OATHTAKER House Rules for 4th Ed D&D

New Varrenlae Character Classes

Skjald Skirmisher / Controller

The Skjald is an important figure amongst the Varrenlae people. An odd mix of itinerant and
loremaster; respected and feted; yet hosted uneasily by those who court him in their Harls
as fear of what secrets he knows of their dealings, competes with the desire to hear the tales
of others misfortune. He is a wandering figure upon the Varren Mass. Never staying for too
long in one area, he is always seeking more tales and adventures to learn and recite, always
seeking the troves of esoteric lore secreted across the misted mountains and valleys that he
calls home.
In combat, his ranged attacks throw the enemy into confusion, herding them across the
battlefield. His melee attacks expose weaknesses in their fighting style and . His voice
carries clear across the battlefield, mocking the enemy, revealing their weakness and
exhorting his allies to greater acts of heroism. A bard of a kind, but one cast from a darker
and less forgiving mould.

Power Source: Shadow.

Your powers are called Skeins. You weave the tale of your adventures into
the tapestry of the world, following threads of untapped potential.
Key Abilities: Dexterity, Wisdom, Charisma

Armour Prof: Cloth, Leather, Hide, Light Shield

Weapon Prof: Simple One-handed, Military One-handed, Military Ranged
Bonus to Defence: +2 Will

Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score

Hit Points Gained per Level: 6
Healing Surges per Day: 9 + Constitution modifier

Trained Skills: Arcana, Religion and History. From the class list below choose
four more trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: (Dex) Acrobatics, (Cha) Bluff, (Cha) Diplomacy, (Wis)
Dungeoneering, (Wis) Heal, (Wis) Insight, (Wis) Perception, (Cha)
 Streetwise, (Dex) Thievery. NEW SKILL: (Wis) Artisan
Build Options: Academic Skjald, Wartorn Skjald
Class Features: Blade Lore, Coat of Tapestries, Create Item Familiar, Leys,
Skjald Lore, Ritual Casting

Skjald Class Features:

You have the following class features…
Blade Lore: Once every full moon (on average twice a month in Einegard, and
when Vodir’s Moon comes full at Schadefest), the Skjald can perform a
Blade Lore rite. The rite must be conducted out in the open beneath one of
the full moons at the dead of night. The rite lasts for about 2 hours with
burning herbs and recitals of epic poems, during which the Skjald can
examine a mundane weapon or implement and digging through their wealth
of stories, unearth its auspicious past. If this rite is successful it bestows on
the item a Daily Lore enhancement bonus, usable only by the item’s current
owner. Bonus is dependant on the result of a History roll as seen below:
History Roll Result
00-20 n/a
21-32 +1
33-42 +2

If the Skjald visits a forge or artisan’s retreat before the full moon ritual, they
can try and restore the item, (replacing lost gems, mending cracks with better
grade metal, etc). This restoration can earn the Skjald a bonus to the Blade
Lore rite History roll at the full moon. While restoring the item, the Skjald
needs a successful Artisan roll (DC: 15 + ½ Skjald’s lvl.) and needs to spend
GP on replacement components. For every 100 GP expended, gain +1 bonus,
up to a maximum of +6 to the History roll.

If the Arcana roll is failed during the restoration attempt, then no GP has
been expended, but no further restoration work can be done on that item this
month.

If the History roll is failed at the Blade Lore rite, then that weapon or
implement can never be checked again by anyone, as it clearly has no
precedent for greatness in its past.

At 8th level, the Skjald can perform the Blade Lore rite on a previously
examined item, allowing the Skjald to open a weapon or implement to its full
potential, creating a basic Magic Item with a permanent enhancement bonus.
The enhancement bonus is dependant on Arcana roll as seen below:
Arcana Roll Result
00-24 n/a
25-28 +2 … item automatically becomes +3, if previous bonus was +2
29-34 +3
35-40 +4
40-46 +5
47-55 +6
 The previous Daily Lore enhancement bonus of the item can be added to the
Arcana check during this Blade Lore rite. EG: If the previous Daily Lore
enhancement bonus was +2, then the Skjald adds +2 to his Arcana check
when he is working out the new bonus.

