Goblin

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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 16. Organized Play Member. 66 posts (656 including aliases). No reviews. No lists. 1 wishlist. 3 aliases.



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Shadow (Bestiary 1)

Puppeteer (CR +2): Puppeteer shadows appear thinner and more elongated than others, their smoky fingers tapering to inky black strings. They can take over a creature's shadow and control their movements and attacks, often times using a slow-witted and slumbering warrior to slay his allies. The touch of these shadows deals Wisdom damage instead of Strength damage and they gain the following ability.

  • Puppet Strings (Su): As a move action, a puppeteer shadow can attempt to wrest control of an adjacent creature's shadow. The target must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the puppeteer's HD + Charisma modifier) or have their physical actions controlled by the puppeteer. The puppeteer can only make the target take a single move action and a single standard action on the shadow's turn. The target may attempt a new Will save at the start of its turn, and if it succeeds the target may act normally. Once a target succeeds on a Will save against this ability, it cannot be targeted by the same puppeteer for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.
    The create spawn supernatural ability only affects targets killed while under the effect of this ability, and the shadows spawned are normal shadows in all regards.

Soul Eating (CR +0): Soul eating shadows are tinged a deep, dark purple instead of the matte black of regular shadows. While their touch is less potent than a normal shadow's, that touch feeds and bolsters a soul eating shadow. A soul eating shadow's touch, regardless of the type of ability damage it deals, only deals 1d4 points of ability damage to a living creature, but gives the shadow temporary hit points equal to the amount of ability damage inflicted. A soul eating shadow can only have a number of temporary hit points equal to half its total number of hit points. The typical soul eating shadow is found with 2d4 temporary hit points.


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We just finished up book 1. My PCs have only killed about 5% of the bandits I've thrown at them. During the first encounter with Happs, our wizard used arcane mark, prestidigitation, and his redonkulous Bluff check convinced Haps and the other two surviving bandits that they were geas'd to serve the trading post for a year and a day. All told they've got about 20 former bandits, not including Akiros, "under their spell" so to speak. This, coupled with their cavalier of the penitent order and their gunslinger with his ranks in Profession (sheriff), led them to name their capital city Mercy.


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My suggestion is to simply change smite evil to smite "that guy". If the smite goes against their code, ie: a protector of the innocent smiting a non-combatant, the smite doesn't work, just as though the target were non-evil. Alternatively, if the smite is in line with the paladin's code, ie: a liberator of slaves smiting a slaver, the smite functions like the smite is against an evil outsider, undead, etc.


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First off, big congrats to the top three. Great job!

Little Red Goblin Games wrote:

Sure can. Here is the list.

  • Muddite (Oread/Undine)
  • Quarlani(Android/Samsaran)
  • Chylde (Changeling/Skinwalker)
  • Kulit(Gnome/Wayang)
  • Fauntaurs(Centaur/Faun)
  • Shai'ruk (Orc/Oread)
  • Waveling (Halfling/Undine)
  • Diavesper (Tiefling/ Dhampir)
  • Sawuagin (Elf/Malenti)
  • Purrlings (Catfolk/Vanara)

And while I might not have made the top three, I'm glad to see that 4 of my 5 submissions made it to the honorable mention list.

EDIT: I'd be all for the honorable mention pdf.


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Thanks for the opportunity Scott. Fingers crossed. I, for one, would love to see the honorable mention pdf.

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 16

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Since I got the official "this didn't make it" e-mail, I might as well post it here. Here's my android/samsaran mix: the quarlani.

