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Topics - Maat Mons

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1
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / 3 Melee Warlocks
« on: October 29, 2017, 11:59:43 PM »
Infiltrator
"When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all."
Unknown

Making an Infiltrator
Abilities: The sneak attack ability tends to encourage two-weapon fighting.  Any infiltrators wishing to pursue that line of feats will need a good dexterity score.  Charisma aids those invocations that force a saving throw. 
Races: Most infiltrators are human, but gnomes and halflings also make good infiltrators. 
Alignment: Infiltrators are almost never lawful. 
Starting Gold: 5d4x10 (125 gp)
Starting Age: As rogue. 

Hit Die: d6
LevelAttackFortRefWillSpecialInvocation LevelInvocations Known
10022TrapfindingLeast1
21033EvasionLeast2
32133Sneak attack +1d6Least2
43144Uncanny dodgeLeast3
53144Least3
64255Sneak attack +2d6Lesser4
75255Poison useLesser4
86266Improved uncanny dodgeLesser5
96366Sneak attack +3d6Lesser5
107377Eldritch treachery (spell resistance)Lesser6
118377Improved evasionGreater7
129488Sneak attack +4d6Greater7
139488Poison immunityGreater8
1410499Hide in plain sightGreater8
1511599Eldritch alacrity, sneak attack +5d6Greater9
161251010Dark10
171251010Dark10
181361111Sneak attack +6d6Dark11
191461111Dark11
201561212Eldritch treachery (saves)Dark12
Class Skills (6 + int per level x4 at 1st level): Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Rope

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
You are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, kukri, rapier, sap, scimitar, shortbow, and short sword.
You are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Your infiltrator invocations do not suffer a spell failure chance from light armor.  You suffer the normal spell failure chance for medium or heavy armor, or shields, however.

Invocations:
You use invocations, like a warlock or dragonfire adept, except that your invocations are drawn from the infiltrator class list. 

Trapfinding (Ex):
You can use the Search skill to locate traps with a DC higher than 20.  You can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps.  This functions identically to the rogue class feature. 

Evasion (Ex):
Beginning at 2nd level, if you make a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, you instead take no damage.  Evasion can be used only if you are wearing light armor or no armor.  You do not gain the benefit of evasion while helpless. 

Sneak Attack (Ex):
You gain sneak attack (as the rogue ability) equal to +1d6 per 3 class levels. 

Uncanny Dodge (Ex):
Starting at 4th level, you retain your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
If you already have uncanny dodge from a different class you automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Poison Use (Ex):
You do not risk accidentally poisoning yourself when you apply poison to a weapon. 

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex):
You gain improved uncanny dodge, as the rogue ability. 

Eldritch Treachery (Ex):
Your invocations are more effective against targets who are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC against your attacks, and enemies that you flank.  Beginning at 10th level, your invocations ignore any spell resistnace (or spell immunity) possessed by such creatures.  Beginning at 20th level, these creatures must roll twice and take the worse result on any saving throws allowed by your invocations. 

Eldritch Alacrity:
You gain an extra swift (or immediate) action each round.  This action can only be used to cast an invocation. 

Eldritch Treachery:
Beginning at 10th level, you can ignore the spell resistance (or spell immunity) of any enemy who is denied his dexterity bonus against your attacks.  Beginning at 20th level, enemies who are denied their dexterity bonus against your attacks also have more difficulty when making saving throws against your invocations.  They must roll twice, and take the worse result. 

Improved Evasion (Ex):
Beginning at 11th level, when using the evasion ability, you take only half damage even on a failed save. 

Poison Immunity (Ex):
At 13th level, you gain immunity to poison. 

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex):
Beginning at 14th level, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed.  As long as you are within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, you can hide yourself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind.  You cannot, however, hide in your own shadow. 

2
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Alternate Ability Scores?
« on: May 03, 2017, 03:09:07 AM »
Has anyone ever done any homebrew replacing the familiar six ability scores? 

Here's one possibility I've been toying with:
  • Brains: Rolls together Int, Wis, and Cha.  Well, except for their spellcasting applications.  Those go into Anima. 
  • Anima: Spellcasting now gets its own ability score! 
  • Might: Rolls together Str and Con.  Except for melee attack rolls.  Dexterity gets those. 
  • Finesse: This is just dexterity.  To be fair, D&D was already conflating nimbleness, reaction time, and manual dexterity.  Oh!  But it gets melee attack rolls too. 

Ideally, this would be implemented alongside a system that gives bonus damage equal to how much your attack roll exceeded enemy AC.  (And the Power Attack feat just doubles this damage with two-handed weapons.) 

Also, for each weapon, a minimum Strength score needed to wield it without penalty.  Because, while strength improving accuracy doesn't make sense, it does have a connection to your ability to be effective with heavier weapons. 

So, are you happy with the normal ability scores?  Or do you, like me, think they could use a trim?  Maybe you even want more ability scores for some daft reason? 

Discuss.  (And feel free to list what you think the ability scores should be.) 

3
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Blaze Domain
« on: February 02, 2017, 11:45:25 PM »
Wow, I haven't been on these forums in ages.  Do people still do much 3.5 homebrew? 

