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Topics - PlzBreakMyCampaign

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61
The PBMC Metacompendium / DR Stacking
« on: March 22, 2018, 07:27:07 PM »
DR Stacks with itself but the greatest piece should be noted in Parenthesis. Yes this means Barbarians at DR1, about to gain DR2 will gain a total of 3 DR. No it doesn't make them into tanks.

DR is ALL DR/-. No much hunting for odd DR types, having to lug around golf bags of different weapon types, or just bypassing it all with great magic weapon. DR/magic critters rejoice!

62
The PBMC Metacompendium / Damage Cap
« on: March 22, 2018, 07:26:26 PM »
10*ECL of attacker per instance.

Mundane instances separate weapon damage (plus enhancements) and str bonus (and all other modifiers like SA, etc.)

For instance if you have a level 1 rogue sneak attacking with a masterwork d12 weapon and a str of 30 deals (1d12+1)+(10+1d6) = 13 to 28 -> (2 to 10) + (10 to 10)= 12 to 20

A spell count counts as one instance even if it has multiple rolls. Hence there is little reason to maximize rather than empower a CL20 disintegrate.

Thus a level 10 caster is only going to deal 100 damage/spell and a fighter 20 is only going to deal 200damage/iterative.

63
The PBMC Metacompendium / A Finite Cosmology
« on: March 22, 2018, 07:22:56 PM »
The Faerun and Ebberon cosmologies do not work with standard D&D cosmology. If they don't want to play nicely with the rest of D&D, we don't have to play nicely

with them. They are all ignored as if the material was never printed. The same goes with their "gods" (see complete iconoclasm for why they too can be ignored).

Anyone able to homogenize them with standard D&D is welcome to PM me.

"In the Myriad Planes cosmology, every plane is finite." [MotP214] Nothing about the Planes are actually infinite in any direction: its just too large for people to

count easily. The RAW is purposely vague about anything being infinite because the truth is nothing in the planes actually is. In fact, most of it is quiet small.

Consider carcari with little planets: "and its possible that the number of orblike planets on each layers is infinite." That wiggle room is always there

somewhere in any geograpic discussion. So much so its rather fishy. Despite 10k years worth of history, knowledge of the planes is actually rather limited. There

have been no formal surveys of it for instance largely due to several factors:

A) It's extremely dangerous. Anyone with the power to do so comfortably often has higher concerns than what might be seen as simple maps. Those who would see it as

worth while often can't.
B) It's very resource intensive. It requires a large amount of high level magic and a very large amount of time.
C) People give up. Even knowledge-hoarding liches get bored of probing yet another direction on what they think could be an infinite area.
D) People think it's hopeless. Oddly, since no one has gone all 13th floor and found the limits of an expectedly infinite plane, layers with large enough size are

assumed to not be fully explorable.

Q) Why do you keep talking about planes as finite when I see the word "infinite" all the time in various books?
A) Because D&D uses a lot of ancient measuring schemes. In the ancient world the idea of the infinite was simply that which was too big to count. It was unusualy

for numbering systems to go above a thousand and certainly not much above a million. This is reflected today in the million/billion nomenclature divide. So when the

materials say 'infinite' what they are really saying is 'too big for us to list here.' Obviously that's wildly different. So how big is too big to count? We'll

assume its about the same amount for all planar layers that are called 'infinite.' The reason is that people tend to give up count at around the same scale. Let's

take a random, but well-known example.
    In the layers of the Abyss ("thought to be infinite" [FCIp112] "Conventional wisdom places the number of layers of the Abyss at 666" [MotP99]), the River

