| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Replace tyranny with freedom. He was able to couner all of Vecna's mind control, and Vecna's Admantium Golem tore the litch lord apart when freed from control. This would be the best diety for Driders unhappy with their fate.
Elseware, Lolth has been replced(100% homebrew) With Ebon Dark, The lady of drow and eclipses. The scitzo moon goddess tore this aspect out of herself and inprisoned her in the underdark. She might do anything to serve her agenda to create a permanant eclipse and achieve revenge.
I also think there should be a deformed twin the litch lord removed from the baby, that retains only the evil traits of it's parents. It's half in the negitive energy plane. Vecna built it artifact artificial limbs adding to its horror aspect.
Replace tyranny with freedom. He was able to couner all of Vecna's mind control, and Vecna's Admantium Golem tore the litch lord apart when freed from control. This would be the best diety for Driders unhappy with their fate.
Elseware, Lolth has been replced(100% homebrew) With Ebon Dark, The lady of drow and eclipses. The scitzo moon goddess tore this aspect out of herself and inprisoned her in the underdark. She might do anything to serve her agenda to create a permanant eclipse and achieve revenge.
I also think there should be a deformed twin the litch lord removed from the baby, that retains only the evil traits of it's parents. It's half in the negitive energy plane. Vecna built it artifact artificial limbs adding to its horror aspect.
You have some interesting ideas, and if that's how you'd like to spin the character you may certainly go for it.
Reference actual story that I do have about him, the idea of freedom doesn't completely fit. Vanue Hae is, in fact, a Tyrant, but not in the dark or wicked way that usually is implied with D&D - enlightened despotism and all that.
As far as his "twin", I've got that covered for now under his alternate self - much like both Hextor and Lolth, his parents, he has an alternate monstrous form that has multiple limbs. He rarely uses this form, though. Whether or not it's an "evil" version of him or not... I think not, though I think it's the focus for his destructive elements. I am wondering if it's similar to having two personas, to the extent that they may even have different domains. This may help with the multiple weapons and ease the burden of domains.
In fact, his "monster" self could have the Destruction, Domination, Hatred, and Spider domains. This form could favor the spiked chain or scorpion whip (with plenty of daggers attached, though this doesn't change the statistics).
Vanue Hae's "humanoid" self could have the Darkness, Trickery, Tyranny, and War domains. This form could favor the variable pole arm.
Reference Ebon Dark, she's a very interesting character. More later. Being with my son, now. :)
Right, so, son just fell asleep in the middle of playing. Since nap time is happening now...
Ebon Dark!
You mention the idea of a "scitzo" moon goddess. Do you mean that she's got a form of disassociative identity disorder (multiple personalities, usually accidentally conflated with schizophrenia) or that she's schizophrenic or both or something else?
The idea of her is interesting, but why would she automatically replace Lolth? Do you simply not like Lolth and prefer something like Ebon Dark instead? Or are you saying Ebon Dark did something with Lolth? Either way is fine, but I'm curious.
Don't blame me, I'm not a lawyer for Hasbro. Lolth is a proper name, and as such, Hasbro owns it.
Don't blame me, I'm not a lawyer for Hasbro. Lolth is a proper name, and as such, Hasbro owns it.
I'm really sorry, but I don't understand this. Are you trying to say that you're replacing "Lolth" in order to avoid lawsuits? Or that Ebon Dark is just your Homebrew version of Lolth?
I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm just trying to understand the context of your suggestion. To communicate! :)
Here's an idea:
"Why are you replacing Lolth in your campaign?"
Choose any number for X:
1) "Because I don't like Lolth."
2) "Because Lolth is copyright by Wizards of the Coast."
3) "Because Ebon Dark seems like a more awesome goddess."
4) "Other reasons." (please write your own reasons here)
5) "Some combination of the Above." (please write which ones here)
6) "None of the Above." (please write your own reasons here)
Choose any letter for Y:
- a) "And thus, Ebon Dark kills Lolth and takes over."
- b) "And thus, Lolth doesn't exist anymore."
- c) "And thus, Lolth never existed - only Ebon Dark existed."
- d) "Something else." (please write your explanation here)
Your answer should come in some combination of X/Y.
For example, if you just don't like Lolth and thus Ebon Dark kills Lolth and takes over, you could write, "X(1)/Y(a)" or, "1/a" or "1a".
Alternatively, you could write, "I don't like Lolth, and thus Ebon Dark kills Lolth and takes over."
Or if it's a combination of reasons, you could write something like, "X (2, 3, 4)/Y (b, d)" followed by explanations of 4 and d.
If, on the other hand, none of my answers satisfy, you could write, "6d" and then put your own explanation down.
Or you could just put your own explanation down. The above is only to provide structure for our communication (because my reading comprehension skills are at their nadir right now, it seems), but the limits inherent in multiple choice means inevitably I've missed some possible option.
I'm sorry. I know it's strange, but I'm really not understanding the basis of your suggestion, and I'm really trying.
She's cool, I'm just trying to understand any suggested story reason she's replacing Lolth in context of the world.
For example, if she killed Lolth, I'd have to decide how Vanue Hae would respond to that. If Lolth doesn't exist (and never did) by your suggestion (but Ebon Dark does), are you suggesting, then, that Vanue Hae be her son?
And so on.
Bracers/Harness of Effortless Armor... Why does something like this not exist yet?
I hate the armor check penalties and movement speed reductions caused by the heavier armors, as I like to take as much of an advantage of a suit of armor as I can, but Mithral and Darkwood only go so far.
A magic item that gave a persistent Effortless Armor effect would remove any issues with movement speed and help reduce your armor check penalty more than special materials do. And according to the Estimating Magic Item GP Value table, it would cost somewhere between 12,000 and 80,000 gp depending on how much of a reduction to your armor check penalty you wanted.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Don't blame me, I'm not a lawyer for Hasbro. Lolth is a proper name, and as such, Hasbro owns it.I'm really sorry, but I don't understand this. Are you trying to say that you're replacing "Lolth" in order to avoid lawsuits? Or that Ebon Dark is just your Homebrew version of Lolth?
I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm just trying to understand the context of your suggestion. To communicate! :)
Here's an idea:
"Why are you replacing Lolth in your campaign?"
Choose any number for X:
1) "Because I don't like Lolth."
2) "Because Lolth is copyright by Wizards of the Coast."
3) "Because Ebon Dark seems like a more awesome goddess."
4) "Other reasons." (please write your own reasons here)
5) "Some combination of the Above." (please write which ones here)
6) "None of the Above." (please write your own reasons here)Choose any letter for Y:
- a) "And thus, Ebon Dark kills Lolth and takes over."
- b) "And thus, Lolth doesn't exist anymore."
- c) "And thus, Lolth never existed - only Ebon Dark existed."
- d) "Something else." (please write your explanation here)
ut I'm really not understanding the basis of...
2,3,C
I'm working from a statement by another poster who expanded from a concept of a 3 fold moon goddess as something like a scitzo body sharing thing. I will find the topic and bump it so you can see how this happened. As of now there is no Lolth in Glorion. Unless you are reinventing ancient greyhawk, I don't see why you have to use Lolth word for word.
Goth Guru:
Ah! Cool. Now that we're on the same page...
