Author Topic: Jack's mini-handbook discussion  (Read 15311 times)

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Jack's mini-handbook discussion
« on: June 25, 2013, 12:42:02 AM »
Mettle mini-handbook

I don't really expect this to get much discussion unless someone points out a class I missed, but I might as well have this thread just in case.

ToB and ranged weapons (Carnivore)

Just a port from Carnviore's archery handbook that was back on the WotC boards.  Bozwevial dredged it up, and has given me permission to make a mini handbook out of it.

Dragonlance 3.5 source books mini-index

Just me taking a look at a wikipedia link and deciding to port some of it over here.  Dragonlance has some great stuff in it and is a fairly well-known fantasy setting.

Abjurant Armor spells mini-handbook

I decided to look through a spell catalog and find out which spells actually benefit from the Abjurant Armor ability.  The result?  Not many at all.


Jan 11 2015 update:  Made the Movement speed and armor index.

Feb 14 2015 update:  Added the D&D books by publication date index.

April 26 2015 update:  Made the Evasion index.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2015, 01:50:07 AM by Jackinthegreen »

Offline Demelain

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2013, 02:55:01 AM »
You say we needed a handbook, but did we? Was the Lists of Stuff not doing it for ya? (Though I do admit, they didn't have the items there)

Anyway, from Lists of Stuff:
Sohei is in Dragon MAgazine 318, page 32. Gains Mettle at 9th level.
Denieth Warden 5, Eberron: Dragonmarked page 105
Argent Fist 8, Faiths of Eberron page 70
Kinslayer 1, Drow of the Underdark page 87

Offline Nanshork

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2013, 10:51:55 AM »
The problem with the Lists of Stuff is that it is no longer being updated (unfortunately).

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2013, 10:54:50 AM »
The Lists of Stuff handbook is nice, but as Nanshork mentioned it's no longer being updated.  Plus I do feel the community needs a quick and dirty handbook to look up for Mettle so they can reference it (and therefore know it by heart) more easily.

I'll add those other classes to the list though.  Thanks.

Speaking of the Lists of Stuff not being updated:  If you got that list from there, then it does need to be updated since the Sohei originally appeared in Oriental Adventures and was then updated to 3.5 in Dragon 318, page 34, not 32.  I'm making note of that in my redo, as well as directly checking the pages and such of all those classes.
« Last Edit: June 25, 2013, 11:09:24 AM by Jackinthegreen »

Offline Garryl

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2013, 11:00:43 AM »
The Void Incarnate epic class gets Mettle of Fortitude and Will and their improved versions over 10 levels.

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2013, 11:30:10 AM »
I have added the suggestions from Demelain and Garryl, as well as added a section about asking the DM if a Ring of Mettle might be available.  Might get rid of the ring mention though since it is homebrew, albeit very easily implemented homebrew.

Offline kitep

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2013, 11:36:18 AM »
I'm not familiar with the list of stuff handbook, but can't somebody (not me) make a new list of stuff handbook?  Start by copying the old one wholesale, then update as necessary.

Offline Demelain

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2013, 11:50:53 AM »
Huh. Didn't know it wasn't being updated anymore. A shame, I use it pretty often.

Lists of Stuff didn't have a page for the Sohei, I went and looked it up. Sorry for the page number mistake.

Offline 123456789blaaa

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #8 on: July 10, 2013, 05:46:18 AM »
Did Surreal specifically say he wasn't updating it anymore or is that just inferred because it hasn't been updated in a while?
Please, call me Count :).

Offline Demelain

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #9 on: July 10, 2013, 09:30:17 AM »
Did Surreal specifically say he wasn't updating it anymore or is that just inferred because it hasn't been updated in a while?

Well, the "Last Update" in the first post says May 2010, and the Last Edit line at the end of the posts reads November 20, 2011. He's been on, profile says he was online just yesterday. No explicit statement, but everything points towards "not updating".

I've considered making my own - repetitive data entry will be about half my job when I'm through with college, anyway - but I'll be damned if it isn't a daunting task to look at, and what is and isn't deserving of a category is a problem all its own.

Offline 123456789blaaa

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2013, 09:40:38 AM »
Did Surreal specifically say he wasn't updating it anymore or is that just inferred because it hasn't been updated in a while?

