Haerthguard's page

I tend to disagree with Calagnar. First of all, I don't view the ranger as necessary as he suggests, I think having members of the party with strong ranged attacks can save their lives, and I don't view the rouge as highly important. Our party monk did fairly well for himself until the great TPK in adventure 4. Yes, Paladins and Clerics can definitely shine in the undead-heavy areas, and a well prepared wizard can handle almost anything at a high enough level.

I also think that the AP is diverse enough that any group of players going through it will find a way to make the most use out of their particular abilities. There is often far more ways to solve a problem than just one, and any group will be able to find their tactical stride and make it work for them. Or they will completely bugger it up and end up dead in the most horrific manner... the point is, that once you start a group going in the Age of Worms, they'll figure it out for themselves. I honestly have no idea about this Witch class you're talking about, but I'm sure with the support of the other members, they'll find a way to make it work for them.

Personally, I really had fun running the Age of Worms and bringing Diamond Lake to life. The Age of Worms Overload provides a great many NPCs to drawn from, and it helps them feel connected to their home town long after they leave it. Have fun with Diamond Lake and their environs. I think it makes the game go from good to fantastic!

Deaths on Tilagos Island:

First to die was the half-celestial paladin that charged the octopus tree all by his lonesome. 9 attacks later, he was food.

Second was from a critical hit from the mighty Titan Kranathos. It was the first attack roll of the combat, dealing well over 100 damage to the rogue that was way to clever for his own good.

Deaths keep mounting, and the Age of Worms is getting closer and closer. At this rate, Kyuss will reign supreme!!

I am currently running Age of Worms at 15th level with mostly the same group of players (if not PCs) and the group has certainly found enough challenge without me modifying very much at all. In the beginning I added a few extra monsters or toughened up a boss fight. The only time I wish I was harder on them was in the Champion Games, when they walked all over the competition.

As a rough rule of thumb, I'd add more creatures to encounters, but not advance creatures to be tougher. That way there is more XP for the group to share, there are enough monsters so everyone can participate in the fight, and things are interesting without getting too hairy. Some parts of the Age of Worms are hard enough without modification, so I wouldn't worry about the adventures not being challenging enough. Once you get to playing more, you will have a better idea of how to handle your particular party.

What about silver? The touch of silver is supposed to kill the Kyuss worms...

Players of Dungeons and Dragons sure love their loot, don't they? It amazes me- so much so I'm surprised they didn't name the game DD&T: Dungeons, Dragons, and Treasure!

There is some good arguments on both sides for why to allow or not a feat that honestly has some fairly sever repercussions on a player, and hence the game. This is the type of thing that requires some dialogue in the group, as well as player-to-DM. I'll admit that I have banned the use of Vow of Poverty in certain cases. In these cases I felt the player was interested primarily in the numerical and mechanical advantages, not in the story development and role-playing aspects that the feat represents.

I have also been the party wizard back in 3.0 with a Foresaker prestige class in play. For those that may not know, the Foresaker not only refused to use magic items, he avoided magic at all costs! That was... frustrating. Yet it was amusing, and our two very different characters developed a friendly rivalry. (("Hey everyone, I can turn us all invisible and we can sneak through... oh, nevermind. I know, I'll teleport us.... no, I guess not. Hrmmm...."))

Dragonborn, from what I have read of your character and intention with the feat, I would certainly applaud and encourage your use of the Vow of Poverty. I feel confident that the other problems that may or may not arise from the feat could be easily dealt with as the game progresses.

Oh, we have had a few deaths in the Age of Worms to date, but never have I felt the need to boast of them here. I am feeling that perhaps it is time for that to change!

From the first TPK way back in the Faces of Three Evils, my gaming group has been plagued by death. Some of it caused by nothing more sinister than a critical from a great-axe, others simply from poor party tactics and a stubborn refusal to retreat.

They are now in the Spire of Long Shadows, and while they are far from dead, they are almost exclusively feebleminded. There is no one left to teleport them out of the Zigguarat of Kyuss or heal their affliction. Only the party rogue remains in full mental capacity, and all he can really do is laugh at them.

Splurggut the Worm Naga may be dead, but the last laugh is certainly his.

