Tonight sometime. But, with the eye familars, arn't they all seperate creatures, each getting a swift, move, and standard action every round?
Oh. I didn't think of that. I kind of pictured them as a kind of mini-swarm, or just a gaggle of Ioun Stones. Also, I've never really run a hexblade, wizard, or sorcerer PC, so I'm a little rusty about using a familiar in combat.
I really need to edit the Knight of the Evil Eye then. I didn't picture each Floating Eye Familiar casting its buff spell on the PC all at once. Maybe make the buff spells something the PC does, as well as directing the FEFs to use its rays. (I DID envision it using multiple rays at once as free (not swift) actions. Just like the beholder.)
I also need to write up the Anti-Magic Eye, as it's not a cone like the Beholder's main eye, but a ray that affects a single target.
Alright. Not sure how to tweak that to get your desired effect, but...
Here's the Gnoll Ouclomancer,
Gnoll Oculomancer
Requirements: Gnoll, any evil, spellcraft 9 ranks, spot 9 ranks, ability to cast any 3rd level or higher divination spell OR ability to wild shape.
HD: d6
skill points: 2+int mod
Good save: will
poor BAB
Even when I replace the tabs with spaces, it refuses to accept my little chart. The +1's and -'s at the end of the line indicate the CL increase for that level.
level Special abilities CL increase
1 Lesser eye focus, eyespell -
2 eyespell +1
3 gaze attack, eyespell +1
4 Greater eye focus, blindsense -
5 eyespell +1
6 Eye steal, eyespell +1
7 gaze attack, eyespell -
8 Master eye focus, eyespell +1
9 Jealous gaze, eyespell +1
10 Blindsight, gaze attack, eyespell -
Gnoll Oculomancer’s are the most revered shamans and witchdoctors among gnolls. When a gnoll male becomes a shaman, he drills a hole in his head, above and between his eyesockets, and hangs from it the eyes of his enemies, symbolizing his powers. The gnoll Oculomancer discards the symbolism, gaining their powers from the bloody orbs of their victims. When an Oculomancer first begins to tread this path, he must fast for 1 week, at the end of which he makes a plea to the Gods and enlarges and deepens his “third eye”. If the Gods accept, as soon as the drill touches brain matter, the hole is transformed into an actual eye socket, albeit empty. If their favor is denied, honor dictates that the penitent keep drilling until his death. For an eye to provide the Oculomancer with power, it must be harvested in a ritual requiring 4 hours, a living humanoid captive of the oculomancer’s size category, and 100 gp worth of hallucinogenic liquor. This liquor, fed to the captive, induces the eyeballs to shrink, allowing for easy removal. This is rather painful, and most captives try to rip their own eyes out in a drug-induced frenzy, so they are always securely tied before the ceremony begins. After 4 hours, the Oculomancer removes the eyes of the captive, who is usually eaten at a communal barbeque, his flesh still tainted with hallucinogens. The object is to get as much of the optic nerve as possible, which links with the Oculomancer’s brain and allows him to see through it.
Lesser eye focus (su): At first level, so long as a properly harvested eyeball is inserted into the Oculomancer’s third eye, he gains a +1 bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance, and adds 1 to his caster level to determine all level dependent effects of his spells. This does not grant him extra spells known or spells per day. The eye lasts for 1d6 weeks, at the end of which time it rots away.
Greater eye focus (su): At fourth level, the bonus to Caster level granted by lesser eye focus improves to +2. However, the increased arcane energies flowing through it reduce the time it lasts, down to 2d6+2 days.
Master eye focus (su): at 8th level, the bonus provided to CL by greater eye focus improves to +3. The flesh of the eye degrades quickly, due to the tides of power flowing through it, lasting only 1d6+1 days. Due to this, many high-level Oculomancers spend their time securing captives, to slave for the tribe as well as to fuel his powers when they can no longer work. An Oculomancer of this power commands great respect, and is usually found leading a unusually large pack of gnolls.
Eyespells (su): The Gnoll Oculomancer gains the ability to use spell-like abilites, shooting magical effects from its third eye. Whenever a Gnoll Oculomancer gains an eyespell, they can choose one ability from those listed. All these effects are usable as a swift action a certain number of times per day as long as the third eye holds a properly harvested eyeball. There are three levels of eyespells: lesser, greater, and master. To take an eyespell, the Oculomancer must have the eye focus (lesser, greater, or master) corrosponding to the level of the eyespell. The caster level for the eyespells is Gnoll oculomancer’s caster level + 2X the bonus granted from the eye focus special ability.
Lesser:
Bewitching Eye: Bending the minds of others with his gaze, this allows the Oculomancer to use Charm Person 3/day.
Trick of the light: Using his knowledge of sight, the Oculomancer can fool those around him, hiding his position. He can use Blur 3/day.
Keen eye; The Oculomancer can extend his range of vision throughout the spectrum, allowing him to use Arcane Sight at will.
Blind eye: The Oculomancer can sever the connection between eyes and brain, using blindness/deafness (blindness only) 2/day.
Ocular Missiles: The Oculomancer can use magic missile 3/day. The missiles take the form of eyeballs made of force, and emanate from his third eye.
Greater:
Eye of fire: This allows the use of scorching ray 3/day.
Evil eye: Sending evil force out of his third eye, the Oculomancer can use eyebite 2/day.
Rending eye: This allows the use of disintegrate 2/day.
Concealing eye: An improvement on trick of the light, the Oculomancer can use invisibility 3/day.
True Bewitching eye: This allows the use of charm monster 3/day.
Master:
The old far seeing art: Arcane eye 3/day.
Gorgon’s glance: Flesh to stone 1/day.
Icy stare: Cone of cold 2/day.
Enchanting eye: mass charm monster 2/day.
Vanishing eye: greater invisibility 2/day.
Wrathful eye: delayed blast fireball 1/day.
