Looking at the Miasma ability of the Blight Druid archetype, I get more than a little worried.
Miasma (Ex)
"Starting at 5th level, if a blight druid is adjacent to a creature at the beginning of its turn, the creature must succeed at a Fortitude save with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the druid’s level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier or become sickened for 1 round. A creature of the animal, fey, or plant type that fails its save is nauseated for 1 round and sickened for 1 minute thereafter. If the creature makes its save, it is immune to this effect for 24 hours, as are creatures immune to disease."
It says nothing about shutting down the ability in any way. The druid is just surrounded by a tangible disease-ridden "mist" that he/she has no control over. How are you supposed to play a Blight Druid and NOT get everyone hostile towards you when you just suddenly start to sicken everyone? Solutions and suggestions are welcome, since I actually want to play a Blight Druid some day (I have the character ready and all) and not have to spend 99% of the time away from everyone else.
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Stay 10 feet away from everyone.
Let's be honest, blight druids are supposed to be horribly evil beings that stay far away from everyone else. Not being able to rub elbows with your normal citizenry isn't a bug; it's a flavorful feature.
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"Pa, what do I do with that one?"
"Serve him, girl. He has coin."
"But...he smells..."
"Yah, that's one o them Stinkers. Garbage druids."
"Why do we...let him stay?"
"Like I said, girl, he has coin. More than that, there's no one better to cure an ailment like him. Or cause one. So serve him, and keep him happy."
"...yes, Pa."
It's only adjacent. He's that awful stinky person with that BO that creeps over your face. Bothersome, but nothing unplayable. Transactions are done at arm's length, or over a table (..just, stay on your side...).
Rather, this ability can add depth to a character.
...unless they're the kind to "seek out more rapacious violence inherent in nature and feed the creeping rot and decay that brings an end to all things".
In which case, run.
Stay 10 feet away from everyone.
Let's be honest, blight druids are supposed to be horribly evil beings that stay far away from everyone else. Not being able to rub elbows with your normal citizenry isn't a bug; it's a flavorful feature.
"The devoted servants of nature corrupted, ruined, and destroyed, blight druids are the caretakers of lands ravaged by natural disaster. While some are devoted to reforming and reclaiming lands despoiled by the ravages of civilization, others seek out the more rapacious violence inherent in nature and feed the creeping rot and decay that brings an end to all things."
See the bolded part? My character would belong to the "some" and not the "others".
Yeah, you smell..... really bad.
Just stay more then 5' from people and you will be fine.
Sounds rather mean-spirited towards a druid who's actually well-versed in healing.
Then again, she initially doesn't like people very much, to the point of being openly hostile to most (though not all) humanoids. Kinda comes with being nearly burned alive by witch hunters in Ustalav, since she's a Changeling and all. She managed to escape and formed a bond with nature (she was saved from her hag mother by the local animals) but noticed her hag heritage (Annis to be exact) just causes everything she touches to wither and die.
If she ever ends up adventuring with a Paladin of Erastil (Sarenrae and Shelyn are also good fits), that may very well be a possibility.
And actually, changelings don't usually look ugly. Just weird like with overly pale skin, heterochromia and unusually sharp and hardy nails.
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First thing in the morning, have everybody attempt saves until they succeed. One round of being sickened should be largely irrelevant outside of combat. Heck, ask your GM if you can just assume everybody eventually makes a successful save during the morning routine.
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First thing in the morning, have everybody attempt saves until they succeed. One round of being sickened should be largely irrelevant outside of combat. Heck, ask your GM if you can just assume everybody eventually makes a successful save during the morning routine.
Especially once they get to the point where they can succeed when they Take 10.
But what about NPCs in villages, towns and cities?
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In town the druid may be shunned, or treated rudely, but you can easily compare that to modern examples.
[Full disclosure, slightly trollish=] Think about some of the gamer stereotypes, especially at conventions. Smelly people do exist.
Same idea, the druid can be tolerated but will probably be given the cold shoulder a lot. Maybe some direct comments/advice from braver/kinder folk.
Really, in the end, people will learn their lesson quickly. Do not approach *that one* too closely. But do business with them, because they have silver and gold. Also, peasants probably smell as bad as you ;)
The worst situations are social situations with aristocracy/nobility. You may want to sit out those meetings...
What is even wierder is they don't even work nicely with the vermin heart feat but that is a corner case.
