LamentoftheLost's page

How much of d20 Future and Star Wars d20 are OGL? There's a lot in them that I wouldn't mind seeing Paizofied.

Most of Future has always been OGL, you can still find the SRDs for Modern, Future, Past, and Urban Arcana. In fact, I know Modern SRD and I'm pretty sure the Future SRD are available for free from RPGNOW.com.

Most of Star Wars is NOT OGL, because of the Star Wars name, only the most common rules from Star Wars are technically OGL.

In general it seems only the settings themselves are really copyrighted, and I'm not even sure about that when it comes to Modern/Future, because things like Department 7 are setting related, but included in the SRD.

Whoops, I could have sworn I placed it in the Advice forum... must have hit the wrong link on my tablet.

Thanks for the answers, friends.

Arcane Manipulation

( Lost Empires of Faerûn, p. 6)

[General]

You are learned in the arcane ways of Netheril, where masters of magic once molded and shaped arcane energy to their own will.
Prerequisite
Wizard level 1,

Benefit
When you prepare spells, you can break down up to three existing arcane spell slots to create a specified number of lower-level spell slots. (A 0-level spell counts as 1/2 level for this purpose, so a 1st-level spell slot could be broken into two 0-level spell slots.) The sum of the levels of all the new spell slots must equal the level of the original. The number of spell slots you can create in this manner is otherwise unlimited. Spell slots that you break down into multiple lower-level slots remain that way until the next time you prepare spells, at which time you can choose to restore your spell slots to normal or break them up again.

Normal
A character can always choose to use a higher-level spell slot to prepare a lower-level spell, but any "remainder" spell levels are lost.

Even though it can only be taken at first level, would this feat be over-powered for pathfinder even if modified for Pathfinder's cantrips or not allowing this feat to add cantrips at all?

Ahh, thanks. I got my bonuses confused up there, I noticed... thanks again.

Thanks, you've given me quite a bit to think about. :-)

Does it just add +1 to attack rolls as masterwork, or does it add +1 to damage rolls as a magic weapon, or does it grant +1 attack and +1 damage?

Would you count a person as a soft target? Baring heavy armor that is.

... any rules for this? If not, how would you rule it for 1st lvl characters?

Many many thanks! :) I spent way too long looking through books the other night, lol.

I am looking for a piece of artwork from a D&D 3.5 book I think, but it might be Pathfinder.

It depicts a kneeling and smiling Half-orc offering his hand to a scared child, I'm not sure if he's holding anything or not, I just know he was showing a bit of kindness to the child.

Its not the artwork with the kid and the wooden sword, just to be clear.

If anyone can tell me the book, I'd be grateful.

More specifically, I suppose it just kinda breaks the suspension of belief for me to see a halfling with a max wight of 38 lbs able to carry almost twice their own weight (75 lbs) as a LIGHT LOAD with Str 18, but a human who can weight up to 220 lbs. can only carry 100 lbs as a light load. AND the halfling's gear weights comparatively less to boot (1/2 to 1/4 the weight of medium gear, while able to carry 3/4 the norm for a medium character.)

It reminds me of Nodwick, like they were born to be henchmen.

It's like a phobia, an irrational fear that you KNOW is irrational... but in my case it's a kinda irrational pet-peeve that urks the snot out of me in spite of the magic, dragons, etc. Everyone has one, I guess.

Many many thanks!

There is a spell, either 3.5 or Pathfinder that permitted a lower level (I want to say it was 4th or 5th level spell) to raise a dead companion IF the cleric could get to the fallen and cast it within one round of death.

I cannot remember the source or name of the spell, anyone got any clue?

This is just a vent, so I can say I said it and get it out of my system for a while. You don't have to reply, I'm not asking for advice or anything.

First of all, most the weight of most items are ridiculous. Usually ridiculously high.

Second, carrying 70 pounds is about the limit for the average human in good shape and acclimated to carrying that much weight. (Soldiers, for example.)

Walking any distance while carrying 150 pounds is crazy, regardless of your real strength and endurance.

That said... my real grief-

Why, by all gods holy and unholy, is the carrying capacity for a small character no bigger than my 2-year old 3/4 that of a full grown human?
Especially when all of their clothing, most of their weapons, and most of their gear weighs 1/2 or even 1/4 of their medium counterparts?