Styx flows into various lower planes. "Travel from one Lower Plane to another takes 1d20 hours." [FCIp111] The variable time is because sometimes the river fights

your progress and sometimes it doesn't. This is using traditional sailboating methods. The world record sailboat record is 75MpH, and in 20 hours you could travel

roughly the smaller length of australia. Thus, the length between these "infinite" planes is at most that of a small continent. Generally the space in between

places is far greater than the space at them, but even assuming a near homogenous mix of equal distances in these categories, the lower planes are at most about

continent in size. I picked the lower planes because they are collectively the "biggest". The non-abyss layers are only about 7.7% of the total outer planes. All

the other outer plane layers are all in the plane of the abyss.
    Australia only covers 1.5% (or a 66th) of the planet. So the non-abyss outer planes would take up an earth's worth of surface if they were all called

infinite
(two if you include the spaces between them). You've got another 12 for the abyss (22 with the spaces between them), again at a maximum of all of them

being too spacious to count.
    Speaking of planets let's compare this to the prime. If you go by the "must be fleshed out" rule of requiring places to be specifically named and detailed

rather than just casually mentioned, there are maybe going to be a dozen systems/planets even if you include every officially detailed campaign setting as a

separate planet. Assuming earth-sized planets, this puts the area of interest for the prime at about equal to that of the planes. Finally the prime seems to be

special for an objective reason.

For reference the outer planes are as follows:
          LG (Celestia)
    (Arcadia) /  \ (Bytopia)
      (Mechanus) LN   NG (Elysium)
       (Acheron) /   \ (Beastlands)
(The Nine Hells)LE  Ou   CG (Arborea)
   (Gehenna)\   / (Ysgard)
     (Hades) NE  CN (Limbo)
    (Carceri) \  / (Pandemonium)
          CE (Abyss)

64
The PBMC Metacompendium / Calculating & Comparing Racial ECL
« on: March 22, 2018, 07:08:58 PM »
I wondered if anyone had any schemes to independently calculate (presumably with a point system) what a race's LA should be. I have an example system based off the worth of a feat.

By looking at similar features of LA+0 races and assigning points you could get a point range for an LA0, LA1, LA2 race, etc without relying on CR or the listed LA.

The System:

Lets make a 10 deep point-buy system for an LA. So 1-10 points -> LA+0 (because lets face it ECL0 races still give benefits), 11-20 ->LA+1, 21-30-> LA+2, etc.

The points are evaluated as follows:
1 point = a set feat that is dead except maybe as prereqs. Examples are dodge or toughness
2 points = a unique feat. Perhaps it achieves a strange effect. Or perhaps it just plain rocks. Examples would be Otherworldly or Nymph's kiss.
3 points = a chosable feat. Because this way you get to customize any of those feats you feel you need.


Some examples with PHB races:
-Human-

0: Medium
0: 30'
2.5: ANY feat at FIRST LEVEL!
2: +4/+1 skill points like that 1 exalted feat but with no alignment restrictions
2: any favored class like that 1 races of destiny feat
.5: any languages (int high humans can be polyglots easily, especially if your DM is wary of telepathy because of mindsight)
.5: human subtype (for prestiges and feats, etc)
==========
8 -> LA+0



-Dwarf-

1.5:+2Con, -2Cha (+2 without -2cha; I'd rather have a feat, but not all the time)
1:same speed medium or heavy load (unique tooth ability, +2 without only 20' movement)
.5:60' darkvision (everyone and his mother has this, except its not useful like flight)
1:stonecunning is uber trapfinding (the intuiting and no need to active search are cool) and +2search
1: no need for exotic weapon feat for 2 weapons
1: stability
1: +2saves for poison and spells and SLAs
.5: +1attack orcs and goblins (depending on campaign)
1: uber dodge feat but only on giants
1: +2 appraise and craft on stone or metal
0: language list (its pretty normal)
0: favored fighter is as normal as it gets
.5: dwarf subtype (lots of PrC's and items, etc)
==========
10 -> LA+0 [this makes sense since some maintain that dwarves are on the LA+0 and LA+1 fence]



