Set's Stuff


Homebrew and House Rules

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Magic items that burbled to mind while thinking up new lesser planar allies (no relation, my brain sometimes multi-tasks).

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SAINTLY BONES
Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
Slot none or wrist, see below; Price 2,000 gp.; Weight ½ lb.

DESCRIPTION
These (generally) human bones, often taken from the hands and fingers, are collected from the remains of brave and holy men who died in service to the cause of all things good and just. Connected by a leather cord, they can be fastened to the hilt or handle of any weapon, causing it to strike as if a good-aligned weapon for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. A missile weapon so adorned passes this property onto its ammunition, and the bones can be held in the hand, or looped around a wrist (occupying the bracers slot) to confer this property to ones unarmed or natural weapon (claw or slam) attacks.

Saintly bones do not function in the grip of an evil creature, nor do they pass this property on to a weapon that has the unholy property.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, align weapon, creator must be good; Cost 1000 gp.

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CHARMED FEATHERS
Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
Slot any; Price 100 gp.; Weight

DESCRIPTION
This collection of colorful feathers is tied together by string and can be worn in any slot (pinned to a shirt or cloak, dangling from a wrist or ear or belt, in the hair, etc.) or held in the hand to be used. It is activated as an immediate action when one is falling by slapping it (or squeezing it in one’s hand), creating many long feathered streamers that trail behind the user, slowing his fall as if by feather fall for 1 minute. If the streamers are still present when the bearer reaches the ground, the streamers fly apart in a small explosion of brightly-colored feathers, disappearing in seconds, as the effect ends.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Extend Spell, feather fall; Cost 50 gp.

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Charmed Feathers needs a better name, badly. I wanted to make it a Feather Token, but the strong conjuration / major creation thing to make what was, essentially, a one-shot feather fall, seemed wonky.

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Some random darkness/shadow spells for spellcasters in the Umbral Courts of Nidal;

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Blinding Shadows
School illusion (shadow); Level sorcerer/wizard 2, witch 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration 1 round / level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

When the spell is cast, a shadowy figure lunges forth from your position and attacks a target within close range, covering its eyes and rendering it blind for the duration. At 5th level, 10th level, 15th level and 20th level, you generate an additional shadow figure, and they can attack one or more targets within close range. Foes that save are unaffected, and the shadowy figure dissolves. Once a shadow-image has blinded a target, they remain on that target for the remainder of the duration. The shadow images are intangible, but can be dispelled by a spell with the [light] descriptor of 2nd level or higher, in addition to more conventional options, such as dispel magic. If a single target is successfully blinded by multiple shadows, each must be dispersed or dispelled separately.

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Binding Darkness
School conjuration (creation); Level sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components S, M (a pinch of spider web)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none (see below); Spell Resistance yes

A writhing clot of darkness appears in your hand. You can hurl this as a ranged touch attack with the effects of a tanglefoot bag. The DC to resist being stuck to the floor, and for concentration checks by those entangled are calculated by the caster’s spell DC (10 + spell level + casting attribute + spell focus or other bonuses, if applicable), and that number also determines the number of hit points necessary to break free of the substance. This number +2 determines the Strength check necessary to break free.

Unlike a tanglefoot bag, the clot of darkness remains present until destroyed and cannot be dissolved by universal solvent. The darkness can be dissolved by a direct application of a daylight spell, or any other [light] descriptor spell of 1st or higher level cast directly upon the darkness.

Enduring Darkness
School conjuration (creation); Level sorcerer/wizard 3, witch 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components S, M (a pinch of spider web)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration 1 round / level (instantaneous)
Saving Throw none (see below); Spell Resistance yes

This spell functions like blinding darkness, but you can generate and throw a clot of darkness up to once per round for the duration of the spell, and the entangling fields of darkness generated by this spell can only be dissolved by [light] descriptor spells of 3rd level or higher.

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Shadowsoul
School necromancy; Level sorcerer/wizard 3, witch 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a drop of the caster’s blood)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration concentration (maximum 1 round / level)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

You animate your own shadow with the attributes of an undead shadow. The shadow must remain within close range of your body, and you can only take a single 5 ft. step per round while concentrating on its activities.

Unlike a normal shadow, this shadow's alignment matches your own, and the creature cannot create spawn. The empowered shadow receives a +4 bonus on Will saves made to halve the damage from positive channeled energy and your shadow cannot be turned or commanded. You are in full command of its actions, and view from its current location. This shadow has a number of hit points equal to your own. Your shadow uses your own base attack bonus and base save bonuses.

If your shadow is destroyed, you gain a negative level until the next time you rest. This negative level can never become permanent, but does not otherwise fade until you have rested for eight hours. Lesser restoration or other means can restore it normally.


So. Dotting. Thanks, Set!


Set,

What do you think of a feat that would allow a character to re-roll initiative once per combat? The character would have to accept the new result even if it is worse. The prerequisite would be improved initiative.

Please let me know what you think.

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Bill Lumberg wrote:

Set,

What do you think of a feat that would allow a character to re-roll initiative once per combat? The character would have to accept the new result even if it is worse. The prerequisite would be improved initiative.

Please let me know what you think.

It fits the precedent of Improved Iron Will, etc. although an Initiative check isn't quite as 'life or death' as a saving throw.

Then again, this is once / encounter instead of the once / day of the improved saving throw feats.

It seems fine, and not unbalanced.


Thanks, Set. I appreciate the feedback.

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The Barumbi Plague CR +1 to undead infected.

The scourge misnamed 'the Barumbi Plague' is an obviously supernaturally-enhanced fungal outbreak that is most commonly found on corporeal undead, such as zombies, ghouls or wights.

A victim of it's own unnatural virulence, this fungal growth creates angry reddish splotches of fungus on warm living flesh that spread so fast that it undergoes it's entire life-cycle, from infestation to sporing in less than a minute, ravaging whatever source of tissue it is using to fuel this accelerated growth. The presence of negative energy in the tissue, however, inhibits the growth-cycle, and causes the fungus to go dormant, spreading slowly across necromantically-empowered flesh, but never entering it's reproductive phase, finally sinking into a sort of stasis.

If a zombie, ghoul or wight infested with 'Barumbi Plague' is destroyed, the negative energies empowering its flesh disperse, and one round later, the fungus enters it's long-delayed reproductive phases and a cloud of reddish spores fill the creatures space, and all adjacent squares, infecting all creatures present with the Barumbi Plague.

