turn, changing everything.  Should the maverick ever lose this Coin, he immediately loses all luck bonuses and cannot spend any luck points (including one to “undo” the act of losing the Coin), and cannot gain any experience points.  These penalties are lifted when he retrieves the Fate Coin or chances to find another, the latter being a direct intervention of fate.  The dice are a set of ordinary (and non-weighted) d6s, used for playing a host of games of chance.  The playing cards are also a normal deck of cards used for a wide variety of tavern games.  The maverick never knows when he’ll need to pull out either of these to make his fortune or gamble away the fortune he’s already made.  The Gambit are his tools of wonder, a stylized deck of 26 cards.  Each of the 26 holds a spell effect that is cast when the maverick flicks the card at a target.

The player of a maverick character will supply to the DM a d20 for no other purpose than the myriad luck rolls he will make throughout the game.  This is not a die that the maverick rolls, but one that the DM rolls behind the screen to represent the player character’s inextricable link to chance.  In the spirit of this class, once this Fated d20 is chosen, it may never be changed out for another, even when experiencing a run of bad rolls.  Only if the maverick dies and is brought back to life may the player elect to switch to a different Fated d20.

It’s also recommended that the player supply 26 standard playing cards to represent his Gambit and a coin to serve as the Fate Coin.  Foreign currencies or arcade/casino tokens are more interesting.

Roll of the Dice:  The standard fate roll of the maverick is as follows:  every time a dice roll is required in the game (attacks, damage, saves, skill checks, etc.), and for any other reasons deemed necessary, the DM rolls the Fated d20 behind the screen.  This fate roll indicates the level of influence Fate has over the actions of the maverick.  An 11-20 indicates a linear degree of altering the result toward success…and beyond.  Likewise, a 1-10 indicates a linear degree of changing reality toward failure…and beyond.  Neither a “good” result nor a “bad” result guarantee success or failure, respectively, only that the outcome is bent in that direction.  What was normally a failure might be bent to an actual success (or vice versa).  Or, what was normally a success might be bent to astounding greatness (or a failure bent toward a dismal botch).  The DM is free to make up results as he sees fitting into the game, interesting and creative effects (or wildly random effects) that benefit or hinder the maverick, according to the Fate roll.  Whatever the method chosen, the DM should never reveal the rolls nor tell specifically how he modified the results.  He should adjudicate wisely and fairly as it fits his campaign, yet keeping the mystery of Fate at bay.

Gambler:  The maverick is the consummate gambler, wagering just about anything for just about anything.  With an especially long string of good luck, a maverick can become quite rich.  But when his luck turns foul, he can easily lose all, even his own soul.  A maverick will not pass up a chance to place a bet on something, and when in town, he is not far from the gambling halls, racetracks, and fighting pits.  This aspect of the class can be role-played (and can be quite entertaining), or it can be resolved by—what else?—the toss of dice.

Gambit:  Once the maverick has openly embraced his dance with chance, an Agent of Fate visits him to deliver a gift: his Gambit.  This visit usually occurs on the night following the maverick's decision to deliver up his life into the whims of chance, and is witnesses by no one.  As it is a rather eerie visitation--Agents of Fate can be both fascinating and fearsome--mavericks are reluctant to share this event with anyone.  The Gambit contains 26 cards that each holds a spell effect.  One card may be pulled from the deck and flicked as a full round action, hitting a desired area or target (a creature must be hit with a ranged touch attack).  Where saving throws or variable factors apply, assume the spell's level as if it were cast by a sorcerer of the maverick’s level + the maverick's CHA modifier.  Each card is chosen completely at random; the maverick has no control over which card he pulls.  (The player should shuffle the deck anew prior to pulling each card.)  Once used, the card automatically returns to the deck, but the maverick is not obligated to use the card; he may lay it aside (which returns it to the deck unused) and pull another.  Three cards per day may be pulled at 1^st level, and one additional card per day may be used per level after that.  Using standard playing cards—Maverick brand is preferred—Table 3 gives the spell effects at the maverick’s disposal.  Note: there are two Jokers in the deck, which, when pulled, create any effect from the table the maverick chooses.

