Author Topic: Discussion and Suggestion Thread  (Read 24958 times)

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #60 on: December 10, 2012, 12:32:44 AM »
A mermaid-like race, the suijin, have been added to the Records.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #61 on: December 10, 2012, 12:47:44 AM »
Siren Song has no target limit. It just says one or more creatures, and then adds another one on top of that limitless amount every 3 levels. It needs to specify somewhere the initial amount (presumably 1) before the +1/3 HD target bonus.

Typo: Should be "to a maximum of 1 round per Hit Die", not Dice.

+2 Str with no ability score negatives makes this a stronger baseline than most races (although to be fair, usually the penalty just gets marginalized and ignored somehow unless it's for Con or Dex, so it's not as big of a deal, and it's up against the slower land movement speed anyways). Swim speed and both air and water breathing (the full version, not the usual ability to just hold your breath for a long-ish time) is very good in an aquatic campaign. Bardic Fascinate (minus the broken save DC) is a nice touch. So... thumbs up! Looks cool.

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #62 on: December 10, 2012, 02:04:28 AM »
Siren Song now only affects one creature (before accounting for the Hit Die business).

Typo corrected.

The +2 Str only thing came about because I had no idea what to do for their -2.  -2 Con isn't good for a martial race, -2 Dex just seems wrong for mermaids, -2 Wis has already been done, -2 Int is something that I am opposed to fundamentally, and -2 Cha, again, seems wrong for mermaids.  I hope the reduced land speed balances this out a bit.

And now, because apparently I have nothing better to do, a the creation story of the Records.



In the beginning, the Records consisted of two parts: the Kami, a singular will, the mind of the Records, and the Sea of Tama, physical possibility given form, the Records' body.  The Kami desired to reach out to the many worlds that surrounded it, but it could not, for it had no way to reach out to them.  It had nothing with which it could demarcate what was it and what was not, so it could do nothing.  But it desired to reach out, so something it did.

The Kami reached into the Sea of Tama and pulled forth the first kalpa, the World End Cliffs.  The Cliffs stood at the edge of the Records, a surface through which the Records could feel the existence of other worlds, an edge from which the Records could reach out.  When the World End Cliffs were pulled forth, some tama got caught in its many crevices.  This tama coalesced into eggs, and from these eggs hatched the Atlach.  The Kami guided the Atlach to build bridges; to span the Void of Stars between the Cliffs and the rest of creation.  These bridges became the Records' fingers, its way of reaching out into reality.

Through these bridges flowed tama, the very lifeblood of the Records.  As this tama flowed into the other worlds, it mingled with the life there, and when it returned, it brought to the Records visions of many things.  The Kami saw that there were many things like the Atlach they had created, and many things quite different.  It sought to experience these things for itself, something it could not do in its current state.  So, once again, the Kami reached into the Sea of Tama.  This time, it brought forth bodies, vessels for the will of the Kami.  The Kami fractured itself, and inserted itself into these bodies.  What resulted are what we know as the Kami today.

Along with the Atlach, these new Kami explored what worlds the bridges brought them to.  They found many things.  They found a great expanse of water, teeming with life of all shapes.  The Kami sought to reflect this wonder, so again they reached into the Sea.  What they brought forth was the Ocean of Origins, a mass of many waters.  The Kami filled the Ocean with the life it found, and the life found sustenance in the flecks of tama that floated up from the bottom of the Ocean, where it bordered the Sea, and the light of the great Kami, a sun that shined over all.

Now that there were two kalpa, the Kami sought to travel between them.  While they could move easily in their previous form, the constraints of there bodies made things more difficult.  So the Kami took the edges of the kalpa and twisted them, forming them into the Amala Labyrinth.  Through its ever-changing maze, travel between the Ocean of Origins and the World End Cliffs became possible.  Having done this, the Kami once again turned towards the outer worlds.

The next thing they found was a great expanse of trees, teeming with very different life than they had found in the oceans.  The Kami sought to reflect this wonder, so again they reached into the Sea.  What they brought forth was not a forest, but the Marsh of the Lost, for the Kami had little concept of dry land.  The Kami grew great trees within the Marsh, and filled it with the life it found.  The life found sustenance in the flecks of tama that joined with the mud and the muck and the light of the great Kami that shined over all.  Having done this, the Kami once again turned towards the outer worlds.

