Diamond Throne is pretty much standard fantasy names like Arthalon, Thalavas, Borian, etc.
For Dark Sun, I'm trying to use real world inspiration for the different city states, but the Diamond Throne doesn't really work like that. Kalidnay is like ancient Egypt.
I'm really looking forward to this -- so much cool stuff all together at the same time!
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It should be an interesting ride, if nothing else.
I have to admit that at least some of my idea for the Iron Chef duels comes from the anime Food Wars! (which I would highly recommend if you haven't seen it and like anime).
I'm going to be crafting much of my backstory and stuff today. I will also need to make some adjustments to my character to accommodate Words of Power (which I'm perfectly cool with, I enjoyed it the one time I used it).
Exciting stuff! And my character would definitely appreciate your cooking skills, Vrog. Haha
Are there more words of power than found on the paizo site?
I am happy to see people are enjoying the AE-to-PF1E conversions I did. =D
And we're happy that you did them :)
Are there more words of power than found on the paizo site?
There are some third party resources we can use.
There is decidedly no Mesmerist word list. Is it safe to assume that it would basically be the same as the bard? I know they're quite a bit different but most of what I'd planned on taking were fear, compulsion, mind-effecting stuff.
Which reminds me, what are the odds the game will be heavy with undead, constructs, and stuff like that?
FINALLY. Decided on Monk/Rogue for my Spryte. Effectively an oathbound.
I'll finish up the crunch and start on the fluff. Vrog's expert cooking skills would also be appreciated by her since food is one of her few vices.
I'm currently re-working my dedicated healer concept; while the words of power allow flexibility in adjusting the range/area/duration/intensity of effects, the effects themselves are fairly limited. I don't see a way to do the whole taking damage/statuses off of others and onto yourself schtick. I'm loathe to abandon the role of healer altogether, as we'll no doubt need it, but it now seems too shallow a specialty to jive with my "professional martyr" idea.
Sebecloki how rare are magic items? Are things like potions and wands reasonable to have brought with us from the lands of the Diamond Throne, or are we going more for a vibe of magic items being rare and unique (as opposed to basically expendable tools)?
Oh, and I should get stat rolls out of the way.
Despite the roll of 30(!) I'll be going with the 35 point buy. If only two of those sixes had migrated to the prior roll :)
You get ABP progression as 2 levels higher -- the idea is that magical items are basically limited to artifact level named entities with histories, and you don't need the 'standard six' Xmas tree arrangement to keep up with saving throws each level.
If you want a magic item, make up something special with a history and not insanely overpowered, and you can probably have it.
I don't like ye olde magick shoppe xmas tree effect magic items, that's why I like the ABP rules.
There is decidedly no Mesmerist word list. Is it safe to assume that it would basically be the same as the bard? I know they're quite a bit different but most of what I'd planned on taking were fear, compulsion, mind-effecting stuff.
Which reminds me, what are the odds the game will be heavy with undead, constructs, and stuff like that?
Kalidnay is going to be like a bigger version of Gary Gygax's Necropolis with lots of Egyptian themed foes, including undead, as well as lots of stuff from different worlds that have been summoned by the Great Orrery.
I'm looking into the issue of words of power lists not in the book, I'll come up with something.
Five 6s in a single set of 5?! That's a 1 in almost 8,000 chance. I've never seen something like that before (though I've seen a few sets of three 20s in a row and I was unfortunate enough to roll four 1s in a row on one occasion).
A shame two of them were redundant. When we played in high school, we had a rule about rolling stats (4d6 drop lowest) that if all four landed the same number, it would be an 18 and if all four landed a 6, it was a base 20. Only ever happened once though.
Anyway, I digress. I'll have a tentative Words Known list and I'll check it against whatever you come up with, DM!
I looked around and don't see anything for Words of Power for Psychic Magic -- I think Bard is a good starting point if you'd like to come up with something yourself.
Hi Sebecloki, sorry for the delay, still wrapping my head around ll the extra and variant rules...
* Specifically I've never used Words of Power nor the spell points system, and am wondering how the direlock's Dire Mantle would function with regard to that/those system/s.
* More generally, I'm leaning more toward a mojh - in your Diamond Throne are they now genderless former humans who have decided to transform into mojh - that's the flavor I gleaned from the primer you linked, while the conversions wiki doesn't really mention that background specifically...
@Oceanshieldwolf: I got the impression that the conversions were trying to steer clear of using setting-specific material, as I believe setting/story/"fluff" material isn't covered under OGL rules. I could easily be completely wrong on this.
I suppose if we're really curious we could just ask Hawkins, as he wrote them ;)
Is anyone already considering going for Dragon Disciple levels?
