Xaene the Accursed's page

Hades NO.

I might be game with this if Paizo hadn't been cranking out expensive hardcover books to do with new classes and themes of play over the past 2 years.

I get that they may feel that they've peaked for sales on this edition and need a new one to stay financially viable - but they'll be doing it without me or my subscription.

I have enough materials (and adventure paths) to last me until the end of my natural life (particularly at the pace we've been playing over the past year) - so I am not going to spend the better part of another $10,000 on a new edition of game materials.

That's why I quit D&D and won't even look back at Wizards of the Coast.

Sorry to sound sour - but I've long said that the one thing that'd turn me away from Paizo is for them to (a) sell me a ton of rules materials and then (b) try to revise it all and re-sell it to me.

No thank you.

Merciful Spell

Your damaging spells subdue rather than kill.

Benefit: You can alter spells that inflict damage to inflict nonlethal damage instead. Spells that inflict damage of a particular type (such as fire) inflict nonlethal damage of that same type.

Level Increase: None (a merciful spell does not use up a higher-level spell slot than the spell’s actual level.)

Okay, so this spell will turn your fire damage from, say, a Flaming Sphere into non-lethal fire damage. What about the fires that the sphere starts? Is that converted to non-lethal too?

Could an enterprising mage set fire to an entire town using merciful fire spells, burning away all of the buildings but not killing a single commoner?

Ugh.

As a DM, I'd just say "no."

And that should end it.

Fascinating way to weave rules - but damn silly in the end.

Reminds me of the "bag of rats" cleave trick that allows a high level fighter to solo slay a great wyrm red dragon.

Also, another thing to just say "no" to and move the campaign session along.

Xaene the Accursed wrote:

Amuny wrote:

Only Incorporeal creatures, Oozes and Elementals are still immune to critical hit: They have no physic body structure.

Undead and Construct does. They might not have living anatomy as usual living monster does, but you can harm they body structure. You could remove an arm of a construct as you could chop the head of an undead. Those are criticals hits.

I think that resumes all of it. It's a matter of logic.

Your point is unconvincing in light of the following (taken from Damaging Objects in the Pathfinder SRD - link here: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/damaging-objects ):

"Objects are immune to nonlethal damage and to critical hits. Even animated objects, which are otherwise considered creatures, have these immunities."

1. Constructs are, essentially, animated objects - they have no anatomy and gain their locomotive ability via magic. Other than constructs being more expensive, what is the substantive difference between then and animated objects?

2. Undead are also VERY similar: they are objects (bodies) that do not function because of anatomy or ecology, but gain their ability to move through spiritual energy.

This is reflected by the fact that neither of these have a Constitution score.

We've had this conversation on this forum ten times over, do you really wish to set everybody off by re-hashing it again?

Also, no amount of your posts will change this particular area of rules, so it's best to save your time and energy for more productive activities.

Thank you for demonstrating that you've nothing to contribute to this conversation.

Please ignore this thread.

I honestly don't care if this conversation has been had 10 times in the past, I wasn't a part of them and want to explore this issue fully.

The rules on attacking objects call into the question the rules on the vulnerability of constructs (particularly) and undead to critical hits and sneak attacks. My desire is to resolve this.

This is one of the reasons this forum exist, and the very reason I am visiting it.

Only Incorporeal creatures, Oozes and Elementals are still immune to critical hit: They have no physic body structure.

Undead and Construct does. They might not have living anatomy as usual living monster does, but you can harm they body structure. You could remove an arm of a construct as you could chop the head of an undead. Those are criticals hits.

I think that resumes all of it. It's a matter of logic.

Your point is unconvincing in light of the following (taken from Damaging Objects in the Pathfinder SRD - link here: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/damaging-objects ):

"Objects are immune to nonlethal damage and to critical hits. Even animated objects, which are otherwise considered creatures, have these immunities."

1. Constructs are, essentially, animated objects - they have no anatomy and gain their locomotive ability via magic. Other than constructs being more expensive, what is the substantive difference between then and animated objects?

2. Undead are also VERY similar: they are objects (bodies) that do not function because of anatomy or ecology, but gain their ability to move through spiritual energy.

This is reflected by the fact that neither of these have a Constitution score.

Greetings all,

Recently, a great thread was created on these boards. The thread amounts to "Rules a lot of people don't know." It is awesome and informative and I found myself learning a lot from them.

Most importantly, I learned that Pathfinder does deviate in significant ways from some of the foundational assumptions of the 3.5 rule set.

Two of the biggest game-changers, however, are as follows:

1. Critical Hits: Constructs and Undead had long enjoyed immunity to critical hits, mainly because they have no anatomy that is "critical" to them. This is backed up in the description of the vorpal weapon quality, which makes it clear that things like constructs and most undead shrug off the game's most powerful weapon enchantment.

2. Sneak Attacks: Similarly, Constructs and Undead had also been immune to sneak attacks for similar reasons. They have no anatomy to target as they are animated not by biological functions but by spiritual (undead) or an admixture of magical and spiritual (constructs) forces.

Game Designer Question: Was it the intent of the Game Designers to make Constructs and Undead subject to critical hits and sneak attacks?

Game Designer Question #2: If so, why?

Gamers at large: Convince me that allowing constructs and undead to be subject to critical hits and sneak attacks is a good idea in light of a more than a decade of game history and the simple reality of what animates the physical substance of these creatures (e.g. no anatomy, etc.).

-DM Bryan

The over-arching point is still the thing to concentrate on:

It is absurd that a non-magical ability granted by a feat, one that can be accomplished via a low-DC D. 20 roll, that does not allow a saving throw, could force a character to abandon the primary ability of his class (namely, spellcasting if you are a Sorcerer or Wizard) for -any- amount of time.

Even if only affects someone once each day (assuming that multiple characters don't have and make use of this feat to force a magic-wielding foe to run back and forth within the group swinging his staff).

Even the highest level spells that force an individual into an action (particularly one contra to their nature) allow a saving throw.

Now that I think about this one, I rate it EPIC FAIL.

Intimidate effect of Antagonize is broken and needs to modified or eliminated.

The DC to cause someone to abandon all reason and physically attack someone (Intimidate effect) is silly: DC = Character Level + Wisdom Modifier.

One of many simple examples I can give is its obvious use as a mage-slayer.

Theoretically, a low-level character can get an sorcerer/wizard to abandon all his magical abilities and attack physically every round.

Were I looking to slay the evil archmage, I'd go into battle with a few hired elven bards with skill focus in Intimidate and the Antagonize Foe feat. Even at 5th level, these guys will be rolling at least a D20+14 against a DC of 20 or so. Archmage has to close to whack my bard with a stick, and my tank fighter make sure he's within 10' of his bard buddy so he can 5'step and obliterate said mage with a full attack.

Good to know all that magical and mental training will be abandoned, without a saving throw, by someone who is good at pointing out that zit on your nose.

Major FAIL on the part of Paizo here.

This feat should have been extensively playtested first.

The Graveknight!

That's what it was!

I've got so many bloody Pathfinder books on the shelf that I couldn't find it.

Thanks for the reference!

There are gonna be some revisions - it'll depend on how many show up for the gaming session. If it is all 7, well, it'll be fun.

This is a power-group, they made VERY effective use of magic item creation feats and such - so I figured I'd be a bit merciless when they face one of the iconic bad guys of Greyhawk history.

Hey all,

We are -finally- closing out the Savage Tide adventure path.

We're running it under Pathfinder Rules (which creates its own problems, including a LOT of time spent updatinr, or just "winging it" for the NPC's).

The group consists of 7 adventurers, each 22nd level as they enter Wat Dagon for the final showdown.

I've always been a huge St. Kargoth fan, and wanted to do him proud as his big moment came.

So, I gave him a full (and very powerful) update - as befits someone facing 7 22nd level experienced players at the same time...