Warm-blooded living creatures are immediately infected, and at the end of the round, suffer 1 hit point of damage, as the fungus spreads tendrils across their exposed skin, and into their flesh, draining them of moisture and warmth, to fuel it's own growth. The fungus can be removed by remove disease (DC 11) or one hit point worth of acid or fire damage, or a Heal check at DC 11 as a full round action. If not removed, at the end of the second round of infestation, the victim takes 2 hit points of damage, and it now takes 2 hit points of acid or fire damage (or a DC 12 Heal check or remove disease use) to cure. At the end of each subsequent round of untreated infestation, the damage inflicted (or damage to remove) increases by 1, and the DC to treat it with a Heal check or remove disease increases by 1, until the end of the sixth round of infection, when it inflicts six hit points of damage (and after which it requires six hit points of acid or fire damage, or a DC 17 Heal / remove disease check to cure). During the seventh round after infection, the fungal infestation visibly sprouts bright red rhizone growths, and at the end of that round, they spew spores in all directions, infecting all within the victim's space, and all adjacent spaces, starting the whole life-cycle anew.

Living creatures that are not warm-blooded, such as reptiles or plant life, are unaffected, and the fungal spores perish within moments, but fleshy undead creatures in the area of a spore explosion (such as zombies, ghouls or wights) become carriers, but suffer no harm. They remain carriers unless cleansed by one of the above techniques (and are always treated as if at the sixth and final stage of infection, requiring six points of acid or fire damage, or a DC 17 Heal check or remove disease check to 'cure'). Undead with no corporeal bodies or flesh on their bones are also unaffected, and cannot serve as carriers.

Barumbi Plague-infected zombies, ghouls and wights are most common in the Mwangi Expanse, and the fungus, due to it's own overly efficient life-cycle, has failed to spread far beyond the ruined city where it was created.

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Orcs of the Black Blood.

Many 'civilized' races have found it easier to dehumanize or demonize orcs, thanks not only to their savagery and brutish demeanor, but also due to their physiological differences. Men and dwarves and halflings and most types of animal life native to Golarion have distinctive bright red blood, while the blood of orcs is black, and cools rapidly when spilled, giving it an alien and unsettling character.

The eyes of orcs are similarly a solid glossy black, with no visible delineation between pupil, iris or sclera, adding to the 'inhuman' feel of the species.

The eyes of an orc / human hybrid may be solid black, like their orcish parent (in which case, raised among orcish society, they may be grudgingly accepted), entirely human, with white sclera, black pupils and a range of possible iris colorations (in which case they are said to have 'weak eyes,' and, in some orcish tribes, are killed, enslaved, cast out, or even, in some cases, blinded and *then* cast out), or, rarest of all, black orcish sclera and pupils, but human irises, most strikingly rings of blue, green or hazel, on a field of black (these rarer half-orcs are raised as rangers and hunters of men, said to have 'men in their eyes,' not as an insult, but as a compliment, and thought to be particularly skilled, and motivated, to hunt and kill humans. The more clever among them recognize their good fortune, and exploit their reputation, going on to fulfill this prophecy and become fierce hunters of men).

Half-orcs tend to have darker than normal blood as well, although still red in hue under close examination, and certain communities and societies consider them 'tainted' by this 'black blood,' prone to the same inhuman savagery as their black-blooded orcish parent. In such unenlightened and superstition-gripped cultures, a half-orc may suffer attempts to divine 'how tainted they are' through examination of their blood, with examiners prejudicially displaying the blood in a dark-colored cup (to make it more visibly 'black') or smearing it across a white linen (to make the red stand out and 'prove' that this particular half orc is 'one of the good ones'). In such surroundings, a half-orc may find that bloodletting or the application of leeches is expected, to purge them of their 'dark humors,' and if some half-orcs die of these practices, the locals console themselves that at least they 'saved' the half-orc from the taint of their dark blood...

While these practices and beliefs seem barbaric (and are utterly worthless, in practice, with the 'darkest blooded' half-orc being no more or less good or evil, violent or peaceful, than the redder-blooded 'good ones'), there is a modicum of truth, distorted beyond recognition, in these beliefs.

In ages past, when a sharp-eyed viewer could still see the crystal cities of the folk that dwelt upon the moon, orcs lived deep within the Darklands, in the realm of Orv, where they served as slaves to the forgotten peoples known only as 'the Builders.' Some orcish prophets claim that the orcs *were* the Builders, but this seems unlikely, and, even when some rare orc shows a gift for construction, the orcish 'style' of building is utterly disimilar to the style of the ancient Builders (which is, indeed, far more similar to the construction styles of ancient Osirion, or the ghouls of Nemret Noktoria, than anything else).

Still, the similarity between the black-blooded orcs, and the mystical 'Black Blood' of Orv, is more than just cosmetic. Certain orcs, of more 'pure' bloodlines than the rest, and rarely seen outside of the inner courts of the rulers of the Hold of Belkzen, are said to have the blackest blood of all, passed down from the ancient times, and derive from them certain unique characteristics.

Orcs of the Black Blood
Orcs of the Black Blood are defined by their class levels— they do not possess racial Hit Dice. They have the following racial traits.

•+2 Strength, –2 Intelligence: Orcs of the Black Blood are not as physically powerful as their brutish kin, but are more perceptive and self-possessed.
•Black Blood Affinity: Orcs of the Black Blood cast all necromantic spells at +1 caster level, and are treated as having +2 to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, and being 1 level higher, when calculating the effects of Death Domain / Undead Bloodline / Necromancy School / Bones Mystery powers.
•Cold Resistance 5: The cool black ichor of the Black-Bloods makes them resistant to extremes of cold.
•Darkvision: Orcs of the Black Blood can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
•Ferocity: An Orc of the Black Blood remains conscious and can continue fighting even if its hit point total is below 0. It is still staggered and loses 1 hit point each round. A creature with ferocity still dies when its hit point total reaches a negative amount equal to its Constitution score.
•Light Blindness: Orcs of the Black Blood are even more sensitive to bright light than their kin.
•Weapon Familiarity: Orcs of the Black Blood are always proficient with greataxes and falchions, and treat any weapon with the word “orc” in its name as a martial weapon.
•Languages: Orcs begin play speaking Common and Orc. Orcs with high Intelligence scores can choose from among the following bonus languages: Aklo, Dwarven, Giant, Goblin, Undercommon.


Hey Set, Due to the lack of PMs...

Spoiler:
I recall you commenting on the Secrets of Tactical Archetypes when it came out. If you did end up getting it, would you be willing to review it? I'm always looking for feedback, positive or negative. I was quite excited when I saw your comment since I have always loved your stuff here!

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Cheapy wrote:

Hey Set, Due to the lack of PMs...

** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler:
I haven't picked it up, and might not be able to until after Christmas. Seasonal work is starting up, and I'm looking forward to eighty hour weeks and finally being able to eat something other than ramen noodles! :)

Set wrote:
Cheapy wrote:

Hey Set, Due to the lack of PMs...

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

Can you send me an email? It's this name at gmail.com

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So, some feats inspired by Secrets of Tactical Archetypes.

For the Pack Hunter, in specific, but usable usable by Cody's Hound Master Cavalier archetype, or any Druid or Summoner archetype able to have multiple companions or eidolons, as well as some others, possibly.

