NeonParrot's page

Ha ha! I will show you!
//slashes left arm with knife
eh? damn blade! I know, let me show you this magic trick and make the knife disappear!
with apologies to Heath Ledger.

goes with owlbears . . . .

ah but does it have to be the wand?

mmm what are you thinking about?

you could do the Fairy Godmother approach with lots of pixie dust, for good things.

there is the joker magic trick, watch me make this pencil disappear for INFLICT WOUNDS or BLINDNESS.

I had a character that used a wand to heal/mend homonuculi . . . roll with me on this one, its complicated. They appeared as a metal chopsticks for hair pins and she did indeed have to touch the constructs.

If its for a home campaign ask the DM.

If you want to make it cheaper, put limitations on it, like usuable by wretchedly good reformed assassins. Or use Soul Gems, but that makes it evil. Serves those reformed assassins right!

mmm sounds like a LN rant to me

Mr Chickenlegs is going to get BBQed some day and the Weejans charge a lot of coin in SCAP since they have the lock on the market.

So have an OLD elven druid do a reincarnate so you can reboot the character. I mean dead is dead . . . .

oh, I can't forget! GO ISTUS! Hands of Fate! wooo hooo!

Marcelus, I know where you are coming from. I've never refereed a Pathfinder Society event but I have run different games at conventions over the years, such as First Edition, Shadow Run, Dark Conspiracy (my favorite system and setting), three flavors of Traveller, and a few more that I am sure I forgot.

Professionally, I am involved in different kinds of regulations, so I guess that makes me a Rules Lawyer.

I'm not sure I would run a PFS because of all the innumerable rules. I have a friend who is really big on PFS.

If I do run a game, which would qualify as a nonPFS, I would and do specify what rules set we are using. If you INSIST on rubbing the belly of an ooze, then I just might have a Slithering Tracker with levels . . .what, Avenger? Sleepless Detective? drop by to investigate your UNNATURAL mammalian interest in the world of ooze.

I do make the following qualifiers: first, if its not in the rules specified for this particular game, its optional. I still remember the Nuetral Ranger with the Wand of Orcus in one hand and a LG Vorpal blade in the other. And that was before we had two weapon fighting rules. The game is about the story and not the rules. If the rules are too convoluted, then it gets in the way of the story. Fine, go rub the belly of the ooze. Maybe it will follow you home. Please change your last name to Oozemeisterness. Second, the GM is always right even when he is wrong. Referees make bad even biased calls but thems the breaks. As a Navy accountant was telling me, she starting crying when she got a tattoo. The fleshscriber said, "Suck it up, buttercup!"

Now my PFS friend, who IRL is a lawyer, might not agree with my fifth paragraph. However, how do you square playability with time limits of tournament or society play and getting enough judges to do the job?

ps, I have a 4' x 11' Reading Table from a defunct Borders Bookstore downstairs in the library. It seats a party of 6 with plenty of room left over for human sacrifices to what every evil god you prefer. :P

Well if you want a t-port smash and grab BUT the party can see what happened, how about a Shadow Dancer with a 160 ft shadow walk? They can cast darkness and have some cool d-door feats to add on. They see the SD port over somewhere and then either pulls out a port scroll, or a signature minion of the Big Baddy steps up. And maybe waves or gives the party the finger. I am in favor of the port scroll. More professional.

Even better if on of them rips off something from the SD so they can ID it . . . and find out its someone they know! Or thought was dead!

The wagon idea sounds good and leaves room for a chase scene.

I still like the beer and pizza with a net idea though. . . .

So I have a few questions about the wonderful creature that inspires fear into the hearts of the most stalwart of adventurers. I would love to hear about the various amazing/horrifying Lichs you lovely people have dealt with over the years? Either as a player or a GM. How were they introduced? Was it a special ability that made them terrifying or just luck?

Well the worst lich I have ever met was in Tomb of Horrors. We made some incredibly lucky decisions and got through without losing anyone. We found the demilich at the end and lost 4 out of 6 of the party but got lucky again and killed it.

The best lich was Azimer in the ruins of Myth Drannor. He was what was left of the Naturalist's Guild. One on my characters had a Deck of Many Things fighter who always wanted to be a mage. She could never find a reputable teacher. Azimer was the crotchy old professor, asking, "Have you been studying your school books today?" Azimer was ridiculously tough. The drow and demons left him alone, like lets move by the old ruin on tip toe quiet. So Azimer taught Turuvielle how to be a mage . . . and thats how she became a Wild Mage. And foster mother to a red dragon named Baby.