St. Kargoth the Betrayer
Male half-fiend human death knight anti-paladin 20/thrall of Demogorgon 5
CE Medium undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect good, true seeing; Perception +36
DEFENSE
AC 48 (+14 armor, +5 deflection, +16 natural, +1 Dex, +1 Haste)
Touch 18
Flat-footed 45
HP 558 (20d10+5d8+350 from desecrate)
DR 15/cold iron and good, 3/- (adamantine armor)
Immune acid, cold, electricity, polymorph, positive energy, undead traits
Resist fire 30; SR 39
Fort +51, Ref +32, Will +38
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft (perfect)
Melee Deathbringer +56/+56/+52/+47/+42 (1d6+27, plus 1d6 fire, 17-20), and Demogorgon’s Bilious Sphere +56/+52/+47/+42 (1d6+27 plus 1d6 acid, 19-20 plus 1d10 acid on crit.)
Melee with Power Attack (7) Deathbringer +49/+49/+45/+40/+35 (1d8+41, plus 1d6 fire, 17-20), and Demogorgon’s Bilious Sphere +49/+45/+40/+35 (1d6+34 plus 1d6 acid, 19-20 plus 1d10 acid on crit.)
Special Attacks abyss blast, auras, channel negative energy, dual actions (2/day), reaching touch (3/day), smite good 8/day, staggering critical (DC 35), touch of corruption plus cruelty 23/day (60 points), two-weapon rend (1d10+31)
Half Fiend Spell-Like Abilities (CL 25th; concentration +38)
3/day – darkness, poison (DC 27), unholy aura (DC 31)
1/day – blasphemy (DC 30), contagion (DC 27), desecrate, destruction (DC 30), horrid wilting
(DC 31), power word kill, summon monster IX, unhallow (invisibility purge), unholy blight
(DC 27)
Anti-Paladin Spells (CL 17th; concentration +30)
4th (7) freedom of movement, greater invisibility x2, inflict serious wounds x4,
3rd (7) dispel magic x4, nondetection (DC 28), vampiric touch x2
2nd (6) corruption resistance (15), hold person (DC 25) x3, silence x2
1st (8) inflict light wounds x8
STATISTICS
Str 52 (+21), Dex 14 (+2), Con --, Int 16 (+3), Wis 18 (+4), Cha 36 (+13)
Base Atk +25 (equiv. +31 from heroism, haste, and desecrate)); CMB +52; CMD 54
Feats (16) channel smite, critical focus, double slice, greater two-weapon fighting, improved critical (light mace), improved critical (long sword), improved two-weapon fighting, mounted combat, power attack, ride-by attack, spirited charge, staggering critical, two-weapon fighting, two-weapon rend, weapon focus (longsword), weapon focus (light mace)
Skills (+4 to all due to Greater Heroism) Bluff +45, Fly +31, Intimidate +45, Knowledge (Religion) +35, Knowledge (the planes) +35, Perception +36, Stealth +44 (+15 from armor)
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic
Combat Gear +5 greater shadow adamantine full plate, Deathbringer (+5 anarchic, flaming, lawful outsider bane, speed, adamantine longsword), Demogorgon’s Bilious Sphere, boots of speed, belt of giant strength +6, headband of Charisma +6, amulet of natural armor +5, ring of protection +5, ring of evasion, cloak of resistance +5
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Abyssal Blast (Su) As a death knight, St. Kargoth can unleash a blast of unholy energy 1/day, range 1,200 ft., with a 20-ft.-radius spread. The blast inflicts 20d6 damage (unholy energy); a DC 32 Reflex save halves the damage.
Flight (Su) St. Kargoth’s fly speed is supernatural in nature, functioning similarly to that granted by a fly spell, save that it cannot be dispelled. This is a boon from Demogorgon.
True Seeing (Su) St. Kargoth has been granted permanent true seeing by Demogorgon as a boon for his centuries of loyal service. This effect is constant and cannot be dispelled.
Positive Energy Immunity (Ex) As a death knight, St. Kargoth is unaffected by positive energy and positive energy-based abilities (such as turn undead or aligned channel).
Scaly Flesh (Ex) As a Thrawl of Demogorgon, St. Kargoth already steel-hard flesh becomes even stronger, giving him a +2 bonus to his natural armor.
Reaching Touch (Su) As a Thrawl of Demogorgon, St. Kargoth can stretch his limbs unnaturally 3/day, increasing his reach by an extra 5 feet for 1 round.
Dual Actions (Su) As a Thrawl of Demogorgon, St. Kargoth can take two full rounds’ worth of actions in the same round 2/day.
Aura of Evil (Ex) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth gives off an aura of overwhelming evil. A paladin who uses smite evil upon him deals 2 points of damage per paladin level on his first successful strike.
Detect Good (Sp) At will, as an antipaladin, St. Kargoth can use detect good as the spell.
Smite Good (Su) As an antipaladin and half-fiend, St. Kargoth can smite good 8/day. As a swift action, St. Kargoth selects one good opponent. St. Kargoth adds his Charisma modifier (+13) on his attack rolls and adds his antipaladin levels (+20) on all damage rolls made against the target of his smite. If the foe is a good outsider or dragon, the damage from the first successful attack is doubled (+20).
In addition, while the smite is in effect, St. Kargoth gains a deflection bonus equal to his Charisma modifier (+13) to his AC against stacks made by the target of his smite. The smite remains in effect until the target is killed, St. Kargoth starts a new smite vs. a different target, or the next time St. Kargoth rests.
Unholy Resilience (Su) St. Kargoth gains a bonus to all his saving throws equal to his Charisma modifier (+13).
Touch of Corruption (Su) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth can shroud his hand with a fiendish flame, causing terrible wounds to open on those he touches. He can use this ability 23 times per day as a standard action. As a touch attack, this effect causes 60 points of damage (see Unholy Champion, below).
Cruelty (Su) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth adds a cruelty effect to his touch of corruption ability. Whenever he uses his touch of corruption ability to deal damage to a target, the target also receives the additional effect from one of the cruelties possessed by St. Kargoth. The choice of cruelty is made at the time the touch of corruption attack is used. The target receives a Fortitude Save, DC 33, to avoid the cruelty. The cruelties available to St. Kargoth are: sickened, staggered, cursed, poisoned, blinded, stunned. When St. Kargoth uses his Channel Smite feat, a cruelty also affects the target.
Channel Negative Energy (Su) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth can channel negative energy like a cleric. Using this ability consumes two uses of his touch of corruption ability.
Aura of Cowardice (Su) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth gives off an aura with a 10’ radius that causes all enemies within the aura to suffer a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear effects. Creatures that are normally immune to fear lose this immunity while within the aura.
Aura of Despair (Su) As an antipaladin, all enemies within 10 ft. of St. Kargoth take a -2 penalty to all saving throws.
Aura of Vengence (Su) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth can expend two uses of his smite good ability to grant the ability to smite good to all allies within 10 feet.
Aura of Sin (Su) As an antipaladin and half-fiend, St. Kargoth’s weapons are considered both Evil an Chaotic for purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Aura of Depravity (Su) As an antipaladin, each enemy within 10 feet of St. Kargoth takes a -4 penalty on all saving throws vs. compulsion effects.
Channel Negative Energy (Su) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth can channel negative energy like a cleric. Using this ability consumes two uses of his touch of corruption ability.
Fiendish Boon (Sp) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth has chosen to add the anarchic, flaming, and speed weapon abilities to Deathbringer.
Unholy Champion (Su) As an antipaladin, St. Kargoth is a conduit for the might of Demogorgon. Whenever he uses smite good and successfully strikes a good outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment functioning at 20th level (with his weapon and unholy symbol counting as objects the subject hates). In addition, whenever St. Kargoth uses his touch of corruption of channels negative energy, he deals maximum possible damage.
Inherent Bonuses St. Kargoth has a +5 inherent bonus to Strength and Charisma.
SPECIAL ITEMS
Demogorgon’s Bilious Sphere (Major Artifact, CL 25) +5 corrosive burst unholy adamantine light mace.
- Can cast stinking cloud 5/day (DC 28)
- Can cast acid fog 3/day (DC 32)
- 3 day as a swift action, can create three spheres of acid that attack foes independently. Spheres function as flaming spheres in every other way, except the damage they inflict is acid damage.
- 1 day, can create a feeling of intense hatred in a creature within 60 ft. The target can resist this effect with a DC 30 Will save, otherwise it views another creature within sight (chosen by the Sphere’s wielder), as its most hated enemy. The target must do everything in its power to slay its enemy. This effect lasts until the enemy is dead or 24 hous pass. It may be dispelled as if it were dominate monster.
- A creature whom Demogorgon favors can, as a free action, gain the following benefits once per day: greater heroism, spell turning (10 levels), 4d12 temporary hit points, a +6 profane bonus to Strength.