Pack Rend (Teamwork)
Your pack delivers extra damage when they savage a target in the same round.

Prerequisites: Must be an animal companion, bonded mount or eidolon that benefits from the Link class ability, base attack bonus +3.

Benefit: If your animal companion strikes a target that has also been damaged by another companion that also has this feat, in the same round, it inflicts rend damage equal to it's bite damage. Only a single incidence of rend can be triggered in this manner per round, and if more than two qualifying companions (all of whom must be linked to the same character) hit the same target, the rend damage is increased by it's base damage for each companion over two.

For the purposes of this feat, rend damage is added to the triggering attack, for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

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Savage Trip
Your bonded companion gains additional attacks on tripped foes.

Prerequisites Must have the Trip Monster Ability, base attack bonus +5

Benefit If a foe that you threaten is tripped (by your own attack, that of an ally, or other circumstance), it automatically triggers an attack of opportunity from you.

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Savage Trip kinda works like Greater Trip, but is available to animal companions who could never qualify for that feat. While primarily intended for animal companions, bonded mounts and / or eidolons who qualify, the wording of the prerequisite line also makes it available to wild shape or beast shape II users who have access to the Trip monster ability (although they would only be able to use it while in a form that qualifies for that ability...).

Pack Rend is a Teamwork feat that PCs can't take, which is all kinds of crazy, but I like it. A companion feat that a ranger (or druid, summoner, whatever) could take advantage of it seems intuitive, but would, IMO, be more trouble than it's worth. If such a feat were introduced, I'd want to rule that the Rangers attack could qualify to make the companion's attack a rend, but not the other way around, as I think it might balance better to have the rend based off of the companions damage, and not the rangers.


Set would you mind if we posted these in our free Pathways E-zine?

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Rite Publishing wrote:
Set would you mind if we posted these in our free Pathways E-zine?

Help yourself!

Feel free to edit them if they seem out of balance with what you're shooting for.


This thread is awesome. Like, I don't think there's a single thing here that I couldn't find a place for in my game.

Also, Set. If you ever find yourself lacking ideas, I recommend This site. I'd be very interested to see some Pathfinderised versions of some of the stuff there.

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A CR20 Seagull wrote:
This thread is awesome. Like, I don't think there's a single thing here that I couldn't find a place for in my game.

Thanks! High praise, indeed!

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And, continuing on my tactical feats theme, some other ideas that popped up, designed to not so much benefit the user, as his allies.

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Unreadying Critical
Your most skillful blows can unready an opponent and open him up to attack by your allies.
Prerequisites: Critical Focus.
Benefit: Whenever you confirm a critical hit, your target is unreadied and provokes an immediate attack of opportunity from anyone other than you who threatens them.

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Focused Channel
Your channeled energy is especially distracting, allowing your allies to gain additional attacks on those you damage.
Prerequisites: Channel Energy class feature.
Benefit: You can focus your channeled energy on a single target within range, and if they fail their saving throw versus the channel attempt, they not only take the normal damage from this effect, but also are unreadied, provoking an immediate attack of opportunity from anyone other than yourself that threatens them. If your use of channeled energy would not damage or harm the target (un-enhanced positive energy vs. the living, un-modified negative energy vs. the undead, a Command Undead attempt, etc.), you can still select a single target to affect, but the target does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

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Unreadying Spell
Your spells can unready foes, and make them susceptible to your allies’ attacks.
Prerequisites: Int 13.
Benefit: Choose one type of saving throw, Fortitude, Reflex or Will. Any spell you cast that provokes this sort of saving throw also cause the target or targets stuck to lose their focus and become unreadied if they fail their save, in addition to the normal effects of the spell. An unreadied foe provokes an immediate attack of opportunity from anyone other than yourself that threatens them.

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I kinda of wiffled around with different terms. Unreadied won out over 'unsettled' and 'unbalanced.' 'Disruptive' already kinda means something else, as does 'staggered' or 'shaken' or even 'distracted,' so they were out, even if I like them better for this condition.

In retrospect, maybe 'distracted' works better, but I coulda sworn there was a 'distracting spell' already that did something else... Eh. Cosmetics, really.

The Feats pretty much write themselves. One that allows a monk to blow a point of ki or replace a use of stunning fist with a strike that 'unreadies' a foe, or that replaces one or more dice of sneak attack with a chance to unready a foe, would follow along this theme.

A party won't really be able to seize full scary advantage of having more than one member with the ability to force a foe to provoke AoOs unless everybody has Combat Reflexes and a decent Dex, decent maneuverability (so that everyone can threaten the foe) and / or reach weapons (in which case, it could get obscene...).


Creatures from the mana wastes could be interesting. Magical creatures that moved into the area, and in time, were warped into different monstrosities.

I'm thinking about a low level campaign set there, where people are searching the Wastes for wild magic artifacts (as in, wild magic made physical).

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Cheapy wrote:

Creatures from the mana wastes could be interesting. Magical creatures that moved into the area, and in time, were warped into different monstrosities.

I'm thinking about a low level campaign set there, where people are searching the Wastes for wild magic artifacts (as in, wild magic made physical).

Was this meant to go here?

Anywho, I'll play!

Under the assumption that magical beasts require a certain level of 'ambient magic' to thrive, adopting a magical beast or two to still survive in the mana wastes, but to be starving ravenous creatures that draw sustenance from magical energies (and the usual suspects, like meat), and yet don't necessarily become immune to magic. A burning hands spell might burn and scar and pain them, but also give them a surge of energy like a 1 round haste spell, while making their saving throw to break out of a hold monster or something might similarly give them a burst of energy or healing, as they devour / absorb some of the magic.

Ideally, I'd want 'magical beasts' that fit the region and the power level of the campaign, and also have something inherently 'magical' about them, like a spell-like ability or supernatural ability (owlbears, for instance, aren't terribly 'magical,' they're just mutants, for the most part), so taking hyenas as the base and giving them a SLA (standard action 1/minute to 'chuckle' and affect a non-hyena with cause fear, for instance), and then strapping on this 'starved for magic' template could be one way to go. Other creatures with magical abilities, such as pugwampi, could also fit the theme, and, unless targetted with magic to 'devour,' they can't use their supernatural unluck aura, making them seem more harmless, until that first spell effect goes off and they absorb it and start forcing everyone to roll twice for everything (for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell they absorbed?).

The magical artifacts you mention remind me somewhat of Eberron's living spells (which would fit well around Nex and / or the Mana Wastes anyway, particularly with Nex's focus on both magic and oozes). Instead of a spell going wild and forming into a living spell, it might crystallize and become a small stone, which pulses with the energy of the spell, waiting to go off. Some might be unstable, and just 'go off' if touched, others might be able to be stabilized (perhaps with a spellcraft check) and saved 'for later' and then tossed as a one-use spell item. Alternately, instead of crystal item or living spell ooze, a spell might become vaporous, and remain in the area like a haunt, invisible and waiting to trigger under the right circumstances (someone enters the area, another magical effect occurs in the area, etc.).