Anyway, I stumbled across an old file of mine, where I'd tried to build a fire-slinging cleric.  I'd jumped through a lot of hoops trying to get "good" fire spells.  I mean, fire spells that aren't all basically the same spell "deal Xd6 fire damage to Y creatures." 

So, I decided to dust off my homebrew skills and use my old research to create an easier option for any other devout pyrophiliacs out there. 



Blaze Domain

Granted Power (Sp): At will, you can fire a ray which deals 1d3 fire damage.  This functions as Ray of Frost, except that the damage type and energy descriptor are Fire instead of Cold. 

  • Wall of Smoke: Wall of black smoke obscures vision and nauseates those who pass through.
  • Heartfire: Subjects outlined in fire, take 1d4 damage/round.
  • Body Blaze: You are surrounded by fire and leave a wall-like trail of flame in your wake.
  • Firestride Exhalation: Deal 8d6 points of fire damage in 30-ft. cone, and teleport anywhere within the area.
  • Daltim's Fiery Tentacles: Like Evard's black tentacles, but creatures in the area also take fire damage.
  • Scalding Mud: Transmute rock or earth into boiling muck.
  • Scalding Touch: Touch deals 13d6 fire damage and dazes victim; usable a number of times equal to level.
  • Deadly Lahar: Create a wave of molten volcanic rock that sticks to creatures.
  • Internal Fire: Target dies instantly or takes 6d6+1/level fire damage.



So, I had a few goals here. 

Only Existing Spells: I didn't want to design any new spells for this.  Partly, that's because I've never had too keen a grasp on how strong a spell of any given level should be.  Partly, I think the chances that someone will actually use this are increased if only the domain itself is non-official. 

No Overlap: I didn't want to use spells that were already in the fire or sun domains.  If I could help it, I didn't even want to use spells already on the cleric list.  I just feel like clerics are not spoiled for choice on fire spells, and using spells they could already get their hands on easily was passing up a chance to expand their option. 

Not Basically Nine Different Versions of the Same Thing: If someone wants to really specialize in fire, they're going to need to be able to address a wide variety of situations with fire spells.  No matter how good you are with fire, it's going to feel like just a side thing if you solve all your problems through non-fire-related means.  That means they need a collection of fire spells that amounts to a Swiss-army knife, not one that amounts to a can opener.  Can openers are great, when you have to open cans.  But sometimes you need to do other things. 

Some of those spells are kind of obscure, so to save you the trouble of tracking them down, I'm going to quote them here. 



(click to show/hide)



So, what do you think?  I honestly am not too thrilled by the highest-level third of that domain.  As you go up in level, it seems to become harder to find fire spells that aren't underwhelming.  Should I post some of the alternatives I was considering? 

And how about that granted power?  It might be unconventional, but it seems to suit the concept of "fire dude."  I'm a little worried people will perceive an at-will attack as overpowered, even though reserve feats and warlocks exist. 

4
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Spellsword/Duskblade as Feats
« on: March 24, 2015, 08:33:51 PM »
Channel Touch
You can deliver touch spells through melee weapons. 
   Benefit: When you cast a spell with a range of "touch," you can channel the energy into a weapon you hold instead of into your hand.  This allows the spell to be deliverer using the weapon's reach, critical threat range and multiplier, and any enhancement bonus on attack rolls the weapon may have.  You receive one free attack with the weapon as part of casting the spell, just as you would normally receive one free attack with your hand. 
   One option available to you is to deliver the spell by a touch of the weapon, just as you would normally deliver the spell with a touch of your hand.  In this case, you make a melee touch attack.  This uses the weapon's reach, critical threat range, and attack bonus (including any modifiers, such as the weapon's enhancement bonus).  You do not deal damage with the weapon, nor do you trigger any properties of the weapon that activate on a successful attack.  If the attack is a critical hit, any damage the spell deals is multiplied by the weapon's critical multiplier.  Your strength bonus does not apply to the spell's damage, nor does the weapon's enhancement bonus. 
   Another option is to deliver the spell with an actual attack, just as you could normally choose to deliver a touch spell with an unarmed strike.  In this case, you make a normal attack roll, not a touch attack (unless you have some other ability that allows you to resolve weapon attacks as touch attacks).  You make the attack with the weapon normally.  If you hit, the weapon deals normal damage, and the spell effect is also delivered.  In this case, a critical hit multiplies the weapon damage, but not any damage the spell may deal.  Your strength bonus (and any other damage bonus) applies only to the weapon damage, not to any damage the spell may deal. 
   You can hold the charge in the weapon indefinitely, but it dissipates if you ever relinquish your grip.  The charge does not even linger long enough to allow the spell to be delivered via a thrown or projectile weapon.  You can attempt additional attacks in later rounds to deliver a charge held in a weapon just as you could with a charge held in your hand. 
   This feat does not allow you to hold the charge on multiple touch spells simultaneously.  Not even if the spells are channeled into different weapons, or if you have one spell in a weapon and another in your hand.  Further, casting any other touch spell while holding the charge of another spell in a weapon causes the old spell to dissipate.  And casting a touch spell channeled into a weapon causes and previous touch spell whose charge you were holding to dissipate, even if it was in another weapon or in your hand. 