... the reason I have Lolth (and Vecna and Hextor) in a world at all is because a) I came up with Vanue Hae within the 3.X era and b) I had the Deities and Demigods book within which all three existed.
In addition to Greyhawk as a fully fleshed out setting, 3rd Edition presented a kind of "Greyhawk Lite" setting that kind of was Greyhawk, but really was its own thing with its own deities.
It was this set of ideas and published material that allowed me to create Vanue Hae, and it was from this stuff that I'd created numerous stories involving the creatures and characters.
At the time the only pre-published campaign setting we'd played in (including 2nd Edition) was Forgotten Realms, so I knew little to nothing about Greyhawk except what I could infer from people telling me how awesome Planescape was, or snippets within the magazines I'd read every once in a while.
That's how I came up with him in the first place, and that's the reason his origins are so deeply tied into the myth of those three gods. As we learned more about them (and Greyhawk) we've subsequently tied one of our home-brew worlds more and more into Greyhawk over the years, although they're still distinctly different from each other.
I never had any real goal of publishing Vanue Hae or making money off of him, so it never really occurred to me before you mentioned Copyright to avoid such material. If I had to do that, then I'd need to change pretty much everything about his origin altogether. While it's certainly possible (just look at how 4E handled Pelor, Ioun Stones - by creating the goddess Ioun to create them -, and Bane, as simple examples), it does mean changing a great deal of the character, back-story, and other elements.
And while I think Ebon Dark is interesting (and possibly worth going with), I'm not so sure I'm sold on her being Vanue Hae's mother as I am Lolth. If we're avoiding copyright content altogether, what would I replace Vecna and Hextor with? Would the Hextor replacement have a <sibling> in <Lawful Good Plane> that is inviting Vanue Hae to move from the material in with them? Would it even make sense for Vanue Hae to be the "Grey Lord" anymore?
valavaern:
Reference the Penetrating special quality, perhaps it might instead be used to negate or reduce the hardness of armor (or other hard material like stone) instead of AC? Because bypassing AC seems like an instant +2 to your attack rolls, and especially against the kind of armor that has the least upward mobility in late-game stages (at least it had the least in the old 3.X - I suppose in PF with Fighter armor training this isn't as true anymore).
I agree entirely on the trip special property, though I might house-rule it a +1 on the check with a +2 for masterwork (as a +2 bonus is the equivalent of a feat). That's just me, though, so I'm not sure you'd want to.
Harrison:
Could the Effortless Armor effect be like the Slick or Shadow effects and be a direct enchantment on the armor itself for a certain cost based on the value chosen for the check-reduction?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
There is a deity similar to Hextor in Glorion. With Vecna you have to change the name and some other details. I might go farther and make him a mummy who became a demigod.
There is a deity similar to Hextor in Glorion. With Vecna you have to change the name and some other details. I might go farther and make him a mummy who became a demigod.
But honestly, I still prefer the "look" of the Greyhawk gods. I understand the whole copyright thing, but as this is mostly just fan-made stuff or ideas, I'm not sure about changing it at this time. But perhaps. It's certainly worth thinking about.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
In looking in the core rulebook, Asmodeus is the god of slavery.
That's ironic.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Here's an idea I'm working on. Research points. You get 1 an hour for library research or observing interesting phenomena. Normally a person can conduct library research for eight hours before becoming fatigued, A dissection or lab test of something will get 5 points. A full blown experiment will get 25 points. For example, tossing silver dust at werewolves causes a fear response, but no real damage.
Research points can be spent to boost a skill, I'm working on a list of costs to invent wizard spells, design guns, ect.
Linking this post of mine because, you know, technically that stuff gave me insomnia. I just didn't post it here because the computer was off. And then I never felt like it. :)
Still, with enough demand I may.
Eh, someone favorited the post. That'll count.
Warning, ugly formatting (due to copy/paste) is ugly.
Alcides ("Alkaydees") [Hercules, Arawai, Irori, Moradin/Moradin]
symbol: gold club, hammer and anvil, lion's head, open blue hand in a circle, stalk of wheat
base portfolio: adventure, strength
acquired portfolio: abundance, agriculture, birth, creation, crops, dwarves, engineering, fertility, history, knowledge, metalwork, plants and plant life, protection, self-perfection, smithing, stonework, war, the wilderness
primary church alignment: neutral good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful good, neutral good, lawful neutral
and
Apollo [Phoebus] [Apollo, Aureon, Rillifane Rallathil, Sarenrae]
symbol: lyre, oak tree, stylized humanoid with wings making an ankh, tome (usually open), golden host
base portfolio: light, prophecy, music, healing
acquired portfolio: druids, elves (especially wood elves and wild elves), honesty, knowledge, law, learning, logic, lore, magic, nature, redemption, the sun, woodlands
primary church alignment: chaotic good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: neutral good, and lawful neutral
and
Apophis ("Apep") [Apep, Angarradh, Gorum, Onatar]
symbol: fiery serpent, hammer and tongs (usually crossed), mountain pierced by a sword, three interconnecting rings on a downward pointing triangle; golden host
base portfolio: evil, fire, serpents
acquired portfolio: artifice, battle, birth, crafts, defense, fertility, forge, industry, innovation, planting, smithing, spring, strength, tools, weapons, wisdom
primary church alignment: chaotic evil
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: chaotic neutral, chaotic good, neutral good
and
Aser [Osiris] [Osiris/Osiris, Ghaunadaur, Mockery, Rovagug]
symbol: crown of Mulhorand (usually white) over hook and flail; an eye (usually at least somewhat purple) on one or more circles (usually purple, black, and red); a fanged mouth with vermin feet; five tools (usually blood-spattered, usually laid out in an octogram); dark god
base portfolio: death, the dead, harvest, justice, nature, underworld, vegetation
acquired portfolio: combat, destruction, disaster, dishonor, jellies, murder, oozes, outcasts, rebels, ropers, slimes, terror, treachery, wrath, outcasts,
primary church alignment: lawful good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: chaotic evil, neutral evil
and
Bacchus [Olidammara; Abadar, Keeper, Urogalan]
symbol: dice, dog's head (usually in silhouette), a fang (usually made out of a magical crystal of some sort), golden key (usually ornate, often with cities or keyholes), mask (usually comedy or laughing), turtle shell; dark god
base portfolio: humor, music, revelry, rogues, tricks, wine
acquired portfolio: cities, death, decay, earth, entropy, greed, hunger, law, merchants, protection of the dead, time, wealth
ascribed portfolio: freedom, gaiety, gambling, joy, luck, satyrs, thievery
primary church alignment: chaotic neutral
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful neutral, neutral evil
servitor deities: these deities generally help him manage his ascribed portfolio as well as their own elements. Bacchus is well-known for raising lesser beings to divine status and turning them into deities at his own expense, and often on a whim. He often gives away portfolio elements to those he thinks would enjoy them better... often after he's taken them from someone or something else. There are eight (currently unnamed).