I guess I was wondering if you had done anything that touches the Mana Wastes yet. I should probably start adding my questions to my posts :)

And yes! Your reference reminds me of Aware Arcana, a 3rd party template for spells. I think that might work well.

I do like the idea of creatures that feed off of arcane energy.

Unrelated, but I wonder about corpses that are animated by the wild magic of the land. Kind of like...arcane zombies.

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Cheapy wrote:
Unrelated, but I wonder about corpses that are animated by the wild magic of the land. Kind of like...arcane zombies.

Option A would be that they were killed by out of control arcane effects, and seek out and destroy users of magic out of spite.

Option B would be that the arcane energies animating them are 'hungry' for more arcane energy, as per the above starving magical beasts, and they are buffed by magical attacks upon them, and also receive a death knell like buff when a spellcaster (or magical beast, fey, outsider, etc.) dies adjacent to them, as they drain the released arcane energies. (Or maybe they have to chew up the dead source of magic to receive this buff, but that's not really useful as an encounter ability unless the PCs stumble upon them just as they are devouring a dead magical beast...)


Set:

Have you ever looked at the psionic power of object reading ? It gave me an idea for "forensic divinations"; spells that would be useful in telling if someone has recently handled an object or such rather than been an owner of it. These spells would be the equivalent of the "crime scene" shows on TV nowadays.

Since you are far better at coming up with game material that I am I thought of bringing this up to you.

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Bill Lumberg wrote:

Set:

Have you ever looked at the psionic power of object reading ? It gave me an idea for "forensic divinations"; spells that would be useful in telling if someone has recently handled an object or such rather than been an owner of it. These spells would be the equivalent of the "crime scene" shows on TV nowadays.

Since you are far better at coming up with game material that I am I thought of bringing this up to you.

It's a great power, used to good effect by comic-book characters like Snowbird and Longshot, but, from a writer's perspective, it's got to be strictly controlled. Precognition, for instance, is almost always uncontrolled in stories, to prevent the protagonist who has it from being immune to being surprised by anything (or it's a gift of an unreliable NPC, either insane or prone to keeping information to themself for whatever reason).

GURPS had spells named History and Major History (IIRC, been a decade or so...), that I remember being absolute spoilers for any sort of investigative encounter. Find the place most likely to have been a 'crime scene' and cast the spell and bang, mystery solved.

The ideal spell of this sort would be something that was innately unreliable, prone to picking up the most emotionally charged event, and limiting the replay to only be seen by the caster / sensitive (who must then relay the information to others) and limited by the lighting conditions or visual conditions of the moment (or person whose perspective is being seen from).

So,
A) Someone using the effect might end up casting the spell to find out who broke into their inn room last night and took their coinpouch, only to find out that someone got shanked by a prostitute in this room six months ago, and *those* psychic impressions vastly overpower the psychic impressions left behind by the thief.

B) The PC who uses the effect might lack the skills or Perception score or language necessary to get maximum information from the image they see, and since it's only visible to him, the combined skills and intuition of the entire party cannot be brought to bear on processing clues from the image shown.

C) If the event occurs in the dark, a character lacking darkvision might see nothing of use, or if the perspective must come from a person in the area at the time, that person may have had their back to their killer (or they had a mask on, or something), and not had a useful perspective on the 'action.'

At this point, however, enough restrictions have been placed on the retrocognition/postcognition/object reading effect that it's explicit that, like pretty much *all* divination effects, it's up to the GM what information to share, in which case, why did the PC take a specific spell or ability to do this in the first place?

It's totally meta, but, like teleportation/transportation effects, sensory effects are tightly GM-controlled, and, if the GM wanted the party to have that information (or get to that destination), the GM would already have provided ways for that information to become available without this particular effect/spell (or that destination to be reached without anybody being able to teleport the group). From a purely selfish perspective, it then becomes a waste of a resource to learn a divination or group transportation effect, because the GM was already going to handle that anyway, to further the plot.

So, basically, that's my thinking on this sort of effect.

Right out of the box, usable without a heap of restrictions, it's 'too good' at solving mysteries.

Restricted to the point of not being too good, it's superfluous, since the GM wanted you to know anything it would have told you, and would have allowed you to find it out without this spell/power.

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A twist on object reading would be a divination spell that shows to the caster the past of an object, without revealing anything beyond the object, could be interesting. Pick up a dagger, and wind back through the days, seeing it get bloodied, and dropped, but only the glove that touched it, and the fabric of the person it stabbed, and not their faces or the location. Pick up a ring and see the fingers of the lady who put it on first, then 'scroll back' further and see the ring being hammered into shape by a goldsmith.

Alternately, a different sort of object reading might latch onto the strongest 'emotional resonance' on an item and, so long as the item is held and the spell maintained, it tingles when it faces the direction towards the source of that emotional tie. A dagger used to kill someone might have a strong connection to the person killed, and lead first to where the body was dumped. Using the effect again would pick the next association, which might be the person who committed the murder, or yet another victim...

Another variation would be a spell cast upon a broken or damaged item, or a fragmentary remain of something, that causes it to appear whole and unbroken to the caster's eyes. The charred ashes of a burnt letter would appear whole, and allow the caster to read it (if he can read whatever language it was written in). A scrap of cloth caught on a windowframe might appear reconstructed, and allow the caster to identify what sort of clothing it came from (and possibly recognize it if he's seen it before, or sees it again).


Set:

All good points there, thank you. I have mixed feelings on divinations for many of the reasons that you pointed out. This gives me a better idea of other objections that players might have.


Actually, Set, certain powers, like object reading, can make fantastic story-telling tools to enhance the over-all power of the story told. Recently (well, a while back), I used the power Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions in the King Maker Adventure Path (Adventure 3) to see the event with the village in that one (spoiler free spoiler: something happens somewhere), without which a great amount of story would have completely gone to waste. I never once felt gypped by it, because, that was some impressive stuff and provided a strong impetus for us to hurry, as well as giving us a minor heads-up on what we were eventually going to face. Very useful in fact!


I would very much like to see a Set interpretation of some Steampunk items. weapons and some utility gear more then anything.

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A CR20 Seagull wrote:
I would very much like to see a Set interpretation of some Steampunk items. weapons and some utility gear more then anything.

I'm in the middle of holiday season at the post office, so, my brain is mush. I don't often say this, but, on the subject of steampunk items / gear, I got nuthin...

I am at the whim of my muse, and something about 72 hour work weeks and the stress of the holiday season causes her to generally take the month of December off. :)

Maybe in mid-January, when I can again call myself sentient, I'll think of something.

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Set, I am happy you have not gone postal at work yet and are getting to post a little here and there.