Dual Touch
You can share a touch spell across multiple weapons. 
   Benefit: You can store the same touch spell in both hands simultaneously.  This allows you to use two-weapon fighting to increase your odds of delivering the spell.  The spell is discharged from both hands as soon as you deliver it with either one. 
   This feat does not allow you to attempt multiple attacks as part of casting a touch spell.  If you do not also have the rapid touch feat, you can only use two-weapon fighting with touch spells in the rounds following casting, while holding the charge. 
   Special: If you also have the Channel Touch ability, you can simultaneously store the spell in all weapons you wield as well as your hand.  The spell is discharged from all locations upon being delivered from any location. 
   If you have the Extend Touch feat, the spell is not discharged from any location until the beginning of your next turn after it was delivered from one of the locations. 

Extend Touch
You have a chance to affect multiple foes with a single touch spell. 
   Benefit: When you make a successful attack with a touch spell, it does not immediately discharge.  Instead, it endures on your hand until the start of your next turn.  This potentially allows you to affect multiple opponents with a single casting of the spell. 
   This ability does not allow a single casting of a spell to affect a given creature more than once.  If you successfully deliver  the spell to the same creature multiple times, it is still only affected once. 
   Note that the spell may only be delivered by a single hand (or weapon, if you have the Channel Touch feat).  Thus, it is possible that some attacks you make while the charge persists will not have any chance to deliver the spell. 
   Special: If you have the Dual Touch feat, the limitation in the preceding paragraph no longer applies.  You can potentially deliver the spell once with each hand, or even multiple times with each hand. 
   If you have the Channel Touch feat, the charge still dissipates immediately if you relinquish your grip on the weapon. 

Improved Spell Punching
You are more adept at delivering spells along with attacks. 
   Benefit: When you deliver a touch spell with an unarmed strike, a critical hit multiplies any damage the spell deals by the weapon's critical multiplier.  The damage from the unnamed strike is also multiplied, as normal. 
   Normal: A damage-dealing touch spell can score a critical hit when used as a touch attack.  However, if you choose to deliver the spell with an unarmed strike instead, the spell's damage is not multiplied on a critical hit, though the damage from the unarmed strike is. 
   Special: If you have the Channel Touch feat, this benefit also applies when you deliver a spell with a normal weapon attack. 
   If you have the Extend Touch feat, and successfully deliver the spell multiple times to the same target, the spell deals critical damage as long as at least one of the hits delivering the spell was a critical hit. 
   If you have the Channel Touch, Extend Touch, and Dual Touch feats, it is possible that a single enemy will be struck by multiple critical hits delivering the same spell, but scored with weapons that have different critical multiplier.  In this case, use the highest critical multiplier (but only out of those weapons that scored a critical hit on that enemy). 

Ranged Channeling
You can use Channel Touch with ranged weapons. 
   Prerequisite: Channel Touch
   Benefit: When you release your grip on a weapon into which you have channeled a touch spell, the magic lingers for a brief moment.  This allows you to deliver the spell with a thrown or projectile weapon.  Even if the weapon misses, the charge dissipates.  The spell does not linger long enough for you to hand off the weapon to another character and for that character to then make an attack. 
   Special: The Extend Touch feat does not increase the time this feat allows the charge to linger. 

Rapid Touch
You can try to deliver a touch spell multiple times in the same round as you cast it. 
   Benefit: If you cast a touch spell with a casting time of "1 standard action," you can increase the casting time to a full-round action.  If you do, you can attempt to touch a foe multiple times as part of casting the spell.  The decision to use this feat is made at the time of casting.  You do not have to decide if you wish to apply this feat to a spell while preparing it. 
   When using this feat, you make as many attempts to deliver the touch spell as you would normally be allowed attacks in a full-attack.  These can be any combination of touch attacks and unarmed strikes.  Any successful hit delivers the touch spell to the target.  You can continue making attacks even after you successfully deliver the spell, but these attacks gain no special benefit. 
   In fact, the attacks made with this feat are a full attack, with all corresponding benefits.  However, this full attack has certain special limitations.  You can only attack with touch attacks and unarmed strikes, as these are the only weapons capable of delivering the touch spell.  You cannot benefit from two-weapon fighting, since the touch spell can only be stored in one hand, and the second hand would have no chance of delivering it. 
   Special: If you have the Channel Touch feat, you can use any weapon for the attacks made with this feat, provided it is the weapon you chose to channel the touch into.  You cannot make attacks with other weapons or even with unarmed strikes in this case. 
   If you have the Dual Touch feat, you can gain extra attacks from two-weapon fighting on the full attack this feat gives you.  You are still limited to touch attacks an unarmed strikes. 
   Finally, if you have both Channel Touch and Dual touch, all restrictions on the full attack are lifted.  You can attack with whichever and as many weapons as you choose. 