and
Enigma [Vecna, Calistria, Cyrrollalee, the Shadow]
symbol: a door (usually open), a hand holding an eye, obsidian (usually in the shape of a tower), three blades (usually daggers or short swords) creating an upside-down triangle radiating from concentric circles (usually orange and red); dark god
base portfolio: intrigue, secrets
acquired portfolio: consequence, corruption (especially of nature), crafts, darkness, duality, friendship, lust, hearth, hospitality, magic (especially dark magic and arcane magic), revenge, trickery, trust
primary church alignment: lawful evil and neutral evil
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful good, chaotic neutral, chaotic evil
and
Rupin [Balder] [Baldr, Dol Arrah, Kiarensalee, Shelyn]
symbol: black hand wearing silver rings, a gem-encrusted chalice, songbird with a long rainbow-hued tail, rising sun, golden host
base portfolio: beauty, light, music, poetry, rebirth
acquired portfolio: art, diplomacy, love, honor, sacrifice (especially self-sacrifice), undead, vengeance, honorable combat, the sun, sunlight
primary church alignment: neutral good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful good, chaotic evil
and
Garl [Garl Glittergold/Garl Glittergold, Fury, Gwaeron Windstrom, Zon Kuthon]
symbol: nugget of gold, skull with spiked chain through the eyes, white star and brown pawprint, wyrm (usually red and black, usually with a humanoid head and upper body, occasionally female), dark god
base portfolio: gemcutting, humor, illusion, jewelrymaking, protection, trickery, wit
acquired portfolio: anger, darkness, envy, extremism, insanity, loss, madness, pain, passion, rangers (especially of the North), revenge, tracking
ascribed portfolio: alchemy, jewelry, magic, tinkering
primary church alignment: lawful good and neutral good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful evil, chaotic evil
and
Iaset [Taiia] [Taiia; Balinor, Isis/Isis, Lamashtu]
symbol: ankh and star on a lunar disk; a pair of antlers (usually in silhouette), a solar disk with three eyes, a three-eyed stylized jackal head; golden host
base portfolio: creation, destruction, mortal life and death
acquired portfolio: agriculture, animals and animal life, beasts, fertility, the hunt, love, madness, magic (especially good magic), marriage, monsters, nightmares, rivers, weather
primary church alignment: neutral
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: neutral good
and
the Lady [Freya] [Freya, Dol Dorn, Iomedae, Luthic]
symbol: falcon, rune for "home" (any language), longsword (usually upside down with a sunburst or crossed over a shield), golden host
base portfolio: fertility, love, magic, vanity
acquired portfolio: athleticism, bodily strength, caves, competition, females (especially orcs), healing, home, honor, justice, martial training, rulership, strength at arms, valor, war, wisdom, servitude
primary church alignment: neutral good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful good, chaotic good, neutral evil
and
Nergal <"the binding fire"> [Nerull, Erevan Ilesene, Gozreh, Silver Flame]
symbol: arrowhead, flame (black or silver), leaf dripping water, skull and scythe
base portfolio: death, darkness, murder, underworld
acquired portfolio: change, light, mischief, nature, protection (especially of common folk, especially from evil), purity, redemption, rogues, sacrifice (especially self-sacrifice), the sea, war (especially just wars), weather
ascribed portfolios: pestilence, selfishness, undead
primary church alignment: neutral evil
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful good, neutral, chaotic neutral
and
the Saint [Saint Cuthbert, Blood of Vol, Deep Sashelas, Nethys]
symbol: dolphin, two-formed mask (usually plain, with half black and half white), skull (usually elf or dragon or mixed, usually on a red background that's usually a teardrop-shaped red gem), starburst (usually ruby-studded)
base portfolio: common sense, discipline, honesty, retribution, truth, wisdom, zeal
acquired portfolio: blood, creation, death, destiny, elves (especially sea elves), immortality, knowledge, magic, obedience, oceans, undeath
primary church alignment: lawful good and lawful neutral
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: chaotic good, neutral, neutral evil
and
Sheol [Hel, Aerdrie Faenya, Cayden Cailean, Undying Court]
symbol: cloud with bird silhouette, her face, gold death mask (usually with swirling or gem eyes) , mug or tankard
base portfolio: death, underworld
acquired portfolio: air, ale, bravery, elves (especially avarials), fertility, freedom, weather (especially rain), wine
servile portfolio: ancestors, deathlessness, wisdom
primary church alignment: neutral evil
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: chaotic good, neutral good
and
servitor deities (servitors of Sheol):
Eternal Court (servitor)
primary church alignment: lawful neutral
symbol: varies from house to house; collectively a gold death mask (usually with swirling or gem eyes) is used by outsiders, though not the faithful
portfolio: ancestors, deathlessness, glory, history, obedience, patience, revelation, wisdom
Ancestral Spirits (servitor)
primary church alignment: neutral
symbol: none; certain worshippers use personal symbols for their own ancestors
portfolio: battle, bravery, glory, honor
and
Sif [Brightmantle] [Sif; Asmodeus, Dugmaren Brightmantle, the Traveler]
symbol: book (usually open), pentagram (usually red), sword (usually upraised), an eight-pointed configuration of four crossed bones piercing rune-inscribed bones; dark god
base portfolio: dueling, war
acquired portfolio: careful planning, contracts, chaos, cunning, deception, discovery, evolution, invention, pride, scholarship, shapeshifters, slavery, subtlety, transformation, tyranny
ascribed portfolio: crops, family ties, household, mead
primary church alignment: chaotic good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: chaotic neutral, lawful evil
and
Sobket [Soebek] [Sobek/Sebek, Akadi, Desna, Kol Korran]
symbol: white cloud on blue background, crocodile head wearing a horned and plumed headdress, gold coin (usually nine-sided, usually stamped with the octogram); golden host
base portfolio: crocodiles (including werecrocodiles), river hazards, water, wetlands
acquired portfolio: commerce, dreams, elemental air, flying creatures, luck, money, movement, speed, stars, theft, travelers, trade, wealth
primary church alignment: lawful evil
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: chaotic good, neutral
and
Tetu [Thoth] [Thoth; Devourer, Sehanine Moonbow, Torag]
symbol: a bundle of five sharpened bones [usually a pattern of five pointed bones (two crossed upward, one pointed up, two sloping downward to meet at the cross-point)], ibis, moon (usually full, usually with a misty crescent above it), scroll (usually papyrus), a Was (rod symbolizing power); dark god
base portfolio: invention, knowledge, learning, magic (especially neutral magic), scribes, secrets, wisdom
acquired portfolio: death, deep waters, devastation, destructive nature, dreams, elves (especially moon elves), the forge, the heavens, hunger, journeys, maelstrom, the moon, mysticism, nautical travel, protection, reef, the stars, storms, strategy, transcendence, water
primary church alignment: neutral
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful good, chaotic good, neutral evil
and
Ubaasteti [Bast] [Bast, Boldrei, Gaerdal Ironhand, Norgorber]
symbol: a cat, black mask with a white star, feminine lips, iron band, stone hearth (usually with a fire), golden host
base portfolio: cats, protection, punishment, vengeance
acquired portfolio: bravery, battle (especially honor in battle), combat, community, festhalls, government, greed, hearth, hedonism, marriage, martial defense, murder, poison, secrets, sensual fulfillment, valor, vigilance, war
primary church alignment: chaotic good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: lawful good, neutral evil
unusual church elements: there is a four-fold division of Ubaasteti's church based on her portfolio elements, though they all work together and are represented by different elements of cats; these are her "dispersed" elements that usually revolve around her heretical and heterodox churches, instead of her primary "church". These are especially rejected by those who follow the Hutkatah pantheon.