;)

When you have a chance can you take a gander at the 1st Ed spell, I want to use it for Untamo (the Finnish god of Sleep) or for Desna, the Lady from the Dark Tapestry (don't tell James!). Fell free to tweak it as you see fit, like making it a 3rd level spell or giving it a saving throw (or at least a Perception skill role to see if the target wakes up). The wording is a little 'wonky' since it's from 1st Ed, but this would still be a fun deity specific spell.

Spoiler:

Spell:

Dream Speak

Level: Second
Range: 6"
Duration: 1 Turn + 1 Rounds/Level
Area of Effect: One Creature
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 2 Segments
Saving Throw: None

This spell will require that the magic user cast it on a creature that is already asleep. The sleep can be a natural one or one that was caused by a spell or magical effect.

When the spell is cast the magic user will be able to ask questions of the sleeping target. The questions must be ones that are direct and can easily be answered. Asking them what the strategy of their master for invading a city would not be something they could answer but asking where their master is or which city he plans to attack would be allowed.

The spell does not allow the creature to speak or understand languages that they would not normally know. The victim will answer the questions as truthfully as they can though only answering the questions ask of them. They are not compelled to volunteer any information other than direct answers to questions.


The verbal component of this will cause huge issues. It's going to wake up anyone it's being used on, unless it's magical sleep.

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My initial thoughts;

Dreamthief
School divination (compulsion) [language-dependent, mind-affecting]; Level cleric/oracle 1, inquisitor 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1

CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components S, F (a silver bowl worth 25 gp. filled with water)

EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one sleeping creature
Duration 1 minute / level
Saving Throw Will negates (see text); Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION
This spell allows you to probe the mind of a sleeping individual, causing them to dream of information you seek from them, which appears reflected in the waters of the silver bowl used as a focus component, although these images will only be visible to the spellcaster, and not to any others present.

Dream-images gleaned in this manner will be relevant to the information sought, and completely truthful, but the sleeper is not compelled to volunteer additional information. At the GM's discretion, some imagery may be cryptic or symbolic in nature, but should always provide useful information, so long as the sleeping target has useful information on the desired subject.

The target of this spell is allowed a Will save to resist this tampering, although a single success only indicates that the dream imagery provides no useful answers or insights. One question can be asked each minute of the spells duration, and if the target succeeds on two successive Will saves, they wake up immediately, and are made aware of the direction, distance and appearance of the spellcaster.

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I totally changed it, to suit my own preferences for divination spells to be more in the GM's hands to adjudicate, and added some random flavor junk (silver bowl, clear water, reflected dream images) to spice up a fairly generic baseline idea.

Close range allows the dream-spy to lurk somewhere nearby (perhaps crouched upon an adjacent roof, viewing the sleeper through an open window...), and not worry about having to stealth up to within touch range of the sleeper and loom over them while casting a spell. Then again, that's a neat visual and a neat restriction, so perhaps the spell could be reduced to touch range, but be boostable to close range if the caster has some personal item or a lock of hair or something that allows them to extend the range of the magic...

A variation of this spell, that only affected targets blissed out of their gourds on Snake Weed, was a significant precense in my Freeport game (Serpentfolk sorcerers would encourage the use of snakeweed, because it gave them more people to scry upon, use as unwitting 'eyes and ears' around the city, and, eventually, manipulate, as they became more and more susceptible to specific enchantment variations, designed to charm or compel those addicted to snakeweed).

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Love it Set! And quick service at that!

Thank you very much. Now try to make it Gen Con this year old bean!

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Random critter inspired by Mythic Monsters Revisited, which I just got and found fun;

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Kymora has the body of a black scaled lion, with the tail of a manticore, a dragon’s wings, and a six-eyed draconic head that has the horns of a ram and the mane of a lion, combining some of the worst characteristics of both chimera and manticore, despite being demon, through and through.

KYMORA CR 8
XP 4,800
CE Large outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +6

DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +9 natural armor, -1 size)
hp 103 (9d10+54)
Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +9
Damage Reduction 5/cold iron and good or law; Immune electricity, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; Spell Resistance 19

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee 1 bite +14 (2d6+6 plus poison) or 1 gore +14 (1d8+6), 2 claws +14 (1d6+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (usable every 1d4 rounds), smite good 1/day, smite law 1/day

STATISTICS
Str 23, Dex 16, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 15 Cha 12
Base Atk +9, CMB +15; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip)
Feats Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness
18 Skills Fly 6 (+11), Perception 6 (+15), Stealth 6 (+8, +12 in scrubland or brush); Racial Bonus +4 Perception, +4 Stealth in scrubland or brush
Languages Abyssal, Draconic; telepathy 100 ft.
Special Qualities all-around vision, always ready

SPECIAL ABILITIES
All-Around Vision (Ex) Kymora’s six eyes can see in all directions. He gains a +4 racial bonus to Perception and cannot be flanked.

Always Ready (Ex) If Kymora is not flat-footed, it is treated as always having readied an action to intercept a charge. It uses its gore attack for this attack, and inflicts double damage to a charging foe. This is treated as its attack of opportunity for the round, and if it has already made an attack of opportunity, it cannot intercept a charge in this manner.

Breath Weapon (Su) Kymora’s breath weapon can either be a 40 ft. line of acid or a 20 ft. cone of acid, but in either case is usable once every 1d4 rounds, inflicts 6d8 acid damage, and allows a DC 19 Reflex save for half damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Poison (Ex) Bite – injury; save Fort DC 19; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Con; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Smite Good/Smite Law (Su) 1/day each as an immediate action, Kymora can choose to smite good or smite law, gaining a bonus equal to his Charisma modifier to hit a target of the appropriate alignment, and bonus damage equal to his HD against that target. This effect lasts until the target is dead, or Kymora next rests. Kymora can choose to either smite good or smite law, and activating the other smite immediately ends the first smite.

Spikes (Ex) With a snap of its tail, Kymora can unleash a volley of four spikes as a standard action (make an attack roll for each spike). This attack has a range of 180 ft. with no range increment. All targets must be within 30 ft. of each other. Kymora can launch only 24 spikes in any 24-hour period.

ECOLOGY
Environment the Abyss, temperate or warm hills
Organization solitary
Treasure standard

Kymora is one of the more ‘successful’ of Lamashtu’s experiments at mixing the chimera and manticore bloodlines with fiendish blood. The essence of both chaos and evil and mixed powerfully into the bloodline of this creature, giving it demonic resistances that greatly increase its power over that of lesser creatures of its type.

Kymora is gripped with profound madness, having three warring psyches that cause it to behave in savage and cruel ways that even demonic residents of Lamashtu’s realm find capricious and unpredictable, going on periodic rampages in which it leaves corpses behind, as it has no interest in consuming the flesh of the creatures it strikes down with acid, spines and venom. Because of these rampages, the fiendish vultures and hyena that frequent its typical range follow it at a wary distance, seeking easy meat left behind by Kymora’s butchery.