APG Page 23.

Human Favored Class Option for the Rogue

What does this mean?

"Rogue: The human gains +1/6 of a new rogue talent."

Foresight
School divination; Level druid 9, sorcerer/wizard 9
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a hummingbird's feather)
Range personal or touch
Target see text
Duration 10 min./level
Saving Throw none or Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance no or yes (harmless)

This spell grants you a powerful sixth sense in relation to yourself or another. Once foresight is cast, you receive instantaneous warnings of impending danger or harm to the subject of the spell. You are never surprised or flat-footed. In addition, the spell gives you a general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself and gives you a +2 insight bonus to AC and on Reflex saves. This insight bonus is lost whenever you would lose a Dexterity bonus to AC.

When another creature is the subject of the spell, you receive warnings about that creature. You must communicate what you learn to the other creature for the warning to be useful, and the creature can be caught unprepared in the absence of such a warning. Shouting a warning, yanking a person back, and even telepathically communicating (via an appropriate spell) can all be accomplished before some danger befalls the subject, provided you act on the warning without delay. The subject, however, does not gain the insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves.

My take: This spell sucks, at least for 9th level in power. As written, it should be a 4th level spell (at most). Any wizard that specializes in Divination pretty much out-classes this spell merely from his granted specialist abilities - yet this spell is the ONLY 9th level divination spell.

Questions:

- Any chance of Errata in the near future that makes this spell worthy of its casting level? My suggestion would be to allow recipients of the spell to roll 2d20 (and to take the better roll) for saving throws while under the effects of this spell.

- Will there be any 9th level divination spells in the Advanced Player's Guide so high-level diviners have a spell actually worth taking in their 9th-level bonus spell slot?

Can I please have a specific citation to black-and-white rules that state whether the enhancement bonus from a magical missile weapon is confered upon the ammunition for purposes of to-hit bonus and damage bonus?

I'm looking for specifics here - and trying to look at the Pathfinder rules blank-slate with no reference to past D&D game systems.

I'm taking the philosophy of "if it is not speficially mentioned as in, then its out."

Reason: I believe that ammunition should be relevent because it is the ammunition making physical contact with the target and -not- the missile weapon. Bonuses to hit (e.g. a benefit to accuracy) make sense for the missile weapon itself, but it seems to me that the item physically striking the target should determine magical properties, enhancement bonuses to damage, and so on (unless a magical property of the ranged weapon specifically so identifies).

-B

Hey everyone,

I have a question about ranged weapons and their ammunition.

Specifically, what stacks and what applies?

Page 468 of the PCRB speaks a bit about Ranged Weapons and Ammunition.

Istates:

"The enhancement bonus from a ranged weapon does not stack with the enhancement bonus from ammunition. Only the higher of the two enhancement bonuses applies.

Ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an enhancement bonus of +1 or hither is treated as a magic weapon for overcoming damage reduction. Similarly, ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an alignment gains the alignment of that projectile weapon."

The language above seems to say that the amunition itself only gains a few of the properties of the missile weapon (e.g. a magical bow) - but not all of them. Further, later entries for magical weapon properties go on to specifically state when a magical weapon bestows the benefit upon the ammunition fired from it. Thus, non-magical ammunition seem to become "magical" in a limited and restricted sense when fired from a magical ranged weapon.

In addition: The language from page 468 makes it clear that ammunition fired from a magical bow is "treated as a magic weapon for overcoming damage reduction." A quick look to the rules on Incorporeal (Ex) on page 301 of the Pathfinder Beastiary makes it clear that incorporeal creatues can "be harmed only by ...magic weapons..." Incorporealness is not a Damage Reduction issue - it seems that the weapon directly "touching" the incorporeal target must be magical to inflict harm.

Specific Questions:

1. When firing a non-magical arrow from a +1 bow, which of the following applies:

a. +1 enhancement bonus (from the bow) to hit;
b. +1 enhancement bonus (from the bow) to damage;
c. All of the above.

2. So, does non-magical ammunition fried from a magical ranged weapon harm an incorporeal target?

a. Yes
b. No

I'd really appreciate feedback - or decisive answer from the game designers - so we can figure out if ammunition is itself relevent in the game -or- it is simply something like non-valuable spell components (e.g. spend 50 gp once ever 5 levels and you're good to go if your bow is cool enough).

Consiering the advantages that ranged fighers get (i.e. nearly always being able to use their Full Attack), this would seem a good balancer - at least as far as the damage they inflict per arrow (if the enhancement bonus to damage didn't carry over of they could not affect incorporeal foes unless the ammunition itself was not magical).

Thank you.

No Web Enhancements for Savage Tide 148-150.

And now Wizards pulls the other PDF's from Paizo.

I can't even begin to express my dislike of Wizards - and I am proud to say that I will NEVER go to 4.0 (or 5.0, which I expect in about a year and a half - the bastards).

Grrrr...

The Age of Worms took us over two years to run through and we fianlly had the conclusion adventure - Kyuss died though he took racked up six deaths (should have been 7). The party made much use of Wish and Miracle magic, Revifify magic, and had a Celestial Paragon at their side aiding them (as well as the sphere of annhilation).

They barely made it.

They had a fairly easy time of it though Ahlaster - only the Overworm encounter (briefly) and the encounter with Marilee gave them trouble.

What of Lashonna? They had help dealing with her...

Morreto from the tomb of Icosiel (he had a HUGE part in the campaign, his story grew in the telling) had plans for the energies released from the Wormgod's death - but realized that it was unlikely they'd survive Lashonna to get to Kyuss (the Silver Sorceress was READY for them and had pulled out all the stops).

Knowing he'd have to bring in amazing power to deal with her he reached out with his magic to the only entities he believed would be interested: The Dark Powers of Ravenloft.

The powers sent a proxy to contact the PC's and told them that the pressence of Kyuss was too strong for them to get involved directly - they had to help by doing two things: (1) opening a Gate to the Outlands and (2) wishing Lashonna to walk into it.

Happily for the PC's they managed to pull it off, and as Lashonna (to her horror) walked into the portal (I gave her a 50/50 chance of being allowed a Will save - she failed) she was taken by the Dark Powers and placed into her own private Hell - or so they thought.

Now, the campaign epilogue:

***********************************************************************

Many corners of the Multiverse have the 'pleasure' of boasting the spetacle of true horror for those unfortunate enough to behold them.

But in one horrible corner of creation, no other place bar (perhaps) the Far Realm, can match the horror of what has taken shape.

Behold a vast and sickly land of towering greenish mountains and yawning chasms filled with green mist. The skies above are filled with writhing and bubbling greenish brown clouds which seem to swirl around a great central mountain tor. A revulsive pal greenish-yellow illumination seeps from the clouds, adding new layers of horror to the myriad of worm-infested abominations that writhe over and burrow through the ground.

On the top of the realm's central mountain stands a giagantic spire of black stone. Green energy writhes across it, almost as if they were giagantic worms made of pure green energy passing across and through the spire here and there. Thunder rolls and blue-black lightning lances down, striking a giagantic writhing green something, bringing an angry roar that dwarfs the sound of the thunder. Kyuss worms then begin to rain down from the clouds above - ever eager to find flesh to devour.

* * *

Lashona, the Queen of Worms, looked out upon her domain from the pinacle of the Spire of Long Shadows. The anger and despaire that had threatned to overwhelm her had passed - replaced with a myriad of darker emotions. Her groom, the great Wormgod Kyuss was dead - slain by interlopers she herself had built up for her own fell purposes. Tools that had become too powerful to control.

Her hands clenched in a moment of rage - her face twisting into something utterly unbecomming for the beautiful elven form she favored.

Thunder rumbled again and more kyuss worms bounced off the windows of her chamber. She smiled at this, knowing that each storm brought new horrors upon the mortals unfortunate to be trapped here with her. Writhing Doom is what she named her domain - and she could feel the anguish of everything in it. She could also feel her power growing with each new transformation wrought by her adopted children.

The laugh of pure wicked glee startled even the most jaded and corrupt of her undead servitors in earshot. Revenge would one day be hers - but now was the time to grow. She knew the natures of the beings that had entrapped her - but they had failed to grasp something fundamental. Ravenloft was a place built to contain death and horror - but she and her children were different.

Oh yes.