Gaze attacks (su): at 3rd, 7th, and 10th level, an Oculomancer gains a gaze attack with a range of 30 feet, chosen from those below. The Oculomancer can activate, deavctivate, and switch as a free action once per round, but can have only one attack active at a time. The caster level uses the same formula as the eyespells.
Crushing despair: This works as the spell, except it affects a creature for only as long as they are within range of the gaze attack.
Calm emotions: Oculomancers usually use this ability to quiet unrest within their tribe. This lasts for one round after the creatures leave the affected area.
Confusion: Just like the others, this lasts until the creatures leave the affected area. An Oculomancer must be at least 7th level to select this ability.
Fear: this lasts for 1d4 rounds after the affected creature leaves the area. An Oculomancer must be at least 7th level to select this ability.
Hold person: This effect lasts for as long as the creature remains within the affected area. An Oculomancer must be 7th level to select this ability.
Detect thoughts: Not strictly a gaze attack, the Ouclomancer can use detect thoughts on all creatures within 30 ft. The rumors of Oculomancers being able to see any dissent or jealousy before it shows itself in their tribes stem from this ability.
Blindsense (su): The spirits of the dead inside the third eye of the Ouclomancer whisper to him, granting him blindsense out to 60 ft as long as he has a proper eyeball inside his third socket.
Eyesteal (su): Once per day, an Ouclomancer can call out to the eyeballs of another creature within 60 ft. They must make a fort save, DC 10 + Oculomancer level + Oculomancer’s con mod + bonus granted to CL from eye focus. If they fail, their eyes flee their head, and they are blinded until a regeneration spell is cast upon them. The eyes fly into the hand of the Ouclomancer, who can crush them as a move action, dealing 1d4 points of wisdom damage to the creature he stole them from. A Will save, DC DC 10 + Oculomancer level + Oculomancer’s con mod + bonus granted to CL from eye focus negates this psychic backlash.
Jealous gaze (su): Once per day, an Ouclomancer can focus his sight on one creature within 60 ft. That creature must make a will save, DC 10 + Oculomancer level + Oculomancer’s con mod + bonus granted to CL from eye focus, or take 2d6 points of charisma drain as his lifeforce is sapped. For every point of cha drained in this manner, the Ouclomancer gains 5 hp, as temporary if he is at full health. Any creature reduced to 0 cha in this manner drops into a coma. There is a 50% chance each round that it awakens, rips out its own eyes, and then behaves as under the effects of an insanity spell that can only be broken by wish, miracle, or a regenerate followed by greater restoration.
Blindsight (su): At 10th level, a Gnoll Ouclomancer gains blindsight out to 60 ft so long as he has a properly harvested eyeball in his third socket.
Consider this yanked! I'm going to have to fit this in somewhere in my campaign.
I do have some concerns about this Gnoll Oculomancer class, however. It seems to be a PrC for druids and/or clerics. However, it has worse BAB, Hit Dice, Saves, Skills (for druids), and Spellcasting progression. One of the iconic abilities of this class, getting a caster level boost from the third eye, is actually weaker than not taking this class because of the +6/10 spellcasting progression. You get some nifty gaze attacks, but they aren't necessarily worth the cost of taking the PrC.
It probably needs some tweaks. The Eye Bonus kind of reminds me of the Spell Power ability of the Red Wizard of Thay. Maybe look at that class for inspiration. The Red Wizard of Thay also has Circle Magic rituals, which are used to apply bonuses to caster level and/or add metamagic feats without increasing spell level. Maybe use those for inspiration for the ritual of taking an eye and gaining an ocular power from it. Maybe you can gain a spell-like ability of a level based on the hitdice of the victim of the ritual?
I really like the flavor text, especially the part about drilling into your own skull until you hit your brain.
Thanks. I ran out of flavor fuel halfway through the eyespells, but I think it turned out alright.
EDIT: you replied while I was typing. The spellcasting progression is a little weak, but you do get quickened spell-like abilites at almost every level. I don't think you should get full spellcasting progression, because you're gaining a special ability at every level. I added the eye focus to try to offset the loss of 4 caster levels, so all that happens is that you don't gain higher level spells. Also, with one of the feats from complete arcane, you can gain back those missing 4 levels for the purposes of SR and level-dependent effects, so you end up with 6th level spells instead of 8th level spells, but a caster level of 19 for their effects. I could see increasing either their BAB or their HD. I don't really want to get into abilites based on HD of the eyeball, that would make it a bit too complex.
Thanks. I ran out of flavor fuel halfway through the eyespells, but I think it turned out alright.
EDIT: you replied while I was typing. The spellcasting progression is a little weak, but you do get quickened spell-like abilites at almost every level. I don't think you should get full spellcasting progression, because you're gaining a special ability at every level. I added the eye focus to try to offset the loss of 4 caster levels, so all that happens is that you don't gain higher level spells. Also, with one of the feats from complete arcane, you can gain back those missing 4 levels for the purposes of SR and level-dependent effects, so you end up with 6th level spells instead of 8th level spells, but a caster level of 19 for their effects. I could see increasing either their BAB or their HD. I don't really want to get into abilites based on HD of the eyeball, that would make it a bit too complex.
Yeah, I forgot they were swift actions. That's pretty good. And it's a divine spellcaster gaining arcane spell-like abilities, so that makes it really versatile.
Also, what's the skill list? Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Knowledge nature, Knowledge religion, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, and Survival?
Ahh, forgot abut that. Your list sounds about right, though.
Yeah, don't want it too crazy.
Last night, as I flipped through my pathfinder beta, I was struck by a picture and came up with an idea for a 1-8th level megadventure. The basic premise is that the PCs are all either living in or passing through the large town/small city of Bunratty, and for the past week they've woken up at midnight to find out that the city has changed around them. As they wander the changed city, they can see no other living creatures, and during the day, no one has any idea what there talking about. As days go by, the midnight city grows and changes. Where there was a lake, into which two rivers fed, now there is a huge waterfall powering great creaking black waterwheels, turning slowly, powering something unseen. The buildings grow and fuse with each other, creating a tangled dark skyline. The city reaches out into the surrounding fields, sprouting hovels that grow into houses that grow into mazes of alleys and leaning slums.