Now for a humanish example with LA and racial HD.
*centaur*

2:+3natural armor (most of these bonuses DO NOT STACK and 3 is actually kinda low. It feels like str bonuses to me. But oh wait those stack ...)
4:+8str (str is as common as dirt, but 8 is nice to have)
8:+4con&dex (these are worth their weight in gold)
-2:-2int (unfortunately so is this)
1:+2wis (would be 1.5 if this were for a caster like cleric, but that's not a real option for a centuar as we will see)
1:size (being the long type sucks. Stairs are you enemy. The rating would be double this if you were tall not long)
.5:50' move is nice (being over 30 is mostly all you need to outrun most creatures)
.5:60' darkvision (everyone and his mother has this, except its not useful like flight)
0:language selection is small but so is a centaur's int :(
0: favored class is roughly according to fluff (scout would be better IMO)
.5=2 hoof attacks. These are pretty worthless. Especially by the time centaurs are 'supposed to be in play' with a class level at ECL8. I don't even roll the dice (they never hit and the damage isn't worth the hassle)
.5:quadrapedal stature. Even though it doesn't give stability like most others (huh...) it does let you have the 'always mounted' affect for yourself (usually a non-issue) or carry 1 smaller (instead of 2 for humanoids) this only matters for 'iconic' lance-wielding centaurs.
0:monstrous humanoid type. This type is actually really bad since it is hard to qualify for cool templates. But since it gives another good save I'll set this at 0 instead of -1 (see the saves part below)
0: I forgot about the weapon proficiencies. Even commoners can use simple weapons. If you actually use a longsword or longbow you will get it from your class. No these aren't feats.
========
16 without Racial HD which are worse than ANY class level (fighters would be proud)

Without racial HD pulling down your ECL this still outside the 20-30 range for LA+2. But what about those flabby racial HD? How much would it pain us to give them for free?

1.5:a d8 HD is normal. The full casters with this or a d4 really don't need more HP (they are smart enough to not have to melee). The hard-core melee types either succeed because they are a barbarian at a d12 (who doesn't really need much more HP) or fail at life like the monk or ranger. Essentially the people who think "Ooo! I could use that!" aren't competitive anyways. I'll put it at 1.5 because it feels close to toughness (3hp~4.5hp).

.5:2+int is crap. Remember that the int is low but a static low level bonus might have been useful if it weren't for the fact that its only for FOUR pathetic skills and must obey your skill level cap.

.5:a BAB is nice but aside from prereq - which can be circumvented more easily than CL! - they only give a melee bonus (yay...) and the chance at 1 more iterative which is still capped at 4 (shucks). Would you give a feat up for a pre-req useless BAB? Probably not.

.5:reflex save post first level progression. Look above for where the will save went. This part is only the +1 per 2 levels above 1.
=======
3*4=12
+
2:for the 'multiclass' initial good reflex and will saves. This is DIRECTLY comparable to feats.
======
12+2=14

if you get the racial HD for free then we arrive at 16+14=30 -> LA+2 [this also makes sense since Faerun initially had centuars as LA+3]



Now for a dwarf-ish example with both HD and LA:
*Azer*

5:+6nat! now we are talking
2:+2str&wis
6:+2dex&con&int
-.5=-2cha
1:extraplanar (banishment is rare and will probably make you happy, but not needing to eat or sleep is damn cool)
1.5:fire subtype means you need ice immunity or you will get +50% cold damage. But fire immunity is nice.
0:medium
0:30' movement
.5:darkvision
1:martial, light&medium armor, and shield proficiency are nice if you for some reason are missing those in your class.
1:+1 fire damage is a big whoop. But whatever.
2:SR of 13+levels. That 13 is wierd. This doesn't count the LA or the racial HD :(
0:the languages are normal, if elemental and outsider-ish
0:fighter favored class.
2:outsider type (like that otherworldly feat but obviously you can't be another race)
=======
21.5 without racial LA existing.

racial LA:
1.5:a d8 HD
2.5:8+int is great and its for eight mediocre skills.
1.5:save progression after the first racial level.
=======
5.5*2=11
+
.5:a BAB
3:for the 'multiclass' initial good saves
=======
11+3.5=14.5
for a total of 21.5+14.5=36

This one, even with free LA doesn't meet the 40 mark for LA+4.