Spoiler:

Quarlani
- Android/Samsaran

When a samsaran dies, they are typically reincarnated into a new samsaran body. However in the harsh lands where androids pull themselves from unknowable places, less and less samsarans are being born. Instead their wayward souls are making their way into android bodies, creating something new entirely. Dubbed quarlani by the elven scholar that found the first of them, this new race is inquisitive almost to a fault, often finding themselves in dangerous situations just to experience them. Many sages speculate that an android's nanites are what draws the samsaran soul to the new body. Exactly how this is done is beyond mortal knowledge now, but there are many quarlani that have made it their life's goal to uncover how it happens.
Quarlani, whose name literally translates to "soul vessel", meld aspects of their parent races. They stand as tall as an average human, with skin that is just barely tinged blue. Their eyes are a metallic black that gleam as though made of an otherwordly material, and a thin, watery red blood runs through their veins. The most telling quarlani trait are their soul circuits: An identical set of circular, silvery tattoos. One on their chest and the other parallel on their back, these tattoos constantly glow faintly, yet flare intensely when the quarlani pulls on the past experiences of her samsaran soul.

Quarlani Racial Traits
+2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma:
Quarlani are bright and insightful, but have difficulty connecting to other people.
Medium: Quarlani are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Android Body: For the purposes of effects targeting creatures by type (such as a ranger's favored enemy and bane weapons), quarlani count as both humanoids and constructs.
Normal Speed: Quarlani have a base speed of 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Quarlani can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Soul Vessel: Quarlani gain a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against death-effects, mind-affecting effects, negative energy effects, paralysis, and stun effects.
Emotionally Distant: Quarlani have a hard time understanding the subtle nuances of emotions, and thus take a -2 penalty on all Sense Motive checks.
Past Life Surge: The memories of a quarlani's past lives can be triggered thanks to the nanites coursing through her body. A quarlani chooses two skills. Three times per day as an immediate action, a quarlani can activate these memories, granting a bonus equal to 3 + the quarlani's character level to either of the chosen skills; this ability must be activated before the roll is made. When a quarlani uses this power, her soul circuits glow with light equivalent to that of a torch in illumination for 1 round.
Cypher Magic: A quarlani with an Intelligence score of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—arcane mark, comprehend languages, and read magic. The caster level for these effects is equal to the quarlani's level.
Languages: Quarlani begin play speaking Common and one human langauge. Quarlani with high Intelligence can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic).

Alternate Racial Traits

Golem Hunter: Some quarlani train to combat "unenlightened" members of their host bodies. These quarlani gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC against constructs, and a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls made against constructs. This replaces cypher magic.

Surging Magic (Su): These quarlani use their prior lives' spellcasting prowess to augment their own spells. Choose a number of spells your class can cast equal to 1 + your spellcasting class's key ability score bonus (Intelligence for wizards, and so on). You do not need to be able to cast these spells yet, they must only be on your class spell list. Three times per day as a swift action, you can empower one of these spells, increasing the your caster level by 1 for that spell. When a quarlani uses this power, her soul circuits glow with light equivalent to that of a torch in illumination for a number of rounds equal to the spell level (minimum 1 round). This replaces past life surge.


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Two words: Samsaran. Android.


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Drejk wrote:
christos gurd wrote:
Little Red Goblin Games wrote:

@DarthPinkHippo

Looking forward to it!

We just got a great entry last night! (Wavelings) Can't wait!

yep, that one blew me awau folks. Keep em coming!
Sounds like a lovechild of an undine and a halfling.

*scrolling through the thread*

*see mention of my submission*
*see more praise of my submission*
*see people figuring out what it is on name alone*

[CONFIDENCE BOOSTED]

Glad you guys liked it. Hopefully I'll have more before the 3rd.


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Seeing this 11 days after it was started. CRUNCH TIME IT IS!

EDIT: Are any and all races ok for mixing?


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A little bit of cross-posting from the Advanced Class boards...

My party was just about to finish the first Kingmaker book, The Stolen Lands, so I took the opportunity to test out some of the new classes. I'm running with 5 well-statted PCs, so I'm using the six player fan conversion.