Are they all related to Mighty Mouse?

Antman?

Why isn't their carrying capacity 1/2 at BEST to balance and reflect their gear weights?

It's always bugged me, ever since I started RPing 3.0.

Sure, I know part of the thing is 'so they can carry loot', right?

Ok, Player, if you want to carry a ton of crap made for people 5 times your character's body-weight, you should play a character build for the most common gear in the game. Otherwise, a consequence of being 2-3 feet high and 100-200 pounds lighter than 90% of the world's inhabitants should be the fact that you are SMALL and rather pathetic in comparison.

Even when I play a gnome or halfling, this still urks me. Go figure.

Thus ends my rant. :P

A player in my game wants to use firearms, but I don't like the default rules for them. I'm posting this really for advice or suggestions. I don't think my changes will be unbalancing, but they should reinforce that early firearms are exotic and unwieldy.

Looking at the reloading rules for early firearms, I find them ridiculously too fast. I used to re-enact Civil War and Revolutionary War, so I have loaded and fired original and recreation flintlock, percussion cap, and breech-loading firearms. I have also witnessed and assisted in the loading of smoothbore and rifled cannon.

All of the literature I can find on top of my own experience states that a good soldier should be able to fire 3 aimed shots per minute. Four shots would be incredible. There are simply too many steps to shorten this process.
***

Firstly of all, a percussion cap rifle/musket takes at least, at LEAST, 12-18 seconds to reload, and this is for someone well-drilled to the point of muscle memory. It should also be noted that this is for a percussion cap firearm.

1. Tear paper cartridge, pour powder and thumb shot into the mouth of the barrel. (Biting/tearing the paper, pouring the powder, balling the cartridge paper, and thumbing the ball (or Minie ball) takes about 3-4 seconds.)
2. Ramrod the ball home. Longest single action in the process, the hotter and dirtier the barrel, the longer it takes. Rifled barrels could add another second or two to this. (5-10 seconds to pull the ramrod, ram the shot, and replace the ramrod. Yes, in a moving battle you removed, used, and REPLACED the ramrod, you didn't carry it. Pathfinder battles always have this sort of movement.)
3. Half-cock the hammer and apply percussion cap. (With Civil War era gear, this takes about 1-2 seconds. You grope for the cap in a little box on your belt and have to fit to the nipple.)
4. Raise the rifle, full-cock the hammer. (Effectively a free-action.)
5. Aim and fire. (1-2 seconds to aim.)

Secondly, Pathfinder assumes flintlocks as early firearms, near as I can tell. This takes even longer.

1. Half-cock flint-hammer, open flashpan, tear cartridge, pour a small amount of powder into the flashpan and close the lid. (3-5 seconds, practically impossible in the rain... one reason percussion caps were a massive improvement.)
2. Pour remaining powder and thumb shot into the mouth of the barrel. (Pouring the powder, balling the cartridge paper, and thumbing the ball here also takes about 3-4 seconds.)
3. Ramrod the ball home. Longest single action in the process, the hotter and dirtier the barrel, the longer it takes. (5-10 seconds to pull the ramrod, ram the shot, and replace the ramrod. Yes, in a moving battle you removed, used, and REPLACED the ramrod, you didn't carry it. Pathfinder battles always have this sort of movement.)
4. Raise the rifle, full-cock the hammer. (Effectively a free-action.)
5. Aim and fire. (1-2 seconds to aim.)

Flinklock pistols were *slightly* faster to reload, only because the barrel was shorter and shot was less likely to fit the barrel as snug. The trade-off was even less accuracy than the musket.

Thirdly, powderhorns... loading a gun from a powederhorn is a hit or miss process. You cannot accurately measure the amount of powder you pour, you may have to re-cap it. You have to pick it up to prime the flinklock flashpan AND the barrel itself. You cannot use it to fire a percussion cap fire arm, but you can load a barrel, though this is not very helpful by itself...

In light of this, I think in my campaign I am going to drop the cost of standard early ammunition (by 25% or so), increase reload times for hand-held firearms by one full-round prior to Rapid Reload (loading directly from a powderhorn increases this by still one more round), and possibly increase damage from shot by one step (not sure about this, yet).
To balance the reload times, I will permit someone trained in firearms use to switch to the butt of the weapon as a club as a free-action and allow gun users to make full-round attacks as a range/melee combination (permitting Opening Volley). Use of the bayonet remains unchanged, a move action to apply, it actually takes less than 3 seconds to draw and attach a bayonet to the above musket examples.

