I have been running the "Maure Castle" adventure from Dungeon #112. Last night, one of the characters was able to ask a question of the Purple Stone, and his question was "What thing in this dungeon would make me the most powerful?" It was towards the end of the session, so I told him I would get back to him next week. If you are familiar with this adventure, what would you suggest as a possible response?
Or maybe they really really were planning 5E at the same time as 4E, and this was all a plot to make more money, and the OP found out about it and decided to post it as a "joke" thinking that no one would belive him... that's not a crazy conspiracy theory, is it? ;)
Oh by the way, since I'm here, and since mentioning Planescape made me think of it; I'll plug Planescape: Torment which was just made a "Featured Article" at Wikipedia after a ton of hard work! We've been working hard to improve the D&D coverage over there, and (especially with our favorite stalker mostly silent for the last 6 months) we've been able to do a lot of good, I think. :)
I remember, maybe a couple of years ago, asking Wolfgang Baur about this one. I believe he created it as a throwaway reference for Planescape's "Planes of Chaos" if I remember correctly. He said, at the time, that he had just moved and all of his old notes were packed away. You might want to see if he's found any of these old notes, and what if anything they might say. :)
I see no need to carry on the Demonomicon of Iggwilv as an in-game object (or, honestly, as a series of articles) if it doesn't continue to build upon the rich history it's already drawing from over the last 30 years of D&D. If there's a need for some sort of iconic Big Book of Evil in 4th edition that DOES speak to the new world order of the reorganized multiverse, it should be something equally new. Retconning something like the Demonomicon of Iggwilv so that it functions in the new setup and is treated as if it were always that way would be, in my opinion, foolish and disrespectful of Gygax's original vision for the book.
Is this to say that you will not be penning any "Demonomicon of Iggwilv" entries once the switch is made to 4e?
It *sounds* like JJ is saying that if he can't build off the flavor he's been working on for the last few years, he'd rather not work on the Demonomicon series.
I can definitely see where he's coming from on that; I definitely wouldn't have wanted to write the Archomentals articles based on the 4E cosmology. These guys are best when fighting for control of whole planes, not their favorite parts of one big plane. ;)
Of course, digressing, it seems like the theme of this thread is about the *artifact* called the Demonomicon of Iggwilv (which, in 2E, *was* called the Fiendomicon - yuck!), rather than the *article series* called the Demonomicon of Iggwilv.
here, i'll save you and everybody else some scrolling. ;)
Gruaghlothor
Gruaghlothor is the supreme ruler of the ferrous dragons. His power was once equal to that of Bahamut and Tiamat, before they achieved godhood. According to ferrous dragon legends, Gruaghlothor was the first of the ferrous dragons, and was responsible for creating the hierarchy that all ferrous dragons strictly follow. Several powerful red dragons banded together and destroyed Gruaghlothor, but he swore a dying curse to return for vengeance and not rest until all red dragons are destroyed. As a result of this curse, Gruaghlothor was indeed reborn, but not as the same creature. Should the current Gruaghlothor perish, the great wyrm iron dragons meet to choose one from among their ranks to become the new Gruaghlothor. Through a secret ritual that lasts exactly one year, the new Gruaghlothor emerges to lead the ferrous dragons and plot the extermination of red dragons.
Gruaghlothor possesses a constant telepathic link with all ferrous dragons, and thus even the most evil of the species will not defy his will, for he will know instantly.
Here are a few other sidebars that were trimmed:
Other Ferrous Dragons
Ancient lore tells that twelve or more species of ferrous dragon existed before the great wars that nearly destroyed them. Two species were definitely driven to extinction, though none know the fate or current whereabouts of the other five species, not even the other ferrous dragons. The nature of the seven unknown species remains a mystery, but at least one is probably the magnetite (lodestone) dragon.
The Iron Wars
Several millennia past, civil war erupted between the good and evil ferrous dragons. The impetus for this war, now known as the first Iron War, has been lost to history, but rumors suggest that it began with the discovery of a particularly large deposit of iron ore. Regardless of the cause, many losses were suffered by the ferrous dragons, and their empire began its decline.