5
Min/Max 3.x / 3.P Dispel Master
« on: February 06, 2015, 02:19:33 PM »
There's an idea I've been rolling around in my head, but I'm not very familiar with Pathfinder, so I'd like some input.  This isn't for any particular campaign, but let's assume Pathfinder rules with un-updated 3.5 material allowed.  Also 3.0 material if it wasn't updated by either 3.5 or Pathfinder.  Further, let's assume both 1st- and 2nd-party material is allowed. 

The first ingredient I'd like to use is samsaran with the mystic past life alternative racial trait.  Choosing trapsmith as the class to draw from would let me get dispel magic as a 1st-level spell and greater dispel magic as a 3rd-level spell on whatever arcane spellcasting class I like. 

The second ingredient I'd like to use is divine defiance (Fiendish Codex II, p83).  That feat would let me spend a turn undead attempt to counterspell as an immediate action.  I'd still need to use an appropriate spell (or dispel magic) to counterspell. 

The first thing I need help with is combining arcane casting and turn undead.  In 3.5, I know sacred exorcist (Complete Divine, p56) works, but I'm hoping Pathfinder has an easier option. 

In 3.5 I know of a few ways to boost dispel checks.  The arcane mastery feat (Complete Arcane, p73) would let me take 10 on the check (even in combat, once the errata is figured in).  The inquisition domain (Spell Compendium, p275) gives a +4 bonus, or a +8 bonus if combined with the domain focus alternative class feature (Dragon 347, p91) for cleric.  The latter option tends to conflict with the arcane casting requirement of the samsaran trick, but the domain granted power alternative class feature (Complete Champion, p52) for wizard or the planar touchstone feat (Planar Handbook, p41) can at least nab the base effect.  I seem to remember that a prestige class or two in 3.5 gave bonuses to dispel, but I can't remember which ones.  I'm sure Pathfinder added some dispel bonuses of its own.  I see it removed the cap on caster level that can be added to dispel checks, which is nice. 

I'd really like to be able to cast dispel magic and greater dispel magic spontaneously.  I don't have any attachment to spontaneous casting otherwise, so a prepared class is fine if there's an easy way to spontaneously convert prepared spells into those two. 

I know 3.5 had a couple of ways to be able to use immediate actions before your first turn in combat.  There were dire tortoise (Sandstorm, p151) and mark of stars (Dragonmarked, p142).  Did Pathfinder add any?  I suppose high initiative is also an option. 

Do you think I need to worry too much about turn undead attempts per day?  Nightsticks (Libris Mortis, p78) and Tenebrous (Tome of Magic, p48) are options.  I don't know if there's anything Pathfinder-specific that gives a lot of turn attempts. 

So there's my goal, be able to use an immediate action, a 1st-level spell slot, and a turn undead attempt to negate a 9th-level spell an enemy tries to cast as a standard action.  Can anyone help me realize my dream? 

6
Gaming Advice / Hideous Blow RAW
« on: June 07, 2014, 03:58:34 PM »
Invocations, unlike other spell-like abilities, have somatic components.  So you need a hand free to cast hideous blow. 

You make a melee attack as part of hideous blow.  Doesn't that mean the attack occurs during the span of time in which you need a hand free? 

So, by RAW, you're pretty much limited to one-handed weapons when using hideous blow? 

7
Gaming Advice / Flexible Flamer
« on: April 25, 2014, 01:46:17 AM »
The initiate of Amaunator feat (Power of Faerun, p58) says "You can spontaneously cast any spell on your spell list that has the fire descriptor.  This ability works like spontaneously casting cure spells does." 

Can I lose a 3rd-level spell to spontaneously cast summon monster III, choosing a small fire elemental as the creature I summon?  Since I'm summoning a creature with the fire subtype, the spell has the fire descriptor.  Is what matters the spell as I cast it or the spell in its primordial state?  That is, does the feat see "fire" when it checks the descriptor, or does it see "see text." 

Suppose I have the energy substitution (acid) feat (Complete Arcane, p79).  Can I lose a 5th-level spell to cast flame strike, but modified to deal acid damage?  It's a fire spell in its primordial state, but not as I'm casting it. 

Suppose I have the energy substitution (fire) feat.  Can I lose a 2nd-level spell to cast shatter, but modified to deal fire damage?  It's a fire spell as I'm casting it, but not in its primordial state. 

Suppose I have the snowcasting feat (Frostburn, p50) and the energy substitution (fire) feat.  I can add the cold descriptor to any spell I cast.  I can change an energy descriptor (like cold) to the fire descriptor on any spell I cast.  I can cast anything as a fire spell.  Does that mean I can spontaneously cast every single spell on my spell list? 

8
Gaming Advice / Skill Feats at 1st Level
« on: February 22, 2014, 05:16:12 PM »
There are a variety of feats that give you new class skills.  Let's take city slicker (Races of Destiny, p150) as our example.  The feat is necessarily taken at 1st level.  In the rules for character creation, "select a feat" comes after "select skills."  Does that mean the skill points I spend at 1st level don't benefit from the feat?  If this were a human, could the bonus feat be used to get around this, since "record racial and class features" comes before "select skills?"