The true nature and evil of her children is that they not only required life for sustenence, they were partially alive themselves. And that which lives continues to spread and grow - time was all that was necessary...

***********************************************************************

With the death of Kyuss, Moreto was wating to harvest the bounty of divine energy released.

Here is his epilogue (he is served by two NPC's from my campaign, one an ancient Ur-Flan who tricked a PC into giving up his younger body, the other a PC who was utterly corrupted by dabbling in abyssal magics - he cast a forbidden epic spell to slay Ashardalon in a previous campaign).

***********************************************************************

With a heavy jerk forward Moreto was thrust out of the crystalline chamber and onto the floor. Lines of green and purple magical energy rolled over his naked pale flesh, causing his long-undead muscles to twitch and writhe. A magical maelstrom continued a moment more in the elevated chamber – the last vestiges of the harvest so carefully cultivated and drawn to this very spot.

Then all was quiet.

The other figures in the room watched with uncertain trepidation – even Moreto was unsure of what would happen when the time came. Moments passed, then one of the senior figures motioned for a cowering human to go forward and check on their leader. The pathetic fellow, a fat and ugly fellow balked at the task.

“He’s dead, I say we get the Hells out of here!” shouted Balabar Smenk defiantly. He had once been the ruler of Diamond Lake not so long ago. Good times, at least until the cursed interlopers came and ruined everything.

“We must know!” said a purple-robed figure in a young, but crackling voice. It was if he believed he was old, and made his voice to sound thus.

Fear gripped Balabar anew – as bad as the interlopers had been, this man was worse. A man of cruelty and evil that Balabar suspected that even Moreto did not understood. He knew his own kind when he saw it – and the thought chilled him to the bone. Fear overcoming reason, Balabar crept forward toward the figure crumpled before him. He could feel the magical power emanating from the figure, a sickening combination of hot/cold that also felt oily.

It all felt wrong.

And then Moreto looked up.

A lifetime of selfishness and cruelty, all personified in the bloated form of Balabar Smenk, came to an abrupt halt in a single heartbeat. Balbar, mere inches from Moreto, suddenly found himself looking into depthless eyes and in this moment he truly knew fear. And then oblivion. In an instant the fat man was erased from existence – the divine power obliterating Smenk body and soul. All from the merest glance.

It was tomorrow – much had changed.

“The Wormgod is dead.” Said Moreto to his fellow conspirators. Of the dozen or so persons who had attended Moreto and his “endeavor,” only two remained. The only two strong enough to survive in his presence. “This is no accident – our Master intended this, and for us to capitalize. We’ve much to do.”

“Our master is one of strange ways – slaying this servant, sparing that. We alone survive from his chosen – it falls to us to complete what has begun” the purple-robed figure said, his young voice cracking with each syllable.

“The Age of Worms was not an end, it was a Means” said the remaining figure, a tall, bald, demonic looking human in black with skull motifs embossed on his ebon robes. “He who sleeps engineered this from the beginning – Kyuss was a pawn, a creature of evil, corruption, and consumption whose purpose was only to serve the greatest of ends. Our Lord’s freedom.”

“The Wormgod’s end shall serve us well” said Moreto, now fully dressed and fully recovered from his ordeal. “Our Lord engineered Kyuss’ ascension for no other purpose than for his harvest – Kyuss was to be consumed, much as he consumed all around him.” Moreto was thoughtful for a moment, then continued. “I believe the Final Event has come, and it is time for us to fulfill His purpose. I propose to liberate the Shothragot.”

Time seemed to stop in the chamber as all three figures locked gazes.

“You know the price that entails!” shrieked the purple-clad figure. “The Suel and Bakluish annihilated themselves in the wake of that vestige!”

“You will squander what we have worked so hard to attain” said the skull enthusiast. “The key to that horror’s prison is your own ruin. You will sacrifice all you have gained – perhaps more – to unleash its madness upon the Oerth.”

Moreto regarded each with his now purple eyes – depthless eyes filled with the power of divinity. “Zelfin, Altrec – long have you labored for the freedom of our Master. You have read the same signs and secrets as I. Do you think it any coincidence that the power necessary to release his greatest servant came into our hands as this time? Do you believe that this might is only here to serve our own ends?”

Zelfin looked horrified at Moreto’s words. “You would sacrifice your newly-gained divinity to unleash a madness you cannot control? It may destroy us all in the process!”

Altrec , however, looked pensive. “Your plan, Moreto, is an enormous risk. The prophecies of the Age of Worms have indeed come to pass – that Kyuss would arise, but be slain in the deed. But you have already shown you can risk and win – your dealings with the Dark Powers of Ravenloft showed this. Pointing them toward those pawns so Lashonna could be removed proved your nerve and the risks you were willing to take. I believe the time is right for what you propose.”

Moreto’s confidence waxed anew – and the corona of his divinity glowed a deep and penetrating purple. It could not be doubted he was the Chosen of Tharizdun – and the one to deliver his god from his eternal prison. “Then let us begin – with this creation’s end shall ours begin. Our Master will unmake all that is impure and wrong with this multiverse – and we shall sit at his right hand to usher in the new reality. A reality of our own making.”

Fade to black.

This is not over….

***********************************************************************

What the hell's going on?

Lashonna is going to "break the rules" or Ravenloft - eventually - because the Dark Powers misunderstand the nature of the undead of Kyuss. This is an error that will cost the mortal realm dear in a campaign to come.

Moreto, however, is busy in his task of releasing Tharizdun - he wants to see his Lord destory the universe and remake it in a form more pleasing to the True Ghoul (you'd all get a kick of how this NPC went from 2-paragraph bit player to major power player, much of it with the assistance of the PC's).

Moreto is going to exend the harvested divine energy to free the Shathragot (see the Wizards of the Cost Dragon magazine stuff on it) - which will weaken the bonds of Tharizdun's prison so that Moreto and company has a chance to free him. From there Moreto will let the Shathragot run rapant while he penetrates the deepest valts of the Isle of Cursed Souls to recover the remaining artifacts necessary to accomplish his goal.

This all culminates in a modified version of the Quicksilver Hourglass - with the price of failure the release of Tharizdun itself.

That'd be something:

Pholtus Ascendant - and then a great "Holy War" between his and St. Cuthbert's followers as Law Run Wild sweeps the lands.

It'd be like the antithesis of what the Wind Dukes of Aquaa stood for - it'd make chaos seem preferable (particularly if Asmodeous managed to convince denizens of Mechanus and *gasp* maybe even some lawful good angelic types who were more focused on 'law' than 'good').

Fellows!

You're putting too much faith in my campaign - we haven't even begun the Savage Tide yet (my party is just about to face Braazemal in the AoW).

My post/mini-rant here was simply to give voice to what I believe would have been a "hell" of a follow-up Adventure Path in the wake of the Savage Tide's climax.

At the conclusion of the Savage Tide Adventure Path our intrepid (and very lucky) band of heroes has slain the Prince of Demons and thrown the already chaotic layers of the abyss into a true malestrom of destructive anarchy.

With Demogorgon slain there is now open and bloody warfare between every faction of the Abyss that wan'ts a piece of his former power - meaning, anyone who is anyone is going throwing themselves into the fray in the hopes of coming out with more than they had previously. In addition, the obyrith species is once agian on the rise - and likely to take the undisciplined masses ot tanar'ri frenzying for a share in the power by surprise.

In short, the Abyss has been turned into a seething couldron of carnage with every side fighting every other side like never before. Demon princes are likely to fall, entire layers are likely to change, perhaps entire speicies of demon will be wiped out (likely replaced by new obyrith species).

And from his dark throne in Nessus, Asmodeous smiles - and sends forth a hellish army the likes of which the multiverse itself cannot fathom to strike the blow that will tip the scales of evil toward Law for all time...

Its a damn shame that Paizo is now "off the job" for Dungeon and Dragon Magazine because the ending of the Savage Tide Adventure Path suggests a beginning of a new Adventure Path: One where the devils finally get their due and our players find themselves pawns in a battle that may decide the fate of the entire multiverse. Aside from the adventure "A Paladin in Hell" - there has never been an adventure (let alone an adventure series or path) that captures the true politics, spleandor, and horror of Hell and its masters.