I have a Radiant Servant in my game as well. I did not allow him the phylactery of undead turning to avoid this very issue- I didn't want him to destroy the Ulgarstasta in one action! I'll be the first to admit the class is pretty broken, but at least the concept is rather cool.

So far he still does not have a Phylactery, but looking at the Spire of Long Shadows, I'm thinking it might be okay if he had it. Of course, if things get too bad for the Kyuss minions then I might have to sprinkle in some feats off the Liber Mortis book. Necromantic Presence adds +4 to the turning resistance of a all undead within 60ft. That alone undoes the effects of the Phylactery.

Compared to a normal cleric, a Radiant Servant both heals and turns undead far more effectively. Enough to potentially disrupt the flow of an undead-heavy AP. No one should simply turn and destroy Dragotha with a turning check and be done with him!

Like many of you, I am playing through Age of Worms and I too find that there are some difficulties with some high level play at first glance. I've done some of the same math, and looked at the game from my players' point of view. Several of the things I saw as problems at first don't seem like big things now. I'll go through examples one at a time.

First of all, Grappling. I shudder at it most of the time as crude and unwieldy. Recently my players fought Madtooth the Hungry in the arena, followed by the dreaded Ulgerstasta, and the grappling modifiers were impossible! +35 grapple check? Hope that you roll a Nat 20, or you're done fore! Sure enough the froghemoth grappled the party pladadin and gulped him down. As soon as he wrapped his 15ft reach tentacle around him, though, suddenly the full-power attacking fighter and the sneak attacking rogue started doing outlandish amounts of damage. Coupled with the wizard's magical assult, the beast dropped a round (perhaps 2) later. The paladin crawled out of the gut of the creature and was ready to adventure the next day. Yes, some of the grappling is really bad. But, you can live through being eaten! That is a kindness.

Secondly, the difference between AC and BAB is a math problem to be sure. Especially as monsters attack with mostly the one high value as the PC's diminish with each swing at higher levels. However, I'm finding that the focus of defense is retreating from being AC dependent and involving far more other things- cover/concealment, DR, SR, and elemental resistances. Or the old monster standby of a boatload of HP.
That being said, there is still room to illustrate a great difference in relative AC between different monsters of a similar CR. As my party approaches a Gathering of Winds, they are threatened by a dragon with a really high AC of 29. Later, they face a creature with AC 1. I expect that the tactics and powers used to combat these different types of critters will vary- as well they should! My Dwarven Defender of the party hates to miss with any attack, and even though he invested in Power Attack long, long ago he is generally loath to use it. His personal tactic then is to connect as often as possible even with his second and third attacks. When confronted with lesser minions he will realize that the AC is so below his bonus he can safely utilize Power Attack and still hit reliably. Others might play it different.

Lastly, the 15-minute workday: especially for casters- this is where many of my group cheered the rules changes of 4e to include at-will powers. And after running the Champion Games I walked away with a new perspective. Perhaps it was an anomaly of the Games, or maybe the party wizard has finally shown me the true colors of magic. Magic is crazy good! With a handful of 4th and 5th level spells he completely dominated the arena! When he awoke knowing that he had but a handful of encounters do deal with, he unleashed hell upon those poor gladiators. Empowered Fireballs, Black Tentacles, Stinking Cloud, and the Resilient Sphere had everyone taken care of before the dwarf could even close ranks! It really showed me how a single spell can change everything about an encounter- a well prepared and prudent wizard need only cast 1-2 spells to turn the tide of battle. The lower level spells (of which he should have plently) he can dispense with nearly at will. Remember that each well scaled encounter should take up %20 of resources, so the party is likely to rest after 4 fights at any rate. If they do well for themselves, they might be able to push on longer.

I've noticed the same trend in 4e as well. Despite the rules changes, the party runs low on either hp or dailies and decides to turn back after a similar amount of good fights.

Anyway, I think this rant went long enough! The point being that I think 3.5 might have its problems, but it really is a well thought out system that seems to work with a dizzying array of play styles and situations. The Age of Worms takes advantage of that, and so some issues comes up. Nothing that can be worked with or around.

Sometimes, I think it is important to have the players get a win- when they have the right tactics and the right spells, things go their way.