Well, the "Last Update" in the first post says May 2010, and the Last Edit line at the end of the posts reads November 20, 2011. He's been on, profile says he was online just yesterday. No explicit statement, but everything points towards "not updating".

I've considered making my own - repetitive data entry will be about half my job when I'm through with college, anyway - but I'll be damned if it isn't a daunting task to look at, and what is and isn't deserving of a category is a problem all its own.

I'd advise PMing him and waiting a few days for a reply before doing so. Copying his stuff into a new thread without his permission could be considered rude.
Please, call me Count :).

Offline Demelain

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #11 on: July 10, 2013, 09:47:41 AM »
Did Surreal specifically say he wasn't updating it anymore or is that just inferred because it hasn't been updated in a while?

Well, the "Last Update" in the first post says May 2010, and the Last Edit line at the end of the posts reads November 20, 2011. He's been on, profile says he was online just yesterday. No explicit statement, but everything points towards "not updating".

I've considered making my own - repetitive data entry will be about half my job when I'm through with college, anyway - but I'll be damned if it isn't a daunting task to look at, and what is and isn't deserving of a category is a problem all its own.

I'd advise PMing him and waiting a few days for a reply before doing so. Copying his stuff into a new thread without his permission could be considered rude.

I wouldn't copy anything, I'd work from scratch. There's a lot of stuff that I wish was included in the entries, and it'd frankly be easier to work from nothing than to sort it out.
But I'm way too busy right now anyway; summer classes being so work dense and all.

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #12 on: July 10, 2013, 07:23:50 PM »
Might I recommend you guys make a separate discussion thread for the Lists of Stuff?  That way it can hopefully get the attention it needs.

Offline Maat Mons

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #13 on: July 10, 2013, 08:39:59 PM »
Is that ability from master specialist that basically combines mettle and evasion close enough to get a mention in this handbook? 

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #14 on: July 11, 2013, 12:40:53 PM »
Yes, that would gain a mention.  I'll add it, and thanks for letting me know about it.

Offline Garryl

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #15 on: July 11, 2013, 04:42:49 PM »
Master Specialist only works against spells, not other effects (such as traps, maneuvers, and supernatural abilities).

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Re: Mettle Mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #16 on: July 12, 2013, 04:45:27 PM »
Thanks for correcting me on that.  Adding a note on it.

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Re: Jack's mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #17 on: September 01, 2013, 01:55:56 PM »
I've changed this thread to be for my mini-handbooks and such.  They're small enough that I feel combining them into one thread works best.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2014, 09:23:09 PM by Jackinthegreen »

Offline nijineko

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Re: Jack's mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #18 on: September 03, 2013, 01:14:32 PM »
thanks for the handbooks.

Offline Daebu

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Re: Jack's mini-handbook discussion
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2013, 03:19:59 PM »
I was making a Whisper Gnome Swift Hunter recently who has a 1 level dip into both Warblade and Swordsage. I naturally consulted your port of Carnivore's "ToB and ranged weapons" guide. Incidentally I think I might've found a glaring oversight:

Counter Charge (SS1) isn't listed among the useful maneuvers. Now I understand it has a listed range of "Melee Attack". However, at no point is it actually described as using a melee attack. You don't make an attack roll. You make an opposed Str or Dex check, and that's it. The flavour text is even more clear as to the action you're taking -- "With a quick sidestep..."

In fact, due to the nature of the maneuver only being useful when an opponent charges, and they're very likely to have a greater reach than you, I can't imagine that it's meant to be limited to your melee attack range but rather your opponent's. Otherwise this maneuver is entirely useless. This would be truly foolish, given that there is considerable text and weight given to what happens if you are larger or smaller than your opponent.
 
Thus the logical interpretation seems to be that this maneuver is green-lighted to use once an opponent charges and is within his melee range. You then choose one ability and an opposed roll is made, with appropriate modifiers applied. In short, it appears the authors were trying to give small, Dex-heavy types another shot at surviving Berserkergeddon.

So given these thoughts, is Counter Charge not a useful maneuver for my Dex heavy, small sized Gnome? What am I missing?
« Last Edit: September 20, 2013, 11:13:45 PM by Daebu »