The cause of all this is a baby Chronotyn, a time crow, kept comatose in a jar by the baron's arcane-minded son. Creating a spatial distortion where it can walk again in a parody of life, its power grows night by night, to the point where it can draw living creatures into its realm and mold their forms like clay. The PCs start to be attacked by great rolling heads, darkmantles, and other abberations.
I'm wondering what to do with adventure hooks. Right now, I'm thinking that in the dark city, there is one bar populated by living skeletons, who are unable to/ don't communicate with the PCs, since they can only clack their teeth. One skeleton, however, writes notes to them, thus giving them adventure hooks. The firtst thing he asks is for them to recover his gravestone - to do this, though, they must contend with his flesh, also animated and very attatched to the headstone.
That sounds effed up!!! In a great way!
I haven't been paying much attention to the Pathfinder stuff. Maybe I should.
That adventure reminds me of Dark City, a little bit. But creepier, with less Jennifer Connely.
What is dark city? Anyway, for the first adventure, I'm thinking of running them through an undead/abberation filled church/graveyard/catacombs type place, finding the sack of skin and muscle who the gravestone belongs to, fighting the snake-like monstrosity, and finally bringing it back to the bar, where the other skeletons, jealous that the one is getting his gravestone back, assemble into a bonespur from MM5 and attack. The gravestone, to them, is a cross between a phylactery and their only child who the other parent got full custody of after a bitter divorce.
I'm thinking along the lines of a more location-based, rather than event-based or dungeon-based, adventure. Related question, how's cityscape? I might have to pick up a copy for the day-time streets.
Cityscape didn't really wow me. I don't remember much from it.
"Dark City" is a movie with Jennifer Connelly (**purr**), Keifer Sutherland, and, um, that tool of a prince dude from "A Knights Tale" and in that new "11th Hour" show. It's creepy, deals with creepy dudes who control the space/time continuum, at least architecturally.
I've been working on a couple more PrCs, based on other enery types and related to the Frostblade Rakes. I might post them soon.
The church that the PCs go to is little more than a chapel with a large graveyard out back surrounded with a high fence and chock-full of tombstones and grave markers. Inside that chapel, a skeletal priest clacks away at an audience of bloated corpses, delivering a sermon in a useless tongue to an already damned congregation. If the PCs enter, he summons a wolf from his pulpit and attacks them, fighting through a room of the silent dead. (For some reason, the fact that the dead aren't moving ceeps me out the most about this scene.) Out back, a giant tree looms above the graves, dropping flesh-eating fruit on those that approach it. Beneath the graveyard is the catacombs and an underground chapel with bells of all sizes hanging from the ceiling, and darkmantles imitating bells. The PCs can shoot the bells to blind the darkmantles, echoes reverbrating through the chamber and negating the echolocation ability of the air-squid freaks. In the darkened tunnels, animated coffins slam the PCs into themselves, locking them in an enclosed space with the "living" former occupants.
I'm still not sure what to do with the actual tombstone, or what to do for further adventures. i do know that there will be a stone golem statue of saint Cuthbert wandering the streets, attacking all it sees. (I will use it to but the fear into my PCs. "There's no way he would throw an encounter we couldn't handle at us! Does a 14 hit?")
I love being out-classed by golems. One of my favorite fights had my warlock/ranger and a rogue of somekind trading an adamantite shortsword back and forth as we tried to take on a flesh golem....at around 4th or 6th level. We would take a couple hits, then throw the sword to the other guy and home the druid would heal us.
Another time, we were fighting a stone golem, and we used the wizard/truespeaker as bait to lead it to the edge of a giant cliff, then the gnome rogue/cleric cast stone shape under it to make a ramp, the bard cast grease under it, the paladin bull-rushed the golem, and my scout drank a potion of Enlarge Person, lassooed the golem, jumped off the cliff, and jerked the golem after me. I then used a 1-use ring of flying to save my ass. Fun fun fun!!!
That site sounds creepy as hell! What level is this for again?
This would be the first adventure of a 1-8th level path. If you have any ideas for further ones, I would love to hear them.
OK, I'll see what I can come up with.
Is this a horror/dark fantasy campaign? If so, one thing it should feature are hard choices. The PCs should make difficult decisions, with the consequences featuring different types of sacrifice.
How about a ruined temple that's been consumed by new growth deep in the forest? Maybe some kind of trap that uses stone-to-flesh on petrified griffons or some other winged claw/claw/biter ("gargoyles")? Then you can also feature an encounter with a medusa or basilisk or something, and the PCs know of a way to unpetrify their allies....if they're willing to fight more unpetrified monstrosities.
I'm also a big fan of the coven of hags, gaggle of ogres, with a few hill giants, scenario. Especially when the hags are given class levels to bring their different up to equal each other.
Maybe the good old bridge troll (necromancer?), with some undead goatfolk "gruffs" at her command?
Stormwracked Marauder
The Stormwracked Marauder uses the arcane power of the storms to create devastating ranged attacks and act as aegis for his protection.
Requirements:
BAB: +7
Feats: Combat Casting, Far Shot, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus in any one of the following: javelin, harpoon, spear, trident.
Skills: Swim 5 ranks
Special: Ability to cast 2nd level spells with the electicity descriptor.
Class Features:
BAB: +1
Good Saves: Reflex
Hit Dice: 1d8
Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Concentration, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge arcana, Knowledge nature, Listen, Profession, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Rope.
Skill Points Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Stormwracked Marauders gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Electricity Resistance, Magnetic Personality, Stormcast
2. Stormshield, +1 level of spellcasting
3. Stormwarning
4. Discharge Call Lightning, +1 level of spellcasting
5. Stormchase
6. Discharge Lightning Bolt, +1 level of spellcasting
7. Quick Cast
8. Discharge Call Lightning Storm, +1 level of spellcasting
9. Ride the Storm
10. Discharge Chain Lightning, Electricity Immunity, +1 level of spellcasting
Electricity Resistance (Ex). The Stormwracked Marauder gains Resistance to Electricity equal to his Charisma bonus plus his class level. This stacks with racial or template resistance to electricity, but not resistance from an item or spell.