I never got that much of a clear-cut solution to how she'd be able to walk in a town (especially in Ustalav, her home country) without provoking an angry mob, aside from staying the hell away from people. Though now that I think of it, what does the Miasma look like? A black cloud of smoke and death around the druid or something, like a windy cloak?
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First thing in the morning, have everybody attempt saves until they succeed. One round of being sickened should be largely irrelevant outside of combat. Heck, ask your GM if you can just assume everybody eventually makes a successful save during the morning routine.Especially once they get to the point where they can succeed when they Take 10.
Can't take 10 on saves...1 is always a failure.
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Can't take 10 on saves...1 is always a failure.
You sleep with a guy who stinks, you eat breakfast with him, you travel with him, you can safely assume you'll end accustomed to his scent. Hence the "take 10".
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It's a near-supernatural cloud of disease and decay. I doubt you can get used to a virus or bacteria that constantly evolves faster than your immune system.
Being near him for 2 minutes per day (or so) makes you immune for that day. So it should stand to reason that you'd eventually become completely immune.
Did you miss the part where I wrote "constantly evolves"?
Okay, so be near him for 2 minutes or so every day, then. As far as party members are concerned, it's effectively the same thing as being immune.
No. The point is the blight druid's ability specifically says you become immune for 24 hours once you succeed on a save.
So, all you need to do to become immune for the day is to stay adjacent to the blight druid until you succeed. Eventually, you'll roll a 20 (or otherwise high enough to save). Then, go adventure without fear of becoming sickened again that day.
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Consequence of failure has no effect on taking 10. You're thinking of taking 20. And, actually, even that doesn't NECESSARILY prevent it...
When your character is not in immediate danger or distracted, you may choose to take 10.
Since taking 20 assumes that your character will fail many times before succeeding, your character would automatically incur any penalties for failure before he or she could complete the task (hence why it is generally not allowed with skills that carry such penalties).
A skill check represents an attempt to accomplish some goal, usually while under some sort of time pressure or distraction. Sometimes, though, a character can use a skill under more favorable conditions, increasing the odds of success.
Taking 10: When your character is not in immediate danger or distracted, you may choose to take 10. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, calculate your result as if you had rolled a 10. For many routine tasks, taking 10 makes them automatically successful. Distractions or threats (such as combat) make it impossible for a character to take 10. In most cases, taking 10 is purely a safety measure—you know (or expect) that an average roll will succeed but fear that a poor roll might fail, so you elect to settle for the average roll (a 10). Taking 10 is especially useful in situations where a particularly high roll wouldn't help.
Taking 20: When you have plenty of time, you are faced with no threats or distractions, and the skill being attempted carries no penalties for failure, you can take 20. In other words, if you a d20 roll enough times, eventually you will get a 20. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, just calculate your result as if you had rolled a 20.
Taking 20 means you are trying until you get it right, and it assumes that you fail many times before succeeding. Taking 20 takes 20 times as long as making a single check would take (usually 2 minutes for a skill that takes 1 round or less to perform).
Since taking 20 assumes that your character will fail many times before succeeding, your character would automatically incur any penalties for failure before he or she could complete the task (hence why it is generally not allowed with skills that carry such penalties). Common “take 20” skills include Disable Device (when used to open locks), Escape Artist, and Perception (when attempting to find traps).
Ability Checks and Caster Level Checks: The normal take 10 and take 20 rules apply for ability checks. Neither rule applies to concentration checks or caster level checks.
So, you could stand next to the blight druid, potentially become sickened for 20 rounds and, if becoming sickened does not significantly affect what you're doing, eventually succeed at the save and become immune to the effect for 24 hours. If done out of combat, especially at the beginning of the day while still encamped, two minutes of being sickened shouldn't be a big deal. (Adventuring-wise. This assumes each individual character feels it's important enough to be able to move adjacent to the blight druid. They may not...)
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No. The point is the blight druid's ability specifically says you become immune for 24 hours once you succeed on a save.
So, all you need to do to become immune for the day is to stay adjacent to the blight druid until you succeed. Eventually, you'll roll a 20 (or otherwise high enough to save). Then, go adventure without fear of becoming sickened again that day.
Game mechanics wise, sure, no problem. Role-play wise...
Nothing like starting off every adventuring day with two minutes of dry heaving, choking, and gagging on the smell of rotted vegetation. Really gets the blood pumping for an energy filled and enthusiastic day. And I get to look forward to that every morning...