And now lets try for a giant, but one thats a challenge:
*Ogre Mage*

4:+5nat
7:+10str&4wis
16:+6con&4int&6cha
2:large(tall)
.5:40'
.5:darkvision 60'
.5:lowlight (A touchstone feat actually gives this)
1:martial weapon proficiencies, light armor and shields
2:SR19. That 19 is wierd...
5:change shape to be small to large human or giant. Awesome.
3:40'(good) Su free action flight, also 40'(perfect) while gaseous (neat)
9:regen 5(fire&acid), 1 minute reattachment, 10 head or vital organ window
4:at will darkness&invisibility SLAs (CL9)
5:1/day charm person (DC14), cone of cold(DC18), gaseous form & sleep (DC14) SLAs (CL9)
0:languages
0:favored sorcerer (fits the name!)
=======================
59.5 without racial LA existing.

racial LA:
1.5:per d8 HD
1:2+int is eh for four decent skills.skills.
.5:save progression after the first racial level.
.5:a BAB
=======
3.5*5=17.5
+
1:for the 'multiclass' initial good saves
=======
18.5 for a total of 78 which checks out perfectly


Limits:
(click to show/hide)

65
The PBMC Metacompendium / Base Class Tier Squeezes
« on: March 22, 2018, 07:06:48 PM »
I'm not going to bother any tentative "ranking" as I've already done for the RAW classes. I'm not going to repeat the "Dead Level options". These are in addition to those, which although a boost, don't adjust tier. Much of this is already present in the statted C8 class pages. I'm not going to point out what is repeated, although that and this can both be used together.

Common t3 or t4 adjustments (ranger's animal companion, warlock invocation/EB progression, etc) aren't in the purview here. One exception are the two (usual rogue-like) class stacking series of feats. All feats that require you to trade precision damage [ambush feats, etc] are free if you meet the prereq precision damage via class levels. All class level stacking feats are free if you have class levels in both classes [daring outlaw, etc]


Tier 6 NPCs should stay that way. I don't suggest throwing them at players and expecting them to be balanced, but if you must, try gestalting the t6s. It feels t4 for a dip: highest starting gold, full BAB, good fort & will, d8, 4+int skills, all non-exotic proficiencies, Appraise+Bluff+Climb+Craft+Diplomacy+Disguise+Forgery+Gather Information+Handle Animal+Intimidate+Jump+Knowledges(all)+Listen+Perform+Profession+Ride+Sense Motive+Speak Language+Spot+Survival+Swim+Use Rope. Gestalting the t5s should result in a t4 as well (medium BAB, any additional 10 skills). Adepts are fine already t4.
Truenamer (No Law of Sequence + utterance changes which are mostly duration buffs. The other law can be 15+1*(HD/CR/CL) if desired)

Gestalt Samurai [CW9] (free Imperious Command [DotU50] feat level 6) with old Samurai [OA20] (acenstral Daisho, bonus feats @2,4 & every 3 after, 4+int, climb, iajitsu focus, jump, perform, profession, swim)

Battledancer (good fort, dance of reckless bravery is always on, Remove the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and last sentences of Dancer's Strike, double AC bonus numbers and allow with shields)
Divine Mind with Web Enhancements (double aura range, double pp and powers known)
Eidolon (good fort saves, d10 hd, 4+int skills, move silently skil, bonus feats also include fighter feats but without an effective fighter level)
Healer (gain all spells that heal HP or status effects, gain all healing descriptor spells)
Knight (the code is optional, all knights' challenge abilities are free actions, gain tower shield proficiency, good fort saves, gain spot & listen skills)
Lurk (all lurk augments apply for 1 turn rather than 1 attack, lurk augments are a free action to activate, reach attack = +5' reach)
Mariner (dirty strike doesn't require an action, double back to back bonii & those adjacent gain the ability too, gain search skill)
Monk (proficient with unarmed strikes, flurry as a standard attack, full BAB which boosts flurry, abundant step doesn't cause action loss, Quivering Palm works on anything touched, allow AC buff with shields)
Ninja (full BAB, ki power has full level uses rather than half, evasion at 4 & improved at 12, ghost step+ki dodge+ghost strike are all free actions, ki dodge lasts 1 hour, ghost strike "affects attacks made before the end of her next turn.", add wis mod to the ghost mind DC)
Noble (favor bonii apply to any roll, favor is usable per day rather than per week, remove the last paragraph for Favor, 4 bonus instead of dead levels)
Paladin (spot & listen class skills, tower shield proficiency, no multiclass restriction, aura works while unconscious, turn undead is at full effective cleric level, no 30day wait on dead summon mount, Gain mounts' Paladin level specials while mounted, remove disease is per day rather than per week)
Soulborn (access to all soulmeld class lists, all good saves, spot & listen class skills, heart chakra at 20)
Soulknife (full BAB, creating a mindblade is a non-action that can be used in between iteratives, psychic strike works on mindless or immune to mind-affecting, knife to soul makes the dice damage into mental damage without minimizing the die roll to 1, Multiple Throw allows 3 full attacks if the mind blade is thrown)
Swashbuckler (good will saves, grace & insightful strike have no armor restrictions, insightful strike isn't precision damage, double the numbers for grace & dodge bonus)