Auchs

Spoiler:

Auchs
Male human brawler 4
CE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +8
------------------
Defense
------------------
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 38 (4d10+12)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +2
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Offense
------------------
Speed 35 ft
Melee unarmed strike +11 | +9/+9 (1d8+10)
Special: Brawler's Flurry
------------------
Statistics
------------------
Str 20, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 4
Base Attack +4; CMB +9 (+10 trip), CMD 20
Feats: Fleet, Great Fortitude, Toughness, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
Skills: Perception +8, Swim +12
Languages: Common (illiterate)
Special Qualities: Maneuver Training (trip), Martial Maneuvers
Combat Gear: 2 potions of cure moderate wounds, 1 potion of lesser restoration
Other Gear: masterwork chain shirt, amulet of mighty fists +1, knight and dragon toys (45 gp), silver Stag Lord amulet (20 gp)

Base Stats: Melee unarmed strike +11 | +9/+9 (1d8+6)

Auchs used Martial Maneuvers to give himself Weapon Specialization (unarmed strike) as combat starts, which is already factored in to the damage above.

The Stag Lord

Spoiler:

The Stag Lord
Male human slayer 9
CE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +10
------------------
Defense
------------------
AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +1 deflection, +1 dodge, +1 natural)
hp 84 (9d8+27)
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +24
DR 5/cold iron
------------------
Offense
------------------
Speed 30 ft
Melee +1 longsword +12/+7 (1d8+3/19-20)
Ranged +1 composite longbow +12/+7 (1d8+8/x3)
Special: Favored Target +2, Sneak Attack +3d6
------------------
Statistics
------------------
Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12
Base Attack +9; CMB +11, CMD 25
Feats: Deadly Aim, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Toughness, Weapon Focus (composite longbow)
Skills: Acrobatics +13, Appraise +1, Climb +11, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (geography) +4, Perception +10, Stealth +13, Survival +8, Swim +11
Special Qualities: Track (+4), Slayer Talents (combat trick x3, weapon training), Stalker
Combat Gear: 2 potions of cure serious wounds
Other Gear: +1 leather armor, +1 longsword, +1 composite longbow (+2 Str), 20 arrows, amulet of natural armor +1, ring of protection +1, stag's helm, cold iron band, one +1 human-bane arrow

Base Stats: Ranged +1 composite longbow +15/+10 (1d8+2/x3)

The Stag Lord is currently using Deadly Aim to take a -3 on his ranged attacks, and gaining +6 damage.

Auchs performed like a champ, elbow-dropping our cavalier from the upper floor and almost knocking off her mount. He held off the cavalier, her auroch mount, and the cleric of Gorum, dealing scads of damage bare-handed. While that was going on, the Stag Lord made the cleric his favored target (from cover and hidden) and sunk an arrow into the holy warrior's side. Luckily for the cleric, not close enough for sneak attack.

Mobility is incredibly limited due to the party wizard's web, so those engaged stay close. With a quick jab from Auchs, the cleric drops to negatives, and the cavalier responds with a yard of steel through the simpleton's spine effectively ending the brawler playtest. The Stag Lord, still hidden thanks to fantastic dice rolls, switches his favored target to the wizard and lets another arrow fly. Still standing, the wizard dumps a healing potion down the cleric's throat. The cleric, now in the positives, sits bolt-upright and hits the Stag Lord with hold person, turning the villain from threat to statuary, and then statuary to bleeding pile.

Overall, the brawler feels good. Nicely balanced between fighter and monk. The martial maneuvers, for an NPC, only really add a feat. It's nice to be able to swap on the fly, but the average NPC lasts a few rounds at most. It's something that I really want to see a PC use before I pass judgement.

The slayer has a LOT of potential for wrecking faces. Admittedly, I tried keeping him as "canon" as I could, so instead of trying some of the more interesting slayer talents, he just took more feats. I really want to toy with more of the talents. Deadly Range, Slowing Strike, and Sniper's Eye would have drastically changed the shape of the battle (if our wizard hadn't gummed up the battlefield with his web...).

All in all, the brawler and the slayer feel like a lot of fun, I just need more time to play with them.