If the item has previously NOT received any restoration work, it MUST be
attempted now. The same DC applies, but the GP cost is now 200 GP per +1
to a maximum of +6. If the Arcana roll is failed during this restoration
attempt, then no GP has been expended. However, further restoration work
can be attempted on the item once more this month.

If more than one Skjald is present and participating in the restoration, then
use the rules for Cooperation (PHB p.179). The only other classes who can
aid in the Cooperation process are the Veiled Druid, Warlock, Wytchborn,
Wyld-blooded and Cleric of the Three.
If more than one Skjald is present and participating in the rite, add +1 for
every attendant Skjald to a maximum of +6.

If Vodir’s Moon is full, then a further +2 can be added to the check.

At 16th level, the Skjald can take that same basic item and turn it into an Item
Familiar through a Ritual (see New Ritual: “Awaken the Legend”)
Skjald Lore: Your knowledge of the tales of the world allow you to pass on
combat critical information to your allies
Channel Divinity: Dark Knowledge
Archivist Feature
You draw on hidden secrets to hinder your enemies.
Encounter Divine
Standard Action Close burst 5 (8 at 11th level, 12 at 21st level)
Special: When you use this power, choose a monster origin from the following list:
aberrant, elemental, fey, immortal, or shadow.
Target: Each creature of chosen origin in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: Until the end of your next turn, the target is weakened and grants you and your
allies combat advantage.
Miss: The target grants combat advantage to the next attack you or any of your allies
makes against it.
Veiled Druids – Controllers
Power - Divine
Animal Summoning and Obstacles
Veiled Druid forms a Pact with Hel, Sif or Freya (bonuses to powers similar to
Warlock)
Animal Form- Partial form of animals gifting certain bonuses
Wytchborn – Skirmisher – Simple melee, Shadow ranged, homunculus
Shadow
Uses Warlock as base, with the following amendments
Change Implements for weapons. If power is listed as Ranged, make it a melee
attack. The melee attack uses the Stat noted in the Power description
NOT STR. If using a Pact Blade, the enhancement bonus from the Pact
Blade can be added to the TH roll. If the Wytchborn uses a weapon in
which they are proficient, then the weapons proficiency bonus will be
added to the TH roll as per normal.
Add chain armour, Martial melee and martial ranged
Remove Eldritch Blast and all Fey related Pacts & spells and Replace with Blood
magic abilities, including homunculus creation.
Add Wytchborn Class Feature, “Blood Dance”:
At Will  Arcane, Weapon
Standard Action Melee Weapon
Target: One Creature

Add Wytchborn Class Feature, “Blood Homunculus”:

Add Wytchborn Class Feature, “Create Pact Blade”:

Barbarian
Most barbarians fit best into the great weapon fighter build (p76), though barbarians
wielding a pair of weapons should instead consider the two-blade ranger build
(p104). Note that the former build slots you into the defender role and the latter into
the striker role, so be sure you’re happy with the destination.
Either way, feat selection can also be useful in helping recreate your former identity.
For example, Power Attack is still good for the greataxe-wielding barbarian, while
Toughness replicates your d12 Hit Dice. Fleet-footed gives back some of your speed
boost, and Blood Thirst certainly feels appropriate for the savage barbarian.
4th Edition doesn’t yet offer a rage mechanic to mimic the 3E barbarian’s iconic class
feature, so you and your DM will need to get a little creative if you want to retain that
flavor. For example, perhaps once you use Power Attack, you can’t stop using it until
the end of the fight (but it gives you an extra +1 damage). Or perhaps you can just
announce at any time: “I’m taking +4 melee damage at the cost of -2 AC for the rest
of the encounter.” Whatever you come up with, keep it simple and easy to use… and
keep your eyes open for barbarian class previews on D&D Insider later this year