- the stealthy: politicians and spies generally worship her as a master of community, government, protection, secrets, and vigilance
- the playful: thieves and thieving guilds worship her skill at thievery, greed, hedonism, and bravery
- the predator: (occasionally called the huntress) alchemists, assassins, and herbalists see her presence in every poisoned meal, and focuses on her skill at battle, murder, vengeance, and war
- the maddened: madmen, maniacs, and (the occasional confused) murderers give her worship and the first two are considered sacred to her, if they are not dangerous to most; she is generally worshiped as a chaotic deity filled with whimsy, despite her otherwise supposed characteristics
and
Vulcan [Hephaestus] [Hephaestus, Ollodra, Urgathoa, Yutrus]
symbol: a domino, fly with a death's head, hammer and anvil, white hands on dark background, golden host
base portfolio: crafts, smithing
acquired portfolio: death, disease, feast, gluttony, luck (especially good fortune), plenty, undeath
primary church alignment: neutral good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: neutral evil, chaotic evil
and
Valkyries [Valkyries, Cult of the Dragon Below, Erastil, Segojan Earthcaller]
symbol: gemstone (usually glowing), the paladin code, stylized horn bow and arrow, stylized tangle of bizarre origin (often a black version of a fake dragonmark)
base portfolio: the paladin code
acquired portfolio: aberration, conquest, darkness, the dead, earth, family, farming, glory, hunting, insanity, nature, trade, the various powers of the subterranean realms
primary church alignment: lawful good
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: neutral good, neutral evil
and
Yoth [Lolth, Oghma, Path of Light, Pharasma]
symbol: crystal (see Heresies below), scroll (usually blank), spider (usually black) with a female head (usually drow) (usually hanging from a spider web), a spider web (usually in a star formation), a spiral (usually an going outward clockwise); dark god
base portfolio: assassins, chaos, darkness, drow, spiders, evil
acquired portfolio: bards, birth, civilization, communion, compassion, death, discipline, duty, fate, inner light, inspiration, invention, knowledge, light, meditation, psionics, prophecy, reincarnation, righteous action, spiritual evolution
ascribed portfolios: (intrigue, prostitution, sex appeal), (darkness, intrigue, murder), (compassion, discipline, light, psionics, righteous action)
servile portfolios: (jealousy, revenge, theft), (lies, deciet, treachery)
primary church alignment: chaotic evil
heresy and heterodoxy church alignments: neutral [special variant "Dreamwalkers" believing in "Quor Tarai"], lawful neutral ["Yannahilath" following "il-Yannah"]
specific variant heresy:
Great Light (" ") (heresy)
specific variant heresy:
The Path of Inspiration (" ") (heresy)
specific variant heresy:
the Dark Dream (" ") (heresy)
And all of that is missing the majority of it, where there's information, for example, explaining that Aclides, was a mortal half-brother of Aser and Iaset, and the father of Garl by Tetu (it is hinted at in the religious texts that Tetu took advantage of Aclides).
Or that Nergal is the Voice of the Flame - he was a mortal (or deity) who conjoined with the great Binding Flame (indeed, that's one of his titles) which keeps all fiends bound into the Underworld. Thus, the World Wound is a personal affront to him.
Or that Vulcan doesn't actually like most of the good gods, despite being good himself.
Or that Sheol is the personification of the place called Sheol, and that she came about as a direct response to the Eternal Court's concentration of positive energy - a natural (if unexpected) by-product of their collective divinity.
Or that Rupin and Aser are Yoth's unwilling thralls, though Aser being more powerful has remained in the world of darkness, while Rupin has loosened her grasp by conquering a dead demon-lord's domain in the Abyss... all while being trapped within Sheol after his death.
Or that some of the Valkyries used to be gods in their own right (instead of as a collective) before surrendering their portfolios to craft the Paladin Code and become the arbiters (as individuals and collectively) of those who gain power from the code as well as to come into the collective service of all of the gods of the underworld.
Among other things.
EDIT:
Two things.
1) The cosmology: the world with the underworld below (literally the "under world" even lower than the Darklands and Underdark), the shadow or world of darkness "outside" of the world, and the Abyss below the Underworld/on the other side of the shadow. There may be more, but that's the basics for now.
2) As mentioned in the other thread, if anyone has ideas for the name of the world, I'm all ears. I might not take a given name, but I'm open to the suggestions in general. :)
EDIT 2: to be clear, I did format a little. Mostly putting things in quote boxes seperated with the word "and", as well as crudly chopping off the lower "majority" of what goes in their entry.
Bump with a re-post from another thread to put a placeholder idea while I'm busy.
A wizard not-so-much, though not because the theoretical potential isn't there. The main difficulty they'd run into is with the presumed limits inherent in the Wealth-by-level system combined with their limited number of spells per day - ultimately the God of the Bible has unlimited access to the kind of power the wizard struggles to achieve by 20th level, and can wreck PF's action economy. The wizard'd run out of money, spells, and/or time first.
If the wizard broke those limits, then yes, they could. As Anzyr said, most of it would focus around the creation of simulacra and the effects that simulacra can create. Thus, it wouldn't exactly be the wizard creating those things per se.
If I were attempting to design a "closest-approximation" Judeo-Christian "God-like" figure in Pathfinder, however, I'd do so by taking a Solar as my base creature, applying the Advanced Template a few times, increasing hit dice (for higher amounts of skill points, and nothing else), and granting a slightly modified variant of the Balor Lord and Pit Fiend bonus abilities, apply all the mythic simple templates (but ignoring the mythic ranks that go with them) and grant 10 mythic tiers of Heirophant. I'd also grant said entity about a bajillion orange prism ioun stones to increase the caster level of the effects.
In fact, I recently began compiling a "god template" for just such a fun "thought project" (though I wasn't considering Biblical effects).
Pardon the mess, it's a copy/paste of a work in progress
And yes, at it's base it's just a solar/balor/pit fiend with the Balor Lord/Duke templates applied and modified slightly. Haven't gotten 'round to the mythic templates, yet. I was also working on a more powerful version in another thread of mine. I'm considering if/when to integrate the two.other gods
HD 25 (gestalt with cleric/oracle; replace with cleric with druid, as appropriate)
darkvision (see in darkness), low-light vision
constant: see alignment (all), detect snares and pits, discern lies, true seeing
at will: aid, animate objects,
blasphemy,
commune, continual flame, create undead,
dimensional anchor, dispel (magic [greater], evil), dominate person
fireball,
hold (monster) [mass], (un)holy aura, holy smite, holy word
imprisonment, invisibility,
magic circle,
persistent image, plane shift, power word (stun)
remove (curse, disease, fear), resist energy, restoration [lesser]
scorching ray, scrying (greater), speak with dead, summon monster VII
telekinesis, teleport [greater] (self+50lbs only), trap the soul
waves of fatigue, wall of fire
7/day: cure critical wounds, see invisibility
3/day: blade barrier, charm (monster) [mass], earthquake, flame strike, heal, permanency,
resurrection, waves of exhaustion
1/day: blasphemy, fire storm, implosion, meteor swarm, restoration [greater], power word (blind, kill), prismatic spray, wish37 29 30
36 26 27darkvision 60, lowlight vision
aura: protective aura
AC +19 natural
22HD, regeneration 15/evil artifacts, evil effects, and evil spells
saves: +4 v. poison, +4 v. evil
uncanny dodge
DR 15/cold iron, epic, and evil
immune energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire), petrification, poison
SR hd+12
speed: 50, fly 150 (good)bonus feats: cleave [great], combat reflexes, deadly aim, dodge, great fortitude, improved initiative, improved sunder, iron will [improved], lightning reflexes, mobility, multi-attack, power attack, quicken spell-like ability, toughness, two weapon fighting [greater, improved], vital strike [improved], weapon focus
skills: appraise, acrobatics, bluff, craft, diplomacy, disguise, escape artist, fly, heal, intimidate, knowledge (arcana, history, nature, nobility, planes, religion), perception, sense motive, spellcraft, stealth, survival, use magic device; +8 perception
languages: abyssal, celestial, draconic, infernal; truespeech; telepathy 100 ft.