What sort of guards should a Lich have? Armies, a well trained personal bodyguard, be part of a group of Liches, a well stocked dungon/castle, ect?

The liches that I am used to are all capable of casting wish. Basically, any bodyguard they want. The crazy ones are especially devious, like scribing thousands of scrolls of 'forget' so you permamently forget all your experience points.

Is there a certain level of spells a caster must be at to become a Lich?

You need a wish and research a ritual specific to you. Consulting with major demons, daemons, or devils is a good idea (pardon the pun).

Is there any way for martial with UMD to fake it and become a Lich?

Liches can make you a lich. Basically, you have to either perform a ceremony or be the target. A lich could make a one-shot ring of spell storing that you can use.

Could I use a Bag of Holding for the phylactery? Could the Lich leave the bag with all the things it wanted from the bag?

A phylacerty is a device to remind you of who you are. It is usually a token or scroll in a small box that you tie to yourself. Liches regenerate by coming back as wight like creature that eats the remains of the last body. This may not be PF or even WofC canon, but thats how it works from the early days.

Interestingly, under PF rules, the magic user's hp go frm d6 to d12. Just double whatever you rolled. You have no con, so you get a charisma bonus, modified by any feats, etc., for hp bonus. You could easily have dracoliches with thoussands of hp and characters many hundreds.

PLEASE STOP! I hurt from laughing!

make buckets of holy water and throw them?

You could steal the sea water from the first plane of Heavan . . . . a few tons goes a long way. Shrink Item and a shatter spell.

Ketamine or Zylazine

I think you should find a old burned out ioun stone and give it a second chance in another career. Hey, can you give it ranks in Perform:Sing? Or Storytelling? Oratory? Help relieve the boredom of road travel . . .

Some things to think about

first, you can advance an elemental

You can then add levels of sorcerer. Whatever kind of spell you want to throw, think in terms of heavy hot rocks or fire.

second, what is the purpose of a spell casting elemental?
Does the elemental have to have a high strength? A sorceressesess magma elemental might add 1 CR for every 2 levels of sauceness till double its original CR of 8. Realistically, 8 levels of sauciness might be CR 12 or CR16 or somewhere in between, depending upon design.

Determine Challenge Rating
Just some thoughts. . . . . here are some notes I had on one battle.
One huge magma that has sorcerer levels (evocation admixture, magma balls instead of fire balls; 10d10+40 +10d6 +40: -15/181 hp) currently exhausted (ie no spells left)

I like it! Anyone else?

Do you have any other items that need naming? I am thinking a companion something, a Left to a Right. . . . .

+1 Falcon's Hollow for first level. Very fun!
+1 on the APs

ask your mates what they think!

*waves at Pennywit* don't mind my undead status :P

are you just a vampire or a half fiend vampire? just kidding!

I suggest not using epic or legendary anything. You can do an extraordinary amount of damage with just metamagic feats and thier equivalents. There are still spell slots above 9, just no spells that mortals can cast.

And look, here is the local orc. . . . and not even an Outsider!

Abyssal Gigas (+14HD, Giant x2, Augment Summoning) CR 24 XP 1.23M
CE Colossal humanoid (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, giant)
Init +5; Senses blindsight 100 ft.; Perception +27
DEFENSE
AC 45, touch 8, flat 34 (+14 armor +1 Dex, +28 nat -8 size)
HD: 35d8+743: 1040 hp
Fort +26, Ref +22, Will +17;
wis 4+2+11 = +17 dex 1+2+19 = +22 con 13+2+11 = +26
Defensive Abilities: rock catching; DR 5/-, 10/lawful; Resist Eve-rything 20; SR

I second the Western Star. Here is a version that an NPC, NG (for No Good) has.

Cracked and Repaired Western Star: This blue crystal is cut in the shape of a five-pointed star. The user can render the Western Star and other ioun stones in his possession invisible and undetectable by magic aura [See the spell for limitations]. The owner can see the ioun stones at all times. 8.2k gp Ego 5 This stone has a minor spirit inside that keeps the other stones orbit-ing at all times and prevent their theft. If they are disturbed, the spirit will nudge her awake. 13 int 11 wis 10 char NG alignment. Senses 120’, Darkvision. Magic Aura cast at will. Cast Stabilize at will and Cure Light Wounds (1d8+5) 3x/dy. Empathy, telepathy, speech (Terran). If NG is severely injured and dying, her soul will go into the Orange Rhomboid. The Western Star will cast Stabilize and then Cure Light Wounds til she isn’t dying. If that is not enough, the Western Star can float off and find help. NG can also tell the Western Star to cast Stabilize on dying characters as well; since it is a freebie, it’s likely that TWS will do this on its own.