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For the love of the Nine, plan out "random" encounters. Nothing breaks the flow of the game like rolling out whether or not an encounter shows up and what it is. Use everything you have to foreshadow everything else. Random troll encounter? He's an envoy from book 2. Tatzlwyrms? Slap a fey-type template on one of them. Show hint and teases without giving your party the full info.

And don't be scared to pad out some of the encounters. Big, mean monsters are nice, but the fight turns into a bit of a boring blanket beat. Adding some similiar enemies or interested terrain helps a bunch. I've got a litter of Tusk-lets for the Tuskgutter fight, and while the party is dragging the carcasses back to Oleg's I'm gonna run a threeway fight between the party, a pack of wolves led by a worg, and a hungry grizzly bear. Here's hoping I won't be adding anyone to the obituaries.


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IIRC, Green Ronin had done up an eye tyrant template as bonus content for their Advanced Bestiary. The pdf used an eye tyrant phase spider as the example critter. Aside from the anti-magic eye, you can customize which spells the eyestalks can shoot.

<tangent> For a Christmas in Candyland oneshot I ran, I had an Eye-Scream Tyrant Cookiesaurus Rex with cone of vanilla and atomic fireballs. </tangent>


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I have a similiar situation with a rogue good conjurer wizard from Cheliax. My suggestion is switch the orcs to evil fey, specifically spriggans. Book three features them prominently, and a showdown with Agai as the true murderer would be kind of awesome, especially if you gave him one of the PC's friend's old weapons. In books one and two you can sprinkle rumors about the massacre around. Maybe Tig-Titter-Tut or Tiressia offer condolences, not knowing where the offenders are, and the evil fey in the Forgotten Keep could taunt the druid, recognizing him as one of the survivors. And of course, as Agai lays dying, he spills tells the PC that the slaughter was handed down from a powerful fey named Nyrissa.


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21. HENSHIN! - A wandering youth is possessed by the spirit of JUSTICE! Summoning up an insect-like suit of armor, he battles tyranny and injustice with amazing martial arts and explosive kicks. Flowing red scarf is optional, but highly recommended.


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Here's what I'm planning on using for my next campaign:

Spoiler:

PLAYER INFORMATION

STARTING LEVEL: 1st Level
PLAYABLE RACES: Standard Player’s Handbook races (With the follow exceptions noted below). Racial variants, such as from the Monster Manual or Unearthed Arcana, will only be considered if accompanied by a reasonable backstory.
PLAYABLE CLASSES:
From the PHB: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard
Altered from the PHB: Fighter, Paladin, Sorcerer
From Unearthed Arcana: Racial Paragon Classes
New Base Classes: Blue Mage, Champion, Juggernaut
STARTING STATS: 4d6 (drop the lowest roll) six times, one “free” 18

OUT-OF-GAME INFORMATION:

- A character with item creation feats or skills can buy starting equipment associated with that feat or skill as if they had made it themselves taking a 20 on the necessary rolls. However, the character must be able to make the item with their 1st level resources.

- While neutrality makes the most sense, I’m not restricting alignment. However, I’d like everyone in the party to be no more than one alignment-axis away from one another.

- PCs get max starting gold for their class (see either their class entry in the attached packet or page 111 in the Player’s Handbook), in addition to whatever extra money their feats may grant them. Most starting equipment will be purchased from Falcon’s Hollow general store, Goose’n’Gander. In addition to the gear outlined in the Player’s Handbook, the gear outlined in the Pathfinder Player’s Guide and from the attached packet may also be used. More exotic starting gear (such as gear or materials from a non-OGL book) should be cleared with the DM before purchase.

House Rules in effect:

- DM Review: First and foremost, all players’ character’s race, class, feats, and equipment must be reviewed by the DM prior to the first session.

- Core Race Changes:
Gnomes: Same as listed in the Player’s Handbook, with the following changes.
• Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day – speak with animals (burrowing mammals only). Upon reaching 1st level, a gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 chooses two 0-level bard, cleric, druid, or sorcerer/wizard spells and can use each once per day, using his character level as his caster level. This replaces the gnome’s standard spell-like abilities.

