A few months ago, I was playing the game Darkest Dungeon while watching Matt Colville's YouTube video talking about playing in a West Marches-style game.
Now admittedly, I have not run/played in a West Marches-style game, but from my understanding, it seems like the Darkest Dungeon setting might mesh pretty well it. I mean, you have a town that as the heart of the setting, a roster of characters for players to choose from, several different dungeons to explore, and a continually influx of new adventurers to replace the fallen (which makes it easier to explain a new player's character showing up). All that with the ultimate goal of trying to get a high-level party to explore the final dungeon.
My idea was as follows:
- Basic Fantasy for the game rules
- Characters start at 3rd-level, top at 12th-level
- Players weren't stuck playing a specific character, they could play any other in the town's roster
- Each game session was self-contained; if the party didn't make it back to town before the session ended, they were considered "lost", but players could form another party in a later session to go look for survivors or retrieve the lost treasure
- Rules for the unique elements of the Darkest Dungeon: light levels, stress, afflictions and virtues, building and managing the town, town events
- Camp skill, with fifth edition-style rules for short and long rests
- and the usual material covering new character classes, magic items, spells, monsters, etc.
Eventually I drifted away for various reason. Thinking back, I had written down quite a bit. Maybe one day I might go back to finish writing it all.
But with all that said, I'd thought I'd share something. So here is the Vestal, a sub-class of the Cleric. Now, this sub-class would certainly be more powerful than the regular cleric class of a standard Basic Fantasy game. But in a Darkest Dungeon game, where all the character types are sub-classes with their own unique abilities, not so much.
The Vestal
(Cleric Sub-Class)" The warrior nun channels her zeal for battle into healing abilities, holy judgements, and dazzling explosions of light. A strong backbone to any party, the Vestal can also hold her own on the front line with a powerful mace bash and close-quarters condemnations. "
Ability Requirements: Wisdom 9+.
Prime Requisite: Wisdom.
Attack Bonus: As Cleric.
Saving Throws: As Cleric.
XP Table: As Cleric.
Weapons: Bludgeoning weapons only (specifically, all Hammers/Mace weapons, Club/Cudgel/Walking stick, Quarterstaff, and Sling).
Armor: All, plus Shields.
The Vestal is a sub-class of the Cleric that gains a number of unique abilities not available to the standard Cleric class. These abilities are described below:
Starting Equipment
All Vestals start with the following equipment:— Mace (1d8).
— Chain mail (AC 15).
— Backpack, Bedroll, Holy symbol, Holy water (1 vial), Rations (3 days), Waterskin.
— 3d6 gp.
Class Abilities
In addition to the abilities of the Cleric class, the Vestal sub-class has the following abilities:— Mace Bash: Vestals have a +2 bonus to Damage rolls with bludgeoning weapons.
— Judgement: A Vestal can sacrifice a prepared spell to make a special melee attack. This melee attack has a +2 bonus to the Attack roll and deals 1d8 damage, plus 2 points per level of the prepared spell (min. 2 points). This extra damage is considered magical and can harm creatures only normally harmed by magical attacks. If the attack roll scores a Critical Hit, this damage is also multiplied.
— Illumination: Twice times per Long Rest, the Vestal can illuminate an area with Radiant light out to 30', and Dim light for another 30'. Monsters in the Radiant light take 1d6 damage and is treated as normal daylight. The light lasts for 1 Turn. It also counters magical darkness.
— Vestal Spells: Vestals can cast Cleric spells and have access to a few unique spells of their own.
Camp Skills
When choosing Camp Skills, Vestals can choose from the follow:— Bless: Once per Rest, the Vestal blesses one ally for the next encounter, gaining a +1 bonus to their Armor Class and Saving Throws in the next combat encounter.
— Chant: Once per Rest, the Vestal leads an ally in a chant, who recovers 1d8+1 Stress.
— Pray: Once per Long Rest, the Vestal performs a ritual that allows the party to recover 1d6+1 Stress.
— Sanctuary: Once per Long Rest, the Vestal performs a ritual to protect the party from being ambushed while Camping.