That's a damn shame - because I believe that the ending of the Savage Tide has presented an unprecidented opportunity to finally involve "The Lords of the Nine" in an adventure path frought with politics, intrigue, betrayal, and double-dealing as only the devils of Hell can cook up. Such an adventure path would also be a fantastic opportunity to present the players with choices entirely unique: such as siding with the "lesser of evils" in making them actually side with the interests of the Abyss (or simply that of Chaos) in order to thwart the tyranny of Hell.

On the World of Greyhawk the perfect setting for jumping this campaign off woud be in the Great Kingdom - where the fate of Ivid V and Rauxes could be explored. The Causeway of the Fiends and the Isle of Cursed Souls could be explored, but most of all: the players themselves would be involved in the politics of the shattered Great Kingdom - the perfect opportunity for "skill-based" characters to shine from the beginning to end of the Adventure path.

Anyway, these are just some post-Paizo thoughts for Dungeon and Dragon Magazine and the direction I believe they could have gone (to the delight of all).

-B

I can say with 100% confidence that I will NOT be converting to 4E (or 3.75 or whatever the heck else they're calling it).

This is the third freakin' edition of D&D to be released in the past 10 years. In june 2008 we'll have 4E. Then, in June 2010 we'll have 4.5E.

Then they'll skip a whole edition and go to 6E in June of 2012 just for fun.

Enough is enough.

While I certainly enjoy product support for a game I'm playing I am NOT going to keep buying into new editions. Wizards and other publishers has put out thousands of pages worth of 3.5 stuff - enough adventure material for me to be able to run campaigns for the next 20 years or so. I can't think of any good reasons to now switch over to a new edition, re-buy all the sourcebooks I already own - and then have them switch the edition again.

Cripes, its almost like a new version of MS Windows comming out every 3 or so years - and the funny thing is that other than needing the newer versions to run new programs I honestly haven't seen all that substantial a change in how I use my computer. Funny that...

Anyway, were this my Best Possible World I'd keep 3.5 around for at least a decade of time (let's get some freakin' milage from these rules!) and I'd keep Paizo as the publishers of Dungon and Dragon Magazines. This "Digital Initiative" rubbish is just not compelling to me: I WANT my full-color, glossy, article-filled magazines to carry around, read, and (best yet) collect. Nobody is going to do Dungeon or Dragon like Paizo did it (thank you Eric and Co. for the true Golden Years of Dungeon and Dragon!) - and I'll be using the resources already published for my campaigns now and in the future.

Flush 4th Edition.

Replacement character?

Depends on what level your DM has you start out at.

If were at higher levels than I'd go see if he'd allow me to take the Greenstar Adept prestige class. Once you hit 10th level those pesky worms and undead attacks are utterly worthless against you.

I am VERY MUCH looking forward to the fiendish codex. It is my hope that further justice can be done to the Demon Lords and Princes so that they truly stand out from their 'species.'

For one, I'd like to see them actually get Epic Feats.

For another, it'd be nice for them to also receive spellcaster-class abilities (Example: Demogorgon casting spells as a Wizard 20/Cleric 20). I've never found the limited scope of their spell-like abilities very satisfying, particularly in light of the diverse evils they've wrought. Giving them flexibility in their use of magic (whatever the source) seems to make a lot of sense for being that have existed for tens of thousands of years.

I just got my Dragon 344 and was very disappointed to find that the glue used to stick the Book-club advertisement to page 66 was so strong that it ripped apart the right-hand section of the page.

I've dealt with these glued-in adverts before and pride myself on getting them out without damaging my magazine, but whatever was used for the latest issue SUCKS for we the subscribers.

PLEAS PLEAS PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE -NEVER- used this wretched glue again!

I do agree she's plenty tough and if sue buffs herself well she'll probably end up taking down a player or two before she finally higs 0 hit points.

The above post is just my humorous take on 'what I would'a done' were I in Lashona's boots. She's a tough customer, though I have to admit that if you're running a group of 6 or more players I'd suggest the Unholy Toughness aspect pretty strongly.

Since I'm on a humorous bent, I'd prably exchange one of Lashona's feats for something like: Has Read the Evil Overlord's Handbook.

But hey, if she'd done that, it would probably end with Kyuss worshiping her and not the other way around!

Lashona is an incredibly ancient and devout follower of Kyuss the Wormgod. She's also the bitter foe of Dragotha, the original Dracolich and Kyuss' herald on the Material Plane.

So, combining this wisdom and animosity, what would you get?

Hopefully, some good planning...

Lashona's Wish List (or, what I would'a done with that nifty ring of three wishes):

Wish #1: Although Lashona is a Vampire, she's a wuss when compared to other dragons of her age category for one very important reason - like it or not, D&D is a numbers game and any being that has lived for 1,500+ years has to have come to grips with this by now.

So, my first wish would be to upgrade my Bonus Vampiric Dragon Hit Points into the Unholy Toughness special ability.

Ok Dragotha and adventurers, BRING IT!

Wish #2: Few creatures gain in power as they age the way dragons do. Undead kinda do (if they're evolved), but not many undead creatures get to take that template and the benefits it grants are limited. Now, I'm sure Lashona was thrilled to learn she's be sleek, slim, and good looking forever - vampires are vain that way - but she couldn't have been particularly pleased with the fact that any other dragon that manages to live as long as she will pass her up in power. Some 'Bride of Kyuss' she'd be if she had to compete with some trollop of a blue dragon who happened to have the hots for the Wormgod just so happened to live long enough to become a Great Wyrm.

The nerve!

So, my second wish sould be for me to continue aging as a dragon until I reached Great Wyrm status. If I needed any additional advancement I'd start gaining experience points and taking those funky dragon prestige classes in the Draconomnican.

There, biotch, see if any anyone can rival me now! No way am I gonna be content remaining at the same power level for 1,500 years!!!!

Wish #3: Discretion is typically the better part of valor, and in this case Lashona'd be pretty well served to keep this on hand for an emergency. If I just had to use it, however, I'd wish for something like "I wish to receive a saving throw or the appropriate type even against effects that normally do not allow a save" or something like that. That'd keep me alive for a bit against stuff like a Sphere of Annihilation or naty turning effects that instnatly fry undead.

Yeah, that's what I'd do!

Hard to believe almost a year has gone by since The Whispering Cairn began the Age of Worms and soon we will learn what the third AP holds in store for us.

My group of players just started the adventure " A Gathering of Winds". In fact the last session ended with Illthane bursting forth from the ground issuing the players death sentences.

Where is everyone at in their AOW campaigns?

We're exactly at the same place your party is at!

- The group returned to Diamnod Lake and were shocked to see the devestation wrought upon it by Ilthane.
- They ran willy-nilly out to the Whispering Cairn and were ambushed by a very, very angry Ilthane (I advanced Ilthane to Mature Adult because my party consists of 7 members rather than the standard four).
- Ilthane's use of Darkness, Fog Cloud, Flyby Attack, and Power Attack soon had the group on its knees.
- The party is now holed up within the Whispering Cairn - Ilthane kicked their sorry arses. Because I advanced Ilthane to Mature Adult she is now Huge, meanig she can't get into the Cairn without a lot of digging.
- We ended the last session just as the last party member rounded the corner toward the portal to Icosiol's tomb with a stream of acid on their trail and Ilthane's taunts echoing behind them.
- The party, as you might imagine, is not happy.

One of the guys in my platoon saw the image of Celeste (from Champions Belt) and fell in love. I wonder how often this character infatuation occurs. Yes, we all love the dark and sexy priestess of Wee Jas. Just wondering.

Ugh.

Dammit D&D players need to hone their social skills!

What do you folks think?

http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/box_sets/10022_G

Its a nice figure, but I'm now spoiled by the McFARLANE'S DRAGONS figurines.

They're:

- Cheaper ($12.99)
- Nicer
- Already painted
- Cheaper
- COOLER!
- Cheaper

Delazar wrote:

did anyone mention "PLS NO APPENDIX 4!"

i loved Shackled City, but i HATED to always go at the end of the book to check many different foes...

I have to second that. This constant page flipping to find the stats of the creatures (sometimes from the same encounter!) was a real nightmare and "post-it"s barely made it more bearable.

I think that "The Red Hand of Doom"'s web enhancement is the perfect solution. Even if the non-regular creatures are all in a "Appendix 4", you can download a file with all the stats organised by encounter! Even if it means repetition of statblocks.

Bocklin

One Word:

Photocopier.