There is still plenty in the Halls that can trip them up, like a Vrock statue and whole workshop of cursed magical items. If you really want to make combat a bear, you could always consider consolidating the monsters. Have the advanced Octopin retreat to Zyxog's Cathedral of the Mind, helping the Mindflayer fend off the attack.

Personally, though, my band had a really hard time with this and I ended up with 4 deaths (out of six). If your group has done better, then kudos to them. I tip my hat.

OK, I admit, eventually correcting Z's misprinted Mind Blast DC probably helped a lot there too in avoiding a TPK...

So that was a misprint? I missed that one, and it explains a lot, like how they expect anyone to survive that fight!

The passage into the Cathedral of the Mind can be kinda tricky. In my game, after fighting the advanced Octopin, the players were already low on resources and checked out the scrying room. The elven druid decided to scout the balcony, and unfortunately was spotted by Zyxog, and a horrible fight ensued. It would have been a TPK for sure if not for my intervention. However, it could have been very different if the party ninja took a look down the hall to see how the Cathedral was set up and to inform the party of Zyxog's location. Then at least the party would not be advancing on a powerful illithid sorcerer without rest and low on spells.

For the scout or sniper character, the balcony is a great perch. For those that are unprepared, the hallway makes for some great lightning bolt targets.

Hey all, I'm running through Halls of Harsh Reflections and coming up on the Champion Games, and I'm looking to add some spice to the Games. In particular, Kullen's gang has survived the first run-in with our heroes, and are looking to make some money at the games. I'm hoping to either add them in between Pitch Blade and Auric's group or replace Pitch Blade all together. At any rate, I want them to be a tough fight. Any ideas on how to level up the gang without just advancing their base class?

Oh, and I'm also leary of any hiccups that may occur during the Champion Games. How hard is it to balance fighting in the arena versus the dungeons below?

The Wind Warriors are tough final fight, to be sure. Not so bad as the Ebon Aspect, but a challenge for a group of 3rd level players. Since they are the first thing after putting the ghost to rest, I think that it is more than reasonable to assume the party should be at full capacity, and there isn't really anything after that they need worry about.

I didn't modify them at all. The first time I ran this adventure, they did kill one PC. The second time, they did well but everyone walked away more or less intact. Both parties loved the creatures and thought they were awesome, and I can't wait to throw the advanced versions at them in the later AP.

Re-reading the Ninja's healing ability, I find that I was mistaken. I thought it was wisdom multiplied by level, not by 1/2 level(as did my player). I'm okay with the compromise, as the use of two feats and his precious ki pool make the ability to heal very useful, but hardly broken.

As I'm running this Ninja in the Age of Worms, however, an interesting thought occurs: no mention of the Ninja's invisibility states what kind of effect it is. There are creatures immune to figments and glamours, but since the invisibility of the Ninja is not listed in itallics, I am wondering if that will have an effect at all. Also, is the invisibility dispelable, or does it work like regular invis versus greater invis?

It may be cool as a player, but I'm finding the ninja a bit frustrating to DM for.

Well I haven't played the endgame, but I certainly understand your frustrations. Personally, I haven't had to beef up many encounters and I find AoW plenty challenging on it's own.

In our party, everyone hates the druid because of the same problem you're having. She spends the first three rounds of combat spelling up herself and her wolf, even for minor encounters. By the time she's done, the enemy has died and she's no help whatsoever.

Other than boosting your numbers on the character sheet, you might want to take a look at your teamwork. Generally speaking, if a party doesn't work well together they will never succeed- no matter how high their AC becomes. But I wish you and your band happy hunting- may the God of Worms tremble at the mention of your names!

Oh, and as an afterthought; did you have fun? What's your favorite part of the AP from a player's point of view?

You're just about where my party is! I loved running the Halls of Harsh Reflections! Did you have one of your players take the role of the hidden Doppleganger too?

Anyway- this crawl can be a bit much to go through all in one go. I guess you need to think about how mean you want to be to worn and weary PC's. At this point in the adventure, my party morale was pretty low, and they needed the win. So I didn't utilize the mirror maze to its fullest and they didn't walk out of the room crying.