I need some help with an NPC. I am rewriting some older Paizo material for PF. The characters visited a kua toan city around level 7 and delve back into the Underdark approximately level 12 or 13. I like random rolls and one of the treasures of a mezzodaemon (yes, its *that* old) is a drow elf.

Which got me thinking . . . I should put this person EARLIER in the plot, where she can help them or even release them from prison. I love work arounds to TPKs anyways.

So, the first time the party meets her, she is a beginner (1 to 3 HD) and they are 7th level or so. She is a guard for a drow caravan. We all know how sneaky the drow are, those pesky lowbies sneaking past, beholders and all those naughty copywrighted monsters we can't talk about. If the party gets captured, rather than have the party served as toast at Tiffany's, she helps them escape. In the confusion, she gets left behind.

When they meet again, she is a bit worse for wear from a tentacle rod, various other battle wounds. Her movement is also hampered due to a bad wound. I am thinking level 7. While the party has been Doing Thier Heroic Thing, she has been in the Underdark and just gotten LOST for the past several months. Her only friends are a group of pech (earth fey), and she was separated from them.

I need a character concept and stats. Use whatever you want but keep the flavor of Eclevdra or Drizzt. I encourage drow attitude and flavor but no "should I have baby livers or kidneys with my eggs today?". No, I don't care if she uses chains or scimitars. She has to be CG or one step from it. No Lawful, sorry no paladin or monk. Encouraged: Crafting Traps for collapsing tunnels, Alchemy for distilling posion from yellow mold, violet fungi, and baisidronds. Ninjas are OK, I don't understand Alchemists.

from the Mezzodaemon cheat sheet:
Treasure: A CG drow female, recently captured. She had 99 pp 59 gp, gems and jewelry, her drow cloak and boots, her drow mail, and sleep venom. She tricked the daemon into teleporting up into daylight. On exposure to sunlight, the drow items disintegrated. The daemon is interested in getting more. [He teleports back down to the Underdark, thinking where there is one drow, there has to be more. It is incorrect.] It has a Gehennan Fell Blade of the Planes (does a base of 2d8 damage) [its only a large sized great sword of the Planes, not an artifact]. The fiend is willing to barter the female if he can; she won’t survive on Gehenna. He wants more drow items. Low level female Good Drow (yes I rolled Good, 0.03%). Typical features (dark skin, white hair, violet eyes). See her story below.

Her story, for the players . . . . .
She says, “Udos ph'feir dal udossta delmah wun Uyl'udith Har'olen d'l'Ilythiiri”. She looks around and sees that no one understands what she says, so she continues in Drow Silent Sign, which someone will more likely know. “We are far from our home in the Greatest Cavern [sic Vault] of the Drow. House Noquar found an ancient portal. I was part of [the] expedition to explore it. We arrived close to but outside of a city of fish men. We traded with the fish men, who had not seen a dark elf in several life times. . . .

except from Her Story, approximately 7 months later . .
She suffered several extremely bad injuries and has the scars to prove it. Her movement is impeded. She is blind in her left eye. She is missing the left pinkie, half her left ring finger, and half her left ear [remember that tentacle rod?]. Her eye is too far gone to be healed and needs a regenerate. When inspected, it’s very painful and <edited to be less graphic>. She whines, cries out, and needs restraint when examined. Afterwards, she quietly sobs, her hace in her hands but careful not to touch her eye.

For GF, etc, I reccommend no roll. Just say, You know I don't answer questions like that, Beautiful.

In addition to Diplomacy and Bluff, you use P:Act as well. :P

I believe the grave dirt legend is Eastern European. The legend goes some thing like, vampires have to return to thier grave during the day. The way to get around that is a coffin with grave dirt in it. They could just as easily return to a mausoleum.

In a PF sense, you colud have a mausoleum that was (relative to the party) impenetrable, due to magic, traps or being under many feet of solid rock. Think of a pressurized air pipe as an express elevator going down.

