Affiliations Discussion

[Garryl]

Since the current topic of discussion revolves around the Red Lotus, I'll tackle that next.

(click to show/hide)

One-Time
Character Level: +1/2 level
5+ ranks in Disguise, Bluff, Know (Local): +1/skill
10+ ranks in Disguise, Bluff, Know (Local): +1/skill
Ability to cast spells: +1
Overtly a member of the Magi, Church of the Dark God, or related factions: +2
Destroys a church to the Dark God in a way that cannot be traced back to the Red Lotus: +2
Steals the secret of arcane focuses from the Magi: +8
Convinces a Gratis faction to supply at least 1000g of goods and materiel to the Red Lotus: +1

Worships the Dark God: -1

Multiple Use
Destroys or subverts a full-fledged member of the Magi: +1/4 CR of the mage
Recruits a new member into the Red Lotus: +1
Rescues captured Red Lotus members: +1/3 members rescued

Betrays information or another member to the Magi: -10

[Nanshork]

I'd like to see the Chorrun Char get an update.  It need a bonus for having the dragonblood subtype, and its capstone is very dependent on having draconic feats which most True Dragons wouldn't have anyway.

[TravelLog]

More Red Lotus (I'll also add Dreaming Apothecary to this post later)

(click to show/hide)

One Time
Infiltrate the Watch: +2
Become a member of the Commissar's personal staff: +4

Renounce the Red Lotus and accept the Dark God: -10

Multiple Use
Alert other Red Lotus members to a possible sting operation: +2
Kill a member of the Praesidio Arcanum: +1/4 CR rounded up
---and frame someone loyal to the Dark God's rule: +2 (additional)

Willingly aid a member of Magi, Watch, Church, or PA: -1
Act in a way counter to the Red Lotus' interests: -2

[Garryl]

I'd like to see the Chorrun Char get an update.  It need a bonus for having the dragonblood subtype, and its capstone is very dependent on having draconic feats which most True Dragons wouldn't have anyway.

Since Chorrun Char requires having the Dragon type or the Dragonblood subtype to even enter, and gives a boost for having the Dragon type proper, that would be kind of pointless (no matter how you enter the affiliation, you'd have a free +1 to your score or whatever).

[Nanshork]

I'd like to see the Chorrun Char get an update.  It need a bonus for having the dragonblood subtype, and its capstone is very dependent on having draconic feats which most True Dragons wouldn't have anyway.

Since Chorrun Char requires having the Dragon type or the Dragonblood subtype to even enter, and gives a boost for having the Dragon type proper, that would be kind of pointless (no matter how you enter the affiliation, you'd have a free +1 to your score or whatever).

I completely missed that.  However, the point still stands that no actual dragon is going to take Draconic feats.

[sirpercival]

I'd like to see the Chorrun Char get an update.  It need a bonus for having the dragonblood subtype, and its capstone is very dependent on having draconic feats which most True Dragons wouldn't have anyway.

Since Chorrun Char requires having the Dragon type or the Dragonblood subtype to even enter, and gives a boost for having the Dragon type proper, that would be kind of pointless (no matter how you enter the affiliation, you'd have a free +1 to your score or whatever).

I completely missed that.  However, the point still stands that no actual dragon is going to take Draconic feats.

True.  As I said, Chorrun Char shall be updated!

[sirpercival]

For the Delvers, I'd remove the affiliation penalty for killing other Delvers. Most of that should fall under actively preventing exploration of the Dungeon, anyways, and it should be possible to fight other Delvers (especially what with the High Arcana games). I'd also like to see a more granular granting of benefits (see the revised Brotherhood of Redemption for a good example).

I can take those two penalties out, but then technically I need two more.  Any suggestions?  I'm also not sure what you mean about "more granular".

For the Watch, you've got +1/feat on the Lawful alignment line.
I might only give the 100g/month salary at Constable when you actually do some active duty (say, 30-40 hours/week; the Watch appreciates individuals willing to put in the extra effort, but not enough to pay them more).
Sergeant and Lieutenant need revamping. Having some fixed-level cohorts just isn't fun if that's all you get.

Fixed the alignment line.

How's that for Sgt & Lt?

[Garryl]

Lieutenant is probably a bit excessive. Too easy to scale up really high.

Not 100% sure what I meant with the granular thing (being sick will do that). I think it was a request for the mechanical benefits to be spread out a bit more evenly among he ranks (and I'm not quite sure how getting Resurrection insurance counts along those lines). Also, related, the scroll/potion requisitioning that some of the affiliations have should probably be by a gp limit, rather than spell level, otherwise someone will requisition a potion of CL 1000000 Mage Armor or something.

[sirpercival]

This now has its own thread.

[sirpercival]

Lieutenant is probably a bit excessive. Too easy to scale up really high.

OK, I scaled it back.  Too much?

Not 100% sure what I meant with the granular thing (being sick will do that). I think it was a request for the mechanical benefits to be spread out a bit more evenly among he ranks (and I'm not quite sure how getting Resurrection insurance counts along those lines). Also, related, the scroll/potion requisitioning that some of the affiliations have should probably be by a gp limit, rather than spell level, otherwise someone will requisition a potion of CL 1000000 Mage Armor or something.

I'm not sure either, but the mechanical benefits I think work ok if you ignore the Rez insurance.  And I put a general note at the top enforcing minimum CLs for those things.

[Nanshork]

Soo...when are the rest of the caster affiliations going to be fixed so I can pick one?   

[sirpercival]

Soo...when are the rest of the caster affiliations going to be fixed so I can pick one?   