But even at your meanest, I think Telakin would want to use his race's greatest treasure- deception. He has been watching the PC's, knows who they are and how they think. I don't think he'd be satisfied with merely killing them with force or stealth. After all, replacement PC could have slit some throats at any point during the adventure so far, but instead he watched the party kill his comrades all to maintain a ploy! If you want to push the PCs, I'd try to find a scheme that lures the party into the mirror maze. Maybe they crack the secret door just enough to have a dwarf or elf discover it as they pass by, thinking they found it on their own and not by enemy design. I liked the idea of using ghost sound or just some good acting against the party. Chances are good that they're pretty paranoid and won't take much at face value. You can use that to your advantage- play a multi-leveled ploy that gets them to react into their own peril.

Whispers just on the other side of the secret door feeding false information or hints that there might be yet another dopple in the party might get them to poke around, a shadowy figure beating a hasty retreat might lure them into ambush.... you know your party better than any of us could, but you get the idea. Dopplegangers love deception, and that should be the weapon of choice.

Honestly, I don't think it's overpowered. Lay on hands and the like are underpowered. I even think this is underpowered. 20 points? You survive one round longer. You use it outside combat? Well, you're that many points shorter for the next fight. It's just another use for a resource, and not really a good one anyway.

What kind of combats are you running that 20hp is only one round at fifth level? I understand that Pathfinder PCs are quite a bit more powerful, but I'm running straight 3.5 here, and a Ninja just should not be the party's best healer.

What I'd like to do is open up a unique use for Ki that doesn't take any starch out of the Paladin but is still worth the feats to obtain. A striking balance between "More hitpoints than an appropriately leveled encounter can handle" and "I spent two feats on what??".

Some options include making it Charisma based like the Paladin's Lay on Hands, or simply making it equivalent to a day's rest (1 or 2hp/level). Also, I'm going to have to make it a standard action to heal, rather than a swift.

Any other thoughts or suggestions would be great.

Is anyone concerned about the power level involved with these feats??? I have a brand new ninja in my Age of Worms campaign that outshines both the monk and the paladin with his awesome healing ability. With a single Ki point, he can heal 20 damage to himself at level 5. The Paladin can do that once per day, and the monk won't even come close when he gets a similar ability at 7th level. How do I fix this?

Also, once fixed, I'd like that ability to be used on other people, calling it Reiki. It would work similar to the Paladin lay on hands, but with Ki power. I just don't want the ninja to be able to heal 200 points of damage at 5th level. Any ideas would help.

The idea the sloth is just laziness... it's a bit shallow. There is a reason it got to be one of the Seven Deadly in the first place.

That said, I can also see the difficulties in creating a Sloth deity that lives up to divine promise. But consider that the souls of the sinful who fall into the Abyss often have their soul-stuff reshaped and formed into Tanar'ri. Perhaps a particularly sinful soul who exemplified Sloth were to be reshaped into a demon of Apathy and Woe, or several such souls merged together into a bloated form that serves as a corrupting influence. Such a being may receive followers simply through it's own corrupting influence. A Paladin's code is difficult, and if one can be convinced to turn away from duty to spare some effort or self-sacrifice, you could potentially get some blackguard followers. If such a thing lead to the paladin's death, it could form into a Tanar'ri minion in the Abyss.

Just a thought, play with it. I personally love themes based on the Seven Deadly Sins, and the Virtues that oppose them.

Some of the examples above of Intimidate aren't really uses of the skill. They're just things that happen, and people become frightened of the event. Some large creature smashing my ramparts would be unnerving- no roll required.

Now, one thing I will not only grant but also encourage is a liberal use of the circumstance modifier. Are you visibly a threatening individual, or have you previously defeated said opponent? Are you significantly larger, or well known for your worldly might? A range of +2 to +10 could be granted for things like this. Using it outside of the combat action, you could use the generic Buff modifiers as well. Is it easy to believe that the half-orc can and likely will squish your head like an over-ripe melon? +5 or +10 for that. The best part? No use of a feat required to get the bonus!