Magnetic Personality (Su). As a swift action, the Stormwracked Marauder can convert the energy of an arcane electical spell and use it to perform a ranged Bull Rush against an opponent wearing metal armor, a ranged Disarm attempt against an opponent wielding a metal weapon or object, or a ranged Trip attempt against an opponent wearing metal armor. The Stormwracked Marauder uses his Charisma modifier instead of his Strength modifier for any opposed rolls, and adds twice the level of the converted spell to his roll. The Stormwracked Marauder can use the ranged Bull Rush to move his opponent in any direction and does not need to move with the opponent.
Stormcast (Su). The Stormwracked Marauder can use a standard action to imbue a ranged attack with the weapon he has Weapon Focus in with an arcane electricity spell. Casting a spell in this manner does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action or less. If the ranged attack is successful, the attack deals damage normally, then the effect of the spell is resolved.
Stormshield (Su). The Stormwracked Marauder can protect himself with a powerful electical aegis. As a full-round action, he can create an electrical barrier around himself. This barrier grants him a deflection bonus to AC equal to 1/2 his class level plus his Charisma bonus. In addition, anyone who successfully strikes him in melee takes an amount of electrical damage equal to his class level plus his Charisma bonus. The Stormshield persists for a number of minutes equal to his class level, and he can use it a number of times per day equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum 1). At higher levels, the Stormshield is used to power his Discharge Call Lightning, Discharge Lightning Bolt, Discharge Call Lightning Storm, and Discharge Chain Lightning abilities.
Stormwarning (Ex). The Stormwracked Marauder gains a bonus to Initiative rolls and to Listen and Spot checks to avoid being surprised equal to his base Reflex Saving Throw bonus.
Discharge Call Lightning (Sp). As a move action, the Stormwracked Marauder can dispel his Stormshield and cast Call Lightning. Unlike the standard version of Call Lightning, the Stormwracked Marauder can call down a lightning stroke as a move action instead of a standard action.
Stormchase (Su). As an immediate action, the Stormwracked Marauder can choose to teleport into the area of effect of an electricity spell, either one he cast himself, or one cast by another. If the area of effect of the electricity spell is occupied, he appears in the closest unoccupied space.
Discharge Lightning Bolt (Sp). As a move action, the Stormwracked Marauder can dispel his Stormshield and cast Lightning Bolt.
Quick Cast. Beginning at 7th level, the Stormwracked Marauder can cast one spell or use 1 spell-like ability per day as a swift action.
Discharge Call Lightning Storm (Sp). As a move action, the Stormwracked Marauder can dispel his Stormshield and cast Call Lightning Storm. Unlike the standard version of Call Lightning Storm, the Stormwracked Marauder can call down a lightning stroke as a move action instead of a standard action.
Ride the Storm (Su). At 9th level, when the Stormwracked Marauder uses his Stormchase ability, he can choose to travel along the line of the Lightning Bolt or down the stroke of lightning from the Call Lightning or Call Lightning Storm spell, gaining the benefits of charging and adding 1d6 points of damage to his melee attack for every 10 feet traveled, up to a maximum of 1d6 per class level. The Stormwracked Marauder does not suffer falling damage or electrical damage when using this ability. The Stormwracked Marauder cannot use his Stormchase ability for 1d6 rounds after using Ride the Storm.
Discharge Chain Lightning (Sp). As a move action, the Stormwracked Marauder can dispel his Stormshield and cast Chain Lightning, centered on himself.
Electricity Immunity (Ex). At 10th level, the Stormwracked Marauder is immune to electricity.
That is badass! I like the extra charging damage from ride the storm. The one caveat I have is stormwarning; that more or less means that they always go first.
That is badass! I like the extra charging damage from ride the storm. The one caveat I have is stormwarning; that more or less means that they always go first.
Yeah, I know. But they're lightning quick!!!
And my dad's silver 57 Chevy Nomad drag racecar that he built himself was called Stormwarning, so it's gotta be good.
For this encounter, I think it's going to have an Abomination Yuan-ti Vampire Cleric 8/Entropomancer 10 with a Sphere of Annihilation (27 HD), a pair of Half-Blood Yuan-ti Vampire Duskblade 5/Stormwracked Marauder 10s (21 HD), and 4 or 6 or 8 Pureblood Yuan-ti Duskblade 5/Stormwracked Marauder 6 (15 HD).
It's an encounter the PCs are supposed to lose. There will be upto 8 or 9 of them, probably averaging around level 17 when/if this encounter happens.
Now all I need is a good way to protect the vamps from sunlight. Would a permanent storm around the Annihilator be a good protection? Deeper Darkness? Some kind of cloak, brooch, or headband of protection from sunlight (Dark cloak, shadow helm???) I'd like something that could be disarmed or plucked, giving the PCs with Improved Disarm an advantage.
I found an old, octagonal maze, and I'm converting it for the ice-blood maze. It's on a rectangular piece of paper, so it's got 4 corners. I know I'm putting a vampire bard in one of them to bolster the frostblades on the main floor. Maybe a counter-speller in another, Belinda in one, and I don't know what in the other (maybe a warlock vampire?). Each corner is like a VIP suite in a club. So each will have 1 powerful entity and some weakling entourage-types.
nice. What exactly do you mean by corners?
nice. What exactly do you mean by corners?
Draw an octagon in a square. See the parts of the square without any octagon in it? Those corners. I think I might have the 4th BBEG in that fight be an evil cleric. Can provide healing and counterspelling support.