SQ: change shape (alter self), vorpal strike (any slashing weapon), whip mastery (light weapon/lethal damage)
+5 full plate, +5 dancing disrupting (un)holy vorpal greatsword/warhammer, +5 composite longbow (automatically creates a slaying arrow of your choice when drawn; needs no ammunition); double treasuremaster of souls: as a standard action, you can slay a living creature within 30 ft. (fortitude DC 10+1/2 HD+CHA mod negates); whenever you kill a creature, you gain the effect of a heal spell, the body of any creature you slay (including in this manner) immediately transforms into any combination of 8 HD of outsider under your control, so long as the creature or creatures is not above CR 8, and the souls of the creature can be turned into a ghost under your control (maximum number of controlled ghosts equal to your charisma modifier plus your hit dice). You can free or destroy ghosts you no longer want as a full-round action (either turns them into petitioners of their alignment, but destroying them eliminates their memories and personality).
master of magic: you gain 60 levels of spell-like abilities of 1st-4th level at will; you gain 60 levels of spell-like abilities of 5th-8th level (9/day each); you gain two 9th level spell-like abilities (1/day each)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
dotting
So, popping in to note some house rules I mentioned in this thread that I figure is actually pretty good to mention again.
The 3e Draconomicon invented the Colossal Plus size category for just this sort of situation.I always house-ruled this size as being called "Titanic" from the template in the 3E Monster Manual 2, because, dudes, there is no way that friggin' toad is only Colossal*.
But I remember being both happy and sad that Colossal+ existed. Happy because it allowed me ridiculously large creatures, and sad because it was called "Colossal+" (or "Colossal Plus - the "+" mark might have only been in that one magazine that talked about Time Dragons or something, my memories aren't too clear right now... as I house ruled it.)
* Note: it may, in fact, be colossal. I haven't really done the math. But that was my impression upon looking at it. Similarly some of the Massive creatures in the Epic Handbook just look way too big for Colossal - like, ironically, the Colossi...
Similarly, I'm linking this thread, as it has some extremely interesting potential ideas.
I'm also borrowing a little from this thread to create a new campaign setting, or at least the vestiges of one. Maybe a campaign.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
solar powered werewolves. I'll expand on this one in later, as I am passing out, but the super basic concept is that myth, fantasy, and modern culture show that the full moon powers werewolves (and some modern culture says screw it to the whole moon thing). but the full moon is a full moon because of the sun shining on it... I think you can figure out where i will be going with this when i get awake.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
ok, so as i mentioned above, the full moon is what it is because the sun is shining on it. as well as any time we see the moon at all, really. so my thoughts are that during the day the werewolf is basically a solar battery. if looking at modern movies, you'll note they can transform during the day to. this would explain that. but the full moon? that is the subconscious trigger that sets them off into a blood thirsty rage. the reason? i dunno. a curse maybe?
This same train of thought leads me to the vampire. In some sources vampires are at their peak during the full moon (or after feeding, and especially during both). but vampires catch on fire in sunlight, right (excluding the twilight styled ones)? My thoughts on this are that indirect sunlight charges them up, such as light reflected off of the moon (moonlight). Direct sunlight basically overcharges them, thus the fire and some of the other side effects that go along with direct exposure to sunlight.
how this applies to any game at all? well, that would take me some time to work out mechanically.
Nice! I look forward to more!
A list of some worlds I've created.
Personification of Fear campaign idea (and Follow-Up).
Company of Six (you guys're probably not going to see a lot around here, but it's good for me to link it here for later for myself).
Uber build oracle to think about, and how oracles gain (almost) every spell.
A great Paragon Surge mini-guide!
EDIT: somone's alternate staves idea.
Also, Beguiler (check later for Warmage and maybe true necromancer)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
once again cannot sleep, wife has some form of rash, maybe related to the pregnancy, i don't know. so to burn some time and hopefully get tired again:
further thoughts on solar therianthropes and vampires, and settings. Was thinking of doing a pathfinder as the base setting, stripping away all non-human races, but adding a bunch of limited Therianthropes, vampires, keeping humans, duh, adding a race to cover what happens if crossbreeding therianthropes of different types, and what happens with breeding vampires with anything really.
Each therianthrope would have its human form (which would possess a 'tell' to indicate that they aren't human and what type of therian they are) and a hybrid form. They would not be able to become full animal form for reasons that I'd work out later. I'd build each one as it's own race built on 20 RP (using Advanced Races Guide). The logic here will become apparent momentarily.
The next step are vampires. I have serious issues with both the undead immunities and how they apply to vampires, so i will likely create them from scratch to my own vision, likely drawing heavy inspiration from World of Darkness. I may even consider making a few variants...
Classes... this is where things get interesting, and I may ditch the idea completely, but basically ditch all of the classes, but not really. what i mean is that the only classes players would be able to select would be what is called Aptitude Classes, which are relatively weak on their own. the Aptitudes would be like: warrior, divine, arcane, psionic, and probably some others. this means that most of the slack would fall on the racial choice UNTIL:
Class gems (name seriously pending). so these would come in multiple qualities and would only last for certain durations or number of uses before breaking/losing power. they would provide the class features of a class (based on your aptitude class(s) and the class gem used) but not the BAB, Skills, Saves, HD, etc. because those come from your Aptitude class.
Example of above:
Berzerker Gem + Warrior Aptitude = Barbarian
Berzerker Gem + psionic Aptitude = Wilder
For the moment that is everything i have on this, i have started a google drive file for this, if anyone is interested.
Cool ideas!
If you're going to retool vampires, might I recommend dropping their energy drain-by-touch effect as well? It's really powerful, and not really in keeping with much vampire lore (outside of when vampires were more like ghosts or zombies).
If you're interested:
Humans+vampire: dhampir or maybe the darakhul, deathleech, or ghul templates
If you have the old 3.5 stuff, there's the gravetouched template from the DMG II
(constant detect undead, immune to death effects and energy drain, and [1/week] animate dead and create undead)
Gravetouched (Su): The NPC was born alive from an undead mother and somehow survived to adulthood. He has immunity to death effects and energy drain, and he can use detect undead as a spell-like ability (this ability is always active). The NPC’s caster level equals his character level. In addition, he can command undead as an evil cleric of a level equal to his character level, and he can use animate dead and create undead as spell-like abilities, each once per week (caster level equals NPC’s character level).