Druid
The druid’s still waiting for her big debut on the 4th Edition stage… so until then,
you’re probably best off reimagining your character as a cleric of a nature-friendly
deity (such as Corellon, Melora, Pelor, or Sehanine) and choosing either the battle
cleric or devoted cleric build (p61).
This still leaves a lot of druid class features out of your grasp, but with your DM’s
permission, any or all of the following tweaks might help you retain some of your
druidic flavor:
1. Gain automatic skill training in Nature instead of Religion, and use Nature in
place of Religion for all aspects of ritual casting.
2. Gain fluency in Druidic, a secret language known only to druids.
3. Change the damage type of your cleric prayers to fire or to lightning.
4. Replace divine fortune from your list of Channel Divinity options with the
ability to speak with beasts for the rest of the encounter, and/or replace turn undead
with the ability to briefly take bird form and fly up to 8 squares as a standard action
(returning to normal form at the end of the move; your stats don’t change during the
move).

Monk
At a glance, the player with a 3E monk might think that he’s out of luck until the 4E
monk releases—there’s no unarmored, unarmed melee fighter option anywhere in the
Player’s Handbook. However, with your DM’s permission you can create a martial-
arts striker who captures much of the monk’s style by following this process:
1. Choose the two-blade ranger build (p104). (Don’t worry, this will make
sense in a minute.)
2. Give up your leather and hide armor proficiencies, gaining a +3 bonus to AC
when wearing no armor or cloth armor. You’re now only a point behind the normal
ranger’s AC.
3. Gain a +2 bonus to Will defense (in addition to the ranger’s normal defense
bonuses).
4. Replace Dungeoneering and Nature on your class skill list with Arcana,
Diplomacy, Insight, and Religion. Choose five trained skills from your class list.
5. Give up your martial weapon proficiencies. Grant your unarmed strike a +3
proficiency bonus, increase the damage to 1d8, and add the off-hand property. Now
you’re wielding two melee weapons that are as good as the martial melee options
available to the ranger.
6. Rename Hunter’s Quarry as Monastic Battle Focus, and lose the Prime Shot
class feature. (You thought you were getting that +2 bonus to Will for free, didn’t
you?)
7. Focus on mobility-oriented powers, particularly those that reward a high
Wisdom score (such as evasive strike, yield ground, and weave through the fray). As
desired, you can rename those powers with a flavor that befits your monkish heritage
(peerless balance of the crane instead of fox’s cunning, for example).
8. Pick up feats to recreate other 3E monk class features—Evasion, Fleet-Footed,
Long Jumper—and use multiclass feats (p209) to replicate the supernatural features.
For example, the warlock has several teleportation powers reminiscent of abundant
step.
This doesn’t faithfully recreate every element of the 3E monk, but it’s definitely a
reasonable stopgap if you’re really committed to sticking with the character. Feel free
to experiment with additional tweaks, and by all means please share your results on
the D&D message boards!
Aelfhett - The outcast Thanehold. The most Northerly of all the Thaneholds, they
were found guilty of many crimes against the VarrenLae during the
Kindertotenskrieg. There were also many rumours about their actions in combat.
Many said that they were in league with the Aelf, the VarrenLae's equivalent to the
Fey - dark, malicious sprites that are responsible for the many wrongs in the world
and who bring Sturms to punish settlements who have not paid homage to them. The
Aelfhett protested their innocence, but were denied mercy. The thane was forced to
change his name ... and the Aelfhett were born, a badge that they now wear with some
perverse pride. They trade in metal and engineering knowledge. The best builders of
the Varren come from the Aelfhett Thanehold.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Stealth, +2 Seacraft
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Light Step, Toughness, Wintertouched

Eigenharl - The smallest of the Thaneholds, but becoming increasingly more

affluent and powerful. They hold their Great Harl in the largest city on the South
Coast of the Varren. With the Sea of Storms at their doors and regular trade caravans
crossing over from Samarra, their city is a hub of trade and commerce. It also attracts
a lot of Skjalds who go there to listen to the tales of the merchants and speak with the
Samarran traders who have set up home on the South Coast. This Thanehold has an
uneasy relationship with the Siggurds, its nearest neighbour and frequently the culprit
of border skirmishes.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Diplomacy, +2 Heal, +2 Streetwise
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Combat Reflexes, Jack of All Trades, Quick Draw