*Some People prefer Tier 3 for all PCs. If that's you, here's some small buffs to t4 that bring the lower t4 right around totemist/jester/savant:
Barbarian (rage's +2will saves should be circumstance)
Dragon Shaman (The +5 appraise and Search is unnamed rather than competance, a 1d6 BW at level 2, good reflex saves)
Dragonfire Adept (3/4 BAB, good reflex saves, Dragonkin is unnamed +4diplomacy for all, double the least invocations known. See Warlock below)
Fighter [Dungeon Crasher variant] (feats at non-1 odd levels 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc would make sense but not change much)
Hexblade (4+int skill points, include SU's in arcane resistance)
Marshal (Even aura progressions)
Master (Bonus feats are from any list, all boni are no longer competance boni, -2 from all skill rank prereqs)
Montebank (full BAB, Beguiling stare isn't [M-A], no HD limit on mass beguile either, sudden strike = deceptive strike @level 15, monk capstone instead)
Nightstalker (Spiritual Resistence & Whispers of the dead are unnamed rather than morale/insight, d8 HD)
Rogue (full BAB)
Scout (full BAB, battle fortitude is an unnamed bonus, flawless stride works on magical terrain, 10x distance for blindsense & blindsight so you can scout with it)
Sohei (no -2 on attacks during frenzy, full BAB, 4+int skill points)
Warlock (The fast heal, DR and resistances stack with all others, double the least invocations known since Sorcerers end up with huge numbers of 0th and 1st level spells.)
Warmage (Warmage edge isn't limited to once per casting, advanced learning can add universal spells)



Binder (Zeryll's summon alien is a calling rather than summoning ability but requires you to use the ability again or lose the called creature after BL rounds. You can call as many creatures as you can support in this manner, but a lost called creature lowers the number that you may call by one for the day) [Astoroth's Master Craftsman still requires spells cast normally, unlike warlocks or artificers, so its a specialized Chameleon feat.]

Death Master (prepared caster nerf)
Favored Soul (Split lists)
Mystic (Split lists)
Psion (split lists)Sha'ir (prepared caster nerf),
Shaman (prepared caster nerf)
Sorcerer (Split lists)
Spirit Shaman (split lists)
Wu Jen (prepared caster nerf)
"Erudite" variant Psion (with Spell to Power ACF banned. DMs should make linked power count for a 2 power uses. Split lists is optional.)

Archivist (Prepared caster nerf, split lists)
Artificer (Banned broken infusions, strict WBL, no XP as a river)
Cleric (Prepared caster nerf, split lists)
Druid (Prepared caster nerf, split lists)
Wizard (Prepared caster nerf, split lists)

66
The PBMC Metacompendium / Action Points are Banned
« on: March 22, 2018, 06:25:04 PM »
References to them are ignored.

67
The PBMC Metacompendium / Voidmind Savage Progression
« on: March 22, 2018, 06:23:42 PM »
Voidmind Savage Progression Level 1:
-1,-2   Mind-Flayer Hosts (Su)
-3   Cha-2
-2,-1   Con+4
0   Nat +2
1   Sentient Tentacle (Ex) from inside head
2   Immunity to Ability Drain
3   Spell Resistance 10+HD
4   Combat Reflexes feat
5   Greater Fortitude feat
6   Alertness

Voidmind Savage Progression Level 2:
1,2   Str+4
3   Nat +2
4   1d6 Tentacle attack @+5 reach
5   Immunity to Energy Drain
6   Immunity to Ability Damage
7   +4Bluff, Escape Artist, & intimidate