As far as who gets intimidate as a class skill, I will agree it is somewhat frustrating. But at least the Fighter and Barbarian gets some sort of social skill. It might not be Diplomacy, and it's certainly not as good in combat as an attack roll in most cases, but it's something. Besides, who says the Fighter or Barbarian can't be charismatic?? It might not be good min/maxing, but it could be good role playing. There are archetypes of each that certainly lend well to a high Cha stat. The charming swordsman in the kingdom's court, the youthfully brazen yet inspiring barbarian leader are two examples that spring to mind of a player deciding that Cha was not a dump stat. In the case of the above fighter, maybe it was Int and he's dumb as rock but so damn pretty no one says anything. The brash barbarian might make poor desicions or not think through actions because Wis is his lowest stat... You get the idea. Fighters can have Cha too.

He has... he's just not telling.

This arguement again? I've always felt that charisma is the only way to go with inimidate. The key here is the ability to focus intent at your opponents.

The factors of Str, size, threatening gestures and wicked weapons have nothing to do with the skill. They are merely facts. This man has large muscles and an impressive sword. This monster drools down atop me from an amazing height. Those facts- and the facts alone- scare people. When presented with the large beast in a foul mood, the reaction of fear isn't because of some skill the beast employs. It stems from the belief and perception that you are unequal the task of neutralizing the threat involved. A cocky fool might laugh a challenge, or a wise veteran might give way... The choice is not up to the threat on how the target responds.

The skill seems to be convincing through some method the idea that you are something to be feared for some reason or another. Charisma is the stat that allows you to focus your intent at a task- to inspire, impress, or convey using various methods your mindset.

Were a warrior to draw a line in the sand with his sword and declare to his foes that he will kill those who cross, there is a chance for him to impress his resolve and will on his opponents. If he truly intends to kill, or if he has a very violent mindset, he might use his Cha to convice his foes of such and roll intimidate. If he has no beleif in his own ability to do exactly as promised, but wants people to think he can... then we use Cha on a bluff check. If he simply drew a line an gave a warning, then there is no skill being employed. Just a line in the sand and a choice to be made by those on the other side. And those that cross will have to deal with the consequences- whatever they may be.

Did that rant a bit like nonsense? I'm kinda sleep deprived right now... Anyway, I really don't like the idea of Str for intimidate. Demoralizing an opponent is so much more than merely flexing. To break his spirit, you have to get under his skin somehow, and deliver a message- one perhaps of power, or skill, or what have you. To deliver a message or convey and communicate an idea is Cha, every time. Accept no subsitutes.

An afterthought about the comic book examples... Both Batman and Superman are both very charismatic. One inspires fear and the other trust. Sups doesn't intimidate or bluff much because even he doesn't think he'll do what he threatens. That's what, a -10 on the bluff scale? Batman studies how to unnerve opponents- you could translate that into ranks.

Sweet! The first time I ran this, I couldn't think of too many uses for the damned mimicry ability. I think I might just take some of these and put them in the Kenku's mouths for my second run... I might sound as though it's your buddy making fun of you, but it's probably just a sneaky birdman hiding from the other side of a secret door. It also might taunt and otherwise cautious party into making a mistake.

I asume your players ate it up. I can see my current group hating this kind of thing.

Speaking of the infamous Face Trap, does being held affect your ability to make saves against the wind effects? Or once held, do you auto-fail and get blown back??

Are we forgetting that Vecna is indeed a diety of undeath? What about bringing him back as an intellegent undead? If the ritual will require the lives (and possibly souls) of the cult leaders, the Faceless One is likely the only leader to be privy to this little side effect. A pact with his dark Lich-God could have him resurface in unlife.

The PCs run into the Faceless One again- same mask and everything. After yet another battle they remove his mask (or it falls off in combat) only to reveal the blank stare of a eyeless skull- truly he is the Faceless One now!

I'm about to start in on the Age of Worms for the second time with a new group. Last time I ran it pretty much out of the box, and I can't wait to tweak things up a bit more this time.

You all have made me rethink Bugbears in my world.... they have yet to find their niche, and they need too. I've been too caught up with Gnolls and Kobolds fighting gnomish communities to really give Bugbears much though. Thank you.

As far as why Hobgoblins haven't taken over human lands? Humans get a bonus feat. 'Nuff said!