**Prior to starting play with a maverick character, the player and DM are free to adjust the spell effects granted by the Gambit.  Most spell effects should fall within 2nd to 4th levels, with an occasional 1st-, 5th-, or 6th-level spell effect thrown in for interest's sake.

Luck Point:  Beginning at 1^st level, and again at every level thereafter, the maverick earns d6-1 Luck Points (yes, there is the chance for 0 points!).  The points do not accumulate; when the maverick gains a level, any unspent luck points are lost.  The DM keeps a tally of the maverick's luck points gained and spent in secret. The maverick will not know when he has spent all his points until he presses his luck too far.

Luck points may be spent at any time for the following reasons:  1) to redo an immediate past action, 2) to gain a bonus on an immediate future action, or 3) to alter the effects of his Gambit.  Only one point may be spent at a time and must be spent in immediate conjunction with the event to be altered.  If spent retroactively, the luck point may be used to “undo” one particularly bad outcome and allow a second chance for success.  For example, if the maverick failed a saving throw, a luck point could be spent to negate the ill effects and grant a second roll.  If spent before a particular event occurs, the luck point serves to grant a +20 luck bonus to one particular die roll.  For instance, if the maverick is beginning negotiations, a luck point might be spent to gain a +20 luck bonus on his Diplomacy check.  Finally, a luck point spent in conjunction with throwing a card from the maverick’s Gambit may be used to alter any one of the variable parts of the spell-like effect (e.g. duration, range, area, damage, etc).  Or, it may be used to alter area effects so that it affects only enemies.

Common uses for luck points include: attack rolls, saving throws, skill & ability checks, damage rolls, hit point rolls ("undo" only).  Other uses certainly are possible, but luck points may be spent for the maverick's sake only. 

Luck Bonus:  Not long after living in the hands of fate, the maverick starts becoming inherently lucky.  Starting at 2^nd level, he receives a +1 luck bonus to attacks, saves, skill checks and ability checks.  This bonus increases by +1 for every two levels thereafter.  This bonus is inherent and is always active.  Note that the automatic and/or critical results of natural 20s and natural 1s are not enhanced nor averted by luck bonuses.  Note also that this bonus might still be overridden when the DM rolls the Fated d20, but at higher levels, this will become increasingly rarer.

Tempt Fate:  Once the maverick has reached 5^th level, he has shown himself lucky enough to Tempt Fate.  This one-time event in his life unfolds as a minor challenge to his inherent luckiness.  The details are completely at the discretion of the DM, but should involve total randomness, must be something the maverick faces alone, and must be something at which he can either succeed or fail.  Success yields a permanent +2 inherent bonus to one ability score or saving throw, according to whichever ability or save secured the success.  Failure carries no similar penalty, but the bonus is foregone, and the natural result of failure might be penalizing enough.  For example, Parwin the Maverick reaches 5^th level, and at some point during the next few days of his adventuring, he becomes inexplicably separated from his party.  As he attempts to find them, he winds up in a small labyrinth.  Pure chance will enable him to find his way out, and this is relegated to a series of dice rolls.  Success means he is rejoined to the party no worse for the separation, and might receive a permanent +2 bonus to WIS for his cool composure in Searching out the exit (or perhaps +2 to REF save for avoiding traps).  Failure might mean he’s trapped in a corner of the maze, beholden to his party finding him!

The maverick has but one chance to Tempt Fate, and will either pass or fail, with about a 50% chance for either.  The outcome should be determined ultimately by chance; that is, the roll of the player's dice.  The Maverick's inherent luck bonuses and the Fated d20 apply, but Luck Points may not be spent during this event.