The second Iron War was initiated by a group of chaotic dragons known collectively as the rock dragons. Rivalry had long existed between the two groups, but open conflict rarely occurred. Sensing the weakened position of the ferrous dragons, the rock dragons moved in for the kill. The second Iron War ended in the near-extinction of both draconic empires. Tiamat sent her chromatic dragons to crush the last remnants of both.
As a result of the centuries-long Iron Wars, Gruaghlothor has very little tolerance for in-fighting between the ferrous dragons. Instead, he prefers that their enmity be channeled towards the chromatic dragons, particularly the reds.
Here are a few other cut bits:
Treasure
Like other true dragons, ferrous dragons hoard treasure. All varieties have triple standard treasure for their Challenge Rating. Ferrous dragons are particularly fond of coins and metallic items, hoarding them over gems and other non-metallic treasures.
Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn more about ferrous dragons. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
DC Result
15 This is a ferrous dragon. This result reveals all dragon traits.
20 Ferrous dragons can sense ordinary metals, making it hard to sneak up on one if using metal armor or weapons.
25 The lawful ferrous dragons have a strict hierarchy, with the higher dragons dictating the laws to the lower ones. The hierarchy, from highest to lowest, is iron, chromium, cobalt, tungsten, and nickel.
30 Gruaghlothor, the supreme ruler of all ferrous dragons, maintains a constant telepathic link with all his subjects; should any of them defy his will, he will know instantly.
At a 2+ year or so pace to run a 1-20, that gives me 14+ years of games that I can run. Puts me at 74+ years old, and if I make it that far, I may try DnD V6 at that point, or just retire!!
hey, that reminds me of something i was thinking about while at my grandmother's retirement home... i wonder how rampant RPGs will be at retirement homes in the next 10-20 years or so as the oldest generation of gamers reaches that point. :) it would be kind of how they spread through the army and prisons; you know, a bunch of guys with plenty of time on their hands, no family and such to keep them occupied. :)
you know, i submitted material for the original ToH, and i submmited a number of converted monsters to Dragon... hmm, hint hint. ;)
seriously though, a 4E ToH might actually get me to think more positively about converting. personally, i'd like it to not be beholden to the original set of monsters - you know, it could be maybe 75-90% the same creatures, shuffling it around to take out some of the more redundant or less interesting creatures from the original and adding some other "skipped" monsters from the AD&D days.
B) 3.5 or Bust! I'm sticking with the man what brought me.
C) We'll see. Need more information.
D) Other.
Please pick one. Feel free to elaborate, but please stick to one reply each for this thread. I'm not interested in fights or refutations of incorrect points or baiting or whatever.
I want to know how you, at this moment in time, feel about the idea of converting to a new edition of the game.
I expect that people's answers will change over time. This is not the last time I will ask this question, so we'll have a chance to gauge the issue as we go along.
So, given what you know so far, you plan to: _______________.
currently? i'm with B as a player, and it sounds like everyone in my group is as well. we've all spent plenty on books in the last 5 years that we've been playing together, and are not looking forward to having to scrap them all in a few months.
i'm still holding out hope for C, but things don't look so good for me so far. the cosmology changes bug me, and i haven't heard enough good things yet to make up for that. as a past and potential future freelance author, i'd be forced to accept 4E if i want to do mroe work for WotC, so i'd have to accept the system enough to be able to work with it i suppose.
i still remember, i think it was Ultima VI or VII, you could bust onto a farm and just slaughter the livestock and steal the meat. that's not as fun as exploding a cow i'm sure, but still pretty naughty. :)
i think it must be a local problem for me - i'm in chicago, and i asked around the gaming table last night if anyone had seen the current Dungeon, and two fellows remarked that they haven't received their copy either. so until i hear otherwise, i guess i can sit tight!
yep, same feeling for me. i have a pending article that i'm hoping against hope for #359... but with so much other stuff needing to get in there, the odds are slim.
Racial Abilities --
Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Half-elf characters gain a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.
Type: Half-elves are humanoid creatures with both the human and the elf subtypes.
Size: Half-elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base Speed: Half-elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Half-elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Half-elves with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Defense Racial Traits
Elven Immunities: Half-elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Adaptability: Half-elves receive Skill Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Keen Senses: Half-elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
Senses Racial Traits
Low-Light Vision: Half-elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Other Racial Traits
Elf Blood: Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Multitalented: Half-elves choose two favored classes at first level and gain +1 hit point or +1 skill point whenever they take a level in either one of those classes.