Personally, I am not buying the spare coffins thing. I would see what the module would allow. How about everyone has thier own grave dirt? Sand, loamy clay, gravel, err a marble slab???

Now, me, if the vampire was smart enough to have guest coffins, he would have spare grave dirt for his visitors in a warehouse, disguised as a gardening center. There the party is, wandering amongst the plants looking for . . . .something. Ah ah! They attach a skunk!

Later, the vampire says, " Vat iz dat schmel? Ahnd I tought I schmelled bahd! Queek, Igor! Lysol!"

I feel mean. Have an ILLUSION over a pit. Have the first two people fall into and be impaled. Even better if they are close to 1 hp but not negative. Lots of screaming is good!

Lets see, druid. . . .well, a devine caster prays for spells. As a referee, I have said, "you get to take these spells and the rest you pick." I mean, you are dealing with entities that have a lot of experience at this. If she is picking inappropriate spells, she does NOT get them. Just sayin'.I had one character really argue the point. The diety said, "Fine, you don't get any for today." and they didn't! Not too much worm grovelling was required.

Familiar . . . .what kind of familiar? A cat? Cat chases birds. . . . how classic! Can it activate any magic items? Influence its mistress? Scratch across the face?

The harpies would realize what they can do and not do. Really, a few nice traps, some drugged wine, hey, its too easy! Except for that damn cat!

Surrender is always a possibility.

So is parley. The cat could say, do you know whose witch you are messing with? The druid should have KA RAZ MA! Time to use it. Acccuse the harpies of being off key.

None of this really saves the party.

Btw, I never roll in the open. If I want something important rolled, I ask a player to roll the dice and never tell them whats its for. I do this at random intervals when I want to heighten paranoia too!

First, if you want RPing, you need a solid story arc. Check out Shackled City Adventure Path. Thats 3.0ish but you can find it online as a PDF. It starts at level 1 and goes 20. It is based around one city, more or less.

After reading this thread about being a dungeon bash, Falcon's Hallow has RPing . . . .well all thats true if the DM and players are willing to RP. I think a lot of adventures are influenced by WoW and online linear gaming. Grinding xp, etc. When was the last time you RPed online?

There are three kinds of linked adventures. It was published in the Second Edition, not sure which book.

1: Linear, no deviation. Think a dungeon crawl.

2. Linear events but with different outcomes. With some tweaking, SCAP can be like this. The modules G1/2/3 D1/2 are like this. For instance, it was assumed in Greyhawk Wars that the party failed to defeat the giants and drow. Err, all my ex-party members would say, "We killed that guy!" or "Eclabdra ran out of clones and we imprisoned her soul!". There are discrete beginnings, endings, and victories.

3. Non linear, but you have a story board of events. The characters can drive events in different directions. For instance, if there is a war, they could switch sides. Maybe the good guys lose or some of the bad guys switch sides and the bad guy loses because the entire Scarlet Brotherhood was hired to rub him and his army out.

For RPing, its good to wait and see how the party shakes out. Dynamics are important. If the party wants different things, a lot of RPing is not going to work, and there is ALWAYS someone who gets bored and does something Chaotic Nuetral.

I prefer the 1st Edition Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms settings to Golorion. Just my personal preference. I do like Falcon's Hollow a lot!

The skill system in PF is OK. I like Dark Conspiracy best, both for plots and mechanics, but thats been out of print for a long time. One of my best One Shots is tell people to bring whatever character you want, you will be dead when the scenario ends. Everyone has a great time!

If he has a 10k to spend, he could get a WALL OF FIRE boiler and offer hot running water!

Here is a spell to kill all the vermin. A cute elven Arcane Trickster who is fastidious about icky bug bites comes by when you need the spell. Err, you never want her to stay because she haunted. . . .things move around, crockery gets broken, the darts no longer fly where they are expected. She summons a small air elemental to get the fumes out and improve the smell. She sells perfune, incense, and cologne, and has connections to get coffee, cane sugar, vanilla, cocoa, nutmeg, and cinnamon. If you have rum, she prefers cachaca.