Wow, its been quite a while. I was going to post when I had gotten my adventure ideas together, but without a group to run them with I havn't really codified anything yet. I'm happy to just sit back and cast Tasha's hideous laughter on lovingly crafted combat master NPCs, then let the fighters shank them to death before they can do anything.
Cool. One of my friends might start running a low-level game. I get to NOT-DM!!! :-) I'm going to play a chaotic good chaos gnome brass dragon shaman. My friend's wife is going to be a catfolk ranger, and we hope to get some more ECL +1 1st level PCs to join us.
what do dragon shamans do? I remember being really underwhelmed when I read over them, and since I don't have a PHB 2 I can't look it up. Don't they get breath weapons of some type?
what do dragon shamans do? I remember being really underwhelmed when I read over them, and since I don't have a PHB 2 I can't look it up. Don't they get breath weapons of some type?
They have a variety of buffing auras they can project at will as a swift action, providing DR, damage bonuses, energy resistance, fast healing, lesser energy shields, sensory & initiative bonuses, and people skills. They make decent meat shields, and eventually get breath weapons, healing powers, natural armor boosts, wings, etc. They're "second-best" at a lot of different things. Kind of like a tanky bard.
huh. Well, good luck with that. I might have to start my Iron Heroes game up soon, but I need to do some world-building first. I'm thinking of using the same frostfell world as my last game, but with the death of the gods and the fact that the sun is a red giant now means that it'll have changed quite a bit. I'm not sure how it's going to work out, and I need an excuse for why magic no longer works, but I'm thinking a world of impeneterable jungles and barren wasteland deserts.
huh. Well, good luck with that. I might have to start my Iron Heroes game up soon, but I need to do some world-building first. I'm thinking of using the same frostfell world as my last game, but with the death of the gods and the fact that the sun is a red giant now means that it'll have changed quite a bit. I'm not sure how it's going to work out, and I need an excuse for why magic no longer works, but I'm thinking a world of impeneterable jungles and barren wasteland deserts.
Don't know much about Iron Heroes (sounds like knights in armor to me), but one aspect of my current campaign I haven't REALLY been able to flesh out as much as I would have liked is the Rakshasa vs Yuan-ti in the southern jungles. LE vs CE. Cats vs Snakes. And the PCs can be put in the middle, maybe NG, maybe just N, possibly NE if that's how you roll. Maybe the Rakshasa are alchemical geniuses, using steam-punk technology to promote their hedonistic lifestyles and tyrannical philosophies. The Yuan-ti are the masters of reptilian animal husbandry, and have all sorts of reptilian allies and servants. Maybe they've bred new kinds of yuan-ti. Maybe they're also talented with plants, and have grown cities and temples and fortresses from living plantlife.
I can see feline-themed shifters going up against serpent-themed shifters. Maybe rakshasa invented warforged to battle the yuan-ti, and the yuan-ti bread changelings to infiltrate rakshasa society.
One thing I really miss about Planescape is the factions and the underlying philosophies. It would be fun to make up all new factions for a new campaign.
Maybe the death of the god of magic meant the death of magic?
huh. Well, good luck with that. I might have to start my Iron Heroes game up soon, but I need to do some world-building first. I'm thinking of using the same frostfell world as my last game, but with the death of the gods and the fact that the sun is a red giant now means that it'll have changed quite a bit. I'm not sure how it's going to work out, and I need an excuse for why magic no longer works, but I'm thinking a world of impeneterable jungles and barren wasteland deserts.Don't know much about Iron Heroes (sounds like knights in armor to me), but one aspect of my current campaign I haven't REALLY been able to flesh out as much as I would have liked is the Rakshasa vs Yuan-ti in the southern jungles. LE vs CE. Cats vs Snakes. And the PCs can be put in the middle, maybe NG, maybe just N, possibly NE if that's how you roll. Maybe the Rakshasa are alchemical geniuses, using steam-punk technology to promote their hedonistic lifestyles and tyrannical philosophies. The Yuan-ti are the masters of reptilian animal husbandry, and have all sorts of reptilian allies and servants. Maybe they've bred new kinds of yuan-ti. Maybe they're also talented with plants, and have grown cities and temples and fortresses from living plantlife.
I can see feline-themed shifters going up against serpent-themed shifters. Maybe rakshasa invented warforged to battle the yuan-ti, and the yuan-ti bread changelings to infiltrate rakshasa society.
One thing I really miss about Planescape is the factions and the underlying philosophies. It would be fun to make up all new factions for a new campaign.
Maybe the death of the god of magic meant the death of magic?
Iron Heroes is a no magic system/setting. I like your Rakshasha vs Yuan-ti idea - I have images of Rakshasha-controlled mountains rising up out of the damp, feitd jungle where acidic crawling things tunnel up through the rock to attack magma-powered war machines. The Rakshashas have to deal with that, but the ophidian infestation also provides an extra layer of security for their mountain-top temple fortresses, which can detach and float away, raining fire and terror on the lands below... Meanwhile, the Yuan-Ti are breeding vegatable dopplegangers of world leaders and, in an alliance with Zuggmoty, demon queen of fungi, are sending out spore-packed creatures to wreak havoc in the lands outside that burst into a fungal rainforest when they die, which the Yuan-Ti then colonize.
Factions sounds like a good idea. I tried something like that in my last game, but only one player had any intrest in that type of that thing, so it got scrapped pretty quickly. I'm thinking of just making an all-new world for this game, now. A really lush, tropical, Caribbean-flavored type thing.
Yeah, my Crater Sea campaign is pretty Caribbean flavored. I didn't really think it all the way through, though. I never really named the islands the PCs are sailing around; I never thought out which nation-states are responsible for which settlements; and I never really statted out cannon-fire (D20 Past did a nice job of that, though).
For my next campaign, I'm totally fleshing it out before we play. Well, my next campaign is going to be D20 Modern/D20 Future Firefly, so it's already pretty fleshed out.