Fristorn - The darkfolk of the North Eastern glacial fjords. Swarthy and darker than
their southern compatriots, this Thanehold still mantains good connections with the
other southern Thanes, unlike its sister Thanehold in the NorthWest: the Aelfhett, of
which there are many dark mutterings and superstitions. The Fristorn ply trade in
gems, jewellery of beautiful craftmanship and excellent boats. During the summer
months they fend off many raiding attacks by the Urk.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Artisan, +2 Intimidate, +2 Endurance
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Action Surge, Toughness, Wintertouched

Fyrdfen - The people of the Fyrdfen, the people of the Thaneless lands.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Perception, +2 Thievery, +2 Endurance
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Eladrin Soldier, Toughness, Fast Runner

Glindharl - The traditionalists. Settled in a high valley of one of the Northern

mountain ranges near the centre of the Varren Mass, the Glindharls have maintained
the worship of the Goddess throughout the times of change that sweep the rest of the
Varren. They also, unusually, maintain regular lunar festivities for Vodir and Luk - a
tradition that has fallen out of favour for most of the VarrenLae since before the
Kindertotenskrieg. They trade in gems, metals, stone and lumber and make some of
the best weapons in the Varren.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Duneoneering, +2 Religion
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Toughness, Sure Climber, Surprise Knockdown
Karnig - The lake dwellers of the Westfeld. River folk who ply trade in farmed fish
and lumber from the great forest that border their northern shore. A quiet people, with
a strong connection to their land. They take the brunt of most of the small incursions
by the Urk raiders who come over the mountains to the West. The best archers of the
Varren are said to walk from the rivers here, born with bows in their hands.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Heal, +2 Boatlore, +2 Religion
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Agile Hunter, Escape Artist, Inspired Recovery

Linthorne - A struggling Thanehold that has suffered 2 generations of fraternal

infighting. Based on the most Easterly point of the Varren, they are isolated from
regular trade and suffer from difficult seasonal roads to their lands from the rest of the
Varren. They share with the Rindem Thanehold a talent for breeding horses, with
theirs not being as lean and racy a build, but much hardier for times of war or
want. The most recent Thane has attempted to attract some patronage back to his
lands and has established the Skjaldermen in his Great Harl, which has begun to
show promise, training the most talented and gifted of Skjalds that the Varren has to
offer. For the last 13 summers, they have hosted a Skjald Moot, which has drawn the
attention of the Travelling Vilyen who now have a semi-permanent holding in the
borders of these lands.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Religion, +2 Endurance, +2 Perception
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Linguist, Mounted Combat, Nimble Blade

Luftseer - A Thanehold that holds its HQ near Rindemhelderfast, on the Eastern

coast of the Varren Mass. The best sailors of the Varren are born here. The women are
reputed to be able to sing so sweetly they can calm the terrible storms that lash this
coast and some are said to have the ability to divine the future from the play of the
winds and sea.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Insight, +2 Boatlore
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Defensive Mobility, Group Insight, Improved Initiative

Siggurd - The Guardians of the Sigfell in the South West. This Thanehold was born
from the many border skirmishes with the neighbouring country of Tuin. It now
protects the only access that the Tuin Horde have into the Varren. Recently much
more affluent due to trade with the Samarrans merchants who brave the Sea of Storms
to make landfall on the Varren's south coast. There are rumours that Thane Siggurd's
wife has left him and has gone to sit and weave at the hearth of Eigenharl's
Thanehold.
Skills Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Insight, +Streetwise
Bonus Feat (Choose one): Durable, Power Attack, Skill Focus

Rindem - The ruling Thanehold of the Varren.

Skills Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Insight, +Streetwise

Bonus Feat (Choose one): Durable, Power Attack, Skill Focus
Combat
Inferior – Whatever number appears after the word Inferior (EG: Inferior 1) that
number is deducted from the amount rolled. The amount of damage dealt never drops
below 1.