Let us not forget the simple stupidity of "Shadowy Illumination".... so what, is it a shadow or illumination? Can I light an area (albeit darkly) with a Darkness spell. Is it for mood lighting on romantic dates?

Strictly speaking, no. The first sentence under Sunder states "You can use a melee attack with a slashing or bludgeoning weapon to strike a weapon or shield that your opponent is holding". So a ranged attack like arrow or sling is right out according to that.

I like to be a bit more forgiving with my rules interpretation and add a flare for dramatic combat, though. If it's your game and your rules, then you could certainly let those demons attempt to destroy the weapon from affar. But in doing so, remember that means your players should be able to follow the same rules.

Of course, a sunder attack isn't the only thing that can negate the demon-killing sword of nasty. A good dispel magic can suppress it, a disarm can cause it to become the property of a vengeful demon, etc. Or you can try to limit the usefulness of the sword by forcing ranged combat, impose blindness/darkness, or grappling the weilder. The only reason I suggest those alternatives is that by destroying the blade, you are essencially taking away a reward previously earned by the player. From a player's point of view, that may seem a bit unfair.

Here I was under the impression that the Alchemist Fire targets a particular square with like an AC5 or some such. Now I gotta check those rules.

Oh, heavens no! Don't change a thing! It adds so much to the whole thing. If you're worried about the difficulty, remember that the Kenku aren't exactly dumb. Focus more on the Mimicry abilities and maybe add a little magical darkness to make light an issue. Light doesn't bend around corners, so keep track of who has a light source. The poor rogue may end up inadvertantly leading the party to a massacre by slipping through some dark hall, calling "Hey, this way..." only they hear that same voice echoing through the whole place. Even if the battle isn't so deadly, it will be noteworthy. Besides, you can always make things a bit harder with the wizards on the other side to compensate.

Happy Hunting!

The Champion's Belt is the key adventure I'm looking forward to running most in the AoW path. One of my players decided that playing a full-blooded Orcish barbarian was a good idea, and he's going for Frenzied Berzerker. By the time they are ready for the Games, my main concern is that he'll just try to attack Raknian in broad daylight and get the whole party killed. Hopefully I can convince them that they need to beat the old coot at his own twisted games by joining the Arena. Of course, odds are equally good that they will jump into the Games before they even know who this Raknian guy is! Hard to predict those Orcish barbarians.

I have run into simillar troubles running my group of 7-8 PCs through AoW. They tend to steam-roll the smaller encounters without a problem, and when I pump up the cool baddies, I risk making them too powerful or giving them abilities that the party just can't handle. Eight 2nd level players is definately not the same as four 4th levelers; one swipe of an owlbear's claw can kill the lower level fighter.

A little modification is nessisary for that kind of thing, and generally speaking instead of advancing one bad guy two or three levels, I try to increase the number of opponents or just add some extra hp/AC for staying power and let the villian have some time in the spotlight. Still haven't mastered the art yet, though. It's tricky... but worth it. I love my big gaming group, and the wide variety of play styles and character types gives me enough inspiration to toil at the DM's chair for as long as it takes to get it right.

What really makes it interesting is the "Book of Exaulted Deeds" which states that while <i>normal</i> morality might be argued here and there about the details and such, in a D&D setting the ends do *NOT* justify the means. The sole reason being that if one were to consider morality as negotiable, it invites a certain greyness to it all- making it a commodity as it were. Basically, they're not saying it's wrong. Just... nuetral. So can the paladin make the deal with demons to fight the big baddy? Sure! Does he loose his statues? Yep! But if that's what he believes is right, then that's just the kind of sacrifice that the situation calls for. Now, I would <i>certainly</i> allow attonement, redemption, or even a rebuild to a fallen paladin who quests for it if the player behind the PC where making the effort.

And I would be sadly disappointed in the player that said "Heck no I don't fight the evil! I'd loose all my cool powers and holy mumbo-jumbo."

Oh, and this applies not only to paladins, but of every character of the Good alignment. Sure, some just change a letter from "G" to "N", but Exaulted characters can feel the bite of that just as harshly.

Simply put; a paladin's path is not easy. If you call it "railroading" to say a paladin faces the risk of loosing his powers, then you're coddling the PC's. They then are railroading you. Hmm....

