Archetypes in Action – 2

Here are some fantasy parties built using the SW Deluxe Edition archetypes.

Heroquest / Advanced Heroquest / Warhammer Quest Party

Each of the three games had a slightly different take on the party members, so Your Mileage May Vary.

• Barbarian: Great Weapon Fighter archetype, except that we swap Sweep for Berserker. Hindrances are Greedy, Outsider (everyone knows barbarians from Norsca are in league with Chaos), Quirk: Loves a good fight. Equipped with a great sword, a lantern, and a fur loincloth – so much warmer than the linen kind. The four spare skill points go into Stealth d6 (2), Survival d4 (1), and Tracking d4 (1).
• Dwarf: Great Weapon Fighter archetype, with the Dwarf racial template applied, and Greedy; Quirk: Long beard, and Vow: Avenge loss of ancestral home as Hindrances. He uses his 4 spare skill points to buy Knowledge: Common Tongue d4 (1), Lockpicking d6 (2), and Repair d4 (1). The Dwarf is wearing a chain hauberk and carrying a great axe and some rope. Uniquely, the dwarf isn’t an Outsider, because of the Empire’s long-standing alliance with dwarves in the Warhammer World. Traditionally, a fumble when attacking (natural 1 on his Fighting die) means he has tripped over his beard.
• Elf: Marksman archetype, adding the Elf racial template added; Hindrances are Greedy, Outsider (everyone knows elves are chaotic sorcerors), and Quirk: Hates evil creatures. The 5 extra skill points go into Knowledge: Common Tongue d4 (1), Stealth d6 (2), Survival d4 (1), and Tracking d4 (1). Armed with bow and short sword. Where the dwarf lusts after gold, the elf is more interested in jewels and magic items.
• Wizard: Mage archetype. Powers are Bolt, Deflection, Detect/Conceal Arcana, and Healing. Hindrances are Curious, Loyal: Friends, and Outsider (everyone knows wizards are likely to explode or be possessed by demons at the drop of a hat, and some of them enjoy it). The wizard uses his 4 unallocated skill points to buy Persuasion d6 (2), and Taunt d6 (2). He has a staff, a short sword he has no idea how to use, and a coin pouch that would have been a lot heavier if he hadn’t subsidised the dwarf’s chainmail. Still, buffing a meat shield is a good investment for a squishy wizard.
• Fighter: This guy temporarily replaced the Barbarian in Advanced Heroquest, but is a bit of an aberration, included only for completeness. He is a Fighter (Fencer) with a chain hauberk, shield, and short sword. Somebody needs to lend him some  money for the shield. For Hindrances, I’d pick Code of Honor, Loyal: Friends, and Vow: Complete the mission.

While dwarves and elves don’t have the free Edge humans get, unless the archetype has a d4 in the relevant attribute you can reshuffle attribute points and Edges to come out with the same archetype. With three Greedy characters out of five, the fisticuffs outside the dungeon afterwards are likely to be as entertaining as those inside it.

Pathfinder Society

Here’s a SW implementation of the four stock characters in the Pathfinder beginners’ box; with minor tweaks, you could say these represent a party from any version of D&D prior to 4th Edition.

• Ezren is the party’s magic-user, using the Mage archetype. His four remaining skill points are used to buy Knowledge: Nature d4, Knowledge: History d4, and Taunt d6. He has four powers, Bolt, Deflection, Detect/Conceal Arcana and Light. His Hindrances are Curious, Delusion: Atheist, and Quirk: Curmudgeon.
• Kyra is built on the Priest (Healer) archetype, using the four leftover skill points to buy Knowledge: Religion d6 and Persuasion d6. Her hindrances are Code of Honour, Pacifist, and Vow: Protect the helpless. Her powers are Boost/Lower Trait and Healing.
• Merisiel is an elven thief using the Rogue archetype. Her Hindrances are Wanted (Major), Outsider, and Quirk: Carries many knives.
• Valeros is the party meat shield – erm, sorry, warrior. He is the Fighter (Fencer) archetype with Heroic, Loyal: Friends and Quirk: Party animal added as Hindrances.

Rather than work out the equipment, I just let them have whatever the illustrations and miniatures have. I do that a lot.

eM4 High Elf War Party

This little band was my first purchase from eM4, and they’re still my favourites. There isn’t enough information to assign Hindrances or extra skills, but obviously they all have the Elf racial template applied on top of their archetypes, which are:

• High Elf Prince: Leader archetype, with chain hauberk and spear.
• Sword Companion: Fighter (Fencer) with plate cuirass and longsword.
• Mage: Mage archetype with staff. My figure has one eye painted about halfway down his right cheek, so I’d be tempted to go with Ugly for one Hindrance.
• Expert Archers: Marksman archetype with bow.

Again, I’d go with whatever the figures are carrying for gear. That means the archers and the mage have subsidised the two fighters, allowing them to buy better armour.