If you're thinking of half-breeds of therianthropes here're some possibilities (if you like):
1) having therianthropy inheritable from only one parent (this can either always match by gender of the parent ala kalashtar <perhaps a therianthropy is entirely attached to a gender as one idea, though that's not what I meant>; always reverse the gender of the parent; always from the mother (if there is one); or randomly determined from which parent2) having the therianthropy inheritable from both parents simultaneously (either guaranteed, or % from each)
3) making therianthropy not inherited (spread entirely through curse, making it a rite of passage into adulthood for a young one - though you'd have to allow non-natural therianthropes spread the curse, in that case!)
Anyway, as always with my ideas, take them or not! They're only ideas.
I really hope your wife feels better! I empathize entirely! Pregnancy is hard! (And congratulations!)
thanks! so I was thinking of removing the energy drain attacks from vampires, as you mentioned, making them susceptable to, honestly, most of the things non-undead are vulnerable to. They are clearly intellegent, so should be able to be affected by mind affecting and the like. unlike most undead they 'sleep', so they would have a dreamcircle be able to be affected by nightmare and such. they can clearly be criticaled, just look at our myths about them! chopping their head, stabbing a steak through their heart, or in general anything through their heart and they are out. though I prefer my version to do like World of Darkness where heart stabby stabby = torpor, NOT instant death.
also, in my version Vampires can breed with themselves and the living species. with their own kind, another vampire, with a human (against their rules, but that never stopped them) some form of Dhampyr. When it comes to the Therianthrope + vampire though, I am not sure what to do there, was thinking a similar idea as below.
speaking of which:
while therians of the same type can breed true, and breeding with a human provides a 50/50 of being either way. breeding between types however, produces the Chimeran. Chimerans do not have a human form, are sterile (unless supernatural means are used, but then they always breed true no matter what with), and for reasons unknown come out with the same traits. Chimerans cannot infect others, see below.
but then "they can infect people!" I hear you say. and to that I say: "yup." you see in this sort of settup would be given a decent amount of resistance to diseases, infections, and curses because evolution. also, a cure exists and is readily available and cheap. if one waits too long to use it there are side effect: they receive a tell, as though they were a member of whatever infected them (no mechanical benefit). and if they wait too long beyond even that point, their is no going back.
also there is a darkside to the cure. those who use it: 10% become sterile, 20% of pregnant women who use the cure miscarry, 10% of pregnant women will birth a sterile child. almost as though whoever made the cure was intentionally trying to weed out the human population...
and hey the cure doesn't seem to effect vampires or therians... at least not that anyone has noticed.
speaking of infection: therians and vampires can't cross-infect!!! super important: NO WERESHARKWOLVES.
In track of the sunbeast the were creature was a killer lizardman raging all day.
can you expand on what you just said?
can you expand on what you just said?
After reading it - a lot - I'm pretty sure he means that in an adventure titled Track of the Sunbeast (or maybe a play, book, or other digestible format: Google revealed nothing), there was a were-creature, who happened to be a lizardfolk ("lizardman" in older editions) who was murderous; he maintained his wereform all day long.
This, then, ties into your "solar-powered therianthropes" idea.
At least, that's what I got out of it.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
makes sense, I can dig it!
another idea! this one will get tied into that same setting i seem to be forming, but stands on its own too i think, which is why i am posting it here:
no positive or negative energy planes
magic relying on them either do not exist, or exist differently. possibilities of that:
1) they simply do not exist, and the campaign is super gritty.
2) they do not exist, but potions can be created without the spells.
3) they do exist, but work because magic.
undead would be the next big thing to be influenced by this change. ways to handle it:
1) undead are created though necromancy, and persist due to the spell that made them exlusively
2) undead are created by circumstances revolving their death (so type could be by betrayal, reason for rising from the dead could be vengeance)
3) a mix of 1 and 2
4) curses?
5) Environmental influence (naturally necromantic miasma)
besides magic and undead, I don't know what else would actually be affected... thoughts?
once i have more feedback on this concept, I plan on posting up some thoughts on the topic of undead, if no one minds.
Undead have two minds???
So, to start this off, the soul has to be sentient. Otherwise when it arrives to the plane that it has to move onto, it couldn't be judged worthy and allowed to enter. Some people may just assume that if you worship a deity you go to their plane when you die. but what if you did a lot of things that wouldn't be considered in line with the views of your deity? they could just deny you entrance. so souls retain sentience.
undead are generally mindless, so it never matters, but this is not always the case. vampires and liches are perfect examples, though the lich has his soul trapped in a phylactory and obviously has the same mind as before their transformation. the vampire is less clear cut, but it could be assumed their soul never leaves their body.
Enter Awaken Undead: This was a concept introduced back in 3.5 Libris Mortis. so now you have an undead running around with a new sentience, and the soul that used to inhabit it also running around with it's own sentience. but it isn't the same mind, just the same body in common.
But, follow-up on this concept some more and you eventually wonder why you can't just return the previous sentience to the undead, considering you are on a world of magic. And I see no reason why you couldn't. The problem, however, is that the sentience is in use. Would such magic just copy that sentience or... steal it? Alternatively, what if it bound the soul once more to the undead's body?
Vampires with constitution scores (these concepts may apply to other undead as well)
Vampires are barely undead as it is; they can obviously be criticalled and yet are immune to such at the same time (what?). To expand on that, they can be beheaded and stabbed in the heart as effective ways of killing them. Those sound like the effects of a critical hit to me. Vampires eat/drink. they sleep. In other media, they can experience the effects of drugs and alcohol (and poison) through feeding on someone who is under the effects of such.
these are all things that I would apply to vampires in pathfinder. also it would also mysteriously sound like effects related to the constitution score... therefore, alternate vampire: they have constitution scores!
As mentioned above, they are obviously sentient, so they should be subject to mind affecting effects. So it seems like vampires, when viewed through the lens of modern media (or even older media like van hellsing), really aren't like other undead at all. I'll probably be giving them their own type, in place of the standard undead type, in future settings.
ARG built vampire, with the above kept in mind. Rough draft, keeping mind that many of it's other abilities I plan on either turning into feats of add them as 'x gained at level x'. thoughts on this would be super awesome. additionally, i am considering making a few variants as well. I noticed immediately that a number of their abilities and weaknesses don't exist in the ARG, so do not have RP values. breaking those down into RP would probably help me make these guys more accurate to my vision, and more balanced to boot. 20 RP is my goal with these guys, between their strengths and weaknesses.
Vampire type (Low-light vision, darkvision 60 feet) (3 RP)
Medium Size (0 RP)
Normal Speed (0 RP)
+2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, +4 Wisdom, -2 Charisma (Advanced 4 RP)
Linguist (1 RP)
Fast healing 1 (6 RP) [requires 1 Blood Point to activate, and lasts for 1 minute]
Bite (1 RP) [Requires 1 Solar Point to activate, lasts until dismissed]
Claws (2 RP) [Requires 1 Solar Point or 1 Blood Point to activate, lasts until dismissed]
Vulnerable to Sunlight (-2 RP): 1 point of constitution damage after every hour exposed to sunlight.