Alternative Racial Traits
Arcane Training: Half-elves occasionally seek tutoring to help them master the magic in their blood. Half-elves with this racial trait have only one favored class, and it must be an arcane spellcasting class. They can use spell trigger and spell completion items for their favored class as if one level higher (or as a 1st-level character if they have no levels in that class). This racial trait replaces the multitalented racial trait.
Dual Minded: The mixed ancestry of some half-elves makes them resistant to mental attacks. Half-elves with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws. This racial trait replaces the adaptability racial trait.
Derring-Do (Ex): At 1st level, a swashbuckler can spend 1 panache point when she makes an Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, or Swim check to roll 1d6 and add the result to the check. She can do this after she makes the check but before the result is revealed. If the result of the d6 roll is a natural 6, she rolls another 1d6 and adds it to the check. She can continue to do this as long as she rolls natural 6s, up to a number of times equal to her Dexterity modifier (minimum 1).
Dodging Panache (Ex): At 1st level, when an opponent attempts a melee attack against the swashbuckler, the swashbuckler can as an immediate action spend 1 panache point to move 5 feet; doing so grants the swashbuckler a dodge bonus to AC equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 0) against the triggering attack. This movement doesn't negate the attack, which is still resolved as if the swashbuckler had not moved from the original square. This movement is not a 5-foot step; it provokes attacks of opportunity from creatures other than the one who triggered this deed. The swashbuckler can only perform this deed while wearing light or no armor, and while carrying no heavier than a light load.
Opportune Parry and Riposte (Ex): At 1st level, when an opponent makes a melee attack against the swashbuckler, she can spend 1 panache point and expend a use of an attack of opportunity to attempt to parry that attack. The swashbuckler makes an attack roll as if she were making an attack of opportunity; for each size category the attacking creature is larger than the swashbuckler, the swashbuckler takes a –2 penalty on this roll. If her result is greater than the attacking creature's result, the creature's attack automatically misses. The swashbuckler must declare the use of this ability after the creature's attack is announced, but before its attack roll is made. Upon performing a successful parry and if she has at least 1 panache point, the swashbuckler can as an immediate action make an attack against the creature whose attack she parried, provided that creature is within her reach. This deed's cost cannot be reduced by any ability or effect that reduces the number of panache points a deed costs.
Exploits:
Dimensional Slide (Su)
The arcanist can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to create a dimensional crack that she can step through to reach another location. This ability is used as part of a move action or withdraw action, allowing her to move up to 10 feet per arcanist level to any location she can see. This counts as 5 feet of movement. She can only use this ability once per round. She does not provoke attacks of opportunity when moving in this way, but any other movement she attempts as part of her move action provokes as normal.
Sword Bond (Su)
At 1st level, a blade adept develops a bond with a blade and infuses it with arcane power. This ability works like a wizard's arcane bond ability save that the blade adept must bond to a one-handed piercing or slashing melee weapon. Additionally, the blade adept gains proficiency with the weapon if it is a simple or martial weapon.
This ability replaces the arcanist exploits gained at 1st and 9th levels.
Sentient Sword (Su)
At 3rd level, the blade adept's bonded sword becomes a powerful, sentient black blade. The blade advances as a black blade using the blade adept's class level in place of the magus's class level and points from her arcane reservoir in place of the magus's arcane pool. A blade adept with this class feature cannot have a familiar of any kind, even from another class.
This ability replaces the arcanist exploit gained at 3rd level.
Adept Exploits
Eldritch Blade: A blade adept with this exploit uses her caster level instead of her class level for the purpose of advancing her bonded sword's powers.
Magus Arcana: A blade adept can select any of the following magus arcana, using her arcane reservoir in place of the magus's arcane pool: arcane accuracy, close range, critical strike, dispelling strike, and hasted assault. The blade adept treats her arcanist level as her magus level when determining the effects of magus arcana and when specific arcana are available. A blade adept can take this exploit multiple times. Each time it is taken, it applies to a different magus arcana.
Spell Strike (Su): The blade adept can deliver touch spells with her bonded weapon. This works as the magus ability of the same name.