9
Gaming Advice / Martial Study at 1st Level
« on: February 22, 2014, 04:42:51 PM »
The martial study feat has no prerequisites, so I should be able to take it at 1st level on any character.  However, unless my first level is a martial adept class, my initiator level will be 0.  (1/2 of 1, rounded down.)  I need to meet the prerequisites for whatever maneuver I select, and even 1st-level maneuvers seem to require initiator level 1.  If I try to take martial study at 1st level on a non-martial adept, is there literally no maneuver I could learn? 

10
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Aspirant of the First Dwarves
« on: February 15, 2014, 11:25:33 PM »
All right, this is really rough and I only just started on it today, but I was hoping you'd be willing to give it a once-over anyway.  I'll be busy for the next couple of days, but I'll be able to work on it more after that. 

(click to show/hide)

11
Gaming Advice / PAO Into 20 HD Creature?
« on: February 02, 2014, 03:06:19 AM »
Other than one of the interpretations of reserves of strength, how can you increase or bypass the 15 hit die limit on polymorph any object?  I ask because of ethereal doppelganger (Monster Manual II, p94).  Its assume identity ability seems like a neat target for assume supernatural ability (Savage Species, p30). 

12
Off Topic Fun / Anime Character With These Traits?
« on: December 30, 2013, 03:28:19 AM »
There are a handful of things I was musing on combining, and it seems like the result should closely mirror some anime character or another, but no one springs to mind. 

The first element is the variant aging rules for Asian games (Oriental Adventures, p69).  As a venerable Asian, you get -6 to all physical ability scores (as normal) and +6 to all mental ability scores. 

So the first restriction is that he (or she, I guess) has to be very old.  I'd say he also needs to be Asian, to keep with the themes of Oriental Adventures, but in anime everyplace is kind of Asian, even if it's outer space or medieval Europe. 

The second element is the faerie mysteries initiate feat (Dragon 219, p58).  That lets you use your intelligence modifier instead of your constitution modifier for determining hit points.  Gaining this benefit explicitly requires "an exuberant sensual act." 

You only need to perform the "exuberant sensual act" once, but really, anyone who dedicated part of his build to ritualistic sex is clearly going to be having sex as often as he can (ritual or not).  So, the second requirement is that he has to be lecherous. 

Faerie mysteries initiate is a regional feat, which sort of limits race choices.  In any case, gray elf is explicitly an option and has good stats for this.  So the third requirement is that he be some sort of long-lived, slender, human-looking race.  Or I guess human works too, but something that resembles gray elf is preferred. 

And, of course, wizard is the logical choice since this lends itself to an intelligence focus.  That, then, is the final requirement, that he have substantial magical powers. 

Can you think of anyone? 

13
Off Topic Fun / If I Were Going to Make a Movie to Troll Comic Book Fans…
« on: December 21, 2013, 09:46:09 PM »
I'd make a Power Girl movie, but cast an actress with very small breasts for the roll.  The "cleavage window" would be present on the costume, but it would be tiny and too high to show any actual cleavage. 

I'd use Supergirl's first meeting with Superman as a template for the plot, but with Power Girl instead of Supergirl, and the particulars altered to make Superman seem even more unreasonable.  He'd still try to prevent her from acting as a super hero, claiming she "isn't ready," even though she's basically invulnerable, just like him.  (This would be like Superman movies, where no creature powerful enough to be a credible threat is established to exist.) 

In this version, she wouldn't go seeking his approval.  He'd just show up after she'd been successfully superhero-ing for a while and made a name for herself.  Then he'd claim she wasn't ready.  Power Girl wouldn't go along with it like Supergirl does either.  Superman would then try to impose his will on her in increasingly-creepy ways.  The part in the comic books where he tries to banish her to an asteroid for a year as punishment would be preserved. 

I'd pull in that part from Superman Returns where he has a child by Lois and then abandons her for several years.  Except in this version, he knows about the child, and he isn't gone.  He's just deliberately avoiding Lois.  Well, as Superman anyway.  He just keeps working with her as Clark, watching her struggle to raise his child all by herself and never helping out. 

How would you troll comic book fans if someone put you in charge of a movie? 

14
Off Topic Fun / Learning XML
« on: December 14, 2013, 11:00:06 PM »
Supposing I were trying to compile a parsable list of domains, would this be a good way to represent each one? 

(click to show/hide)

I there any problem if the text in a tag contains a line break? 

What tools would be good to use? 

A couple of things I might want to point out about how I structured the example.  I'd like to list all the sources, but only describe the most recent version.  I'd like each deity to have a corresponding source, since the fact that a given deity offers a given domain may only be noted in an obscure location. 

15
D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder / Monkey Skill Monkey
« on: December 11, 2013, 02:53:04 AM »
Monkey is given as an option for a regular (non-improved) familiar in Dragon 277 (page 65) and Dragon 341 (page 89), and familiars use your skill ranks, so …

Now, the advantage to sending the monkey instead of going yourself is staying safe.  You still have to spend the skill ranks.  This pretty much rules out all familiars except urban companion, which doesn't punish you if the little guy dies.  Alternately, is there a way to eliminate the penalties for other characters? 

How would you get trapfinding on the monkey?  You could probably get someone to manifest psychic reformation on him to give him the planar touchstone feat, but you'd need to get it done on each new monkey when the old one dies.  Share soulmeld can give your familiar trapfinding if you have theft gloves bound to your hands chakra, but it only works when he's within 5 feet. 