Sunlight Powerlessness (-2 RP): when caught in direct natural sunlight, they cannot attack and is staggered.
Blood Drain (Su): A vampire can suck blood from a grappled opponent; if the vampire establishes or maintains a pin, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution damage. The vampire heals 5 hit points and gains 1 Blood Point, up to their Maximum, each round it drains blood. [Requires Bite to be activated]
Torpor: When a vampire's heart has been pierced, whether by stake or some other object, they become paralyzed until the object has been removed. during this time of paralysis, they are stuck in a nightmarish dream full of torment and pain.
not all torpor is bad though, as vampires may enter long sleep lasting centuries or even millinia, where they are in a state of torpor not unlike a normal dream.
Blood Points: A vampire may have a maximum amount of Blood Points equal to their HD. These points are used to power a number of their supernatural abilities.
Solar Points: A vampire may have a maximum amount of Solar Points equal to their HD. These points are used to power a number of their supernatural abilities.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I think I was mixing up 2 bad movies. Sorry.
Mathemagician.
The Calculator is the best class! :D
(Also, secretly, the worst class. :D)| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
In place of a charge action you may perform a Colossal Crash and dive for an enemy and strike them for damage equal to your weapon damage +strength. At +6 BAB and every 5 after you increase the damage by 2D6 and multiply the strength added by one. If you have a weapon in your off hand you may strike with both weapon using both of their weapon damages. This means a 12th level barbarian with 22 strength wielding two bastard swords deals 2D10+4D6+18.
Wait, what's the point? Don't ask me! I was tired.
Improved Colossal Crush, AKA Castle Crash and Titan's Fall
Requirements: Colossus Crash
You've learned to use your colossal crush technique to bring down enemies larger than you and obstacles in your way. When used on a foe at least one size bigger than you, you may attempt a trip attempt to topple them and send them prone. If your foe is still adjacent and prone on the following turn, you may follow-up with another colossal crash on the downed foe as a full round action. Your opponent must succeed a fortitude saving throw equal to half your level + your strength or suffer a coup de grace. When used on an object, ignore a number of points of hardness equal to your level.
I just thought of this while in-bed, and, I might have been beaten to it (I honestly can't say), I had to get this down and out now:
Monk Fix #who-cares:
Replace their speed increase with the following (rough-draft version):
Steady Step (Ex): Through many hours of careful practice and tremendous focus, a monk has learned how to master the art of movement in all circumstances. Starting at second level, he may take one additional 5-ft. step per round. This 5-ft. step follows all of the usual rules for taking a 5-ft. step, save that you gain an additional one in a given round, including rounds that you have already moved. You gain one additional 5-ft. step in a round at 4th level and for each even numbered level thereafter (at 6th level, 8th level, 10th level, and so on). Starting at 6th level, whenever in difficult terrain (or other similarly hampered circumstances) as a full-round action, you may choose to instead use this movement to increase the distance you move by 5 ft. (to a total of 10 ft.), should it be helpful to do so. This increases by 5 ft. at tenth level, and every four levels thereafter (to 15 ft. at 10th level, 20 ft. at 14th level, and 25 ft. at 18th level). Finally, a monk gains a bonus to all Acrobatics checks to jump equal to 4 + his class level.This ability can be utilized while making use of the Stealth skill.
This replaces the standard Monk Fast Movement ability.
Seriously don't know if I stole this from someone - if I did, I deeply apologize, as it was not my intent. I just had this burning in my mind tonight and had to write it down. I'm probably going to use this for all my monks in the future. (I'm also likely going to give them Uncanny Dodge and Improved.)
What do you guys think? Does this exist anywhere else? If so, where?
The increase in movement is slowed somewhat, but ends up being almost comparable (+50 ft. v. +60 ft.), actually stacks (sort of) with other movement-increase (because it's not an enhancement bonus), and permits the monk to move without taking attacks of opportunity... which is pretty much exactly what most martial forms of movement are about! (Moving while keeping your guard up.)
Permitting an increase to movement when confronted with difficult terrain also seems to make sense to me - you're not outright ignoring difficult terrain, but you are more capable of moving through it than others. I tried to word it such that it would be a useful ability, but wouldn't actively inhibit you if you had a better one. I'm wondering if they should get constant freedom of movement later as an (Ex), but I didn't add that only because I could practically feel the cries of "broken" or "overpowered" before-hand.
The jump bonus is a direct conversion for what a monk would get over the course of levels (+4/additional 10 ft. of movement; +60 ft. = +24 bonus = lvl+4), but might be it's own ability (placed into first level). I might also change it to just "+lvl" instead of "4+lvl" but note that you can add three times the jump bonus to the distance you can jump, to the nearest 5-ft. increments (round down): this actually allows them to jump as far as they would have been able to before (+60 ft. at 20th level). The much like the speed increase, the final bonus is delayed slightly (deferred to 20th level instead of 18th), but the progression is more smooth as well.
Also something about combat maneuvers instead of attack rolls, even on a full attack (and on a flurry!), but that should really be a thing that anyone could do at any time, in my opinion, instead of a special ability.
That might be what the Improved <X> feats do (in addition to their current rules). Could make grappling actually worth it.
I'm thinking of adding something similar to this to ninja as well, what with their tendency to rapidly move while utilizing stealth (which this would allow them to do).
While I'm certain it hampers the rogue somewhat, I'm also trying to come up with solid ideas for that class, too. This is the one that just caused me to bolt upright and have to run and write it down.
(I do utilize a variant of Cheapy's alternate rule, granting an Opportune Strike as a bonus to damage equal to the rogue's level +1 that functions a bit more consistently than Cheapy's does... but I feel like there should be something more...)
Anyway, 'night!
Repost from here.
.
.
Reverse how things work. Water glows uphill for no reason. It gets darker as the sun rises.Although slightly accidental, borrowing the idea of water that gets darker as the sun rises, and (by extension) glows after the sunsets is very interesting.
I'm really interested in what causes it to flow up hill and glow... I'm going to say something about Far Realm, but I'm not too sure...
Hm...
Herds of deer chase down and eat wolves.Awesome. I'm actually interested in several different ways in how this can work.
- Deer that are now carnivores.
- Deer that are omnivores.
- Deer that are still herbivores, but kill wolves to spill blood and grow food edible for them.
In the latter, at least, it becomes a fascinating idea of sentient deer - possibly awakened by a rogue druid - who have created a kind of social "technology" - hm... very interesting ideas generated. Thanks! :D
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
One of the basic concepts of wonderland is the animals are more evolved than the humans. The animals wear clothes, speak english, and stand upright.
So... Dokkalfar, or svaltalfar, which, you know, are the underground dwarves which (especially with the "dheur-" of the latter), are basically duergar.
Meanwhile, the "dark elves", we call "drow" which, as we all know, are actually trolls. Which are giants. Which are noted as being both ugly and normal looking... and as being shapeshifters (as at least one was defeated by a hero convincing it to take an innocuous/weak shape; I believe Disney had Mickey do something similar with a giant... hm-hmmmm...).
So...
Derro
Drow (also; and bonus)
Troll
duergar (also; and bonus)
... v...
drow
derro
duergar (also duergar)
troll
((Also, ettins. I... ran out of time. Oops.))