A musket with a bayonet attached can be used as a double-weapon with 1d6 Piercing or 1d6 Bludgeoning damage, with all the rules attached to double-weapons applying.
A masterwork musket counts as a masterwork club for melee attacks, but a magical musket cannot apply ranged magical effects to melee attacks or vice versa.

Are there any spells that allow you to enchant an item, or cast on an item that will allow you to track that item magically over great distances?

I'm not picky if it's Pathfinder or 3.5 D&D/OGL. I would just prefer to see if there is one before I try to create one.

Are there any spells that allow you to enchant an item, or cast on an item that will allow you to track that item magically over great distances?

I'm not picky if it's Pathfinder or 3.5 D&D/OGL. I would just prefer to see if there is one before I try to create one.

Are there any spells that allow you to enchant an item, or cast on an item that will allow you to track that item magically over great distances?

I'm not picky if it's Pathfinder or 3.5 D&D/OGL. I would just prefer to see if there is one before I try to create one.

I was looking at the pregens the other day as a quick fix for new players, and it seems to be that they have either one too many skill point or one too many Hit Point after I broke a couple of them down. The only way I know of to get both is to allow the +1 HP and +1 SP for favored class. Is this what they did or is my math wrong?

Ahh, thanks, Paul... I missed that.

I was doing some quick checks and I found at least one NPC druid's AC listed with what appears to be racial modifiers. But that's not exactly clear in the AC rules.

Tangletooth in Burnt Offerings is listed with Acrobatics +9 (+17 when jumping.) That looks like a racial modifier.

In your opinions, would allowing the racial skill modifiers really unbalance the AC? I am the GM, but I am looking for other people's input.

By the way, when I make any rule changes, which I rarely do, I always make them global, not just for a single character.

A question...

In the description of a "Cat, Small" it gives a suggested equivalent of cheetah or leopard. Likewise, under "Cat, Big" is states lion or tiger.

If I those to make a "Cat, Big" my companion, and given the location, I choose a lion/panther type description, does it get the RACIAL skill modifiers for that animal?

If not, why? And is there any reason why my animal companion is a stunted and albino version of the animal it's emulating?

I'm not saying my "Cat, Big" should be a 6 HD large tiger (at my lvl 1 it'd be a 2 HD, medium tiger), but if it is a tiger why shouldn't it get the racial modifiers that are based on the animal's camouflage and habits?

Ditto for all the other animals, like the Wolf's bonus to survival for tracking.

If I missed this, I'm sorry I wasted your time, but please direct me to the rule in question.

Is there any chance you can add mundane items to the treasure generator? I like donjons generator, because it has the option to convert coins into mundane item salvage. This would be awesome for goblin warrens and animal lairs where junk or pieces of a victim's belongings remain. The reason I'd like to see it in your program as donjon is online only, and I can use your program offline.

http://donjon.bin.sh

Thanks all. Good to see you again Jeraa.

Just a simple question... I am not asking about a character creating and item, I am asking about designing new items.

But for an example, magic weapon creation.
If I want a Returning Throwing Axe, what do I need?

From what I can figure out, I need a Throwing Axe (duh).

A Throwing Axe +1 cost 2000 plus the cost of the axe.

Returning ability counts as a +1 enhancement, and a +1 enhancement costs 2000.

Can I make a Returning Throwing Axe for 2000 + axe without the +1...

...or do I have to make a Throwing Axe +1 and then add the Returning ability for a total cost of 8000 + axe?

My idea on the matter, now that I see a few answers, is that it should depend on the how and why one becomes afflicted. For example, if you volunteer to be afflicted, that should have a bearing on your alignment change, if any, based on your intentions. (If you go to an evil were to be changed for whatever reason, that creature's alignment will still tug yours in some way.)

If you are afflicted against your will, than it should have a stronger negative consequence. You were likely afficted by an evil character and therefore aquired those 'genes' for lack of better term.

Natural weres on the other hand, conform to the racial norm except in extreme cases. The Drizzt-Effect.

Is there any reason why most therianthropes are evil?

Would it be a serious game changer to assume that they would really have some variation in alignment? (I know in D&D for example that some ELVEN werewolves were good, but that apparently didn't apply to human ones, ever.)

