Harrow Points

The magic of Zellara’s Harrow deck is not just an ominous power but grants the PCs a game benefit as well. A Harrow deck has six suits and each of the six adventures in Curse of the Crimson Throne is tied to one of these suits and, by extension, one of the six ability scores.

Each time a reading occurs (usually near the adventure’s start), the number of cards in the Spread that match the current adventure’s suit determines the number of Harrow Points each PC receives. In addition, each PC gains an additional Harrow Point for the card he draws during the Choosing, effectively guaranteeing him at least 1 point to spend during the adventure, even if the spread resolves without any cards of the current adventure’s suit. Harrow points unspent at the end of an adventure are lost.

Part I: Edge of Anarchy

During this adventure (which is tied to Dexterity), a character can spend his Harrow Points in the following ways.

  • Dexterity Rerolls: Spend a Harrow Point to reroll any one Initiative check, Reflex save, attack roll modified by Dexterity, or Dexterity-based skill check. You must abide by the new result (although if you have additional Harrow Points remaining, you can use them to attempt additional rerolls).
  • Dodge Bonus: Spend a Harrow Point to gain a +1 Dodge bonus to your Armor Class for one encounter. You can spend up to 3 Harrow Points per encounter to increase your Armor Class in this manner.
  • Speed Increase: Spend a Harrow Point to increase your base speed by 10 feet for one encounter—you cannot spend multiple Harrow Points to increase your speed multiple times in one encounter.

In addition, the card a PC draws during the choosing has special qualities during this adventure. Each of these cards is tied to a specific encounter in “Edge of Anarchy”, and when a PC who drew that card reaches that encounter (your GM will tell you when that is the case), he gains a +2 bonus on all rolls modified by Dexterity and a +1 Dodge bonus to his Armor Class. These bonuses last for the encounter’s duration.

Part II: Seven Days to the Grave

During this adventure (which is tied to Constitution), a character can spend his Harrow Points in the following ways:

Constitution Rerolls: Spend a Harrow Point to reroll any one Fortitude saving throw, Concentration check, or other Constitution-based d20 roll. You must abide by the new result (although if you have additional Harrow Points remaining, you can use them to attempt additional rerolls).
Fast Hit Point Recovery: Spend a Harrow Point after resting for a minute to catch your breath and recover from your recent ordeals—you heal a number of hit points equal to your class level and 1 point of ability damage (but not ability drain) each time you do so. You may spend a Harrow Point in this manner once after each encounter.
Damage Reduction: Spend a Harrow Point to gain damage reduction 3/—. This damage reduction persists for the duration of the encounter in which you spent the Harrow Point.

In addition, the card a PC draws during the choosing has special qualities during this adventure. Each of these cards is tied to a specific encounter in “Seven Days to the Grave”, and when a PC who drew that card reaches that encounter, he gains a +2 bonus on all rolls modified by Constitution and a number of temporary hit points equal to twice his character level. These bonuses last for the encounter’s duration.

Part III: Escape from Old Korvosa

During this adventure (which is tied to Intelligence), a character can spend his Harrow Points in the following ways:

Intelligence Rerolls: Spend a Harrow Point to reroll any one Intelligence-based skill check. You must abide by the new result (although if you have additional Harrow Points remaining, you can use them to attempt additional rerolls).
Flash of Insight: Spend a Harrow Point to be able to make a skill check in an untrained skill you don’t normally have ranks in. You gain a one-time +5 insight bonus on this skill check.
Arcane Wrath: Spend a Harrow Point to increase the strength of an arcane spell as it is cast. This spell gains a +2 save DC, a +4 bonus on its caster level check to overcome spell resistance, and a +2 bonus on any attack rolls needed to strike the target.

In addition, the card a PC draws during the choosing has special qualities during this adventure. Each of these cards is tied to a specific encounter in “Escape from Old Korvosa”, and when a PC who drew that card reaches that encounter, he gains a +2 bonus on all rolls modified by Intelligence and all arcane spells cast by him manifest at +1 caster level. These bonuses last for the encounter’s duration.

Part IV: History of Ashes

In “A History of Ashes,” the PCs are faced with numerous situations in which might and muscle determine destiny. During this adventure, a character can spend her Harrow Points in the following ways.

Brutal Strike: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to gain a +5 bonus on damage rolls with all melee or natural weapons for the duration of one combat. Alternatively, brutal strike allows the PC to ignore an object’s hardness for 1 round.

Mighty Thews: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to be treated as a creature one size category larger than normal for the purposes of attempting grapple combat maneuver checks, wielding weapons, lifting heavy objects, and determining whether a hungry monster can swallow her whole; this adjustment lasts for one encounter (but no more than 10 minutes).

Strength Rerolls: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to reroll a Strength-based check. She must abide by the new result (although if she has additional Harrow Points remaining, she can use them to attempt additional rerolls).

Part V: Skeletons of Scarwall

In “Skeletons of Scarwall,” the PCs are faced with situations where faith, perception, and willpower determine destiny. During this adventure, a character can spend his Harrow Points in the following ways.

Divine Wrath: A PC with levels in a class that grants bonus spells based on his Wisdom score can spend a Harrow Point to increase the power of a spell from that class’s spell list as he casts it. He increases the DC of that spell by 2 and gains both a +4 bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance and a +2 bonus on attack rolls for that spell.

Greater Channeling: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to enhance his channeled energy; his effective level for determining the effects of his channeled energy increases by 2, and the save DC to resist its effects increases by 2. He doesn’t expend one of his daily uses of channeled energy when he spends a Harrow Point to enhance it.

Wisdom Rerolls: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to reroll one Wisdom-based check or Will saving throw. He must abide by the new result (although if he has additional Harrow Points remaining, he can use them to attempt additional rerolls).

Harrow Points

Curse of the Crimson Throne Shimon Shimon