Fumigate 1 week 1000 gp
School conjuration (creation) [poison]; Level sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (extract of or a boquet of chrysanthemum flowers; a few drops of citrus oil; 1 pinch each of borax, salt, and diatomaceous earth)
Range Short (20 ft + 5 ft/lvl)
Area: Special or 20 ft radius
Duration: 1 rd/lvl
Saving Throw: Special Spell Resistance yes
De: Noxious vapors billow up and cloud the area. A cloying, choking vapor seeps into cracks and crevices, killing all the small vermin.
Ex: Fumigate works on buildings and other structures. It instantly paralyzes any vermin of less than 1 HD and kills them in 1d4 rounds after that. The area of effect is one contiguous building, a campsite, collection of shacks, or other constructed shelter. Vermin over 1 HD take 1d6 con damage for every round, up to 4, that they are in the area of effect. Con damage to vermin can only be healed by magical means. They will try and flee the area and will only stay if magically compelled to do so. Note: 4d6 con damage is enough to kill or incapacitate a person. No one is allowed to be inside during the fumigation, lest they take con damage! Damage is negated by holding one's breath and leaving the area in a panicked state. Saving throws for other than vermin are considered to be automatic, after the first round.
Note: a fumigation is good for a number months, depending upon the cleanliness of the inhabitants. It can last weeks, months, or even years.

just random ideas

first, haversacks, bags of holding, bandoliers of junk cojuration etc. If you want to miraculously have it appear at the snap of your fingers, think about GLOVES OF PRESTIDIGITATION. In paleoPathFinder parlence, you would PALM and PRESENT. Really there should be a way to do this, if you work with your GM.

Also, get a haversack or other carry device for everyone in the party. If y'all dunt wanna make it, get a discount. Heel, jus buy a dozun of dem suckers and kep tha spahrs!

Seriously, if you buy a half dozen, you should get a 15 to 20% discount.

Let's see . . . other random ideas.

OK, this being nit picky. I found the dialog about what can and can't go into a ROPE TRICK spell very tiresome. So I had Tenser (of Greyhawk) write one. It allows you to carry the item into the rope trick, you just can't open it. Enough space for double the usual number of people (24) and each haversack, bag of holding, efficient quiver, bandolier, hat pin, etc would count as one space. Really if a party has more than 4 devices per person, you need to re-evaluate!

here is the item version . . .bear in mind that Tenser is an ArchMage.

Tenser’s Tricky Rope Aura: none
Slot: none Price: 3000 Weight: 5 pounds
This item appears to be a stout 25’rope braided of unusual and unidentifiable fibers [I was watching Deadliest Catch and thought of synthetic cables of dyeena they use on the crab pot hoist]. It does not radiate magic [A lot of my magic items do not radiate magic because they have MAGIC AURA suppressing it]. On command, the rope knots itself and flies up to 20’ into the air. It creates an extra dimensional rope trick space and is enchanted to accept both extra dimensional spaces (like bags of holding, portable holes, haversacks, quivers, bandoliers, and any other such crap) and people. While in the extra dimensional space, you can’t access other extra dimensions. You may pull the rope in[to the extradimensional space]. It has room for 24 people or spaces and is usable at need (24 hrs per day). The temperature is comfortable and although not spacious, allows one to stand and stretch or lay down comfortably. There are NO bathroom facilities! It is best if you go down the rope and do your business outside the space. The walls have a hardness of 5 and 10 hp. Damaging the walls to 0 hp will cause the space to rupture and cast the occupants, with all their gear, into the Astral Plane. Construction Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, Animate Rope, Improved Rope Trick [Tenser hasn't shared this so far], Magic Aura.

McCoy: C'mon, Spock, it's me, McCoy. You really have gone where no man's gone before. Can't you tell me what it felt like?
Spock: It would be impossible to discuss the subject without a common frame-of-reference.
McCoy: You mean I have to die to discuss your insights on death?

Night at the Museum or King Kong or Mighty Joe Young?

well, if CG means freedom of action, the most evil thing you could do was let them live in a cell.

mmm, I've had some CNs plane shift lower planar criters to one of the Seventh Heavans. I even got a 'traffic citation' for it.

I think it depends. Maybe you can rehabilitate the baddies.

I do think that someone lawful should maintain a demiplane as a prison and not your Oracle. Crime and punishment ideals come late to civilization. Mostly, you just kill your prisoner or work them to death. Or let them go free.

I vote for the etheral plane, or some other place they can't do any harm to anyone. Stare at your damn navel and maybe I will come by with a fruit basket and we can talk.

EDIT: please don't flame against others, this is about being a paladin act like one while responding.