I'm working on the Magi as we speak.

[Nanshork]

Hooray!   

[sirpercival]

Alright, Magi are done.

[Nanshork]

Looks good.

[Garryl]

I'd cap the Lieutenant at 1, 2, or 3, personally. Any more than that and you're really getting beyond what an affiliation benefit should give, even if it does take a little effort to get it.

Dreaming Apothecary here. I'm very interested in what you've got for them, TravelLog.

(click to show/hide)

One-Time
Character Level: +1/2 level
5+ ranks in Appraise, Autohypnosis, Craft: +1/skill
Ability to cast spells or infusions or manifest powers: +1
Ability to cast or manifest 3rd level spells, infusions, or powers: +1
Ability to cast or manifest 5th level spells, infusions, or powers: +1
Item Creation feats: +1/feat
Levels in Psychosomnabulist: +1
Access to either or both of the Reflection of Nightmare or Waking Dream murmurs: +1
Access to the Called from Nothing murmur: +1
Able to cast dream or an equivalent effect: +1
Spends at least 100xp crafting magic items: +1
Spends at least 1000xp crafting magic items: +1
Spends at least 10000xp crafting magic items: +1

Unable to sleep or dream: -2
Unable to craft magic items: -2


Multiple Use
Successfully concludes a dream sale of magic items worth at least 2000g: +1

Reveals the location of the Apothecary to a non-member: -4

Killraven Crime League. I'm getting a bit of a thug/biker gang vibe from them, as opposed to the "classic mafia" that Calasper gives off.

(click to show/hide)

One-Time
Character Level: +1/2 level
5+ ranks in Bluff, Hide, Intimidate, Open Lock, or Sleight of Hand: +1/skill
10+ ranks in Bluff, Hide, Intimidate, Open Lock, or Sleight of Hand: +1/skill
Sneak Attack +3d6 or higher: +2
Base Attack Bonus +5 or higher: +1
Improved Feint or Imperious Command feats: +1/feat
Swift Demoralization or Staredown class features: +1/feature
Achieves particularly great success on the first few jobs after joining: +3
Has influence within the City Watch: +2

No ranks in Hide or Move Silently: -2

Multiple Use
Implicates the Calaspers in a major crime: +2
Acquires a new, lucrative enterprise for the Killravens: +2
Recruits a new member to the Killravens: +1

Recruits a spy for an opposing faction into the Killravens: -12
Participates in an unsanctioned job while a member: -8
Required the Killravens to bribe the Watch to have you released: -2
Failed attempt to kill a higher-ranking member: -4

[TravelLog]

For the DA, I'm getting a ruthless, monopolizing merchant feel, with a hint of mystery. Also, I would make the bonus ont fr manifesting as infusions. There are too many affiliations that give casting bonuses as is.

One Time
Craft Mythal, Craft Portal feat: +1 (extra on top of meta creation bonus)
Ability to alter a creature's dreams: +1
5 ranks in Lucid Dreaming (Hyperconscious): +1
Has the Dream domain: +1

Multiple Use
Design a new magic item: +1
Steals the secrets to a new magic item and ensures no others can replicate it: +2
Learns/steals the secrets of a new type of magic item: +5
Participates in the creation of a portal, mythal, or otherwise cooperative creation effort: +3

Reveals the secret of an item's creation to a non-member: -2
Destroys the blueprints or written knowledge of an item without permission: -4

[Garryl]

By the way, I just reposted the Psychosomnabulist and Whiteguard on these boards, so you should change the links in the affiliations.

[TravelLog]

House of Black and White (relevant)

(click to show/hide)

One Time:
Character level: +1/2 levels
Ability to use (and knowledge of) 3rd level illusion or divination effects, or Apprentice Path Mysteries: +1
Ability to use (and knowledge of) 5th level illusion or divination effects, or Initiate Path Mysteries : +2
Ability to use (and knowledge of) 7th level illusion or divination effects, or Master Path Mysteries : +3
Levels in Shadowcraft Mage, Earth Dreamer, Divine Oracle, or Initiate of the Seven Enigmas class: +1 per class
Spell focus (illusion), (enchantment), (divination), Invisible Spell, or metashadow feats: +1/each
No creature is aware of your true appearance/identity: +1
Belong to a race with ties to the Plane of Shadow: +1

Possess no ability to use illusions, divinations, or mysteries: -7
Will is the character's lowest saving throw: -1

Multiple Use:
Slay, or otherwise cause the death of a creature considered an enemy by the House using only illusions: +1
Make contact with a creature of the Shadow Plane and establish friendly or otherwise cooperative relations with it without the use of coercion (deception is acceptable): +1
Use a simulacrum or its equivalent for at least 1 month without any other creature discovering that it is not you: +1
Successfully use an illusion or illusion-oriented mystery on a creature of at least 2x your CR: +2
Explore the Plane of Shadow and discover something of value to the House: +3

Fall victim to an illusion: -1
By neglect or ignorance allow a deception of your own making to be revealed as false : -1
Reveal or otherwise ruin a long-standing deception perpetuated by another member of the House: -3
Reveal House secrets or the identity of another member: -5

Also, for the Delvers, I would change "Track or Endurance feats" to "Track, Endurance, or otherwise exploration-oriented feat (must not provide combat benefit)", as Track and Endurance suck.

[sirpercival]

I really need to get back to work on these, I've just been so busy... I'll try to do some of these today.

Travellog, that link has a shipload of information in it.  What in particular was relevant?