Rules Cyclopedia: The Murderhobo

THE MURDERHOBO 

Introduction to the Murderhobo

The murderhobo is one of those adventurers who hacks his or her way through the enemy relying on little more than a pointy stick sharpened in a fire or hand carved cudgel to beat to death some opponent and take their stuff. The murderhobo lacks the discipline needed to apprentice as a Wizard to study magic, join a guild long enough to learn how to open a lock, follow a cult leader long enough to gain the approval of a god, or learn from a master the fine points of wielding a weapon. If a skill cannot be intuitively developed it is too much effort. The point of being a murderhobo is to get enough wealth to employ wizards, thieves, Clerics, and warriors to do the job for you.

Create a Murderhobo Character

This involves rolling 1d6+11 to determine each primary ability. It provides an above average range for every ability.

Optional Rules: Psionics

The possibility of a Psionic talent is zero. Roll 1d20 and add the charisma bonus. If a result of 21 or better is achieved the murderhobo is a Psionic. Because the murderhobo gets primary ability bonuses at eighth and fourteenth level they may choose to increase charisma and check again for Psionic ability. If the murderhobo is a Psionic the dungeon master should select a single Psionic talent from the spells available to a Cleric, Druid, or Magic-user. Some Psionic talents such as wish are developmental dead ends, others such as cure light wounds will belong to a potential development tree and can be evolved by burning ten thousand experience points per level of new spell. A Psionic talent can be employed a number of times a day equal to the charisma bonus.

Physical Height

Roll 17d6+5". This provides a height range of 1'10" - 8'11" Which is a more realistic and diverse human height generator. Those outside human limits (>6'4" or <4'7").

Saving Throws

This covers special attacks. Special attacks always hit. Rather than a saving throw roll against a chart to determine whether the murderhobo takes half damage, Murderhobos are now allocated +2 per level which they may now allocate as resistance to specific saving throw slots as desired.
• Dragon Breath (fire/ice/poison/acid)
• Death ray or Disease
• Turn to stone or paralysis
• Spells/staves/rods
• Magic wands
A murderhobo might apply these to Dragon Breath to pursue a career as a dragon slayer, or put it against poisons and become a poisoner.

Repel Undead

A murderhobo can repel Undead up to and including a Vampire on a DC20 check with little more than faith in themselves and a holy symbol. Add the charisma bonus to the DC20 check along with the Repel Undead bonus to discern the chance of success. Unlike a cleric's turning which causes the undead to flee, the murderhobo will merely enjoy an aura of protection forcing the undead to break off any physical contact.

Thief & Acrobat Skills

These are skills the murderhobo heard about and attempted to develop on their own - skills that certainly dont require membership in some guild to learn, only a DC20 check to which you add the skill:
• Pick Pockets: This involves reaching in a pocket to retrieve the contents without being noticed.
• Hide in Shadows: The ability to make use of available darkness, hiding where no sunlight falls.
• Move Silently: The capacity to move with the grace of a cat, making absolutely no noise.
• Climb Walls: This is climbing a vertical surface without ropes and hooks.
• Walk Rope: The ultimate act of balance as you cross a rope suspended between two points.
• Prolonged Brace: the ability to put your feet against opposite walls or trees if they are close enough and hold ones self aloft.

Backstab

If hide in shadows and/or move Silently are sucessful the murderhobo gains the drop on an opponent and is able to stick a blade in for extra damage.

Name Level

Tenth level means you are no longer just a murderhobo, you are one of those murderhobo the huddled masses refer to in whisper as the Butcher of Bakersfield, The Chesapeake Ripper, the Dread Pirate Roberts, or Conan forcing you to wear a disguise or at least not go about anouncing your name loudly so you are not immediatly identifiable. At this point you draw other murderhobo to you. Some looking to become a follower, others looking to claim your misdeeds as their own, and a few looking to evicerate you for their own glory. Revealing your identity will result in the need for a second reaction roll. A friendly reaction can function as a temporary henchman, any other result causes them to flee screaming your public identity unless they are at least half your level.

Starting Wealth

A Murderhobo should begin with little or no wealth. Even those from wealthy families will have taken to the Murderhobo lifestyle simply because their family castle was burned down and their family, wealth and lands lost to them. Starting wealth should be determined by 1d10gp worth of equipment.

Experience

All experience is earned from those killed and their things taken. There is none of that story award experience points for the murderhobo.

Alignment

For the murderhobo it is not so much a code as a guideline...like who dares, wins.

Equipment 

The murderhobo is restricted in access to some equipment.

TABLE 3: ARMOUR

*Usable by Thieves. See Table 1.

Optional Rules: Murderhobo Immortality

Immortality is the ultimate achievement for a murderhobo. Having butchered an overwhelming number of people and taken their stuff, your murderhobo isnt just spoken of in fearful whispers by those looking to not draw your attention, they have built a shrine to you at a predesignated Location and piled up their valuables before it praying you will not come their way.