Finally, there's the midgard dwarves from the old Frostfell book (with James Jacobs adding awesome material there!) - basically minor shapeshifters with "crafting stuff" bonuses.
The basic idea, which I lack all the time and sleep for today, is to take these disparate races, and create a whole out of them - perhaps as a gestalt, or perhaps as an average, I'm not sure.
The point of all this? Norse (and Picto-celtic) "dwarves" and "dark elves" rendered in D&D... and "fixing" the twin problems of "drow-ness" supposedly being a curse/punishment which just makes them more powerful/pretty elves and with all drow being effectively evil. The derro-connection resolves that nicely.
But... pretty/ugly? Anyone? Well, the sexual dimorphism of the lashunta help resolve that pretty well, actually.
The duergar abilities help explain why they're so stealthy/terrifying/also-giants-while-being-dwarves, and the midgard dwarf provides the low-grade shapeshifting into critters (the better to fit in with the troll legends) and the madness allows an always-evil race.
This actually dovetails very nicely with pretty much all of the various origin stories of the duergar, drow, and derro D&D or Pathfinder has created, though, of course, doesn't function with the normal set-up as duergar being opposed (sort of) to drow being opposed to other underground races.
This allows the dwarves to be the giants. It allows them to make powerful magical tools used by the gods. It allows always-evil races who are cowed to/by the gods, and are great enemies for PCs. It makes the drow incapable of staying above ground, even as they long for it (what a curse!). It fits the flavor text for horrors from the depths, allows them to reasonably be strongly associated with demons and other similar beings, and functions quite well for most purposes, I think.
Then again, I'm also sleep deprived and exhausted right now. So... WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~~!
What do you guys think?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Dotting because I will be back
Putting this cleric-in-a-can here for later.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Putting this cleric-in-a-can here for later.
I like your amulet of orisons. Could you post it in the special discoveries topic of the Cleaves? As a device that allows classes that use clerical magic to use orisons, it would be invaluable to Bards. Does stabilize activate when needed?
I'm thinking of making one for cantrips.
Sure, I'll make a variant. I'd never heard of Cleaves, so it took me a while to figure out what you meant, but I posted it there.
Anyway, here's the post I made in Cleaves mostly copy/pasted here:
Aura faint various; CL 1st
Slot neck; Price 13,680 gp; Weight -
-----------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
-----------------------------------------------------------
This amulet (probably something like a holy symbol of a bunch'a' gods all smushed 'round the edges or somethin', I dun'no) can be used to entirely replace your cleric's orison special ability by 8th level, and probably a bit better (since you don't have to be seen casting enhanced diplomacy).
Constant: detect magic, detect poison, enhanced diplomacy, read magic
Command Word: create water (2/day), mending (1/day), purify food and drink (3/day), stabilize (3/day)
-----------------------------------------------------------
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
-----------------------------------------------------------
Craft Wondrous Item, all the orisons used above, Cost 6,840 gp
Hook: I dunno, like, someone wanted to make people think gods're awesome'r somethin', ya'know?
Aura faint various; CL 1st
Slot neck; Price 14,680 gp; Weight -
-----------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
-----------------------------------------------------------
Alignment N (compatible with all alignments); Ego 1; Senses normal
INT 10 WIS 10 CHA 10
Communication empathyThe amulet's powers are not discernible by detect magic or identify. The special powers can be identified with analyze dweomer. The powers and the abilities of the base item can be learned normally. The amulet will use its stabilize ability on a wearer, if the bearer needs it.
-----------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
-----------------------------------------------------------
This (sort of) intelligent amulet (probably something like a holy symbol of a bunch'a' gods all smushed 'round the edges or somethin', I dun'no) can be used to entirely replace your cleric's orison special ability by 8th level, and probably a bit better (since you don't have to be seen casting enhanced diplomacy).Constant: detect magic, detect poison, enhanced diplomacy, read magic
Command Word: create water (2/day), mending (1/day), purify food and drink (3/day), stabilize (3/day)
-----------------------------------------------------------
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
-----------------------------------------------------------
Craft Wondrous Item, all the orisons used above, Cost 7,340 gp
Reposting the sentient version exclusively so that I can copy/paste it later.
Aura faint various; CL 1st
Slot neck; Price 14,680 gp; Weight -
-----------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
-----------------------------------------------------------
Alignment N (compatible with all alignments); Ego 1; Senses normal
INT 10 WIS 10 CHA 10
Communication empathyThe amulet's powers are not discernible by detect magic or identify. The special powers can be identified with analyze dweomer. The powers and the abilities of the base item can be learned normally. The amulet will use its stabilize ability on a wearer, if the bearer needs it.
-----------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
-----------------------------------------------------------
This (sort of) intelligent amulet (probably something like a holy symbol of a bunch'a' gods all smushed 'round the edges or somethin', I dun'no) can be used to entirely replace your cleric's orison special ability by 8th level, and probably a bit better (since you don't have to be seen casting enhanced diplomacy).Constant: detect magic, detect poison, enhanced diplomacy, read magic
Command Word: create water (2/day), mending (1/day), purify food and drink (3/day), stabilize (3/day)
-----------------------------------------------------------
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
-----------------------------------------------------------
Craft Wondrous Item, all the orisons used above, Cost 7,340 gp
Couple of links while I'm here.
Randomite! (Tacticslion edition; Drejk probably has a cooler one!)
EDIT: More mythic flaws!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
My great idea for the night that i may be copying from somewhere, is a paladin archetype that targets magic instead of evil
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I need to post this before I forget, just in case I'm actually on to something.
The debate with dex to damage has been ongoing for a long time. Tonight I passed over a few more thread about it and got thinking. If the issue is that dex applies to so many more things (AC, reflex saves, all the dex based skills, etc) and makes strength superfluous, why not make strength more useful? Like combining strength and constitution into one stat.
Now at this moment, this seems like a fantastic idea. That said, I'm sure I'm overlooking some things. It certainly complicates parts as point buy amounts would have to change for the lower number of overall stats.
Anyway, I figure it would look something like this:
'Physique' (Str and Con)
- To Hit and Damage (1.5 with weapons wielded in 2 hands)
- Determines Fort save
- Determines bonus hit points each level
- Determines carrying capacity
- Determines bonus for any previous str or con based skills
Warriors end up in two categories. The burly, hardy guys that can hit hard and really take a beating and the dexterous, agile sorts that overall do less damage but are more defensively focused.
The main issue that came to my mind is aesthetics. The wizard that wants more hit-points suddenly is stronger and can carry more. Not sure that is a bad tradeoff but...
On the same note, combining charisma and wisdom could potentially have a similar but perhaps lesser effect. That and I feel like it wouldn't be as nice a trade as the above.
Thoughts?
Very cool idea. I'd have to look into it, play around with it, etc. My initial reaction is that it's a bit too powerful... but I'm not necessarily against that. It could be a solid thing if the Martial/Caster disparity is causing lots of problems at your table.
If you do this, though, I might actually recommend reverting to a weaker set of polymorph abilities, leaving them either bonuses to the score (as in PF) or the original creature's score (as in 3.5), whichever is worse (chosen on an individual/case-by-case basis). Also be aware of the scarred witch doctor with this one.
Home brew Hellknight Orders (now with goblins!)