Vigil's page

In my campaign, I'll be swapping one of Dragotha's 5th level spells for Enlarge Monster (hombrew, but the level seems right, duplicates Enlarge Person, but no type restrictions). Dragotha really doesn't need the boost to strength, additional reach, size penalty to AC or boost to grapple checks from the spell, but then I get to use the Icons collosal red.

For Ilthane, I just used the Paizo repaint Sorcerer on Black Dragon, and didn't madify the stats at all. She had the same space and reach as a large (the pc's didn't know this since she was on the wing and they are all ground-pounders), but I wanted to use a cool lookin black dragon, even if it wasn't the right size, instead of the Large Shadow or Fang dragons WotC recently released.

O.K., GenCon is over, it's been a month, can we get an update? Please? ;)

Since I'm coming up on this encounter, I converted Augerric to an Obyrith.

I changed the eyebolts to swift actions like Mr. Baur suggested, and am considering further limiting it to just one bolt per round or adding to the description that all the bolts must aim at different targets (otherwise, Augerric can target all three bolts on one character and potentially knock said character out in 1 round).

I also removed the negative energy affinity mentioned in the SQ line but not explained later (I know the ability makes a creature take damage from positive energy and heals damage with negative energy). I assume the SQ line is mistaken and the ability was dropped from the demon on purpose to prevent Augerric from just healing himself for 6d8 each round by targetting himself with the eyebolts. If Mr. Baur is still out there, please let me know if I'm wrong.

I tried to create a relatively simple Form of Madness so I wouldn't have to change the CR. This ability would be much more powerful if the demon could sneak attack, or was teamed up with some sneak attackers. As is, it fits with the demon's function as a guard and still gives a slight boost to his attacks.

Augerric
Oculus Demon
Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Evil, Obyrith)
Hit Dice: 15d8+120 (187)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 30', fly 70' (good)
AC: 28 (+9 dex, +9 nat), touch 19, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+21
Attack: +1 unholy longsword +22 melee (1d8+7/17-20) and eyebolts +24 ranged touch (2d8 plus special)
Full Attack: +1 unholy longsword +22/+17/+12 (1d8+7/17-20) and claw +16 melee (1d6+3) and eyebolts +24 ranged touch (2d8 plus special)
Space/Reach: 5'/5'
Special Attacks: eyebolts, form of madness, paralyzing gaze, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: all-around vision, damage reduction 10/cold iron and good, darkvision 60', immune to poison, immune to mind-affecting effects, resist acid 10, resist cold 10, resist electricity 10, resist fire 10, spell resistance 24
Saves: fort +17, ref +18, will +9
Abilities: str 23, dex 28, con 26, int 10, wis 10, cha 12
Skills: concentration +26, diplomacy +3, hide +27, intimidate +19, listen +18, move silently +27, search +26, sense motive +18, spot +26
Feats: dodge, improved critical (longsword), mobility, point blank shot, precise shot, shot on the run
Enviroment: Infinite Layers of the Abyss
Organization: solitary, pair, or flock (3-8)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: double standard plus +1 unholy longsword
Alignment: always chaotic evil
Advancement: 16-23 HD (medium), 24-35 HD (large), 36-45 HD (huge)
Level Adjustment:-

Eyebolt (Su): As a swift action...

Form of Madness (Su): The many-eyed form of an Oculus Demon invokes feelings of intense scrutiny and awakens deeply rooted paranoias of being so closely observed. Any creature within 100' that views the Oculus Demon must make a will save (dc 18) or act as though flanked (enemies gain +2 to melee attacks and can deliver sneak attacks) while within sight of the demon. This condition does affect rogues or other characters with improved uncanny dodge. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Stephen Schubert (DDM lead designer) dropped hints recently (I think at GenCon) that Spawn of Kyuss would be coming, and I'd guess in the Spring '07 set (named Unhallowed, probably has a strong undead theme). Kyuss himself is too big for a regular release and would have to be part of a huge set, so no telling if we'd have any hope of ever getting a mini of that.

Actually, the executioner's mace is either B&P OR S&P, you pick. And the martial proficiency is deliberate, to encourage players to pick up and use the weapon after taking it from a fallen foe. Besides, it's stat make the mace about equal to a greatsword, except for the worse crit range and variable damage type. I'd keep it martial.

Reaper's greens showed some pirates that should be out any month now, including a halfling pirate armed with kitchenware, some lovely she-pirates, and a dwarven pirate with one heck of a big blunderbuss.

Brief update. The Changeling rogue has finally figured out that undead play a big part in the Age of Worms they are now trying to prevent, and will be going rogue 8/cleric 1/skull clan hunter (MHB) in the near future. Sneak attacking undead, it's a Good thing.

Hard to believe we've been reading this journal for a year and a day now. I think my home game has finally gotten ahead (we're in HoHR now).

Only one player has a prestige class so far, but I'm sure some others will pick one up eventually.