My next D&D campaign is going to be about PC knights trying to restore the heir to a fallen kingdom back on the throne. Lots of intrigue and role-playing, less set-piece battles. So it's going to be a challenge. It's going to take place in Mediphoris, a mixture of prairie and steppes the size of Texas, surrounded on all (or most) sides forests and woods, like the vampire-ruled Bloodwood to the south (semi-tropical city-states of undead decadence), the Gloaming to the west (a giant forest full of elves, goblins, trolls, fey, hags, and other denizens of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts), the Holts to the east (an overgrown orchard that is the home of a secular, ecologically based, Vatican-like, organization), and the Tessian Tetrarky to the north (a collection of the Four Forests of the Tessare, such as Zauberwalden, Ulfwalden, Gyldangoth, etc., with a Viking-like Ravenloft feel to it). The Holts borders the sea, and parts of the eastern portions of Mediphoris will also border the sea, such as Millport, city of a thousand gates.
nice. I'm sketching out a map, starting small. We're playing this weekend, so hopefully I'll have some inspiration. Every day in school, I have some small flash of an idea, but I can never develop it fully. Kinda sucks, since I'll write it down and then when I look at later, its just... stupid. Like my ghost ships idea. I scribbled down a little paragraph about ghost ships and their once a decade assemblage into a "Devil's Fleet" that razes some poor coastal town to lifeless, albino-gull patrolled rubble, but I just can't get any traction on the idea when I look at it now. I think I might just bite the bullet and set a date for the new game. Nothing like a deadline panic to get your priorities straight.
That's cool. You might want to throw in a curse that anyone who sees the phantom fleet will die by dawn, unless they lift the fleet's curse. Nothing like a deadline to inspire player action.
I've been working on my d20 Firefly lately. The Crater Sea campaign is pretty much done. I should probably re-organize it. Maybe next "weekend."
Wow. your campagain journal for the firefly one confused me. I really should watch that, it sounds awesome.
I came up with a central conceit for my Iron Heroes game. The "known world" was discovered by a fleet of amnesiac super-humans who woke up one day and found that they were in charge of a fleet of huge crippled ships full of machinery and magical artifacts, with no idea how to sail the ships or use any of the equipment. They sailed on for a while before finally coming across land. By this time, their number had been reduced to 7 ships and about 5,000 people. (The ships were noah's ark size.) Their ships crashed onto the rocks, and the survivors, about 3,000 strong, used their magic and martial prowess to conquer the natives, destroying a 5,000 year old empire in about a month. Their children, however, showed no signs of either the magical ability or the lightning-fast swordsmanship of their forebearers. The game is set about 100 years after their arrival. I based the whole origin story on the conquistadors/mayans theme, but without the might of an overseas empire to support them (or super powers), the "spanish" grip on power is slipping. (I need to come up with nationalities for the various groups.) They are beset by orcs, lizardfolk, and a society based upon an increasingly rebellious underclass. There's going to be a lot of racial tension, particularly in the cities, but it's not going to affect adventuring until late in the game. I'm thinking of having them be in the middle of a collapsing empire, attacked from all sides, and, as 15th level characters, they have the power to do whatever the hell thay want to in that situation, from preserving the status quo to carving out a new kingdom from the ruins of the old. With a bit of luck, if they decide to make their own state, I can end up running a Machiavellian game where the object is to betray your fellow PCs and claim their land for yourself.
Yes, if you've never watched Firefly, you need to. Now.
Are the amnesia victims really superpowered? Or just epic in level? How big is the ocean they sailed on? Did they sail so far they crossed planar borders?
I actualy haven't really decided that myself. I think I'm just going to keep it a mystery, because the point of this game is to carve out a future, not look back to the past. As for the "first", they would probably be gestalt characters with about 10-15 levels each. Even the kids. Their leaders would be ridonkulously strong, but there going to have maybe one encounter with these people (person?) throughout the entire game, so I'm not too worried about their actual stats. I'm thinking that the BBEG will be Nakar the Abonination, a great wrym red dragon who used to rule the land 5000 years ago. The "Mayan's" ancestors defeated him and built their empire atop his wealth, but the only way to keep him locked in a helpless state was to melt down at least a ton of gold each year and pour it over his sleeping form, accompanied by human sacrifice. When the gold began to run out, they made the terrible mistake of using gold dragons as both parts of the sacrifice. This did keep Nakar in slumber, but the souls of the dragons melded with the cocoon of gold and bonded to his mind, creating a constantly flowing "skin" of necromantic molten gold around him. The dragons of the area discovered what had happened to their youing, and they fought a great war with the Mayans, but in the end, the result was the extinction of all dragons except for a breeding stock of golds. When the ships arrived, and their kingdom's destruction was assured, the Mayans killed the breeding stock, ensuring that the new conqueror's victory would be short-lived. The remaining eggs, and a small cabal of priests who did not want to destroy the world out of spite, kept Nakar asleep for another 50 years. When he awoke, Nakar utterly wiped out several cities in his rage, and ran rampant in wrath and hunger. Because of the vile rituals performed on him, nothing but dragon's flesh would satisfy his hunger. When a group of the heroes of the war went to challange them, however, he discovered that they could. Eating 3 and dominating two, the wounded Nakar sent his mind-slaves back to spread the word that the gilded armageddon was dead. Even through his shell of liquid metal, their swords had injured the dragon's body, pride, and confidence. For the next 40 years, Nakar earned his name of "the abomination" through experiments on himself, fusing the gold to his skin and blood. With a ever-shifting hide and molten blood, he plots for his rise to true power again, to be worshipped as a god as he was 5000 years ago.
and I ordered firefly off netflix.
WOW!!!
It almost sounds like the big red has the symbiotes from Wetworks! :-O
Is that a firefly reference?
I finally got my ghost ships idea together, even wrote up a H.P. Lovecraft style "ordinary man goes too far in the pursuit of knowledge, writes confession before succumbing to madness and jumping in the sea" story/legend for it. "The Ghost Ships of Terra del Fuego." I'm gonna type it up, if you want I can post it.