Would it break anything to assume that all therianthropes have the normal alignment variation? Or would it better just to make an exception every now and then? (I'm thinking of a quasi-Drizzt type person here. Perhaps the good ones are *usually* forced to conform to the 'norm.')

I intend to now, I just wanted to know what was out there first.

It does, I'll have to find the novel... But I saw the wiki, so I saw all of those names.

Thanks though, maybe the novel will enlighten me. :)

I tried out the new Android version of the program on my Nook HD, and while it loaded to the main screen, trying to switch to any other tabs caused the program to crash.

With a council of 117 members, is there any information on what noble families there are besides the 8 or 9 on the wiki? How about extended members of those families?

One of my players is making a character running from Magnimar after intentionally embarrassing a 'noble' in public and I was would like to know what is out there before I start going nuts adding new noble families or just adding family members to existing ones.

Are any of those besides the Scarnetti Family clearly lacking in... higher morals?

When you have a familiar that speaks, say, common, like a raven or thrush, can you simply instruct it on what you would like it to do, or must you teach it tricks like any other animal?

Granted, familiars are generally tiny and not meant for certain uses, such as mount training, and I'm not even sure a familiar is supposed to be 'trained' at all.

But, if I wanted a raven or a thrush familiar to fly into a window and steal a ring, for example, am I right in assuming that with 6 Int it is smart enough to just instruct?

On that note, what about a weasel that you cannot direct talk to until level 7ish? Do you have to train it, or can you somehow transmit commands via empathic link? I am certain that I read elsewhere that empathic link does NOT work like telepathy.

(After all, compared to a Human with 3 Int, a familiar with 6 Int is a genius, and I assume that a human with 3 Int can still follow reasonable instructions. The big guy from Hot Fuzz comes to mind, "Yarp.")

One. Goblins. How to I make them dangerous for 1-3rd level adventurers when their weapons are in the 1d3-1d4 range on average and even the least armored character is in Studded Leather? (3 DR)

Two. Ogres. Other than by magic weapons, how can I make an ogre NOT mop the floor with 2nd-3rd level characters?

Someone suggested 'swarm rules' whatever they are, and magic-using goblins using magic weapon spell or boosting the goblins in some way.

Any help is welcomed. Personally I was thinking about using a lot of traps... and goblins with torches setting characters on fire. But that would really get old fast.

I am also interested in any help for all the creatures in-between the Gobbie/Oggie extremes.

And the chances that he happened to hit an iron fitting?

I think it had less to do with the thickness of the copper and more to do with the problems of buoyancy and inability to apply enough pressure to sink the auger. By the way... it apparently took 14 tons of copper to coat a 74 gun ship of the line.

My point, in any case, was that with a layer of copper over the hull, you technically could not use Warp Wood or Wood Shape on it. Unless you cast it at the edge of the copper, or from the inside. Due to line-of-sight restrictions, which I do believe apply.

That is a plausible reason. Thanks, I think I can use that as justification.

Why does it not make any sense to me that a bow in someone's hand can use the holder's will save when targeted by Warp Wood? Why does it make a difference when the WIELDER is not being targeted by the spell?

After all, the bow is not suddenly intelligent with a wisdom score just because it's held.

Can someone explain to me why? Preferably without just saying 'cause the game says so' or 'its for game balance.'

Rezz-thread!

Just on a offhand note, the British covered the hulls of many of their wooden warships with copper... that's why the American "turtle" submarine could not drill through the ship it attacked at anchor.

Anyone know a decent bounty and reward generator that can produce bounties like those in Kingmaker: Stolen Lands?

I see that there is a way to delete custom creatures, but is there any way to delete some of those that come with the program so I can 'unclutter' it a bit?

I am aware of the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook (WOTC), but it seems very flawed to me in places, so I was wondering if anyone knew of any other resources for creating buildings? Or maybe errata or a 'fix' for the SBG?

So I don't need to worry about charges for a continuous use item? (Unless the item has a material component?)

It's only supposed to have 2 charges of bless water per day, but yes, it's command activated.

However, the purify food and drink ability is continuous use, it should work automatically each time the chalice is filled. This is why I used the 2,000gp multiplier...

But I see where I should have used 1800 for the bless water enchantment.