Class Table: The Vestal
Class Experience Hit Attack -------- Saving Throws -------- Level Points Points Bonus DR/P MW P/P DB SP ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 0 6 +1 11 12 14 16 15 2 1,500 +1d6 +1 10 11 13 15 14 3* 3,000 +1d6 +2 10 11 13 15 14 4 6,000 +1d6 +2 9 10 13 15 14 5 12,000 +1d6 +3 9 10 13 15 14 6 24,000 +1d6 +3 9 10 12 14 13 7 48,000 +1d6 +4 9 10 12 14 13 8 90,000 +1d6 +4 8 9 12 14 13 9 180,000 +1d6 +5 8 9 12 14 13 10 270,000 +1* +5 8 9 11 13 12 11 360,000 +1* +5 8 9 11 13 12 12 450,000 +1* +6 7 8 11 13 12 * Starting level. ** Constitution modifiers no longer apply. Class -------------- Spells per Day -------------- Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th ------------------------------------------------------- 1 1 - - - - - 2 2 - - - - - 3* 2 1 - - - - 4 2 2 - - - - 5 2 2 1 - - - 6 3 2 2 - - - 7 3 2 2 1 - - 8 3 3 2 2 - - 9 3 3 2 2 1 - 10 4 3 3 2 2 - 11 4 4 3 2 2 1 12 4 4 3 3 2 2 * Starting level.
Vestal Spells
Vestals use the same spell list as Clerics, and have access to the following spells:Cure Light Wounds, 15' radius*
— Cleric (Vestal) 3
— Range: personal
— Duration: instantaneous
This spell works exactly like cure light wounds, save that it heals all creatures in a 15' radius centered around the caster for 1d6+1 points of damage. All undead in the area take an equal amount of damage.
The reverse of this spell, cause light wounds 15' radius, also works exactly like cause light wounds, except that it inflicts 1d6+1 points of damage. A successful save vs. Spells reduces damage by one-half. All undead in the area are healed for an equal amount of damage.
Cure Moderate Wounds*
— Cleric (Vestal) 2
— Range: touch
— Duration: instantaneous
This spell works exactly like cure light wounds, save that it heals 1d6 points of damage, plus 1 point per caster level.
The reverse, cause moderate wounds, also works exactly like cause light wounds, except that it inflicts 1d6 points of damage, plus 1 point per caster level.
Dazzling Light
— Cleric (Vestal) 1
— Range: 60'
— Duration: instantaneous
This spell deals 1d4 damage and dazzles a single enemy within range, forcing them to lose their next action. A successful save vs. Spells allows the target to act normally.
Hand of Light
— Cleric (Vestal) 2
— Range: touch
— Duration: 1 round/level
As part of the spell, a melee attack. The spell deals 1d8 points of damage and stuns the target for one round; Stunned targets lose their next action. Targets who succeed at a save vs. Spell will take one-half damage and are not Stunned.
Vestal Magic Items
Here are some new magic items suited to the Vestal:— Atonement Beads: The Vestal gains a +1 bonus to their Attack and Damage rolls, and scores a Critical Hit on a natural 19 or 20 with bludgeoning weapons.
— Blessed Bulwark: This is Chain mail +2 that also grants the Vestal a +1 bonus to their Saving Throws against the special attacks and abilities (including spells) from Undead creatures.
— Chalice of Haste: Once per day, whomever drinks from the chalice will gain a +2 bonus to Initiative checks for 24 hours.
— Chalice of Youth: Once per day, whomever drinks from the chalice will gain temporary Hit Points equal to their level for 24 hours.
— Gilded Mace: This is a Mace +2.
— Profane Scroll: The Vestal spells deal an extra 2 points of Damage for every 5 points of Damage done, and enemies have a -1 penalty to save against the Vestal's spells.
— Hand of Light: This is a Mace +2, +3 vs. Undead creatures.
— Sacred Scroll: This scrolls empowers a Vestal's healing magic. Targets of the Vestal's healing spells recover 2 extra Hit Points for every 5 Hit Points healed (min. 2).
— Salacious Diary: Once per day, anyone reading the diary during a Rest will recover an extra 1d6+1 Hit Points and Stress.
— Stalwart Mace: This is a Mace +1.
— Tome of Healing: The Vestal's healing spells use d8s.
— Virtuous Chalice: Once per day, whomever drinks from the chalice will gain a +1 bonus to their Saving Throws for 24 hours.
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