Brutal – Whatever number appears after the word Brutal (EG: Brutal 2), is rerolled for
purposes of working out damage in that hit. For example, a Brutal 2 Longsword (1d8
DAM), would have DAM rerolled on a roll of a 1 or 2.

Disarm – This is a Combat manoeuvre that uses a Standard Action.

Knock Out - This is a Combat manoeuvre that uses a Standard Action. Taking a –2
TH, you make a Melee Basic Attack (STR vs. Fort.) in an attempt to knock your
opponent unconscious. If you hit, you do 1[W] Temporary DAM as per a normal
Melee Basic Attack. You knock the opponent unconscious if your Temporary DAM is
equal to half of the opponents remaining HP. Rogues and Rangers can add Hunters
Quarry and Sneak Attack bonus damage to this attack.

Sunder – This is a Combat manoeuvre that uses a Standard Action.

Critical Effect – On a roll of a natural 20 to hit, 2 things happen. Firstly, you

automatically hit and do max damage (as per the rules). Then you choose a card from
the Critical Hit Deck, which will have one of 20 possible effects, ranging from
impeding the opponents speed to killing them outright.

Receive a Charge – All polearms and shields may be set to receive a charge. If an
opponent charges into melee combat against someone who has set to receive a charge,
the defender makes an Immediate Interrupt attack (Str vs Will). If the attack hits, then
the attacker is knocked back 1 square from the defender and ends their turn in that
square. A defender can only use a weapon or shield set to receive a charge against one
opponent per round.

Heroic Encounter Powers

Sap the Unwary– This is a Martial Encounter Power selectable by every class as part
of their class Encounter Power allowance.
Encounter * Standard Action
Melee Weapon
Hit: On a hit you do 1[W] damage and add twice the amount of STR mod to the
temporary damage.

Paragon Encounter Powers

Bludgeon to the Ground – This is a Martial Encounter Power
Epic Encounter Powers
Beaten into Submission – This is a Martial Encounter Power

Heroic Feats
Back from the Brink: Spend AP when making a Death Save, automatic ‘20’ result.

Improved Disarm –

Improved Knock Out – You no longer take a –2 TH on Knock Out attempts.

Improved Sunder –

Improved Feint –

Drop Prone – As an Immediate Interrupt you can drop Prone to the floor when you
can see an enemy making a ranged attack against you. Being Prone provides the usual
bonuses and penalties as per PHB pg.277

Paragon Feats
Heroes Stand: On AP expenditure turn before succumbing to negative hits.
Masterful Knock Out – You double any Temporary Damage dealt in a Knock Out
attempt, including a crit.
Action Boost: +6 TH and DAM when spending an AP.
New Skills
Artisan: This skill covers any craft or tradeskill that the character may have. In
addition you may use it to: Appraise an item for its worth, Create an item of worth,
Commit a story to tapestry, Craft a weapon, armour, implement, etc.
In combat you can use an Artisan check to find a weak spot in an items construction.
On a successful check you get a +2 TH and DAM against that item.

Fine Small Medium Large

10 – 15

16 – 20

21 – 25

26 – 30

Boatlore: This skill covers any checks a character may need to make when dealing
with situations on water; be that rivers, lakes or at sea. This includes: Sailing or
rowing a boat, overseeing or Captaining a large vessel, fishing or trawling for food,
navigating across the sea or inland waterways, rope use (in terms of tying knots,
swinging across ships, setting grapples, etc) and affecting repairs.
If you are a Captain or an overseer on a large vessel, then the better your
Boatlore checks, the better the crew will work with you. However, you can
supplement your Boatlore checks with Intimidate or Diplomacy to further improve
your chances of getting a crew to respond quickly to orders.
In combat you can make a Boatlore check to use the ship and its equipment to
facilitate you. Depending on the encounter level (Easy Encounter: DC 20, Hard: 25, Difficult: 30) a
successful check will gain a +2 proficiency bonus to any attacks you make during that
encounter. Additionally, on a successful check, if you are a Captain or Overseer of a
crew of a large vessel then all allies within that crew gain +1 to Initiative rolls for that
encounter.