So heres the thing. In my game there is a mimi paladin of sarenrae, they argue that invisibility is a reasonable tactic in certain circumstances because of the herald of sarenrae (sunlord thalachos) will use invisibility if the foe is clearly stronger than him. Is this reasonable? Does this conflict with the paladin code it seems ridiculous that sarenrae will say
"Oh you fought like my herald, I want my powers back, go atone for your misdeeds against my religion and then you can have them back. I don't care that my herald can act deceitful in fights you can't."

I restricted him to "you can use it if fighting honorably would endanger innocents or fighting deceptively would result in the redemption of someone evil. Never to be used against someone you can beat with relative ease."

+1 not to flame others. . . . really police officers? Mmmm no paladins in my neighborhood!

Anyways, I think it is situational. I don't think INVIS or any other spell is an issue, its how you use it. Obviously, no animating the dead, but using INVIS to be wise and smart is a non issue. Paladins by thier nature would never endanger an innocent. My good characters would never do so and they are not religious knights. Well, the clerics might be competitive. Bishop of Turpin, etc.

The kind of paladin might dictate some situational responses. For instance, calling out a dragon that was polymorphed as the King's best friend. Its how you do it . . .

Saranae is a loose diety, meaning her cult tends to have a lot of different branches and sects. They are also persecuted in the Eastern Lands. Have fun with it. Have little kids come up and say, are you a knight of Saranae? Do you eat little children?

Oh, and ask for extra hot peppers, this food is never hot enough . . .

here is an update.

My campaigns require roleplaying. Its more than a WoW on a battle mat sort of game. I'm not looking for min/max and I do trust my players not to extravagently cheat. A little fudging is fine, especially if you want to do something esoteric thats not really optimal.

I am planning on running Shackled City Adventure Path or my regular Forgotten Realms camppaign. You can either roll 4d6 and drop the lowest score (average of 14)or a 28 pt buy, starting with all 8s. I'd also consider something that approximates that. Just don't show up with two 18s and the rest 16s. The populace might think you are part demon or something!

SCAP is a closed campaign, meaning its not open for drop in characters. I am rewriting it from 3.5. Mostly, it flows well. It also has the reputation as a meat grinder. There are a few times where I think its iffy that the party will survive. Expect some deaths and some of those to be unrecoverable. The location is in Greyhawk. This campaign runs from level 1 to 20.

The alternate is in the Forgotten Realms,in my own home-brew campaign. Its a little less edgy and has a feel more like the movie STARSHIP TROOPERS. Less paranoria, nice panoramic shots, a few dramatic twists and turns. You are upper class HUMAN kids and grow into heroes against the last days of a war between Haven (Constantinople) and the Undead King Malgaard (son of Orcus). Think Leonidas and the Brave Six Thousand defending Gondor, the main battle looking like something from the opening battle scene out of GLADIATOR. For the dramatic battle scenes, CRs don't mean anything, just think Tolkein or THE 300. The allies of Haven are druids, elves, a nation of dwarves, and a nation of Gallic tribesmen. Everyone is a student at the Gymnasium in Haven. I would bend the rules a bit for demihumans, but Haven is xenophobic and demihumans would have a hard time. Druids are not socially accepted either but thier leader has crushed (meaning TPK) three small armies already and they are essentially in the Undead King's rear area. The government is a an elected monarchy who is always a follower of Hieroneous. No monsters. This campaign runs from level 1 to 7 or so.

I'll have to check my notes, but essentially the home brew is written and SCAP is ready for the first six months. Time commits are:over a year for SCAP and something like 6 months for home brew.

first, what is low level?

You can't get lower than first. SLEEP is a great spell. Elves get bows. Make sure half the party has Healing skill, so you do not DBO.

Magic missle at lower levels is limited utility. STINKING CLOUD is good. GREASE can be good too.

Make sure you hide behind cover and your meat shields and cleric. You *do* have a cleric with you, right???

WISH or MIRACLE

how big do you want to get and for how long? You could have a special mage spell made . . . .

if you have only a shield in your hand (and shields are used in the off hand), how can you have off hand attacks? Do you want to shield bash and cast spells with one hand?

Just say what you want to do . . . .

well, first off, my chief villians have a tendancy to have a vast quantity of health. For instance, from mage to lich the HD changes from d6 to 12 and they get bonuses based on charisma, so you are looking at at least 18d12 + 90. If they are created in an especially desecrated place, they get +4 hp per HD, or another 72 health. You get the idea. Thats over 300 health with average rolls, almost 400 if you max it. Dracoliches are worse.