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Silly me posted that before I had let it percolate.

Forgot to add the Manticore spikes to the combat section, and to adjust the CMB and CMD for the size Large.

Ranged 4 spikes +11 (1d8+6)

BAB +9; CMB +16; CMD 19 (23 vs. trip)

Ugh. Sloppy.


Now that would be a fun mount. Are you familiar with the leshys from b3?

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Cheapy wrote:
Now that would be a fun mount.

I had intended on playing up with Kymora's partially draconic nature and lion-like mane, and giving it a draconic Fearful Presence ability, but I felt like I'd already strapped enough extra stuff onto that particular chassis. My biggest (self-observed, anyway) weakness with monster design is not knowing when to stop adding stuff.

The sole reason I made this is because I have a rabid dislike of asymmetry, and wanted a 'Chimera' that didn't have three heads, but retained much of the nature of the mythical beastie. By having one head, combining the features of a goat, lion and dragon, and buffing some other attributes to compensate for the loss of the additional bite and gore attack, I was able to make something that 'looked right' to my eye. :)

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Are you familiar with the leshys from b3?

I was not, but now I have looked at them and am. Cute pictures.

Verdant burst stumped me at first, as I checked Special Abilities and the Universal Monster Rules at the back of the book, and forgetted completely that they sometimes sneak new subtypes (like 'Leshy') in and put abilities under them as well.


I really like the idea of them, especially the construction method. You build the body, and hope for the best. It's so much less violent than making a construct, where you're enslaving an elemental.

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Cheapy wrote:
I really like the idea of them, especially the construction method. You build the body, and hope for the best. It's so much less violent than making a construct, where you're enslaving an elemental.

It does feels more 'if I build it, maybe they'll come' sort of deal.

The whole 'craft the body and hope' deal sort of feels like building a birdhouse, and hoping that some songbirds will move into your yard.

On the other side, it might be cruel, cruel fun to have an unintended spirit move in, with a less pleasant aspect...

Or to come up with a naughtier verison of a leshy made from animal parts by druids and / or witches of less savory reputation! Gathering together wasted bits of carrion from careless sports-hunting nobles and cobbling them together and calling vindictive and angry nature-spirits to seek revenge on the wastrels who left these bodies to rot, sounds appropriately creepy, particularly if the malicious little constructs aren't terribly picking about whom they take revenge upon, and a party of low-level adventurers have to track them down and protect the local villagers etc. from the mad druids vengeful little sendings.

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Set how's this video for mass combat ?

Calistra picked her favoured animal well.

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baron arem heshvaun wrote:

Set how's this video for mass combat ?

Calistra picked her favoured animal well.

Grim. I like 'useful' animals, like honeybees, so I want to jump through the computer screen and swat those evil hornets! (Only, wearing an evil-hornet proof suit, 'cause those things look like getting stung by one would be brutal!)

Evolution, as it pertains to *behaviors,* is a cruel beast. Longer teeth? Deadlier poison? All good. But animals benefitting by adopting vicious behaviors like this bugs me.

Mockingbirds thrive by laying their eggs in the nests of other birds, and their young pitch the eggs and hatchlings of the mother bird out of the nest, so that they don't have to share food. Packs of lions roam around and steal kills from cheetahs, hyenas, etc. and kill their cubs/pups when they find them, to eliminate competition.

I'm all for animals doing what animals do (killing and eating each other, etc.), but it upsets my sense of right and wrong that some animals profit by being ruthless dicks to each other.

Stuff like that makes me want to shoot mockingbirds on general principle!

On the other hand, a decade or so ago, our town was crawling with seagulls, and then crows expanded northward as our winters got milder, and flew around raiding the gulls nests and smashing their eggs, and now, where we used to have gulls in the McDonald's parking lots, we have crows. Since I like crows better than seagulls, I'm totally a hypocrite and approve of this!

Cognitive/values dissonance is my friend!

Anywho, yeah, wasps, fun critters. And, particularly the paper wasps or mud daubers, yet another 'vermin' that is able to make use of a Craft skill, despite not having an Int score. Grr. The Int nonability / mindless quality being applied to creatures that can be trained, can experience fear, can learn and remember, can do math, etc. is probably my least favorite rule from 3.X.

As for favored animals, I'm intrigued by Pharasma and her whip-poor-will association. Desna and her creepy insectile butteryfly 'angels' (or, azata) sounds fun, but I'm still tossing around in my head how a whip-poor-will themed Pharasman lesser planar ally would look. Combining it somehow with a will-o-the-wisp, just because the words sound amusingly similar, could be one way to go...

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Set wrote:
Grim. I like 'useful' animals, like honeybees, so I want to jump through the computer screen and swat those evil hornets! (Only, wearing an evil-hornet proof suit, 'cause those things look like getting stung by one would be brutal!)

I agree that was rather brutal to watch, I have no great love for bees (but realize how important they are globally) however those hornets SCARE me.

I am not sure where I stand in the sea gulls (there is a CR 20 one on the top of this page though) vs crows genocide debate, but it was ravens vs pigeons I would have quietly turned a blind eye as ravens sent train loads of pigeons to their version of a Dachau concentration camp.


That was... enlightening.

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Never really got around to making any Archetypes, I see. Time to correct that;

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Shadow Hunter (Ranger Archetype)
The cold-eyed hunters of Nidal are as likely to seek down fleeing slaves, or Desnan heretics, as big game or dangerous monsters, and their training in the Umbral Court prepares them to manipulate the darkness within their own spirits, and manifest the fears and doubts of their quarry, in ways unknown outside of that benighted land.
Camouflage (Ex): As the 12th level Ranger class ability, but gained instead at 3rd level. This ability replaces Endurance.
Shadow Bond (Su): The Shadow Hunter can choose to manipulate his own darkness, or that of his prey. This choice must be made when the ability is learned, and cannot be changed thereafter.
A Shadow Hunter that chooses to pull forth the darkness within himself gains the Summon Shadow ability of a Shadowdancer. This ability functions identically to that of a Shadowdancer, but the shadow summoned also has the Sunlight Powerlessness trait of a Spectre.
A Shadow Hunter that learns instead to darken the eyes of his prey gains the ability of Shadow Shroud, and is always treated as having partial concealment (imposing a 20% miss chance) versus the attacks of any of his Favored Enemies. This ability replaces Hunter’s Bond.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): As the 17th level Ranger class ability, but gained instead at 12th level.
Shadow Quarry (Su): At 17th level, the Shadow Hunter inflicts 1d6 Strength damage whenever he critically hits a designated quarry. He heals 5 hit points whenever this effect occurs. This is a negative energy effect. A creature dies if its strength damage equals or exceeds its actual Strength score.

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Deity write-ups for Apep, Khepri and Wadjet, from the Osirion Player's Companion, including new sub-Domain options for each of them.