I’ve been running the Age of Adventure Path since November and can say with absolute confidence it is one of the finest offerings ever to come out of a Dungeon Magazine. My party and I are enjoying the whole experience thoroughly and eagerly anticipate the AP’s momentous conclusion (though, in all honesty, we’ll be sad when it all comes to an end).

My players are currently preparing to go forth to confront a certain black dragon that had recently laid waste to parts of Diamond Lake so we’re currently far enough into the AP for me to offer some ‘humble’ feedback and suggestions for the editors of Dungeon, at least as far as this AP’s eventual compilation into a hardcover masterwork.

Feedback #1: Encounter at Blackwall Keep was disappointingly simplistic. It was a fine adventure, but it had nowhere near the ‘satisfaction value’ of any of the adventures preceding or coming after it. The lizardfolk siege wasn’t the threat that the author perceived it would be (two fireball spells and its about done). The lair was gratifying but very simple. In the end, the party came out of the adventure with a ‘This was it?’ feeling only to find themselves badly out-classed when they really got into the Hall of Harsh Reflections.

Suggestion #1: I’d strongly suggest re-working Encounter at Blackwall keep a bit to add more meat to the adventure. I’d make the lizardfolk army unassailably bigger (though the skirmish at the keep is fine the way it is, but perhaps it is the tip of the iceberg and the party realized that the swamp’s northern border is now teeming with an army of lizardfolk made up of a conglomerate of the tribes – all under the sway of a certain lizardfolk chieftain who has had the aid of a particular black dragon). The keep skirmish hammers home the fact that bad things are afoot, and the party will need to go in and take out the chieftain in order to break the lizardfolk alliance (and perhaps find a way to negotiate peace between the Free City and the lizardfolk of the Mistmarsh).

Suggestion #2: I mentioned adding more meat to the adventure. One way to do it is to add a chapter to the whole thing. One idea is for a Favored Spawn of Kyuss Druid (and his favored spawn animal companion) is the servant of Ilthane and has been working corruption of his own in the swamps and was using the lizardfolk uprising as the perfect opportunity to begin infesting creatures (and people) outside the Mistmarsh. This would go a long way toward explaining the mention of ‘Unkillable Undead’ in the hills and would introduce the party to the horrors of the spawn of Kyuss a lot better than a sole spawn in the basement of the keep (who was likely slain by the reinforcements who arrived from Diamond Lake long before the party ever got back from the lizardfolk lair). I suggest this to give the party a nice way of accumulate some extra XP and wealth before they head to the Free City and deal with the Hall of Harsh Reflections.

Feedback #2: Balabar Smenk is a character my party loved to hate. The campaign set him up perfectly as the bad guy the party longed to bring down. He embodied the corruption and hopelessness that permeates Diamond Lake to its core and they still take no end of pride in how they brought him to justice. While many DM’s are capable of putting together a nice ‘adventure’ that deals with Balbar’s fall I felt it would still have been nice for us to have more detail and perhaps an mini-adventure provided for this event.

Suggestion #3: Put together a ‘floating chapter’ that can be inserted anywhere in the campaign (though, likely, at some point after the Three Faces of Evil and before the Hall of Harsh Reflections) that deals with Balabar’s fall. I’d suggest detailing how any of the other Mine Managers would go about contacting/helping/using the party for this end. I’d also detail Balbar’s Mansion and what the party would have to go through navigating it to find the damning evidence necessary to get Smenk arrested. I wrote a short ditty detailing just this and my party beamed with pride and wicked glee as Balbar was led off to stand trial for his myriad crimes. They all agreed it was vastly more satisfying than killing him and I agree: they assassinated him politically and that went light-years toward preparing their mind-set for the intrigue of the Free City and likely Ahlaster.

Feedback #3: Kyuss, his spawn, and his depraved worshipers are fantastic foes who will forever have a place of dark dread within the hearts of gamers worldwide. The AP has been rife with new spawn that will horrify and disgust all that come into contact with them, ‘Bravo!’ I say. One thing all my players agree on is the enjoyment they take in encountering and fighting all the new and unusual monsters (as well and some old favorites from years and classic modules of the past) the AP has used. They’re on the edge of their seats once they realize they have no idea what it is they’re dealing with (those octopins were just plain NASTY) and that tension adds to gaming experience as a whole. What the AP has lacked, however, are specialty powers and abilities for the followers of Kyuss…

Suggestion #4: Make the followers of Kyuss stand out (and unusual) as much as the variety of new monsters that the Wormgod has created. Prestige classes, new magic items, unique spells, and the whole lot. Bozal Zahol would have been MUCH cooler had he been something more than a mere 11th-level cleric. Perhaps a 5th-level cleric/6th-level Wormeater of Kyuss? A party of adventurers gets just as tired of NPC’s all having the same suite of spells (resist this, blast that, heal, repeat…) as they are of fighting the same trolls (rend, regenerate, rend, regenerate, repeat…) over and over again. Dress the NPC’s up! The players are taking the time to take up prestige classes, research new spells and magical items, make use of as much material from the Expanded Books (Complete Class books, Complete Race books, etc etc etc) as they can. I say strike back with the devoted followers of the Wormgod doing the same! Likewise, I’d spend zero time worrying about space detailing feats, spells, classes, magic items, etc found in the Complete Book Series (or Libris Mortis, or Draconomnican, etc, etc, etc) within the hardcover Age of Worms book. Some assumptions need to be made and most hardcore gamers will have these books. For those that don’t, put a disclaimer in the forward warning them that the above books were used and that they may need to substitute for some things. Followers of Kyuss just scream “Book of Vile Darkness!” and “Libris Mortis!” (particularly the Corpsecrafter feat tree), use ‘em and enjoy the aftermath!

Feedback#4: This is a bit of feedback that can be aimed at any dungeon magazine adventure, but I figured I’d put it here. Simply put, I’ve found that most D&D campaigns have at least 4 players and sometimes range to 7 (with 5-6 being the majority). These adventures are written to challenge 4 players and are the treasure and ECL ‘payout’ reflect that. So do the adventure encounters.

Suggestion #5: In the ‘Scaling the Adventure’ sidebar I’d suggest the following:
- Continue detailing how to modify the adventure for characters of certain levels (suggestions additional monsters to add/subtract or how many Hit Dice/Levels to add/subtract from monsters and NPC’s).
- Add some detail about how to increase/decrease the treasure (say, increasing/decreasing the monetary take by a certain %, leaving out or adding a specific magic item here or there – this would only be used for particular items) based on party level.
- ALSO: Give detail, along the lines of the two entries above, on how a DM would best go about modifying an adventure’s encounters and rewards based on a larger or smaller party. This would be VERY useful for a number of DM’s who are dealing with larger or smaller groups. The larger groups are trickier, because just adding levels oftentimes just doesn’t translate (particularly when you begin dealing with higher level spells and wicked save DC’s).

That about does it for now. It’s a mouthful, but in my opinion it would help to really round out and improve on the Age of Worms AP when it gets put into hardcover form. I’m sure there are numerous additional suggestions and feedback (and errata) that will be posted as well, but I just wanted to make my suggestions known.

Cheers!

-B

Granted that wandering monsters may not be all that necessary in such a high level adventure, I think I'll want to throw a few "flavor encounters" in during the initial phases of exploring the Wormcrawl Fissure, even if they're pushovers. I suppose if the Fissure is barren and lifeless, that flavors things a certain way--but I want it to be ominous and dangerous--I want there to be a good reason all the ogres and bugbears and hobgoblins from other parts of the rift give the region a wide berth! Besides advanced versions of the Wormcrawl denizens detailed in James' article in Dragon #276, and a sneak preview or two of the new Kyuss creatures in the appendix of this adventure, anyone have any good suggestions for what might go in the random encounter tables for the Heights and the Depths?

If the party flies down, I'm thinking a run-in with a Razorwind Derro patrol on wyvern mounts would be good, as well as a nasty encounter with sharp pinnacles sticking up through the fog. On the canyon floor, just about any undead would do, but some nasty fungi might be equally interesting, or some fiendish plant creatures--maybe a grove of ironmaws or something. A walking graveyard or a corpse collector? Any other ideas?

I noticed that Arcane Strike was a part of the original plan for Dragotha: If you look on pate 83 under Atk Options: you see Arcane Strike is still listed.