I'm moving through, trying to come up with interesting stories for different parts of my world. One thing I'm doing is having the lizardfolk living in the jungle to the south, who are resisting human encroachment, also keeping the yuan-ti of the deep jungle in check. The lizardfolk and the Yuan-ti used to be one race, but while the kingdom of the lizardfolk retained their honor and traditions, the Yuan-ti grew decadent and depraved, eventually stooping so low as to mate with the great serpents who protected the Lizardfolk burial ground and were worshipped as demi-gods. Blood of the divine did flow through those snakes, for the twisted children born from those half-breed eggs lived and thrived, ursurping their parents and setting up a society based on slave labor and hendotism (sp). When the lizardfolk of the north learned of this sacrilege and the abominations it produced, they declared a holy war upon the heretics. Falling upon the disorganized, infighting Yuan-ti, they pushed them back into the deepest depths of the forest. As the lizardfolk fall fighting the new invaders, and their dreaded shamans, with the power to control all snakes and their kin, retreat into their conclaves, unblinking eyes watch and wait. Out of every serpent's eye stares an intelligence not its own, watching from great jade paramids in which screams of pain echo endlessly, perfuming the air just to its taste.
Is that a firefly reference?
Nope. Firefly is kind of low F/X. It's a comic book about a squad of soldiers that get involved in the underworld battle of Vampires vs Werewolves. Kind of like if the dudes from Predator got caught in the crossfire between the fangs and furries, and all juiced up on shiny gold symbiotic suits a la Venom from Spiderman.
By the way, nice backstory on the serpentfolk.
Well, I've offically commited myself to running a halloween one-shot adventure. I think I'm going to do a shortened version of that "dark hour" game I was talking about earlier, starting them at third level and having the gravestone recovery mission followed by a raid on the castle. One of the encounters I might do is have a golem-type monster with a "reset button" - every round, it goes back up to full hp, any negative effects are dispelled, etc. The party needs to either kill it in one round or get past it somehow (which might be tricky, since I'm putting it in a spiral stairway above them.). Also, the final fight with the preserved chronotyn should be fun, because I'm going to have it lose control over its powers and form "time vortexes" rendomly around the room. Entering one ages you in either direction. d%:1-40: younger, weaker, 41-75: no change (game-wise) 76-100: older, stronger. Then, when they kill it, they are stuck in their new forms in a room at the top of the Baron's manor with his son dead at their feet (who they would fight, in a diffrent form, before the chronotyn.).
Sounds good. I'm hoping to squeeze in one more session of my friend's campaign before Halloween.
After Halloween, a bunch of us from work might try the new Axis and Allies game. I might be able to recruit some new D&D players from them.
My Crater Sea campaign might be on hiatus. People are busy this time of year.
Invoker (working title)
Abilities: High Intelligence is needed to cast spells and have more skill points. High Charisma is important to use certain class features and to negotiate with summoned, conjured, or called creatures. Like all spellcasters, high Dexterity and Constitution scores help them avoid and resist damage.
Class Features:
BAB: +1/2
Good Saves: Fortitude and Will
Hit Dice: 1d6
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana, nature, religion, the planes), Profession, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at each additional level: 4 + Int modifier
Invokers are proficient in all Simple Weapons, Light Armor, and all Shields (except tower shields).
Invokers cast arcane spells like beguilers. They determine bonus spells based on Int, must have an Int of 10 + the spell level to cast a spell, and add their Int bonus to the Save DCs (if any) to the spells they cast. Invokers can cast their spells while wearing light armor and using shields. Invokers use the beguiler spells per day listing in the PH2, and they can cast any spell from the invoker list of spells known, plus any additional spells added to the list by their Spell Knowledge class feature at higher levels.
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Armored Casting, Augment Summoning
2. Rapid Summoning (standard action)
3. Invoker's Guile +1 or Selective Summoning 1
4. Spell Knowledge
5. Bonus Feat
6. Invoker's Guile +2 or Selective Summoning 2
7. Improved Augment Summoning (+6)
8. Spell Knowledge
9. Invoker's Guile +3 or Selective Summoning 3
10. Bonus Feat
11. Rapid Summoning (move action)
12. Invoker's Guile +4 or Selective Summoning 4, Spell Knowledge
13. Improved Augment Summoning (+8)
14. Invoker's Legion
15. Bonus Feat, Invoker's Guile +5 or Selective Summoning 5
16. Spell Knowledge
17. Wardwrecker
18. Invoker's Guile +6 or Selective Summoning 6
19. Improved Augment Summoning (+10)
20. Bonus Feat, Rapid Summoning (swift action), Spell Knowledge
Armored Casting. The invoker can cast arcane spells from the invoker spell list while wearing light armor and/or while using a light or heavy shield.
Augment Summoning. At 1st level, the invoker gains Augment Summoning as a bonus feat, even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites. The invoker's Augment Summoning feat improves at 7th level, allowing him to add +6 to the summoned creature's Strength and Constitution scores. At 13th level, this improved to +8, and at 19th level to +10.
Rapid Summoning. A number of times per day equal to the invoker's Charisma bonus (minimum once per day), the invoker can cast a conjuration summoning spell that normally has a casting time of 1 full round as a standard action. This improves to a move action at 11th level and to a swift action at 20th level.
At 3rd level, the Invoker chooses either the Invoker's Guile or Selective Summoning ability. Once the choice is made, it can never be changed for that character.
Invoker's Guile. The invoker adds the listed bonus to the duration (in rounds) of his conjuration (summoning) spells, up to a maximum equal to his Charisma bonus. The invoker also adds this bonus to caster level checks and Save DCs when using any abjuration or conjuration spell, and to any opposed rolls against a creature the invoker has conjured, summoned, or called, or against a creature the invoker is attempting to force back to its proper plane, such as Dismissal or Banishment.