There's also a bit of trouble with class skills.  Sure, the druid could dip factotum and use able learner to keep everything he wanted maxed out, but it'd be nice if it could be done with straight druid.  Hide and move silently can be gotten easily via nightbringer initiate (Faiths of Eberron, p147) for a scout.  But a true skill monkey should have disable device, open lock, and search, which are much harder to get.  Any good way of getting all that? 

16
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Fleshing Out the Tortle Pantheon
« on: October 02, 2013, 07:34:42 PM »
Heres what Dragon magazine had to say about tortle religion. 
Quote
Tortles are spiritual creatures. They worship Mother Ocean. the protector; Father Earth, the life-bringer; Brother Shell, the warrior; and Sister Grain. the patron of farmers and fertility. The typical tortle hut contains a seashell shrine dedicated to at least one of these deities.

DeityDomains
Mother OceanGood, Healing, Protection, Water
Father EarthAnimal, Earth, Good, Strength
Brother ShellDestruction, Fire, War
Sister GrainAir, Plant, Sun

Here's what 2e had to say about tortle religion. 
Quote
Tortle families are unusual, since parents do not live long enough to raise their children. Thus, a tortle family might consist of a small number of adult tortles and a number of their nieces and nephews of varying ages. The "family" is usually very close. Tortles never refer to fathers or mothers, except in reference to the Immortals, including Mother Ocean (Calitha, their protector) and Father Earth (Ka, the bringer of life). Within the last century, most tortles have added two more Immortals to their pantheon, both adopted from the lupins and considered the children of Mother Ocean and Father Earth: Brother Shell (Matin), the protector of families, and Sister Grain (Ralon), the patron of farmers and the bringer of food.

Favored Weapons:
Brother Shell's war domain doesn't work very well with no favored weapon defined.  And really, all deities are supposed to have a favored weapon anyway.  Dragon magazine described tortles as preferring tridents.  2e described tortles as preferring short bows, staves, long swords, and flails. 

Trident seems fitting for mother Ocean, what with water and all.  Short bow seems fitting for Father Earth, since Dragon pegs him as associated with animals, so a hunting implement suits him.  Longsword seems fitting for Brother Shell, since Dragon pegs him as associated with war, and swords are very iconic of battle.  Flail seems to suit Sister Grain, since it is literally a tool for harvesting grain. 

Of course, I wouldn't need to stick with weapons mentioned in earlier versions.  Any better choices? 

Domains:
I'd like to add domains from other sources as options, but I'd also like to revise the existing domains. 

I like how they gave each deity one of the elements, air, earth, fire, and water.  I'd like to keep that. 

I don't get why Dragon gave the healing domain to Mother Ocean when Father Earth "the bringer of life."  I know that water has been associated with healing, but it's not as strongly associated as life is.  Do you think this may have just been stereotyping?  If I move the various healing-related domains over to Father Earth, what should Mother Oceans domains be? 

Given he's called "protector of families," it seems like brother shell should have the family domain.  Should he also have community, or would that be more the province of Mother Ocean with he focus on tortles as a whole? 

Would feast be a good domain for Sister Grain?  Renewal could fit if she had a bit of a springtime theme, but would that be horning in on Father Earths territory?  Also, wouldn't fall be a better match for grain? 

What other domains should these guys have. 

Alignments:
What alignments should the deities be?  Dragon gave the good domain to two of them, but is goodness really such an integral part of their concept?  Do turtles seem like lawful sorts or neutral? 

17
Gaming Advice / Sources of DR/Magic?
« on: September 26, 2013, 12:34:29 AM »
I've been looking at pectoral of obsidian hide (Dragon 332, p72), which converts DR/magic to DR/adamantine.  I'm wondering if there's any easy way to get very large DR/magic to use this on.  It costs 67,500 gp and requires having (or faking) the dragon type, so I think the end result would have to be pretty good to justify it. 

18
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Occult Blade: A Melee-Focused, Invocation-Using Base Class
« on: August 25, 2013, 12:59:54 PM »
Occult Blade
The path off an occult blade is to attain a true union between magical power and force of arms.  It is not enough to, at any given time, have the option to either cast an invocation or to swing a sword.  These skill cannot truly shine when the merely exist side by side.  They must be blended together into a seamless whole. 

Making an Occult Blade
Occult blades tend to be much more mobile that other melee characters.  They are less reliant on dealing large amounts of damage, since their channeled invocations give them another avenue to disable enemies.  Still, an occult blade is decidedly a physical combatant.  His invocations merely supplement this ability and give him some extra options. 

Abilities: Strength and charisma are your most important ability scores.  Strength determines how often you hit and how hard.  Charisma determines how hard your channeled invocations are to resist, as well as those few other invocations you have that allow a saving throw.  Constitution is also useful, since it helps you survive on the front lines. 

Races: Elves are often interested in mixing swordplay with magic, but most find invocations too primitive and limited.  Wild elves are more likely than their cousins to become occult blades.  Humans and half-elves are the most common occult blades, since they enjoy mixing skill sets and are not snobbish about magic. 