Half-Elves: Same as listed in the Player’s Handbook, with the following addition.
• Human Heritage: Half-elves gain 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level. (The 4 extra skill points at 1st level are added on as a bonus, not multiplied in; see Chapter 4: Skills of the Player’s Handbook). Half-elves are just as versatile and capable as humans.

Half-orcs have the following racial traits:
• +2 Str, -2 Int or -2 Cha. All half-orcs draw strength from their orcish ancestry while their human side tends to make them intelligent yet slightly introverted or charismatic and a slow-learner.
• Medium size
• Base land speed of 30 feet
• Darkvision 30 ft
• Weapon Familiarity: Half-orcs treat the orc double axe and the orc shot-put as martial weapons, not exotic weapons.
• Orc Blood: See Player’s Handbook page 19 for details.
• +2 racial bonus on Intimidate. Half-orcs are naturally brusque and use that to their advantage.
• +2 racial bonus on Survival. Having been outcasts, half-orcs know how to fend for themselves.
• Languages: See Player’s Handbook page 19 for details.
• Favored Class: Barbarian
These supercede the standard half-orc racial traits found in the Player’s Handbook.

- Core Class Changes:
Druid: The druid’s weapon proficiencies change slightly. The druid is now proficient with shortbows and longbows, including the composite versions of each, and is no longer proficient with the light or heavy crossbow.

Fighter: I am using a newly updated/modified fighter base class. While it is encouraged to use this version, players may still use the fighter presented in the Player’s Handbook.

Paladin: I am using a newly updated/modified paladin base class. While it is encouraged to use this version, players may still use the paladin presented in the Player’s Handbook.

Rogue: The rogue’s armor proficiency is expanded slightly. The rogue is now proficient with bucklers, but no other types of shield.

Sorcerer: I am using my newly updated/modified sorcerer base class. While it is encouraged to use this version, players may still use the sorcerer presented in the Player’s Handbook.

Wizard: I would prefer that any wizards use the Recharge Magic system presented in Unearthed Arcana (also found in the online System Reference Document, www.d20srd.org) instead of the Vancian Magic system presented in the core rule books. However, players may still use the wizard presented in the Player’s Handbook.

- Back-Story Feats and Skills: Not only will your back-story grant you 25 Xp at the beginning of the campaign, but you’ll also be allowed to take a bonus feat and receive bonus skill points to put towards your “back-story skill set”. The bonus feats you may choose from are as follows: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Big Game Hunter**, City Born**, Competent Crafter*, Country Born**, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Endurance, Insightful Knowledge*, Investigator, Lone Wolf**, Magical Aptitude, Merchant’s Eye*, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, On the Job Learning*, Performance Artist*, Persuasive, Planar Student*, Professional*, Self Sufficient, Skill Focus (Any), Stealthy, Toughness, Totem Spirit**, Varisian Tattoo**, War Bellow*, or World Traveler*. While these feats are free, any prerequisites must still be met. Feats that provide extra money, such as Merchant’s Eye or Professional, grant the PC with 10% more starting gold.

Also, each PC will receive 4 free skills ranks, regardless of race or class, to place into the Profession skill(s) of their choice. Enough ranks in these skills will grant bonuses on other skill checks (see “Profession Synergy” below). The skills and feats taken should complement each other and fit into your back-story. This is an effort to reward roleplaying, not an opportunity to min/max or munchkin.

*This denotes a feat that is found later on in the packet.
**This denotes a feat that is found in the Pathfinder Player’s Guide.

- Crafting Skill Changes: The Craft skill is virtually unchanged except for one aspect: Instead of making the appropriate Craft check to represent one week’s worth of work, the check represents one day’s worth of work. If you choose to make an item more quickly, you can make checks by the hour instead of the day.