Personal Note: One thing I would have liked to see more of from Dragotha are the various spells listed in the Draconomicon. Some of them are beyond cool and just scream "Dragon magic!"

Additional Error Report

Dragotha's Statistics (Page 84): Dratoliches do not have Unholy Toughness.*

*(I personally LOVE unholy toughness and have added it to nearly all free-willed undead within my game. Likewise, I expanded Unholy Toughness to allow an undead creature to use its Charisma bonus as a bonus to Fortitude Saves - this really helps keem them from easily being disintegrated).

Error Report:

One glaring issue is found on pages 68-69 under the statistics and tactics of Thessalar:

Quoting from the magazine - "If he hears the thessalhydras in area 2 attack intruders the lich casts project image to manifest an image of himself in the courtard to observe the battle.

PROBLEMS:
1. Project image is an Illusion Spell. Thessalar is a specialist wizard (transmuter) and chose Enchantment and Illusion as his forbidden domains. Ergo, he couldn't cast project image under any circumstances, even if he wanted to.

2. Thessalar doesn't even have project image listed in his memorized spells (it should be within his list of memorized 7th level spells).

And, as a brutal suggestion, I'd swap out Maximise Spell for Chain Spell and enjoy the groups look of shocked horror when Thessalar blasts them with a Chained disintegrate spell.

Nummy!

Please read the following:

An incorporeal creature has no physical body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source (except for positive energy, negative energy, force effects such as magic missile, or attacks made with ghost touch weapons). Although it is not a magical attack, holy water can affect incorporeal undead, but a hit with holy water has a 50% chance of not affecting an incorporeal creature.

Those dragons don't strike as magic weapons, so they're screwed if they try to take on the acid wraith.

James Jacobs wrote:

2: Replace that feat with Improved Critical (rock).

...And now I can't get the image of Charlgar headbanging Beavis and Butthead-style while all his foes fall before him out of my head.

::rock::

I gave him leap attack.

When this giant charges he is gonna NUKE any PC he hits!

Carrion Pit Area #5: Charlgar the Hill Giant Fighter 10 is listed has having the Greater Weapon Specialization feat.

Greater Weapon Specialization requires that you have at least 12 levels in fighter (see under Prerequisites on PHB page 95) in order to take this feat.

I'm running 3FOE this weekend and have lost my copy of the module. Does anyone know if it can be downloaded from paizo or if there are places to purchase an electronic copy? I'd just buy a back-issue but the game is slated for Sunday and I'd really like to run it since my group gets together only a rarely to play.

Better hit a gaming store, none of these adventures are available on a PDF or online format.

I've been wondering how everyone felt about the use of past Dungeon adventures in Spire of Long Shadows (including Shackled City) and the artifacts that have found a home in AOW. I myself think that adding the Hand of Vecna will be quite a challenge to any party. What do you guys think?

I rather like the inclusion of some of the classic artifacts of D&D lore in the adventure path - though a part of me is getting tired of seeing the Hand or Eye of Vecna involved in one or another D&D adventure. Sort of like seeing 'Count Dracula' appear too often in vampire films, I think I'd be a bit happier if they'd used some of the more obscure artifacts of D&D lore - just to give them a moment in the sunlight.

- The Invulnerable Coat of Arnd: This would have been keen as it could give a party champion protection enough to go toe-to-toe (for a bit) with the worst Kyuss has to offer.

- The Crystal of Ebon Flame: Hasn't put in an appearance in any adventure that I know of, it could have been given a chance to burn brightly for a party in need of a boost.

- The teeth of Da'va'nar (spelling error, but you know what I'm talking about!): Perhaps a means of boosting the party as a whole into epic levels of power - perhaps the trigger that allows them to REACH epic levels in the first place?

I'm not looking to pick and complain at this or that for the AoW path, but I'm thinking that the Hand of Vecna angle has been done a bit too much: I'd like to see some other artifacts for a change!

I have a question about the Froghemoth's statistics found at the end of the Champion's Belt adventure:

- Why doesn't the froghemoth have ranks in the jump skill?

Adding up his Jump:
Strength: +12
Racial: +16
Penalty: -6 (for having a movement rate of less than 30 ft.)

This gives our froggy a total Jump score of +22.

However, the Jump skill states very specifically that if you don't exceed the DC of the distance you're jumping by 5 you end up landing prone. That doesn't sound very frog-like.

The frothemoth has 23 skill points to distribute, so it should at least be able to have a Jump score of +23 (reflecting his bonuses and his sole skill rank - which prevents this hoppy creature from occasionally making a fool of itself when it jumps after foes...)

Also, if you have a history with Greyhawk, a cleric of Wee Jas would sooner destroy his/her own soul than create an undead creature.

Despite her tendencey toward evil, Wee Jas hates the very idea of undead with a wild, seething, uncompromising loathing. She would never grant summon/create undead spells to her clerics now would she allow a cleric who skirted such a prohibition (like using a scroll or magic item duplicating the effects) to remain a member of her faith.

D-E-D DED!

Corpse #1

Agon, Dwarven cleric of Moradin. Slain from a critical hit from Tusk, mascot of the the Temple of Hextor (three faces of evil).

Corpse #2

Daemonar, half-orc barbarian. Slain from a lightning bolt to the chest from the Faceless One (three faces of evil).

Honorable mention:

Near-Corpse #1

Sprite, wood-gnome wizard. Should have been slain from a critical hit (and rend) from a dire ape during a raid on Balabar Smenk's resident. I fudged the damage so he was only at -8 hit points as the player was already having a rough day and I didn't want the wind taken out of the capaign session right form the get-go.

Near-Corpse #2

Immet, human fighter/rogue (thug). Should have been slain from a Wyvern poison trap during the raid on Balabar Smenk's residence. Started out with a 14 Constitution but hit with an wyvern poison arrow trap. Took 8 points of Consitution damage on the initial save, then went on to fail his save again. I rolled 11 for the damage, but only had him take 5 points. He was scared out of his wits the remainder of the session as they had no ability to restor the Constitution (and they had to complete their raid before leaving).

Near-Corpse #3

Rabeeblium the gnome bard. Remained behind the party to 'guard' the watchmen the party had liberated from the Sodden Hold (Hall of Harsh Reflections). The party had ventured into the room beyond (only to be attacked by invisible stalkers) when the two watchmen/dopplegangers struck and nearly slew him (-7 hit points) before he could make a sound. They then shut and bared the double doors, separating the party. They didn't kill him, however. They stabelized him and one of the dopplegangers took his place on the floor. The party found a note on his chest ("Get out of town, NOW") and two 200 gp gemstones. The party mistook this for DM generosity (the old 'let's scare the party' routine) and continued on with the adventure not thinking anything was to worry.

Now, the trap waits to be sprung, for at this point both the rogue and the bard have been replaced by dopplegangers...

I transformed the high Priest of Hextor into a Hellacuvah and

added him to pitch blade. (3FoE was a massacre for NPCs)
Even with above average hits he died (again) from the
kabold wizard's fireball. Seth has been neutral for some time.
In retrospect, replace one feat with throw anything.
Hello...Pitchblade?
Flying is wasted if you have no missle weapons.

Maybe...

But if the players are number-crunched to make best use of their abilities and attributes (and, realistically, what fool wouldn't be?) would this mean that the NPC's would be at a distinct disavantage to the PC's?

Likewise, shouldn't this modify their ECL? Optimized characters (meaning: characters who work to be very, very good at what they do rather than 'generalists') would be significantly more powerful than the NPC's at this poing and thus the ECL would be skewed.

I had a problem with the bastard swords simply because barbarians have few feats and the dwarves already had a wepon proficiency in a weapon with identicle properties. I'd assume that everyone, NPC's and PC's, would realize how few feats they get and would endeavor to put them to best advantage - and to untilze those advantages they already have.

Well, probably not. But you never know!

This is a good clean laugh for any gamer.
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Ok, you'll laugh and cringe, but hey, it's about gamers...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7521044027821122670

Xaene the Accursed wrote:

Heh, if adding 'Theatrics' were my main purpose than I'd have given them Javars instead of bastard swords: More damage, larger critical range (15-20 with improved critical), and a cooler look - all for the same price in feats.

I guess I'm just not one for an exotic sword that doesn't provide as much 'oomph!' as other weaons a guy doesn't even need to spend feats on.