Shaifter Ranger/Weretouched Master
Changeling Rogue
Human Shadowcaster
Human Barbarian
Human Binder

The binder and shadowcaster will probably stay pure, but if the rogue doesn't pick up something to help against all of the undead in this campaign, I'll be surprised. I'm sure the barbarian is just looking for the perfect prestige class, but hasn't found it yet.

Well, Sahuagin have str 14, no jump ranks, and a swim speed of 60'. Assuming it swims 20' first to build up speed, it can jump an average of 4' straight up (dc 16, +8 to jump checks, average reult of 18). On a really lucky roll (nat 20), it can leap 7' out of the water. Coupled with it's vertical reach (8' for medium creatures), it is possible for a sahuagin to leap out of the water and grab a bar 12'-15' above the surface, followed by a dc 15 climb check as a move action to pull itself up.

I enforce point-buy in my games so that my players can create their characters on their own without me having to be present to watch them roll.

I use 32 points, since at 25 or even 28, you just can't play a monk or paladin. Those classes still suffer from MAD (multiple ability dependancy), and if I tried to lower the point-buy below 32, those classes would disappear from my games completely.

P.C.: Dax, male changeling rogue 5
Adventure: Three Faces of Evil
What: The Ebon Aspect was not his friend...

Poor Dax. So few hp, so low of an AC, and a propensity for getting knocked into negative hp. He always survived his earlier brushes with death by bleeding on the floor for most of the fight, stabilizing at -9 or so, but the Ebon Aspect drew upon Erythnull's Frenzy and power-attacked him straght to -11 hp.

I felt a little sorry for him, so I let him blow all of his remaining action points (he had six) to instead stabilize exactly at -9.

Mr. Keegan, don't forget that in HoHR, one of the pc's has been replaced by a doppleganger already, so someone in the party already knows exactly where the Sodden Hold is, no gather information check necessary (though he's more than welcome to fake one). Also, Assassin guilds would cause quite a bit of uproar and backlash from the authorities if the brazenly attacked a target on every street corner in broad daylight. I'd say the "replaced" pc should want to get the rest of the party to Sodden Hold as quickly and quietly as possible, if only to dispose of them out of the public eye.

I've run 3 Faces twice now, for two different groups.

First time through, I ran the adventure as written, one of the players mapped on graph paper as we went, and they made search checks after search checks after search checks until they were absolutely sure they didn't miss a secret door. It was slow, boring book-keeping, and getting to the Faceless One's lair felt like waking up from a long coma.

Second time through, I left a hint in Theldrik's journal that the Faceless One for all of his tricks, is easy enough to find if you just keep north. I described the labyrinth as twisting and dark, and had the pc's make a survival check (dc 20) to discern north. Failure meant they wandered the labyrinth for an extra hour, and encountered one of the kenku groups. Success meant they found their way through safely. I did key one group of kenku as guards at the entrance, and the kenku boss's group at the only(!) exit, so they couldn't get out without fighting at least two groups of kenku. The adventure went much faster, with fewer headaches, and more fun had by all.

I'll probably do something similar in HoHR, althogh splitting up the party and playing with dopplegangers makes it a little bit trickier.

A couple things...
-Dupe rares are possible in a case, and with only 23 rares in the set, in fact common. Triple rares shouldn't be possible.

-The humanoid Aspects make great enlarged pc's. I intend to use Moradin as my Cleric of Moradin when I cast Righteous Might. Perfect fit.

I just want to add to the praise. This is a great adventure, and it fits perfectly into the game I'm already running, so I'll get to start in just a couple of weeks.

I did have one question. Just how long has the bronze dragon been dead for, exactly. Just in case there are still 5 charges in the staff of life...

Every promo for DDM either is available in a regular set or will be made so eventually. Until it is widely released, it's not legal for tournament play. This is a good thing, otherwise DDM would become like any WizKids game, he who spends the big bucks chasing promos wins.

So, huge mini. Probably not from Giants of Legend, that set is 2 years old. War of the Dragon Queen drops this summer, and it seems logical the promo will be culled from this set. It could be a huge uncommon or rare, WotC has released both rarities as promos before (but never huge). Regardless, I doubt it'll be one of the chase figures from the set (Blue Dracolich, Aspect of Tiamat, ANY Dragon), 'cause otherwise WotC won't sell as many boosters.

Here we go.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mit/20051110a

The Aspect of Hextor from the upcoming War Drums expansion by WotC would be perfect for the Ebon Aspect, assuming you don't need the mini until early March.

I'll try to find a link of a pic...

Wonder what it will be considering that most dragon's CRs are lower than comparable creatures because the 3E designers figured that players would know ahead of time that they'd be against a dragon and prepare accordingly.

That was true in 3.0. In 3.5, the designers removed that bit of lunacy. The CR now accurately reflects the creature's strength.

Hiya! First post here. Is anybody running AoW in DragonLance? I'm thinking about it. Palanthas would be the Free City, and cults of Sargonnas, Morgion, and Nuitari would make up the Ebon Triad. I'm just having a hard time figuring out where Kyuss would fit in... any ideas?