The next thing they found was a strange place of shifting shadows.  Within, they found a race of sentient shadow stuff, fleeing for their lives from unseen pursuers.  The shadows begged the Kami for help, and the Kami gave it.  The shadows were called the Noin, and they were given a home within the Marsh of the Lost.  When the Noin settled in the Marsh, they were surprised to find that they were not the only dwellers there.  The Kami had told them of the Atlach, but not of these strange beings of slime and ooze.  The Kami saw that these new beings were nothing other than tama taking the guise of life, mimicking the forms it had encountered in the outer worlds.  The Kami gave them the name Henkei, reflecting their strange shapes.

The next thing they found was a great expanse of open sky, teeming with yet more strange life.  The Kami sought to reflect this wonder, so again they reached into the Sea.  This time, the Kami understood the dry earth, so they brought forth the Eternity Plains.  Part of the Plains was too dry, and was called the Tangled Waste.  The Kami filled it with the life it found, and the life found sustenance in the flecks of tama that blew with the wind and the light of the great Kami that shined over all.  Having done this, the Kami once again turned towards the outer worlds.

The next thing they found was a race abandoned by their god.  The Kami answered their prayers and split them into male and female and gave them a home within the Ocean of Origins.  The Kami then turned inwards, and looked upon what they had wrought.  The Records, once consisting only of themselves, now overflowed with life.  The flow of tama, once limited to the Sea, now stretched across all reality.  So again the Kami reached into the Sea.  What they brought forth was the City of Marrow, a place where all could dwell.  The Kami declared the City to be their home, and formed within it the Guild, Tower, and Factory to be its pillars.  So that all could travel to the City, the Kami straightened parts of the Labyrinth into the Amala Corridor, and protected it from the dangers that lurked deep within.  Having done this, the Kami once again turned towards the outer worlds...



Well, that was more than I expected to write.  I suppose I should ask what you all think.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2012, 02:14:22 AM by Hanako Tachibana »
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #63 on: December 11, 2012, 01:37:30 AM »
Cooooooooooool....

Did you ever (and/or are you ever planning to) explain why the Tower and Factory Kami dislike each other?
« Last Edit: December 11, 2012, 01:39:13 AM by Garryl »

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #64 on: December 11, 2012, 04:32:19 PM »
The feud between the Tower and the Factory stems from how they handle worshippers.  The Tower generally sets up intricate shrine hierarchies to ensure a balanced flow of worship and to give Kami with high positions in the Tower easy-ish positions.  The Tower also puts a good deal of effort into getting its worshippers to feel at ease with the Kami.

The Factory, on the other hand, doesn't care about any of that.  They put up shrines where they want, when they want.  They'll break apart the Tower's hierarchies if it is convenient to them and will gather worship through fear if it suits them.

As one would imagine, these behaviours have led to the Tower and Factory clashing numerous times.  Presumably, at one point, these clashes came about because of what the other actually did.  By now, though, their feud has reached the point where they simply go out of each others' way to screw the other over.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #65 on: December 11, 2012, 04:40:52 PM »
And how does the Guild feel about their brethren/competitors snarling at each other from across the street all the time?

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #66 on: December 11, 2012, 05:32:06 PM »
The Guild takes advantage of the situation.  They will mediate between the Tower and the Guild, sell information, and otherwise use circumstances to their advantage.  The Guild generally stays out of worship gathering.

Ultimately, all Kami are fragments of a single great entity, so these feuds never get too out of hand.  The Tower and the Factory would never destroy each other, and if some non-Kami force threatened, for example, some Tower Kami, nearby Factory Kami would certainly help them out (and laught at them).
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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #67 on: December 19, 2012, 01:41:12 PM »
A question for the community.  Were I to create more techniques (only a small amount of likely) or more akashic items (much higher quantities of likely), what sort of techniques and items would people want to see?

I have ideas for various communication-based wondrous items, but D&D seems to have something against easy communication, and I wouldn't want to damage any settings.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #68 on: December 20, 2012, 01:01:00 AM »
Eh, go for it. Worst case scenario, you can provide alternate rules where they're higher level/cost more to make the less accessible. Also, Eberron has relatively easy communication, if I recall correctly. Sending Stones are, what, 10000g or so? Plus, Animal Messenger and Whispering Wind are both 2nd level spells, and Sending is 4th level (see also Correspond at 4th level for Psions).

Given that I still haven't read through all of the techniques yet (I've only looked at Meteor so far), I can't really say what more I'd like to see as I don't know what there already is. Sorry. I would, however, love to see some Akashic monsters. All we have so far are the psicrystal-like artifical spirits and the various races (so many races).