To answer your first question, maybe, probably yes. If it were a regular campaign, I would fudge it. I might have the big baddie back off and ask for a truce, for instance. Even my most evil guys don't want to kick it if they do not have to. If it were a pick up game with more than a few munchkins, probably, but maybe not.

In the second case, if the players came in and got lucky or did some outstanding planning, I would give them thier victory. It would be well deserved. If it were a case of munchkinism, I would up the health of target to make it a bit more challenging. Sorta meet your munchkinism and raise you.

Example of munchkinism. Two fighters show up in ridiculous plate everthing and far exceed the rest of the party. Polite requests to not wear it, or tone it down, go nowhere. Rather than argue, the game continues. The party runs into fire giants in leather armor, setting off alarms amongst those who know they should be wearing plate. The two munchkins charge while the rest of the party is getting organized. The giants throw rust monsters at the munchkins and run away. The munchkins are now stuck under a pile of rust monsters and rust. When more proper armor is donned, the adventure resumes.

I can host in Woodbridge . . . . I can DM and would like to play. Message me back if you are interested. PLEASE message me within 60 days.

Can you give me some examples? Is that like having bow to create Bracers of Archery?

if its Christmas-themed, drow for elves. think of the toys they make! They could be having a Xmas celebration in black leather with red velvet belts trimmed in dwarvish beards. . . I mean white fur!

Lovecraft is tempting, but thats sorta over the top. Similarly over the top would be anything with a Gigeresque Alien theme. I think this would be a much for a level 5 mage.

On the other hand, you could run it that way, like a horror movie. Find companions along the way, everyone gets killed off. Other players might want in on it, so have stat blocks ready.

Mz Mage realizes there is no way back. The cleric and the mage get to the control room and (before it can tongue strike you), she kisses her chest-bursted familiar alien freakie goodbye and detonoates the nuke.

Later, miss mage wakes up screaming from a nightmare and realizes its all a dream . . . . til she looks down and sees an artifact from it!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Really, killing is too good for characters.
*whistles, walking away into the swirling fog*

I almost forgot . . .if you do it right, Mz Mage is going to cut her beautiful long hair into a bob, dye it black, a dash of flourescent color, maybe a dog collar, and acuqire a really bad attitude towards any Rune Lord freakiness. "I've seen better than that" . . and channels energy, leaving little piles of ash behind. Well you get the idea.

...Note that all items have prerequisites in their descriptions. These prerequisites must be met for the item to be created. Most of the time, they take the form of spells that must be known by the item's creator (although access through another magic item or spellcaster is allowed). The DC to create a magic item increases by 5 for each prerequisite the caster does not meet. The only exception to this is the requisite item creation feat, which is mandatory. In addition, you cannot create potions, spell-trigger, or spell-completion magic items without meeting its prerequisites...

My read is you must have the Feat and the Craft skill, and the spells (and ultimately the enchantment) can be done by another.

First, do I have that right?

Second, what are spell-trigger and spell-completion magic items? Wands, staves, and rods?

Or they steal a signet ring . . . that way, they KNOW they stole something from Someone Important. Even better, if its a CURSED signet ring. Now THEY have it! Or more precisely, they stole the curse.

Now, if its just mundane, the LE lord takes hostages and throws them in the dungeon until the ring is returned. Just for yuks, its the mother of the Guildmaster of Thieves. He says after 3 days, I will execute a prisoner and every 3 days thereafter.

Faerie Dragons are great familiars! I introduced one in ADDv1 and it was great! It was a total prankster and the humorless munchkins who played TWF dwarves and paladins were tempted to kill it out of hand. Fortunately, they didn't because it assured they were not bacon. The elven mage/cleric is now The Elvish King.

Psuedodragons are calm by comparison. You can also be true nuetral too.

If you are a druid in fey country, then either a faerie or psuedo dragon is possible. If you want one as a companion familiar, ask a treant. If there are no treants, you won't find your miniature fey dragons.

If you are Elvish, you are proficient with Long and Short Composite Bows, as well as Long Swords.

•Weapon Familiarity: Elves are proficient with longbows (including composite longbows), longswords, rapiers, and shortbows (including composite shortbows), and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon.