Alignment: Occult blades tend toward chaotic alignments.  Invocations tend to draw those without the patience for more studied form of magic. 

Starting Gold: 6d4×10 gp (150 gp). 

Starting Age: As sorcerer. 

Class Features
All the following are class features of the occult blade. 

Hit Die: D8
Level   Base Attack Bonus   Fort Save   Ref Save   Will Save   Special   Invocations Known
1   +1   +2   +0   +2   Combat invoking, least invocations   1
2   +2   +3   +0   +3      2
3   +3   +3   +1   +3   Armored ease 1   2
4   +4   +4   +1   +4      3
5   +5   +4   +1   +4   Armored ease 2   3
6   +6   +5   +2   +5   Lesser invocations   4
7   +7   +5   +2   +5   Armored ease 3   4
8   +8   +6   +2   +6      5
9   +9   +6   +3   +6   Armored ease 4   5
10   +10   +7   +3   +7   Unimpeded movement   6
11   +11   +7   +3   +7   Greater invocations   7
12   +12   +8   +4   +8   Armored ease 5   7
13   +13   +8   +4   +8      8
14   +14   +9   +4   +9   Armored ease 6   8
15   +15   +9   +5   +9      9
16   +16   +10   +5   +10   Dark invocations   10
17   +17   +10   +5   +10   Armored ease 7   10
18   +18   +11   +6   +11      11
19   +19   +11   +6   +11   Armored ease 8   11
20   +20   +12   +6   +12   Superior defense   12

Class Skills (4 + int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): balance, climb, concentration, craft, intimidate, jump, knowledge (arcana), listen, profession, ride, search, sense motive, spellcraft, spot, swim, tumble, use magic device

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
As an occult blade, you are proficient with simple weapons, martial weapons, light, medium, and heavy armor, and shields (including tower shields).  Your combat invoking ability removes the need for somatic components from your occult blade invocations, so you don't have to worry about spell failure chance from armor. 

Invocations:
[as warlock, but no somatic components]

Combat Invoking (Ex):
When you use an occult blade invocation, you don't provoke attacks of opportunity, as if you had succeeded on a concentration check to cast it defensively.  You don't need to supply somatic components for occult blade invocations you use.  These benefits don't apply to invocations you cast as a member of another class, such as warlock or dragonfire adept. 

Armored Ease (Ex):
Beginning at 3rd level, you reduce the armor check penalty of any armor you wear.  The reduction is initially 1 point, but increases at higher level as shown on the table.  This ability cannot reduce the armor's check penalty below 0. 

Unimpeded Movement (Ex):
At 10th level, you no longer reduce your movement speed for wearing medium or heavy armor.  This has no affect on the movement speed reduction for carrying a medium or heavy load. 

Superior Defense (Ex):
At 20th level, you gain damage reduction equal to your armor bonus, including any enhancement bonus.  Other bonuses to AC, such as a shield bonus or a natural armor bonus, have no added effect.  This damage reduction is overcome by adamantine weapons. 

Invocations

Channeled Invocations
Unlike most other invocations, channeled invocations not cast.  Instead, they can be used as part of any standard or full-round action that involves making weapon attacks.  The invocation takes effect on each creature struck by one of the weapon attacks made as part of the action.  The invocation can affect a creature only once per action, regardless of how many times it was struck.  Critical hits do not provide any additional benefit to the invocation.  Only one channeled invocation can be used on any given action. 

Least
  • Clip Wings *: Target can't fly. 
  • Dark One's Own Luck CA: Gain a luck bonus on one type of saves. 
  • Devil's Sight CA: See normally in darkness and magical darkness. 
  • Entropic Warding CA: Deflect incoming ranged attack, leave no trail, and prevent being tracked by scent. 
  • Leaps and Bounds CA: Gain bonus on balance, jump, and tumble checks. 
  • Magic Insight DM: Detect magical auras; identify magic items. 
  • Noxious Blade * Ch: Targets must make fortitude save or be sickened. 
  • Scything Strike *: Attack two opponents at once. 
  • See the Unseen CA: Gain darkvision; gain see invisibility as the spell. 
  • Serpent's Tongue CM: Gain scent ability; +5 bonus on saves against poison. 
  • Soulreaving Aura CM: As reaving aura, plus gain temporary hit points if nearby creature dies. 
  • Spiderwalk CA: Gain spiderclimb as the spell and you are immune to webs. 
  • Swimming the Styx CM: Gain swim speed and ability to breathe water. 
  • Unbalancing Blade * Ch: Targets must make reflex save or fall prone. 

Lesser
  • Eldritch Boomerang *: Throw melee weapons without penalty; thrown weapons return immediately. 
  • Energy Resistance DM: Gain resistance 10 to acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage. 
  • Fell Flight CA: Gain a fly speed with good maneuverability. 
  • Flee the Scene CA: Use short-range dimension door as the spell, and leave behind a major image. 
  • Numbing Blade * Ch: Targets must make will save or be slowed. 
  • Relentless Dispelling CM: As targeted dispel magic, with additional dispel magic the next turn. 
  • Shrouding Blade * Ch: Targets must make fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round. 
  • Voidsense CA: Gain blindsense out to 30 feet. 
  • Voracious Dispelling CA: Use dispel magic as the spell, dealing damage to creatures whose effects are dispelled. 
  • Walk Unseen CA: Use invisibility (self only) as the spell. 
  • Whirlwind *: Attack all nearby enemies. 
  • Witchwood Step CM: Walk on water and move through some obstacles unimpeded. 