Exactly what I was worried about.
Okay, go to bed slightly past midnight and get it done then instead. You'll get all the benefits, and a good night's sleep (well, once you're done dry heaving, etc) before your day of adventuring :)
But yes, I can't imagine wanting to do that every day of my life. The blight druid better invest in some periapts of health for everyone before too long :)
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...Consequence of failure has no effect on taking 10. You're thinking of taking 20. And, actually, even that doesn't NECESSARILY prevent it...
When your character is not in immediate danger or distracted, you may choose to take 10.Since taking 20 assumes that your character will fail many times before succeeding, your character would automatically incur any penalties for failure before he or she could complete the task (hence why it is generally not allowed with skills that carry such penalties).** spoiler omitted **
Keyword in everything you wrote...SKILLS
Generally, when you are subject to an unusual or magical attack, you get a saving throw to avoid or reduce the effect. Like an attack roll, a saving throw is a d20 roll plus a bonus based on your class and level (see Classes), and an associated ability score.
Your saving throw modifier is:
Base save bonus + ability modifier
Saving Throw Types
The three different kinds of saving throws are Fortitude, Reflex, and Will:
Fortitude
These saves measure your ability to stand up to physical punishment or attacks against your vitality and health. Apply your Constitution modifier to your Fortitude saving throws.
Reflex
These saves test your ability to dodge area attacks and unexpected situations. Apply your Dexterity modifier to your Reflex saving throws.
Will
These saves reflect your resistance to mental influence as well as many magical effects. Apply your Wisdom modifier to your Will saving throws.
Saving Throw Difficulty Class
The DC for a save is determined by the attack itself.
Automatic Failures and Successes
A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on a saving throw is always a failure (and may cause damage to exposed items; see Items Surviving after a Saving Throw). A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a success.
By your definition and argument since there are no critical fumbles, per the RAW Core Book, I could take a 10 on my attacks.
I understand what you are saying and the GM can handwave it to save time, but don't confuse people into believing that you can take a 10 or a 20 on Saves. No where have I read you can take a 10 on Saves.
Standing next to the druid until you get acclimated (in game terms, until you make a save and are immune for 24 hours) is completely legitimate. Taking 10 on saves, however, is not. Totally against the rules, and that would in my opinion be a very strange house rule.
If you were adjacent to the druid for like 10 minutes the chances of failing all of the saves would be so small why would I bother to roll the dice all that time and use up game time?
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Blight druid and cleric from the elemental plane of soap harbor a forbidden love. Scandalous! :O
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Where does it say that humanoids are affected?
Miasma (Ex)
"Starting at 5th level, if a blight druid is adjacent to a creature at the beginning of its turn, the creature must succeed at a Fortitude save with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the druid’s level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier or become sickened for 1 round. A creature of the animal, fey, or plant type that fails its save is nauseated for 1 round and sickened for 1 minute thereafter. If the creature makes its save, it is immune to this effect for 24 hours, as are creatures immune to disease."
The whole "nauseated for 1 round" thing is specifically called out for animal, fey and plant beings.
With that in mind, any other living creature that is not immune to disease still has to roll to avoid being sickened.
Your companions need Life Bubble.
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This ability just stinks all around.
This would be a good archetype of a Siabre. :)
What's a Siabre?
This is one case where a dictionary comes in handy;
"Miasma, a dangerous, foreboding, or deathlike influence or atmosphere."
Miasma is not a smell, or a gas type thing, its an aura, and works like one.
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What's a Siabre?
Siabraes. are the undead remnants of Green Faith druids of Sarkoris that tried to protect their land from the encroachment of the Worldwound.
Year 4621 - The Druids enact an ancient ritual to absorb all the corruption into themselves turning the remaining trees to stone and becoming undead Druids called Siabrea rather than allowing their secrets to fall into Shaorhaz’a clutches.
I used a few as bad guys in my Kingmaker-esque Dragonlance campaign, a small group of NE blight druids of Morgion (the God of Disease) had started abducting a few people out of the small town of Hamlet and blighting a wilderness area known as the Firecrab Hills. They were fun to play as villains, though not something I had ever considered as a PC.
A handful of pearls of power would let you cast remove sickness on the rest of the party every morning to make their daily adaptation to you more bearable. It would probably go a long way towards getting them to tolerate it.