Hi Sebecloki, sorry for the delay, still wrapping my head around ll the extra and variant rules...
* Specifically I've never used Words of Power nor the spell points system, and am wondering how the direlock's Dire Mantle would function with regard to that/those system/s.
* More generally, I'm leaning more toward a mojh - in your Diamond Throne are they now genderless former humans who have decided to transform into mojh - that's the flavor I gleaned from the primer you linked, while the conversions wiki doesn't really mention that background specifically...
I'm basically using the Diamond Throne fluff; it's often very vague about stuff, so it's not going to answer a lot of questions. Any additions I make will be very much background material that won't have an impact on you using the current fluff (stuff like potential connections between the tenebrion seeds and the obsidian orbs used by the dragon metamorphosis spells on Athas).
The mojh are still going to be genderless post-transformation humans.
For the spell system, you just have to convert the table to spellpoints, those points are then used to purchase combinations of 'word spell splots'. If you look at the table, that means, I think 17 spell points purchases a 1 effect wordspell, or several other combinations like a two effect word spell with 1 eighth level and one 5th or 6th level effect, and so forth. Let me know if you have more questions about it.
For the dire mantle, I think you'd absorb spell points in your pool -- could you be a little more specific about how you don't understand the mechanics interacting?
I would use the magus spell list for the word spell list for a direlock.
Back with more questions!
@ Sebecloki: I don't see arcane spell failure chance mentioned in the words of power rules, though there is the following:
Casting a wordspell is almost exactly the same as casting an ordinary spell. A wordspell can be dispelled and disrupted, and casting one provokes attacks of opportunity, just like any other spell, unless the wordcaster casts the wordspell on the defensive, which also requires a concentration check as normal.
Is it assumed that arcane spell failure chance still applies to characters gaining words of power from arcane classes? If so and we go gestalt with both arcane and divine caster classes, I assume we'll need to specify which words come from which class to determine if ASF applies. Or would we need to also track arcane and divine spell points?
Are we totally replacing all spells with words of power, i.e. do sorcerers/oracles get their bonus spells or do they just get bonus spell points? If we're doing away with standard spells altogether, is there even still a distinction between arcane and divine magic based on class, or is it all just words of power magic? Some interesting class/prestige class combinations open up if arcane/divine spell casting requirements are replaced with word of power spell casting requirements, though not distinguishing between arcane and divine becomes tricky for resolving any applicable ASF. (Maybe count ASF as a class feature at that point? I'm assuming that divine classes being able to cast while armored balances out with their available word selections, which may be overly optimistic of me.)
I have to look into the issue, but I assume we're using spell points (including for bonus spells, you get bonus spell points instead). The idea of Arcana Evolved magic is that the same mechanics apply to all casters, so my idea was that everyone is using the same spell points + words of power, and just having different lists basically.
I'm not sure about the spell failure issue, give me a day or so to do some research.
Back with more questions!
@ Sebecloki: I don't see arcane spell failure chance mentioned in the words of power rules, though there is the following:
Casting a wordspell is almost exactly the same as casting an ordinary spell. A wordspell can be dispelled and disrupted, and casting one provokes attacks of opportunity, just like any other spell, unless the wordcaster casts the wordspell on the defensive, which also requires a concentration check as normal.Is it assumed that arcane spell failure chance still applies to characters gaining words of power from arcane classes? If so and we go gestalt with both arcane and divine caster classes, I assume we'll need to specify which words come from which class to determine if ASF applies. Or would we need to also track arcane and divine spell points?
Are we totally replacing all spells with words of power, i.e. do sorcerers/oracles get their bonus spells or do they just get bonus spell points? If we're doing away with standard spells altogether, is there even still a distinction between arcane and divine magic based on class, or is it all just words of power magic? Some interesting class/prestige class combinations open up if arcane/divine spell casting requirements are replaced with word of power spell casting requirements, though not distinguishing between arcane and divine becomes tricky for resolving any applicable ASF. (Maybe count ASF as a class feature at that point? I'm assuming that divine classes being able to cast while armored balances out with their available word selections, which may be overly optimistic of me.)
I think this note from Ultimate Magic might answer the question:
Multiclassing: Multiclass wordcasters must keep their words separate for each class. A multiclass cleric/wizard cannot use her cleric words with wizard spells, or vice versa.
So, in this case you can't mix and match words from different lists, so I think that would mean that the normal restrictions apply, like arcane failure to arcane words. What do you think?
Hi Sebecloki, sorry for the delay, still wrapping my head around ll the extra and variant rules...
* Specifically I've never used Words of Power nor the spell points system, and am wondering how the direlock's Dire Mantle would function with regard to that/those system/s.