So...:
Purify Food and Drink (continuous effect) = 0.5*1*2000 = 1,000 (and has no material component.)
The 'charges' for continuous use: 0.5*1*750 = 375 x 2 = 750
So a continuous Purify Food and Drink (CL 1) effect costs 1,750 gp

Bless Water (2/day) = 1*1*1800 = 1800/2.5 (5/2) = 720
The 'charges' for 2/day uses: 25*50 = 1250 (25 gp material component x 50 charges, since the item can be used day after day.)
So the cost to use Bless Water 2/day unlimited = 1,970 gp

Multiply lower cost by 1.5: 1,750*1.5 = 2,625 gp.

Grand Total: 4,595 gp (Plus the cost of the Chalice)

Ok, if I got it right this time... that's a darn expensive cup.

Magic Items, even I need help with, lol, but I'm sure someone will touch on that for you soon!

There is a supplement I use (and modify as needed) called Making Craft Work. I think its much better than the default rules.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/82666/Making-Craft-Work-%28PFRPG%29

It's work it for a mere $0.99. It should fix your problem with how long certain items take to craft. (I use real-world examples whenever possible.)

But, on that note, yes, while it only takes a few hours to form a stick into a bow, you also have to semi-mold it, which takes a few days, AND you have to protect the wood, oil it, and let the wood cure, which can take weeks. (When I make walking sticks, which use the same basic steps, it takes 3-6 weeks, depending on the weather, to properly cure a staff.)

Hi, I'm trying to create an item and the rules are kicking my butt, can anyone walk me through this and/or check my work?

Chalice of Purity
On command, and liquid placed in this chalice is purified as by <purify food and drink>. Twice per day, it can also be used to convert 1 pint of water into holy water as by <bless water>.
Faint transmutation; CL 1st; Craft Wondrous Item, bless water, purify food and drink

How do I price this item? I think...:

Effect one, purify food and drink
0.5 x 1 x 2000 gp = 1000gp (I think as an instant spell, there is no modifier as per footnote 2.)

Effect two, bless water 2/day
1 x 1 x 2000 gp = 2000gp
2 Charges per day = Divide by 2.5 (5 divided by 2 = 2.5)
2000 divided by 2.5 = 800

Now... the part that gets to me.

Multiple difference abilities: Multiply lower item cost by 1.5 (800 x 1.5 = 1200 gp)

Item cost: 1200 + 1000 = 2200 gp?
Item Cost to Create: 1100 gp?

EDIT: I know I don't have the price for the base listed, I'm more concerned with getting the magic part right. :)

Homosexuality was very common in the ancient world, there was no stigma against it in Greek or Roman culture, it was common in Gaulish and Celtic cultures too. I'm not so sure about the Germanic peoples. It was accepted in Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian cultures too.

The biggest stigma today is religiously based, specifically those religions based on Abraham (Christianity, Judaism, Islam). But, the laws of Abraham were written to bind together a very small group of people who were/are obsessed with maintaining their own culture's purity. (which is why being a Samaritan was bad...)

Any world that does not include roughly 50% of the population following an anti-homosexual religion should NOT have the stigma against it that you find in our world.

Just my opinion. :) And no, I don't care if I'm really late to the conversation. :P

I am aware of the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook (WOTC), but it seems very flawed to me in places, so I was wondering if anyone knew of any other resources for creating buildings? Or maybe errata or a 'fix' for the SBG?

That's what I thought, but I wanted to be sure. Many thanks. :)

Ok...

Brew Potion states that:
Potions are like spells cast upon the imbiber. The character taking the potion doesn't get to make any decisions about the effect—the caster who brewed the potion has already done so. The drinker of a potion is both the effective target and the caster of the effect (though the potion indicates the caster level, the drinker still controls the effect).

Remove Disease states that "You must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against the DC of each disease affecting the target."

Ok, now, lets say I have a lvl 5 cleric who brews a potion of Remove disease, so now I have a potion that allows a caster level check of 1d20+5 to remove a disease, right?

But the Brew Potion feat states that the drinker is both the effective target and caster of the effect. Does this mean that a level 1 character only gets a 1d20+1 caster level check to defest the disease? Or does the potion remain 1d20+5 by virtue of the brewer?

On another note, if the brewer was lvl 7, then would the potion instead offer a 1d20+7 caster level check?