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #69 on: December 27, 2012, 03:31:53 AM »
World Eater Mamono has been updated to make its swallow whole less terrible.  It now does 1d6/2 levels acid damage per round and damage dealt to the stomach harms the world eater at a reduced rate (10:1).  I think those are the only changes I made.  I haven't updated the pdf, because I'm not on the right computer for that at the moment.

As for items and monsters, I'm finally on winter break, so I'll do my best.  I'm not so good with monsters, but hopefully I'll be able to make up some interesting things.  Expect oozes and aberrations.  I like oozes and aberrations.  If I make enough monsters, I'll write an Amala Labyrinth encounter table or something.

Oh, speaking of items, I was wondering if I should do a Crown of White Raven style item for akasha.  Sort of like how DonQuixote used it in his Crown of Searing Flame.  What do you think, everyone?
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Offline veekie

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #70 on: December 27, 2012, 04:17:33 AM »
Hmm, granting limited access makes it easier to add to existing games, but I wonder if it doesn't undermine some of the concept.
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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #71 on: December 27, 2012, 01:18:38 PM »
Limited access?
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Offline Agita

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #72 on: December 27, 2012, 01:44:06 PM »
Hmm, granting limited access makes it easier to add to existing games, but I wonder if it doesn't undermine some of the concept.
Should be fine. I don't see it undermining anything in any way that simply dipping a level into a technique-using class wouldn't.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #73 on: December 27, 2012, 01:59:02 PM »
Oh, speaking of items, I was wondering if I should do a Crown of White Raven style item for akasha.  Sort of like how DonQuixote used it in his Crown of Searing Flame.  What do you think, everyone?

So, basically a gohei that can be used by anyone instead of only technicians?

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #74 on: December 27, 2012, 02:27:38 PM »
Unlike a gohei it wouldn't have its own tama pool.  Which now that I think about it would make it totally useless for people who aren't technicians.  Perhaps I won't make such an item.  Ah well, back to the drawing board.
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Offline veekie

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #75 on: December 27, 2012, 03:36:53 PM »
Pretty much, stored 'use' items basically get to be a scroll knockoff, or else opens access to the new system, possibly to characters who were never meant to deal with the system.
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Offline Nanshork

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #76 on: December 27, 2012, 10:12:23 PM »
I just want to say that while I haven't completely wrapped my head around all of this, I like it.

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #77 on: December 28, 2012, 02:32:59 PM »
Is there anything that is particularly hard to wrap your head around?  The clearer I can make things, the better.



In other news, I've started work on another PrC.  The moon aspected Arc of Dreams.  Arc of Dreams is going to focus on intangibility, with its capstone being an intangibility-flavored Timeless Body (psionic power that renderes you immune to literally everything for 1 round).  It's 1st level class feature is going to be like the Psion Uncarnate's shed body (incorporeality for a minute).  I just don't know what to do for the other three levels.  There should probably be a larger focus on defensive than offensive, but either is fine.  Any ideas?

I've also got a vague monster idea.  A parasitic aberration called an Aregami.  The entry would contain both the aregami base monster and a template for things infected by an aregami.
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Offline Nanshork

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #78 on: December 28, 2012, 02:35:12 PM »
It isn't that it's difficult to wrap my head around, I figured out Spellshaping and Psionics and this doesn't seem any more complicated than those.  There's just a lot of material and I'm still working out how it all fits together.

Offline Bauglir

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #79 on: December 29, 2012, 02:35:51 AM »
Reactive incorporeality, maybe a modified Void subtype at some point (tone down the superpowers a bit), make sure to change around Psion Uncarnate's abilities to prevent sabotaging yourself, explicit countermeasures to some of the normally unblockable senses (in particular, transdimensional touchsight, scent) and divination sabotage, enhanced ability to walk through walls compared to normal incorporeal creatures (which normally can't be any further than adjacent to the surface), "fluff" abilities that represent people just not noticing you (higher gather info checks related to you, etc). Any of those handy?

EDIT: Probably make sure that you're able to become incorporeal more often than a Psion Uncarnate, too. Max duration of 1 minute, but maybe once every half hour or something, or else 1 round/class level once per encounter (using the same out-of-combat recharge rules as maneuvers and such).
« Last Edit: December 29, 2012, 02:39:36 AM by Bauglir »