Selective Summoning. At 3rd level, when the invoker summons a creature, the invoker may exchange one non-bonus feat of the summoned creature for another feat the summoned creature would otherwise qualify for. At 6th level, and every 3 levels beyond 6th (9th, 12th, 15th, 18th), the invoker may exchange an additional feat. The Invoker can only exchange a maximum number of feats in this way equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Spell Knowledge. At levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, the invoker may add an abjuration spell or a conjuration spell from another spellcaster's list of spells to his list of known spells.
Bonus Feat. At levels 5, 10, 15, and 20, the invoker gains a bonus feat from the list below. He must meet all requirements of the selected feat.
Arcane Defence (CA), Arcane Mastery (CA), Arcane Thesis (PH2), Cloudy Conjuration (CM), Dimensional Jaunt (CM), Dimensional Reach (CM), Energy Abjuration (CM), Favored Magic Foe (CM), Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Imbued Summoning (PH2), Magic Disruption (CM), Metamagic School Focus (CM), Mystic Backlash (CM), Negotiator, Persuasive, Rapid Metamagic (CM), Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Summon Elemental (CM), or any Metamagic feat that can be applied to an abjuration or conjuration spell.
Invoker's Legion. At 14th level, any creature the invoker summons can use its own innate summoning abilities, if any. For example, if a 14th level invoker used Summon Monster 7 to summon a red slaad, that red slaad could attempt to summon another red slaad.
Wardwrecker. At 17th level, any creature the invoker summons can bypass the magical protections of other spellcasters as if they were not summoned creatures. For example, the creatures summoned by the invoker would be able to have bodily contact with someone under the effects of a Protection from Evil spell or enter an area warded by Magic Circle versus Evil. The invoker's summoned creatures cannot enter his magical protections unless invited in by the invoker.
Invoker Spells Known.
0: Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Create Water, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Prestidigitation, Resistance.
1: Alarm, Detect Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Grease, Mount, Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Sanctuary, Summon Monster 1, Summon Nature's Ally 1, Unseen Servant.
2: Summon Monster 2, Summon Nature's Ally 2, Status, Summon Swarm.
3: Dispel Magic, Invisiblity Purge, Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Nondetection, Phantom Steed, Summon Monster 3, Summon Nature's Ally 3.
4: Antiplant Shell, Dimensional Anchor, Dismissal, Lesser Planar Ally, Minor Creation, Repel Vermin, Spell Immunity, Summon Monster 4, Summon Nature's Ally 4.
5: Break Enchantment, Contact Other Plane, Dispel Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Leomund's Secret Chest, Lesser Planar Binding, Major Creation, Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound, Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, Summon Monster 5, Summon Nature's Ally 5.
6: Antilife Shell, Antimagic Field, Banishment, Greater Dispel Magic, Planar Ally, Planar Binding, Repel Wood, Repulsion, Summon Monster 6, Summon Nature's Ally 6, Word of Recall.
7: Creeping Doom, Drawmij's Instant Summoning, Ethereal Jaunt, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, Phase Door, Sequester, Spell Turning, Summon Monster 7, Summon Nature's Ally 7.
8: Cloak of Chaos, Dimensional Lock, Greater Planar Ally, Greater Planar Binding, Greater Spell Immunity, Holy Aura, Maze, Mind Blank, Protection from Spells, Repel Metal or Stone, Shield of Law, Summon Monster 8, Summon Nature's Ally 8, Trap the Soul, Unholy Aura.
9: Astral Projection, Elemental Swarm, Etherealness, Freedom, Gate, Imprisonment, Mordenkainen's Disjunction, Shambler, Summon Monster 9, Summon Nature's Ally 9, Time Stop.
Another thing I'm considering adding to this class are buffing spells, possibly with the caveate that they can only be cast on summoned creatures. Alternatively, I'm considering adding Use Magic Device to the list of class skills, and providing some kind of bonus if the effect would target a creature summoned by the invoker
intriguing. I like the idea of a class that summons monsters more or less all the time. It doesn't have many spell options at all, though.
Just got back from running the first part of that one-shot. Too tired to post coherently. Details later.
Well, the adventure got off to a decent start. The PCs took the sudden transformations in stride - I probably should have put in more backstory. They met up, formed a party, and went to the Heaven Smile bar, populated by living skeletons, where they were propositioned by one to find his gravestone and return with it. Their motivation was unclear, even to me, but it went well. I should write up some backstory and flesh out the next encounters more, too. I'm thinking of giving them some kind of curse or something. Maybe they find themselves becoming susceptible to sunlight?
Did the PCs transform? Or the skeletons? What is the party make up again?
PCs did not change. The group is : cousin Skeeter, a skateboard riding bard who tries to sell "questionable ganja" that may be oregno and gets beaten up by the rest of the party, a half-orc monk who uses fist to face style, and an air elemental sorcerer who got killed by an angry mob they stirred up, replaced by a skeleton barbarian.
The city around them transformed. I belive I have more detailed descriptions earlier in the thread.
Interesting party. It must be hard to scare them, since they all have good Will saves.
Sorry I dropped off the face of the earth there for a while, I had a huge amount of stuff I needed to do the past couple weeks for college applications and school. We ran the extended one-shot again yesterday. Things went pretty well - they fought some darkmantles and the undead skin and organs of their skeleton plot hook. I was thinking about why this skeleton is helping out the party, and I came up with a badass motivation - the chronotyn is keeping them prisoner in the "dark world." The chronotyn has control over all creatures, etc, it can draw into the world (except the PCs), and can reshape them into whatever form it desires. A side effect of all the necromantic energy leaking around is that the skeletons inside of some people have been granted sentience. During the day, they slumber inside their fleshy prisons, but at night, they can manifest themselves in the parallel world. Inside every sleepwalker is a desperate skeleton. With the death of the chronotyn, they would be freed from the chains of time and burst from their owner's bodies, free to run rampant across the land. I'm thinking of, after the PCs kill the chronotyn, one of their skeletons tries to break free and the others run, alerting a group of 14th level PCs who then have to fight a skeleton army wearing "meat suits" made from their victims.