* More generally, I'm leaning more toward a mojh - in your Diamond Throne are they now genderless former humans who have decided to transform into mojh - that's the flavor I gleaned from the primer you linked, while the conversions wiki doesn't really mention that background specifically...
I'll also throw out for the mojh fluff that I'm planning on having the mojh sage T'lam'tlissilit the Shadowborn venerate something called the 'Great Mojh', who is considered to be the immortal human who first underwent the transformation ages ago -- the other mojh are said to be 'mojhborn' from him in the way that the kobolds that mojh now produce, except that the subsequent generations of mojh are born from the soul, not the body, of the Great Mojh.
Whether any of this is real or not is of course open to debate, but the Shadowborn holds it as a very important component of his personal belief system.
So, in this case you can't mix and match words from different lists, so I think that would mean that the normal restrictions apply, like arcane failure to arcane words. What do you think?
Sounds good to me!
My character in the works: a human gestalt sorcerer (draconic bloodline) / oracle (lore mystery) with the archmage mythic path. Would plan to enter the dragon disciple prestige class.
Background is either that when the dragons returned it triggered his dormant bloodline, or that he underwent the process to become a mojh and something went wrong resulting in his bloodline. For the lore oracle side my thought is whatever caused his bloodline also allows him to tap into the collective racial memory of AE dragons, granting him his oracle spells and revelations.
@ Sebecloki: Regarding multi-classing and prestige classes - do levels in a prestige class forego gestalt levels? For instance if I were to take a level in dragon disciple at level 6, would it be the only class level I gained, making me a (sorcerer 5 / oracle 5) dragon disciple 1? Or would I be a (sorcerer 5 / dragon disciple 1) oracle 6?
@ yes, you forgo a gestalt level. So you can be Level 4 oracle/sorcerer Level 1 Dragon Disciple
@Sebecloki: I'm afraid the spell-points coupled with Words of Power system confuses me. Given the degree of confusion (though really I'm sure it is lack of familiarity) I'm having and level of additional rules I'm not going to be able to get up to speed. I will respectfully bow out of recruitment.
@Players: Give the giants hell!!!
@Oceansshieldwolf. Thanks for letting me know.
Everyone else, how's it going? Can we be ready by Wens to start?
I should be ready by then! Going Unchained Rogue Thug and Flowing monk of the Iron Mountain.
I am ready!
That's 2 -- I count three I'm still waiting to here from.
Also, if you decide you want to try another character concept, any one is welcome to make up another somewhere along the way.
Many apologies, meant to have this up much sooner but my weekend did not go as planned. It turns out I'm going to be much busier with RL than normal this month, so I probably won't be able to post every day until July. I know this isn't ideal - especially at the start of a campaign - but I should be able to check in at least 2 or 3 times a week.
I settled on a human life oracle VMC draconic bloodline sorcerer, mythic path of hierophant with the dual path feat for archmage. The 3 feats a level were just too good to pass up, and allowed me to diversify his channeling ability a great deal.
I still have a couple things to clean up (a NAME, pick another trait, background skills, clean up the links, and probably one or two others) but I've updated this profile with his build.
Speaking of -
Are we doing the better of the roll or average, or just sticking with the rolls?
Sebecloki, let me know if you have any comments/questions/suggestions. For instance I haven't actually picked a dragon type for his bloodline yet; given that AE dragons don't follow the normal chromatic/metallic/etc categories I guess it really just boils down to damage type and area of effect. If you have any suggestions on this based on flavor/fluff I'd love to hear them. (Just occurred to me that both settings have atypical/unique takes on dragons!)
That's fine -- a few decent posts a week just to keep things going should be okay. This is going to be a little slow to start I think because there's so much set up with the blending of worlds, the complicated environment, and introducing a lot of plot threads and NPCs I have planned.
The older dragons in Diamond Throne (before the dramojh) were metallic and chromatic, etc., but the ones that came back recently have like evolved or something. The chromatic dragons made the dramojh. You can blend things if you want, or take a look at the dragon entry in the Arcana Evolved bestiary in the core book and come up with something unique if you want (it has a table of variable powers, because all the dragons now are unique).
Can you start Wens if I make the first post then?
What about everyone else? That's three I've heard from.
Character sheet on this profile has been cleaned up. I may massage his background fluff a little and am still hemming and hawing over the element type for his draconic bloodline, but otherwise he's ready to go.
I can post tomorrow (Wednesday) night Eastern Time.
My current thoughts have to do with how I am connecting the tenebrion seeds with the dark sun obsidian orbs with the Stardrive background I'm putting on everything.
The 'seeds' are ancient Stoneburner technology, a powerful, psychic alien race that diffused their civilization throughout the stars. The dragons of the Diamond Throne originally received the seeds from visiting ancient Stoneburner ruins on other planets they reached through gates. The seeds have powerful mutagenic properties, which account for the dragon metamorphosis on Athas as well as the diamond throne evolutions.