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Apep, Devourer of the Dawn
CE god of darkness, hidden dangers and river monsters
CLERICS
Domains Animal, Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Water
Subdomains Demon, Loss, Night, Protean, Ocean, Scale*
Favored Weapon morningstar
FAITH
Sacred Animal river constrictor; Symbol serpent’s head devouring the sun
Center of Worship An, the City of Triangles
Nationality Osirion/Garundi

Khepri, the Dung Beetle
N god of perseverance, tricksters and the common man
CLERICS
Domains Animal, Protection, Strength, Trickery
Subdomains Chitin*, Deception, Defense, Resolve, Thievery
Favored Weapon dagger
FAITH
Sacred Animal scarab beetle; Symbol brown scarab
Centers of Worship Shiman-Sekh, Totra
Nationality Osirion/Garundi

Wadjet, Giver of Wisdom
NG goddess of protection and wise counsel
CLERICS
Domains Good, Knowledge, Protection, Scalykind, Water
Subdomains Agathion, Memory, Naga*, Oceans, Purity, Thought
Favored Weapon scorpion whip
FAITH
Sacred Animal cobra; Symbol uraeus rising from a circlet
Center of Worship Tephu, City of the Reed People
Nationality Osirion/Garundi

New Sub-Domains;
Scale Subdomain
Associated Domain: Animal
* Replacement Power: The following granted power replaces the speak with animals power of the Animal Domain.
* Serpentstrike (Su): As an attack action, you can cause a single creature to suffer the effects of a snake's bite with a melee touch attack. A translucent serpent of greenish-gold force automatically bites any target you hit with this touch attack, inflicting 1d4 piercing damage + poison (save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 cleric level; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Con; cure 1 save). You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier
Replacement Spells: 1st – barkskin (skin takes on a scaly appearance), 3rd- suggestion, 4th – poison

Chitin Subdomain
Associated Domain: Animal
Your animal-affecting spells can also affect creatures with the vermin type.
* Replacement Power: The following granted power replaces the speak with animals and animal companion powers of the Animal Domain.
* Carapace (Su) You can, as a swift action, grant yourself a natural armor bonus equal to ½ your cleric level (minimum one) for 1 round.
* Vermin Companion (Ex) At 4th level, you gain the service of a vermin companion, per the rules on APG p. 36-37. Your effective druid level for this vermin companion is equal to your cleric level -2. (Druids who take this ability through their nature bond class feature use their druid level -3 to determine the abilities of their animal companions.) Your vermin companion has a starting Int score of 1, and can take feats and skills normally, but does not have the mindless trait.
Replacement Spells: 1st – ant haul, 2nd – summon swarm, 7th – creeping doom

Naga Subdomain
Associated Domain: Scalykind
You add Swim to your list of class skills.
* Replacement Power: The following granted power replaces the serpent companion power of the Scalykind Domain.
* Divine Sorcery (Su) When you attain 4th level, once per day, when you prepare your cleric spells, you can substitute one or more of your domain spells for sorcerer/wizard spells. Each sorcerer/wizard spell selected must be prepared in a domain slot one level higher than its sorcerer/wizard level, and you can prepare a number of such spells whose original sorcerer/wizard level is equal to your Wisdom modifier (a sorcerer/wizard cantrip prepared in this manner counts as one level of spell, for this purpose).
Replacement Spells: 1st – charm person, 2nd – detect thoughts

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More new specialized sub-domains;

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Calistria
Vengeance Subdomain
Associated Domain: Trickery
Replacement Power: The following granted power replaces the copycat power of the Trickery Domain.
Shield of Retribution (Su) When you take damage from the attack of a foe within 30 ft., as an immediate action you can reduce the damage you take by half and cause the attacker to suffer the damage averted in your stead. As with the damage from shield other, this damage is untyped and bypasses damage reduction. You can invoke this effect a number of times equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Replacement Spells: 3rd – bestow curse, 5th– fire shield

Irori
Restraint Subdomain
Associated Domain: Strength
Replacement Power: The following granted power replaces the strength surge power of the Strength Domain.
Warding Shield (Su) When any ally within 30 ft. suffers damage, you can use an immediate action to negate half of the damage and take it yourself. You can use this effect a number of times equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier, but no more than once per round.
Replacement Spells: 2nd – shield other, 5th– waves of fatigue, 7th – waves of exhaustion

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Some favored class options for the Dragon Empires races;

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Kitsune Favored Class Options
Bard: Add one spell known from the bard spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level he can cast.

Rogue (or Ninja): Gain 1/6 of a rogue (or ninja) talent.

Sorcerer: Add one spell known from the sorcerer spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast, and must come from the schools of enchantment, illusion or transmutation.

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Nagaji Favored Class Options
Cleric: +1/2 to Handle Animal checks when dealing with reptiles and +1/6 to your cleric level when determining the abilities of a dinosaur, reptile or snake companion or familiar gained from the Animal Domain, Scalykind Domain or Serpent Domain.

Fighter: +1/2 to CMB checks for bull rush, drag or reposition checks.

Monk: +1/6 circumstance bonus to CMB and CMD.

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Samsaran Favored Class Options
Cleric: Add +1/2 to all knowledge checks, even untrained ones.

Druid: Pick one form you can assume via Wild Shape, for every six times you take this ability, you can wild shape into that form an additional time per day. The seventh and thirteenth time you take this option, you can select a new form to apply these bonuses towards, or continue gaining additional daily uses of a previous form selected.

Witch: Add 1 skill rank to the witch’s familiar. If the samsaran ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar gains these skill ranks.

Wizard: Gain the benefits of Spell Mastery to one spell in your spellbook. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level he can cast.

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Tengu Favored Class Options
Ranger: +1 / 2 levels to CMB and CMD to make or resist a disarm or sunder maneuver when wielding one or more sword-like weapons.

Rogue: Subtract 1 / 2 from the penalty to use your beak attack as a secondary attack.

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Wayang Favored Class Options
Rogue: Ignore 1% of the miss chance from concealment every time you take this option.

Witch: Add one spell from the witch or wizard spell list to the witch’s familiar. Wizard spells added in this fashion must either be of the [shadow] sub-school or have the [darkness] descriptor. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.

Wizard: Add one to your wizard level to determine the abilities of your bat, centipede, rat, spider or viper familiar from those on the chart on page 83 of the core rules.

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Not enough magical horseshoes! (Or, perhaps, too many. But here's one more!)

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CHARGER’S IRONS
Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
Slot hooves; Price 5308 gp.; Weight 12 lbs. (for four)

DESCRIPTION
These cold iron horseshoes grant a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls when the wearer attacks with its hooves. They can be further enhanced with higher bonuses or with other weapon properties, such as keen or bane or flaming as if a single weapon (with the final cost increased by 50%), and share their properties with the weapon of a mounted wearer making a charge attack, so long as those properties do not conflict (flaming and frost, for example). In the case of multiple sources of the same bonus, only the highest applies.
Example: Alain has a +2 flaming lance and is astride a mount with +1 keen charger’s irons.
His charge attack is resolved as if he was bearing a +2 cold iron flaming keen lance.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Magic Arms & Armor, greater magic weapon; Cost 2808 gp.