Voidmind Savage Progression Level 3:
1,2   Int+2, Dex+2
3   Improved Grab (Ex) with tentacle
4   1d6 constrict with tentacle
5   Cone of Slime (Su) 1/day 30' Refl DC=.5HD+con HDd6 & Fort or -2Will & stunned 1d4+1
6   Immunity to Acid
7   Immunity to mind-affects
8   DR5/magic (Ex)

68
Quote from: Savage Species page 115
Templates often apply to monsters that cannot, or should not, be characters (for instance, because their Intelligence is too low). Level adjustments for such templates only apply if the resulting templated monster can be a character. In cases when a template makes an otherwise unplayable creature into a viable character (such as the incarnate construct template), this book gives level adjustments for the templated version of the creature.

"Savage Species also contains an entire chapter on estimating LA. And while the designated outcome (such as paragon = 12) is houserules, the required usage of them to define unspecified values for Players wanting to use them is not."

This means you have to use their guidelines for missing LA templates, and any variant assigning of LA (which a DM can say no to) must conform to those rules to be legal.

69
The PBMC Metacompendium / Kaorti Thrall
« on: March 22, 2018, 06:20:10 PM »
"A victim transformed into a kaorti thrall gains the fiendish creature template, except that instead of
gaining the smite good special attack, it gains the ability to cast true strike on itself once per day." [FF109]

The Fiendish creature savage progression looks like:
(click to show/hide)

That would mean that the 2% of sentient Kaorti Thralls would have a savage progression like this:
Quote
1st LA: type change, extraplanar subtype, Darkvision 60 ft., minimum Intelligence, resistances (cold 5, fire 5), true strike 1/day

2nd LA: Spell resistance, Resistances (cold 10, fire 10), Damage reduction 5/magic -> Damage reduction 10/magic

The point of this thread is to see what a regular kaorti would have for its savage progression if we fill in the blanks with its similar abilities. Unfortunately the Fiendish template is pretty much the weakest, most laughable LA+2 template in existence, so we should expect a few more abilities for a normally powered template. The main problem is adjudicating whether an ability should go in the first LA or the second.

The legend is as follows: Red are penalties, [Groupings are in brackets], italicized is basically worthless, blue are benefits that take up one known slot (mentioned earlier), and green are flexible benefits. I would appreciate feedback on the green, though there isn't much room for change without A) assigning higher level abilities before lower level ones or B) making the LA more uneven / non-symetrical. Enjoy:

Quote
1st LA: Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar), 1d6 bite, [Vile Transformation, Material Vulnerability,] Intelligence +4, [Strength -4, Dexterity +4,] Natural Armor +2, SLAs 1/day (Reduce Person, Spider Climb), EWP (Ribbon Weapon)

2nd LA: Poison Immunity, Heal +8, Charisma +6, SLAs 1/day (Color Spray, Ray of Enfeeblement, Alter Self, Fireball)

A few loose ends:
(click to show/hide)

70
The PBMC Metacompendium / Shadowcaster
« on: March 22, 2018, 06:15:43 PM »
1) Charisma determines the DC to save against your mysteries. Intelligence determines the highest level mystery you can cast.

2) Grant bonus mysteries per day based on Charisma. These would work just like bonus spells. For instance, if your Cha is 14, you can cast one extra mystery of 1st-level equivalent and one of 2nd-level equivalent per day. (Note that each mystery does give an equivalent level, even though you don't learn them by level.)

3) Eliminate the rule that says you have to take mysteries in a given Path in order. If you want to jump around, so as to broaden your versatility, you can.

4) Within a category—Apprentice, Initiate, Master—you must have at least two mysteries of any given level before you can take any mysteries of the next higher level. For instance, you must have two 1st-level mysteries before you can take any 2nds, and at least two 2nds before you can take any 3rds.

5) Eliminate the rule that says you get a bonus feat equal to half the number of paths you have access to. Instead, you get a bonus feat equal to the total number of Paths you complete. Thus, while you are no longer required to take the entirety of a given Path, there's still encouragement to do so.

6) You may “swap out” mysteries, just as a sorcerer does spells known. If you “un-complete” a Path in this way, however, you lose access to the bonus feat you gained from completing that Path. (You can regain access by re-completing the Path, completing a different Path and choosing that feat as your new bonus, or selecting that feat as a normal feat at your next opportunity.)