Twist Fate:  By the time the maverick has reached 10^th level, he has lived with luck long enough to see patterns in the chaos he enjoys, and he realizes that his dance with luck has ordered steps.  He gains the opportunity to Twist Fate to his favor, involving a more complex challenge than Tempting Fate.  Skill, ingenuity, and creative thinking might be the reasons for success at this level, and the rewards for success are greater.  The details are completely at the discretion of the DM, dovetailing nicely with the on-going story arc, but must involve 1) total randomness, 2) something the maverick faces alone, and 3) something at which he can either succeed or fail.  Success might yield a permanent +4 inherent bonus to one ability score or saving throw, according to whichever ability or save secured the result.  Success might yield instead an appropriate reward according to the particular event in the maverick’s life.  For example, Parwin the Maverick reaches 10^th level and, a week later is wakened from sleep by a gang of slinking thieves.  Quick thinking, quick movement, and cleverness should keep him alive and actually kill off or capture the assailants.  (The DM should set one or more acceptable goals to measure success.)  Succeeding might yield a permanent +4 bonus to DEX for sneaking around behind them.  Or, success might yield a bag full of damning evidence that solves ¾ of all the plaguing issues he and his party have been dealing with for the past 10 levels.  Failure might mean being robbed of something valuable, or heavy damage to himself (and possibly death).

The maverick has but one chance to Twist Fate, and will either pass or fail, with about a 50% chance for either.  The Maverick's inherent luck bonuses and the Fated d20 apply, but Luck Points may not be spent during this event.

Master Fate:  As the maverick gains more control over his own destiny, he begins to affect the destinies of those around him.  Upon reaching 15^th level, the maverick unwittingly begins to aid the efforts of his allies and spoil the efforts of his enemies.  This “skill” is one in which he is as much an observer as anyone else, and usually cannot control or explain.  Things just seem to “happen” around him.  The man he pursues trips.  The door he slams behind him sticks shut, blocking the path of his own pursuer.  His wizard ally “accidentally” fires off a maximized spell at the on-rushing monsters.  The royal chamber guards slips with confidential information, or the treasure hoard is in the first place the maverick looks.  Anything could happen when you’re the master of your own fate.  There is a 10% chance per encounter that the best likely outcome of a single action occurs to the maverick or his allies or that the worst likely outcome of a single action occurs to the maverick’s enemies.  This “ability” attempts to activate once for each separate encounter until meeting with success, at which time it lays dormant for 1 day.  For each level beyond 15^th, the chance of success per encounter increases by 10% (20% at 16^th, 30% at 17^th, etc. to a maximum of 60% likelihood at 20^th level).

Challenge of Fate:  By the time the maverick has reached 20^th level, he has acquired near complete control of his fate, having long ago mastered the patterns within the chaos that he embraces.  At some unannounced point in the next few days, the maverick will be visited by the agent of fate who visited him at the beginning.  This visit will occur whether or not the timing is good or the maverick is prepared for it; it will be totally random and he will be completely alone.  There is nothing he can do to avoid or postpone the visitation, and no place he can go to escape.  It will happen.

The visitor will issue a challenge of the utmost difficulty, a test of his mastery.  If he succeeds, great changes are wrought in the maverick, changes that transform him into an agent of fate himself.  These changes might include several permanent +2 or +4 bonuses to abilities, skills and/or saving throws, magical items or other substantial wealth, innate physical and/or mental changes (like wings or spell-like abilities), or anything else appropriate to the challenge.  His creature type is changed to "outsider [chaotic]" and he becomes subject to the alignment-based spells as any outsider would.  Hereafter, the maverick will no longer age; he will remain ageless, but he may still die from wounds, poisons, and the like.

But, if he fails the challenge, he dies.  The DM is the sole arbiter of the challenge, including all that is required and whether or not the maverick truly succeeds.  There should be a pre-defined goal (or goals) that measure success or failure.  The result is final and may not be altered by Luck Points, though the maverick's inherent luck bonuses and the Fated d20 still apply.  There is but one Challenge.  Should the maverick die, he may be raised, but his progress as a maverick is halted and he will never again gain XP in this class, for Fate has abandoned him.  To advance any further, he must take upon himself a second class.