Pitch Blade killed off my PCs as-is. Did you use point buy for your campaign, and if so, how much?

For one, my group hasn't fought pitch blade yet, but they are a 6-member group and we utilize a LOT of the expanded rules in the 'Complete' series of books - those feats and spells really give 'expanded' characters some advantages over NPC's written with purely core rules.

Second, I use the following point-buy system to create heroic charcters for my campaigns (which is what I believe the Age of Worms would call for, anyway):

Page 7: Ability Scores
· Ability scores will be generated via a “Point Buy” system. This system ensures that all characters start out on an equal footing at the campaign’s beginning. Characters receive 32 points to distribute amongst their 6 ability scores. All ability scores begin with a base score of 8. Characters than allocate points to the base scores as they see fit. The table below details the “point cost” for a particular ability score.

Ability
Score Point Cost
9 1
10 2
11 3
12 4
13 5
14 6
15 7
16 9
17 11
18 13

As can be noted from the table above, ability scores begin getting more expensive once a score of 15 has been reached. This is to ensure that any character who wishes to be truly outstanding in a particular ability score must make a significant sacrifice in his overall ability scores. It is advised that characters are built with good balance with the idea that the characters will be able to raise their ability scores as they gain levels, enjoy the benefits of ability score raising items, a (rarely) other permanent ability score increases.

For most NPCs, we assign average hit points and use the elite array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) for ability scores. This should explain why the Pitch Blade dwarves have such "average" stats. If they seem too low, change them, but don't be surprsied if the fight ends up being too tough.

As for their weapons; they wield bastard swords because their group is called "Pitch Blade." Or it might be the other way around. ANYway... axes don't really count as "blades" so therefore you'd want to change the name of their group if you give them axes. PLUS: giving them bastard swords makes them visually less cliched and more interesting, I think. The concept of the axe-wielding dwarven barbarian is kind of old and dull, even if it IS the number-crunched best choice. Not all NPCs should look or fight the same.

As for their speeds... crap. Yeah, that's an error; they should have speeds of 30 ft, but since they'll be flying, it doesn't really matter.

Heh, if adding 'Theatrics' were my main purpose than I'd have given them Javars instead of bastard swords: More damage, larger critical range (15-20 with improved critical), and a cooler look - all for the same price in feats.

Yeah, I'm a number cruncher, at least when I look at a character's motivation. Considering how few feats barbarians receive, I'd have chosen something different then an exotic weapon proficiency (even the greatsword, or falchion are better choices in my opinion than the bastard sword). I guess I'm just not one for an exotic sword that doesn't provide as much 'oomph!' as other weaons a guy doesn't even need to spend feats on.

While I agree that dwarven waraxes are more appropriate than bastard swords; they still only do 1d10 damage. It's the greataxe that does 1d12 damage, a better weapon for any barbarian with high strength since you get +2 damage for every -1 to hit when using power attack since it's a 2-handed weapon.

Consider me corrected! Its been awhile since I've had anyone use a Dwarven Waraxe.

Whatever the case, said waraxe can still be wielded two-handed, nothing prevents this, thus they make a much better weapon and free up a precious feat.

Also, the dwarves are shown as having a base movement of 40 ft. Yes, barbarians get a +10 ft. to their movement, but Dwarves have a base movement of 20, so their total movement should be 30 ft. per round.

Event Five (Second Battle):

The party fights a pair of dwarven barbarians named Pitch Blade. They're fairly tough (must have rolled HORRIBLE for HP, 'cause even giving them 6.5 per character level and NOT giving them max hit points at level 1 would still give them 125 hit points, and their stat blocks give them 120 - ugh!) but I do have one question about them:

1. Why in the name of Moradin did they waste a feat on the bastard sword when they gain weapon familiarity with a weapon of greater power (the dwarven war axe)? The bastard sword does 1d10 per hit and can be wielded in one or two hands, as you wish. The dwarven war axe does 1d12 and can be wielded in one or two hands - and as dwarves they don't have to squander a feat to use it.

You'd think that they'd be better served taking one of the various 'Rage' feats found in the new 'Complete' books (Extended Rage wouldn't be a bad one, but there are still others).

2. Their ability scores seem a bit off for grizzled barbarians who have made it to 10th level. Namely, their putrid strength scores. I'd expect a barbarian of 10th level to have an 18 Strength (at the very least), but gaining this score only after drinking a potion of bull's strength seems like a very limp idea indeed.

Any thoughts on this? Or on their crappy hit points?

I'm not surprised that your party stomped the lizard men.

In fact, this particular adventure in the series is the one I consider to be the least dangerous (even the chieftain was easy pickins after the PC Wizard nailed him with a color spray - his Will saves sucked and when stunned he dropped his trident, which the ranger's wolf companion ran off with).

A fireball or two used in the proper places at the proper times can pretty well do for the lot of the lizardfolk attacking the keep. The rest is just a party clearing out a pretty weakly stocked lizardfolk nest.

I saw this adventure as a confidence building installment of the Age of Worms and nothing more. It is a fairly short and direct adventure where the party kicks some booty, but gets a bit of a scare when they think that all lizardfolk communities in the Mistmarsh could become spawn of Kyuss.

Adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons are written so that they are a challenge a party consisting of four players. The 'Scaling the Adventure' section at the end of all adventures in Dungeon Magazine deals with making the adventure more difficult or less challenging based upon the party level. This is nice, I like it, it makes it easy.

Unless.

You are not dealing in terms of party level, but in the number of members in a party.

So, how would one go about scaling the adventures in the Age or Worms for a party of 6 (sometimes 7) players? The group is 50% or more bigger than the party the adventures were written for.

What should I do?

Go with the 'Scaling the Adventure' advice given for higher level parties information given at the back of the adventure?

I'm a veteren DM, but I'm finding myself a little unsure of this situation as I don't want to 'upgrade' the adventure difficulty only to find the party over their head most of the time.

Here's a question:

It takes a few days for the characters to trudge through the swamp to deal with the lizard folk. They spend a day (or more) dealing with it and then rest up. They trudge three days back to Blackwall Keep.

So, wouldn't the Diamond Lake Milita be there waiting for them by then? I think that it takes a few days for them to arrive, but it seems certain that they would have arrived before the players make it back from samp stomping the lizardfolk.

If that is the case, wouldn't they have already dealt with the Spawn of Kyuss? There can be little doubt that Allustin would have impressed upon the militia commander the dire circumstances the keep were under, and it being a Greyhawk possession it seems reasonable to expect the Commander to send very strong response to the situation.

The adventure doesn't deal with this at all. It comes to a conclusion and apparently forgets that Allustan has teleported home to get the calvary.

I suggest this be looked into when it comes time to conpile and revise the Age of Worms for the hardcover versions.

What I did:

The group made peace with the lizardfolk fairly quickly (only around half the tribe and the otyugh was slaughtered) so when they rested after slaying the king I had them encounter a Spawn of Kyuss Lizardfolk (the sick one 'got worse' that evening and infected three other lizardfolk while they slept and then went on a rampage in the lair).

THAT made for one heck of a nail-biting encounter with the spawn of Kyuss (I knew the party would run squeeling to the militia if they got back to Blackstone Keep only to witness the spawn of Kyuss break free - I wanted them to handle some of these nasty zombies themselves) that also sent them into a near-panic as they assumed that all the other tribes of the Mistmarsh had been contacted by Ilthane and thus were at risk.

Ok, that's my piece, make of it what ye will.

My group is about to knock off the Faceless One, triggering the Aspect. The sorcerer has used up nearly all his Scorching Ray spells on the kenku (mmmm...tastes like chicken) and will most assuredly be tapped out quickly. He's otherwise worthless in a fight.

Can anyone think of something he could find in the FO's loot that might be of help in the upcoming battle, without unbalancing the game? A wand of MM might do it (don't have the adventure here - is the Aspect immune to them?). Any other ideas?

What could he do?

Get a freakin' longspear and Aid Another on the party barbarian, who can now dump another point or two into Power Attack (hopefully said cruncher is using a two-handed weapon) which will help bring the Aspect down quickly.

Likewise, the party priest should be doing similar, though from right behind the barbarian so when said cruncher gets hurt, he takes a round off of Aiding Another to administer healing magic.

Aid another stacks, so two players giving a +4 bonus to hit makes it easier to hit, or MUCH easier to dump into Power Attack.