[Horseshoes assumed to cost 4 gp for a set of four, +300 gp. for masterwork. Double base cost, but not masterwork cost, for cold iron. +2000 gp. to the total cost (+1000 gp price) for the first magical enhancement.]

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Dark Ages of Camelot had (more or less) spell-less Paladins that generates one of three auras, one that blessed his entire party with fast healing, one that blessed his entire party with increased armor class, and one that blessed his entire party so that they inflicted extra damage. Later, they introduced their own 'anti-paladin' class, the Reaver, which had an aura that debuffed all nearby foes so that they either inflicted less damage, had less armor protection or took damage (reversing the three primary Paladin auras).

I kind of loved those Reaver auras, although they were less reliable than the Paladin auras (since buffs and healing are never resisted or mitigated by defenses), and I've decided to make some tweaked variations for Paizo's Antipaladin class.

I wrote them up as spells. Class ability versions that replaced the current Antipaladin auras would need to be significantly toned down, obviously!

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Blood Reaver
School necromancy [evil]; Level antipaladin 2, cleric 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a vampire fang*)
Range personal
Duration 1 round / level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

Your piercing or slashing melee attacks inflict 1d6 bleed damage in addition to their normal effects. This bleed damage can be healed normally (by any magical effect that cures hit point damage, or a DC 15 Heal check). For every person adjacent to you that is bleeding, whether from these effects or other effects, you gain fast healing equal to half the total bleed damage suffered. You do not benefit from bleed conditions that you yourself are suffering.

*Flavor: this spell was designed by a vampire antipaladin follower of the Whispering Way. Half of the bleed damage is given as healing to the caster. The other half evaporates and it's essence is transported across Golarion to the spell's designer, giving him an occasional tasty treat. He's also designed a few magical bladed weapons enhanced with the ability to inflict bleeding wounds, that also 'feed' him in this manner, and distributed them to allies and minions.

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Iron Reaver
School transmutation; Level antipaladin 2, cleric 3, paladin 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a fragment of corroded iron armor)
Range personal
Duration 1 round / level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

You create a field of entropic energy that strengthens your own worn or carried items at the cost of degrading other items near you. Your own equipment is increased in hardness and hit points by 50%, while all other unattended items are automatically halved in hardness and hit points so long as they remain adjacent to you. Items worn or carried by others are allowed a saving throw to negate this degradation. This degradation ends immediately if you or the item(s) affected move in such a way that they are no longer adjacent to you. A successful saving throw or spell resistance check made by the bearer of items that could be affected confers total protection from this spell no matter how many times the bearer enters, exits or re-enters adjacent squares.

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Pain Reaver
School necromancy; Level antipaladin 2, cleric 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a miniature wooden sword), F (a miniature adamantine shield worth 5 gp)
Range personal
Duration 1 round / level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

You surround yourself with a field of entropic energy that absorbs the impact of blows against you and redirects their force to increase the effectiveness of your own attacks. Any adjacent attacker must save or find that their melee attacks against you inflict only half damage. Whenever your aura partially absorbs an attack in this fashion, your own melee attacks inflict 50% more damage for 1 round. Attackers making a successful saving throw must continue to save each round they remain adjacent to you, or be affected, while those who make a successful spell resistance check are unaffected for the remainder of the spells duration.

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Random magic item;

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SIX DEMON BAG, TYPE I
Aura faint conjuration; CL 6th
Slot none; Price 3000 gp.; Weight 6 lbs.

DESCRIPTION
This small sack is made of scaled red leather and surprisingly heavy, occasionally bulging or squirming as if it contains a living creature. The cord that binds it shut can be untied once per day as a standard action releasing one of the following effects;

1 – gust of wind, as the spell.
2 – sound burst, as the spell.
3 – burning hands, as the spell.
4 – a swarm of bats, as from a summon swarm spell.
5 – a close ranged ray attack that inflicts damage as per shocking grasp.
6 – a dretch demon, as if summoned by summon monster III.

The user should keep track of dretch demons slain, as the bag only contains six of them, total, and the caster level of all effects is reduced by one for each missing dretch. If all six are destroyed, the bag loses all power, but as long as at least one remains, it can be ‘recharged’ by using lesser planar ally or lesser planar binding to call additional dretches to replace those slain, up a maximum of six dretches.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, summon monster III; Cost 1500 gp.

Silver Crusade

Set wrote:

SIX DEMON BAG, TYPE I

Awesome. And now I have to watch that movie again!

...wait, "Type I"?

curiosity and anticipation stoked

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Some Alchemist feats;

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Splatter Shot
You have learned to throw a splash weapon in such a way as to break open and splash in a cone-shaped burst.
Prerequisites: Point-Blank Shot
Benefit: You can throw a splash weapon, such as holy water, or an alchemist’s bomb, in such a way that it produces a 15 ft. cone from the point of impact, rather than a 5 ft. splash. The primary target takes full damage, but the splash effect begins in the square behind him, and proceeds in a 15 ft. cone using the diagrams on page 215 of the core rules. If using the explosive bombs discovery, or some other splash weapon with a 10 ft. splash effect), you instead use the 30 ft. cone diagrams on that same page.

Chain Splash
You know a secret technique to cause a splash weapon to strike more than a single target.
Prerequisites: Point-Blank Shot
Benefit: When throwing a splash weapon such as an alchemist’s bomb, or holy water, you can make a second ranged touch attack to inflict half of the original rolled damage to a secondary target within 5 ft. of the primary target. The secondary target suffers any secondary effects as if it were also the primary target (such as a chance of catching on fire, from alchemist’s fire, or being staggered by an alchemist using the frost bomb discovery). Splash damage is calculated only from the square of the primary target, and the secondary target does not suffer splash damage in addition to the halved regular damage.

Dark Archive

Mikaze wrote:
Set wrote:

SIX DEMON BAG, TYPE I

Awesome. And now I have to watch that movie again!

...wait, "Type I"?

curiosity and anticipation stoked

Heh. The original version was too wonky. Every spell had a bonus effect (the burning hands caused people to catch on fire like alchemist's fire and the gust of wind included a round of exposure to extreme cold and the shocking grasp ray jumped to a secondary target, etc.), and I thought that was simply too much detail for a simple item like this.

It also had quasits in it, but I decided that dretches worked better for this purpose. Quasits are kinda 'too rich' for this sort of thing.

The 'Type III' version of this bag will throw lightning bolts and fireballs and shout spells!

It's totally a Spell in a Can item! But I love it anyway!

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