- Stacking Synergy: Every 5 ranks in a skill will add a +2 synergy bonus to its associated skills. I.e.: 10 ranks in Balance grants +4 to Tumble.

- Profession Synergy: Much like Stacking Synergy, 5 ranks in a Profession will grant a +2 circumstance bonus to certain skill checks. I.e.: 5 ranks in Profession (scribe) would grant a +2 bonus on Decipher Script or Forgery checks. These bonuses are circumstantial, handed out by the DM, and are not to be recorded on your character sheet.

- Relative Encumbrance: Encumbrance will only be enforced in a common sense, non-screwing-the-PCs, manner. You can carry your gear, but if you try carrying your gear, the pack mule, a solid mahogany oak table, and the minotaur’s corpse, you’ll incur a penalty.

- Class Variables: Racial substitution levels and class variants may be utilized.

- Hero Points: You PCs are heroes and occasionally, as heroes often do, you need to the laws of physics and/or fickle fingers of fate to sit down and shut up. A hero point does just that. By using one, you briefly cinematize the rest of your turn, making whatever grandiose and epic feat your character partakes in happen without any dice rolls. You could conceivably do anything from flicking a burning tindertwig into a bar patron’s pipe that’s 100 feet away or slice through all 10 heads of the marauding hydra at once, killing it instantly. However the only caveat is this: the idea must be your own. You cannot use anyone else’s suggestion for your hero point.
You start with only one hero point. At the end of a session where you use a hero point, the party will vote on whether or not your use of the hero point was “hero worthy”. If the party agrees, then you gain that hero point back. If this system begins to be abused, I (the DM) will revoke this system. This is meant as something to enhance game play, not break it.
The only other way you can gain a hero point is if you do something amazingly heroic by only using die rolls. In example: If you take a flying leap off the side of a cliff to save the falling noble, catch up to him, secure him to you, then throw a grappling hook out to grab at the lone branch at the last second before impact, then you’ll gain another hero point. As long as you have a hero point, there is no limit as to how many hero points you can spend per session.

- Critical Fumble: If you roll a natural 1, you will need to roll again. If you fail to hit the target’s number a second time, you fumble and draw from the Critical Fumble Deck. You’re heroes, and as such, you screw up just as grandly as you triumph.

- Threat Range Augmentation: The Improved Critical feat stacks with magical means of increasing a weapon’s threat range, such as the keen edge spell or the keen weapon special ability. One is derived from skill while the other is purely magical.

- Magic Item Creation: Custom magic items may be specially created for a lower than normal price (see pg 282 in the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Each price reduction will be factored in independently of each other.
For example: If Kelara the bard wanted a scarf that granted +5 to Diplomacy made so that only creatures with at least 5 ranks in Perform (dance) (10% discount) and Perform (vocalist) (another 10% discount) could use it, it would cost 2,025 gp ([2,500 gp × 90%] × 90%). Keep in mind that selling such items will net far less money than items without limitations.
The total cumulative discount on such items can never be more 30% of the item’s normal cost.

- Disclaimer: These house rules are not the only ones that will be used. Others may be added or taken away as the campaign progresses, as per DM/PCs consensus.


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I just finished the Caverns of Wrath with my PCs and, having read Tsuto's journal, stocked up on vials of holy water dealing 2d4 points of damage to evil outsiders. What dropped her to negatives was our beguiler hitting her with a color spray, stunning her 20 feet in the air meant 2d6 falling damage. I rolled high (11 damage) and even with the damage reduction, that put her to negatives. The gnome jester then finished the job with a shocking grasp.

Admittedly, it could've gone MUCH worse. The party slaughtered the sinspawn, so I didn't even bother with summon monster, and I kind of forgot about the invisibility at will (although she did come out of it when the PCs bluffed their way in as "new converts"), and she didn't get close enough for shatter. All told, if the PCs do some research, they can sufficiently prepare with holy water, cold iron weapons, and preparing or scrolls of bless weapon. Oh, and as a point of reference, the party is level 2.