Elvish druid with a psuedodragon familiar, armed with a bow and sword. Oh, and a walking staff, shod in cold iron. Sitting next to Shifty the Ninja, Strider and Gandalf, smoking a pipe . . .oops! Sorry, got carried away with the ambience. . . .

If you are looking for 'loot to drop in thier way', don't forget Contacts and Favors. Sometimes having a cleric owe you a favor when you need a RAISE DEAD is a good thing. Or if you defended a a wagon train, the Varisians will put you up and shelter you.

hey, you gunna eat that girl? the one screamin'?

cheese it the vamp is here!

and whats that funny looking dog? ahhhhhhhhhh!

well, what does Shelly Sorcorer do? What's the epic hook? Arcane is droll. . . .how about a sub-text story line? Does the character have a personal heirloom? A thing? A Thing of THEM? (13th warrior). Maybe Rangy Demondeath has to help Shelly realize that something Shelly has the Demons want . . . . permament MISLEAD so it does not detect as magic. Just an idea.

thats a tough party

I reccommend poison, both injected and gas. Traps, outdoors, pits are passe and can be lethal. Green slime, etc. Try snares that land the victim on a bunch of stakes. Stick the stakes in a pig for awhile and now you have disease. Corrupt thier water so its always polluted.

I skipped most of the posts to answer your question, with apologies to Ashiel.

I would use this as an opportunity for RP and not worry about the actual amounts. Most villagers lived on the edge of starvation and share croppers by todays standards.

If this is the 6th child, chances are you got the dregs. Play at as such. Maybe its a net loss but said noble has charge from Dear Ole Dad to Do Right and Make It Work. Show me the stuff you are made of. . . .

Now in terms of what the village can offer, they offer labor, enough victuals to eat, peeps to plant gardens and daffodils . . . .you get the idea.

There is always a village priest of some sort. There is always a Head Man.

A lot of nobles in Europe went on Crusade to get rich. The nobles stayed for new lands and the knights wanted loot they could sell back home.

So, create an interesting village with problems and have the new Lord fix it. You could design a whole campaign over this . . .

werewolves in the country side . . . its actually a hyena(don) true story

vampire who is sad over the poor condition of the village and his/her descendants. An evil monster in league with a pack of naive good children. Intahrestink!

a feud between families ala the capulets and the montagues

the perienial plauge

a cheating drunk church deacon who needs replacing, but he is the cousin of the Bishop.

a few bad harvests and you have to buy food at an elevated level to feed everyone.

one of the kids has sorcerous powers and the village wants to burn him

one of girls in the village is Joan of Arc (eek!) and is having visions

married? no? meet my daughter! yes? meet my wife!

catacombs under the manor house . . . maybe your folk, maybe someone else's Maybe both and they are having a food fight with you in the middle.

gotta have a ghost! what decent manor house does NOT have ghost?

My first character was a Sherlock Holmes type character. After level 1 rogue, I took a level of Ranger because we were mainly in the wilderness. Healing skill became critical. Never finished the game, the game was a 2 hr drive each way and the ref was a min/max munchkin type.

I think what you do and how you do it depends upon the campaign. I STRONGLY urge that you discuss the direction of the campaign; whether its table top version of WoW, Tolkein, Steampunk, or Housewifes of Cheliax; and what makes sense for what you want to RP in the campaign.

Scott, wake up and make a saving throw.
I rolled a 5.
You're dead! OK, go back to sleep!

This campaign is significantly wierd . . . . .I think you need to agree about whats going on, in a noncofrontational way.

I would recommend a campaign revamp, just so everyone knows whats expected, both from the DM and the players.

Maybe I think about this differently, but Evil Druids? Really? Bent on the destruction of civilization? Neo Nazi Naturalists?

"A druid who wears prohibited armor or uses a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter."

If you want RAW, I suppose a literal interpretation, yes.

That said, I don't think that clapping druids in irons, whether its manacles or gauntlets, satisfies the intent. Its not something they are proficient in, RAW. I think the penalty if for a druid who decides he wants to look like Sir Gawain.

Either way, make a ruling and stick with it. The same could be said for clapping a mage into a suit of plate armor. That DIMEMSION DOOR won't work . . . .

still looking

I am planning on having Tenser summon Cleste a as a ghaele planar ally.

If the party gets into trouble, I am planning on having Tenser send an investigator to find out what happened to Celeste. The investigator is left over from a 1st edition Greyhawk campaign and is similar to Jill, but without the evil alignment or theactrical make up.