Greater
  • Aura of Flame DM: Aura deals fire damage to creatures that strike you. 
  • Befuddling Blade * Ch: Targets must make will save or be confused. 
  • Curse Wounds *: Wounds you inflict are hard to heal. 
  • Deadly Dance *: Move, attacking each foe you pass along the way. 
  • Disrupting Blade * Ch: Targets must make fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. 
  • Draconic Toughness DM: Gain temporary hit points equal to your level. 
  • Enervating Shadow CA: Gain total concealment in dark areas and impose a strength penalty on adjacent living characters. 
  • Noxious Blade, Improved * Ch: Targets must make fortitude save or be nauseated. 
  • Pierce Defenses *: Ignore enemies' damage reduction. 

Dark
  • Energy Immunity DM: Gain immunity to acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage. 
  • Necrotizing Blade * Ch: Targets must make fortitude save or die; gain 2 negative levels on a successful save. 
  • Ossifying Blade * Ch: Targets must make fortitude save or be turned to stone; slowed on a successful save. 
  • Path of Shadow CA: Use shadow walk as the spell and speed up natural healing. 
  • Retributive Invisibility CA: Use greater invisibility (self only) as the spell that deals damage in a burst if dispelled. 
  • Stubborn Endurance *: Become hard to kill. 

* New invocation. 
Ch Channeled invocation. 
CA Invocation from Complete Arcane. 
CM Invocation from Complete Mage. 
DM Invocation from Dragon Magic. 

Befuddling Blade
Greater; 5th; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a will save or be confused for 1 minute.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

Clip Wings
Least; 2nd
As earthbind (see Spell Compendium, page 76), except effective against all effects that grant airborne movement. 

Curse Wounds
Greater; 4th
For the next 24 hours, every weapon you wield gains the benefits of the cursed blade spell (see Spell Compendium, page 57) for as long as you wield it. 

Deadly Dance
Greater; 6th
As part of this invocation, you move up to your speed and make a single melee attack against each opponent that is within reach at some point during the movement.  This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.  You can choose to cast deadly dance as a full-round action instead of as a standard action.  If you do the distance you can move increases to double your speed. 

Disrupting Blade
Greater; 6th; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a fortitude save or be stunned for 1 minute.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

Eldritch Boomerang
Lesser; 3rd
You can throw any melee weapon with a range increment of 10 feet if you are proficient with its normal use.  Whenever you attack with a thrown weapon, it flies back to you immediately after the attack is resolved.  The weapon returns to you in time to be used for your next attack.  These benefits apply to all your attacks for the next 24 hours. 

Necrotizing Blade
Dark; 8th; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a fortitude save or die.  This aspect of necrotizing blade is a death effect.  If a creature makes its saving throw (or otherwise survives), it instead gains 2 negative levels.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

Noxious Blade
Least; 2nd; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a fortitude save or be sickened for 1 minute.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

Noxious Blade, Improved
Greater; 6th; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 minute.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

Numbing Blade
Lesser; 4th; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a will save or be slowed for 1 minute.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

Ossifying Blade
Dark; 6th; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a fortitude save or be turned to stone, as the spell flesh to stone.  If a creature makes its saving throw (or otherwise avoids being turned to stone), it instead is slowed for 1 minute.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

Pierce Defenses
Greater; 5th
For the next 24 hours, you weapon attacks bypass all forms of damage reduction and hardness. 

Scything Strike
Least; 1st
As part of this invocation, make a single melee attack each against two different opponents. 

Shrouding Blade
Lesser; 4th; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

Stubborn Endurance
Dark; 8th
As delay death (see Spell Compendium, page 63) except as noted here.  The range is personal and the duration is 24 hours.  Additionally, you gain fast healing equal to your hit dice, and you heal one point of damage to each ability score every round. 

Whirlwind
Lesser; 4th
As part of this invocation, you make a single melee attack against each opponent within reach. 

Unbalancing Blade
Least; 1st; Channeled
This channeled invocation is used as part of another standard or full-round action.  Each creature struck by a weapon as part of that action must make a reflex save or fall prone.  Only one channeled invocation can be used as part of any given action. 

19
Gaming Advice / Pop-O-Matic Phone?
« on: August 07, 2013, 12:13:16 AM »
Is there a dice roller app for Windows Phone that simulates a Pop-O-Matic dice roller, but with the ability to change the dice? 

20
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / How Much Would Something Like This be Worth?
« on: June 29, 2013, 03:27:45 PM »
Recent talk regarding vow of poverty has made me wonder about putting a price on the inability to be separated from your items.  Here's one possible implementation. 

(click to show/hide)

So, how many gold pieces should something like that cost, or should it even be available for purchase? 

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