The mojh and dramojh are using this same magic/ancient alien pisonic tech. The dragmojh were captive devils or fiends that the ancient chromatic dragons subjected to the seeds' influence to create super soldiers for their war with the metallic dragons, while the mojh are humans that have modified themselves with the same technology.
Okay, cool - that sounds totally like the type of thing that could go horribly and unexpectedly wrong :)
I'll decide upon a name today and create an alias. In the meantime...
This it did, but not as any had expected. The process went horribly awry; instead of fueled by the draconic essences intended, the tenebrian tech bonded with the dormant positive and negative energies within him. The resulting transformation has made him a living conduit for those energies and granted him near superhuman resilience, even as he exhibits all the signs and symptoms of the injuries that befall him . A small bit of draconic essence still came through in his transformation, and over time this draconic influence becomes more and more apparent.
Having heard of the strange results of [PC]'s transformation, the mojh scholar T'lam'tlissilit invited the would-be mojh to join him in service to dragonkind, mainly due to his academic interest in his abilities; not knowing of his parents' experiences within Castle Mabb, he suspects his strange powers to be the manifestation of a unique connection to the Great Mojh.
[PC[ is a tall, wiry man covered in a plethora of disfiguring scars who appears to suffer from anemia, jaundice, and other maladies. Whatever powers he has over life and death come at the cost of his own health; magical healing doesn't function normally on him, always leaving behind scars. While these scars and symptoms of illness are distressing in appearance, unknown to most is that they are purely cosmetic.
Okay, I'm going to make an initial post in my gameplay thread late tonight/early thursday -- I'm going to make it kind of a general post to set the stage for what's what, and the lay of the land. Let's start kind of slow with some talking and interaction to introduce the NPCs and immediate environs, as well as significant plot hooks.
I'm going to post in the Dark Sun gameplay thread in a spoiler entitled "Captives of the Scarabhold."
:::::Please do the same for your posts so that they don't interrupt the flow of the first table. We'll stop doing that when the two parties meet.:::::
I like the present tense for game posts (i.e., 'he says' vs. 'he said'), and I'd appreciate if you could follow that convention in your writing for me.
I had communicated with you via PM but I'm officially checking in here now as well. Just awaiting some feedback before I write out my backstory formally.
My mechanics should be good to go, however.
The words I decided on were:
0th:
Boost
Lengthy
Beacon
Echo
Sense Magic
Soothing Touch
1st:
Spook
Wrack
Simple Order
Fog Bank
2nd:
Paralyze Humanoid
Undeath
Enhance Form
Okay, I have made the first post here. Please enclose all posts in spoilers entitled "Prisoners of the Scarab Hold" so that it won't get confused with the other table running right now.
Let's start off slow, and give me a post that explains how your character was in New Balathos, why they were interested in the dragon's emissary, and so forth. I'll start fleshing out some of the details of the keep. I'm almost done with a map to share with you.
Posted some maps of the fort complex and the central keep under 'Maps and Images' in the campaign tab. Let me know if you can't access them.
Tick here. I put up a quick post describing Utrim's presence in New Balatosh and his view of their arrival on Athas. I made the assumption that 'real-time' play would begin on Athas, so this first post is in the past tense. Going forward I'll be using the present tense.
Thanks everyone -- I see Sedr and Utrim got the spoilers right -- that's exactly how I want you do the posts so they're hidden until you meet up with the first party
Okay, I just responded. Keep hiding your posts in spoilers until you meet the main party.
I'm going to be making different avatars for different NPCs on the suggestion of a player on the main table. My next post was from Hastniss, the mojh sage's dracha henchman.
Also, based on Vrog's hilarious contributions, I'm going to run this as kind of a comedy on the model of Guardians of the Galaxy/Farscape. The NPCs are going to make lots of clever quips, and a lot of the strangeness of the situation will be played for some laughs. Feel free to join in on the fun.
Still plenty of time to jump in if the other interested parties in the thread want to finish up their characters...
Also, based on Vrog's hilarious contributions, I'm going to run this as kind of a comedy on the model of Guardians of the Galaxy/Farscape. The NPCs are going to make lots of clever quips, and a lot of the strangeness of the situation will be played for some laughs. Feel free to join in on the fun.
I'll find a way to work the action/comedy angle into Utrim. I still haven't really gelled on his personality yet aside from hating giants; I'll soon work it out through in-game RP :)
Could you possibly choose an avatar too? :)
Sorry - hadn't even realized I was missing one!
Several players appear to have dropped out of participation, so we are in the market if anyone would like to play this scenario...