Haerthguard represents not my love for a character or NPC, but rather the act of world creation. Haerthguard is the name of a city with probably the most history I've laid down for my home-brew D&D world and certainly the one I've fleshed out the most. It's got... stuff in it. It's cool... I think maybe a hearth that someone might, uh... guard. Just a thought

So far Allustan has identified all of the parties items for them, but at the cost of complete notes, illustrations, and rubbings of the Whispering Cairn. He's even keeping a count of how much gold the party owes him, in case their notes aren't up to par. But I also like to use a little common sense application. After all, wizards don't create items to be misleading or myserious! The ring of Feather Fall has a feathery motif, all Cure potions are different shades of blue- the darker the stronger. Little tools like that should make a PC go "Ah, I betcha..." and be able to use the item.

Hehe.. my group is just so happy to be in a loot-ridden dungeon in the Whispering Cairns. Even divided between the seven of them, they still find it's a lot more than what I put into my previous campaign. At the mention of selling an Owlbear Cub for 3,000gp someone almost fainted. Gold is like candy in that game.

I think that time travel could be a great way for your players to interact directly with a setting's history, rather than just reading about it from ruin walls.

This becomes really important if you run a home-brew setting like I do. Since the players can't read about my world in books or on the net, I have to find a way to present it to them in game. While the party hasn't actually gotten to that story arc, I do plan on it.

Also, I really dig the idea of a Chronomancer or a Time Domain for clerics. I think FR has the domain somewhere, but I'm not sure.

And for reference, Stargate SG-1 does time travel and such effects fairly well. It's a well-written show I think.

In the spirit of the April Dragon magazines, I tried to run an "April Fools" version of my regular gaming campaign. Game night just happened to be the 1st, so I made all of the characters suddenly turn into stick figure form, in the style of Oots. But none of them got it. They just looked at me like I was nuts... It was rather embarrising.

What am I doing that I'm up this late? Gaming... duh. Session just ended at dawn.

The reason the target (aka "sucker") needs to be flat footed is because every guy learns how to cover those shots. Improved fient can spell disaster, however.

True story- a friend of mine pulled the whole "Hey, look over there" and then nailed my egg basket as hard as he could. At my Grad party no less... I was out for a loooong time. Everyone laughed and laughed, but I just curled up and wished to be dead. Being flat footed sucks.

Just jokin' around with the boys night at the table, we've finally developed the greatest rules to ever be introduced to 3.5- the age old shot-to-the-nuts!

First of all, the target needs to be flatfooted (after a feint, for instance). Then it's just a straight shot to the jewels, automatically criticaling and rolling damage as normal. The poor sap must then pass a Fort save equal to damage dealt +10, just like a coup de grace. Failure means that the poor sap is a paralyzed heap of tears on the floor. Success means that there's a Will save to avoid being shaken and demoralized.

Lame and immature? Sure! But our group is really tired and thought we should post it. We laughed, it's all good

While the Sorcerer and Cleric use different stats to actually cast the spell and power its effects, crafting new spells is all about design and your applicable knowledge of magic. That's the realm of intellegnce. So really the mechanic isn't based on favoring one class or another. It's simple to have a consisant basis for all such skill sets and checks. If epic clerics started using Wis instead of Int for spellcraft, my freshly-made cleric would want to do the same. But the skill just ain't built to work that way; a cleric or sorcerer might not have any real applicable knowledge of how their spells are cast, but that doesn't stop them from wielding magic just as effectively as the estudious wizard.

Oh, and does the stat really matter as much at Epic Levels? Generally, it's much harder to raise a stat than a skill rank. So at 30th level where max ranks is 33, does the extra handful of points really make that much of a difference? Epic Skill Focus can eliminate that gap nicely, I'm sure.

-Just some thoughts.

P.S.- I tend to disagree somewhat with Grimcleaver, however. I think a cleric and sorcerer should design and innovate as much as the wizard- and certainly the creative bard! I just wanted to stress the difference between a Stat and a Class- the two are not linked, no matter what archtypes we play.

Yeah, because we need MORE of that kind of evil. Bleh. With the Warlock's few available invocations per level, the currently existing list should be enough to satisfy all but the most epic of warlocks.