Gear:
Black Blade Rapier
Amulet of Natural Armor +2 (8,000)
Cloak of Resistance +2 (4,000)
Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2 (4,000)
Bookplate of Recall (1,000)
Handy Haversack (2,000)
Headband of Vast Intelligence +2 (4,000)
Mithral Shirt +2 (4,100)
Pearl of Power: 1st Level (2) (2,000)
Ring of Protection +2 (4,000)
Ring of Sustenance (2,500)
Wand of Infernal Healing (750)
Wand of Shield (750)
Mundane Equipment:
Cold Iron Spiked Gauntlet
Explorer's Outfit
Extra Spell Component Pouch
Masterwork Longbow
Silversheen Dagger
Wizard's Kit
Alertness (Ex): While a magus is wielding his black blade, he gains the Alertness feat.
Black Blade Strike (Sp): As a free action, the magus can spend a point from the black blade’s arcane pool to grant the black blade a +1 bonus on damage rolls for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, this ability gives the black blade another +1 on damage rolls.
Telepathy (Su): While a magus is wielding or carrying his black blade, he can communicate telepathically with the blade in a language that the magus and the black blade share.
Unbreakable (Ex): As long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool, a black blade is immune to the broken condition. If broken, the black blade is unconscious and powerless until repaired. If destroyed, the black blade can be reforged 1 week later through a special ritual that costs 200 gp per magus level. The ritual takes 24 hours to complete.
Energy Attunement (Su): At 5th level, as a free action, a magus can spend a point of his black blade’s arcane pool to have it deal one of the following types of damage instead of weapon damage: cold, electricity, or fire. He can spend 2 points from the black blade’s arcane pool to deal sonic or force damage instead of weapon damage. This effect lasts until the start of the magus’s next turn.
Teleport Blade (Sp): As a standard action, a magus of 9th level or higher can expend an arcane point from his or his black blade’s arcane pool, and can call his black blade from as far as 1 mile away, causing it to instantaneously teleport to his hand.
Transfer Arcana (Su): At 13th level, once per day, a magus can attempt to siphon points from his black blade’s arcane pool into his own arcane pool. Doing so takes a full-round action and the magus must succeed at a Will saving throw with a DC equal to the black blade’s ego. If the magus succeeds, he regains 1 point to his arcane pool for every 2 points he saps from his black blade. If he fails the saving throw, the magus becomes fatigued (but can try again). If he is fatigued, he becomes exhausted instead. He cannot use this ability if he is exhausted.
Spell Defense (Sp): A magus of 17th level or higher can expend an arcane point from his weapon’s arcane pool as a free action; he then gains SR equal to his black blade’s ego until the start of his next turn.
Life Drinker (Su): At 19th level, each time the magus kills a living creature with the black blade, he can pick one of the following effects: the black blade restores 2 points to its arcane pool; the black blade restores 1 point to its arcane pool and the magus restores 1 point to his arcane pool; the magus gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the black blade’s ego (these temporary hit points last until spent or 1 minute, whichever is shorter). The creature killed must have a number of Hit Dice equal to half the magus’s character level for this to occur.
Level 3:
Arcane Sight, Bestow Curse, Displacement, Flame Arrow, Fireball, Fly, Force Hook Charge, Force Punch, Keen Edge, Ray of Exhaustion, Slow, Stinking Cloud, Vampiric Touch
Level 4:
Black Tentacles, Dimension Door, Firefall, Fireshield, Greater Infernal Healing, Greater Invisibility, Ice Storm, Monstrous Physique II, Stoneskin
Level 5:
Acidic Spray, Baleful Polymorph, Cone of Cold, Corrosive Consumption, Elemental Body II, Fire Snake, Monstrous Physique III, Teleport, Wall of Force, Wall of Stone
Level 6:
Chain Lightning, Disintegrate, Dispel Magic (Greater), Flesh To Stone, Form of the Dragon I, Sirocco, True Seeing, Undead Anatomy III
"I have this feeling that my luck is none too good.
This sword here at my side don't act the way it should.
Keeps calling me its master, but I feel like its slave.
Hauling me faster and faster to an early, early grave.
And it howls, it howls like hell!
I'm told it's my duty to fight against the law.
That wizardry's my trade and I was born to wade through gore.
I just want to be a lover, not a red-eyed screaming ghoul.
I wish it'd picked another to be its killing tool."