7) Once your Apprentice Mysteries become supernatural abilities, change the save DC from 10 + equivalent spell level + Cha to 10 + 1/2 caster level + Cha. This makes them useful even against high-HD opponents, and follows the pattern for other supernatural abilities.

71
The PBMC Metacompendium / Invisible Blade
« on: March 22, 2018, 06:15:13 PM »
Invisible Blade

"I just posted this explanation in another thread, but I thought it might be better served here, as per the title of this thread.

The 5-level invisible blade that first appeared in Dragon (and then recently in The Complete Warrior) was edited down from my original 10-level progression. The abilities and text are the same, but there were some additional dagger throwing abilities built into the prestige class (to round it out).

The editors at Dragon had asked me to change the invisible blade prerequisites to reflect their ranged-based abilities, but when they later changed the invisible blade into a 5-level prestige class (and removed the dagger throwing abilities), they likely forgot to change the prerequisites as well.

To use the printed version of the invisible blade as is, simply change the prerequisites feats to:

Weapon Focus (dagger, kukri, or punching dagger) and Weapon Finesse.

I hope that helps." - Sonofapreacherman

72
The PBMC Metacompendium / Hexblade
« on: March 22, 2018, 06:14:33 PM »
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19547530/Contacting_Wizards_of_the_Coast_about_Hex_Blades&post_num=11?no_redir=1#332210466

Good Fort saves
Curse ability usable an extra Cha mod/day
Failed Curses not counting as used if the target makes the save
Ability to cast in light or medium armor and while carrying a light shield or buckler
At 6th level, the hexblade can cast one hexblade spell per day as a swift action, as long as its original casting time is a standard action or faster. He gains an additional use of this power at levels 8, 11, 14, and 18.

73
The PBMC Metacompendium / Aberrant Paragon
« on: March 22, 2018, 06:14:02 PM »
Keith Baker posted in the Piazo boards that the HD is d8.

74
The PBMC Metacompendium / Epic Spells Pre-Epic
« on: March 22, 2018, 06:12:35 PM »
0a. 10th level and up spell slots granted via the Improved Spell Capacity feat aren't epic spell casting per se
0b. The Epic Spellcasting feat allows you to "develop and cast epic spells" but, for now, to keep the discussion simple, let's assume the feat wasn't necessary and that no epic feats existed. We can tackle the feats later. We're just talking about epic casting itself right now.

1. You can "cast epic spells [...] a number of open epic spell slots per day equal to one-tenth his or her ranks in the Knowledge skill appropriate to the spell and the caster’s class." They are Knowledge (aracana), Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (nature). The above feat mentions that these stack, but DMs are likely to require fully progressed multiclassing before the second knowledge skill gives additional slots. Normally that would be hard for a Wizard 17 / x 3 character, although specialized builds like an ur-priest / blighter could manage 4 rather than 2 slots. If you want to be rule-lawyery to gain the 5th and 6th slots, remember that by throwing out (or giving for free) the epic spellcasting feat, a monk could also gain epic spells.

2. "Metamagic feats and other epic feats that manipulate normal spells cannot be used with epic spells." If epic feats can't even modify epic casting, regular feats surely can't. You'll notice the x2 for extending spells rather than being able to apply a wimpy extend spell feat to a powerful epic spell. Suddenly all of your old, high level casting tricks don't work anymore. It reminds me of people glossing over the fact that artificers aren't spellcasters. A lot of the power actually comes from those old patterns that don't just work now.

3a. Custom Epic spells should have no "guesswork and rules stretching" and should always have the "worst of all worlds" rather than the caster just choosing whatever is best. This means that all epic spells, rather than just some, have all the spell schools associated with the seeds.
3b. The Range, Targets, Area, and Effects lines all chose the worst value, additively. Nothing is stopping you from changing the target and area line before combining each seed so that they still make sense. It just costs more spellcraft.
3c. Similar to SR, saving throws are all added separately, allowing multiple instances of one save or even many instances of multiple different saves.
3d. Seeds still require a save if it deals damage, in addition to requiring a successful attack roll.
3e. Touch or ranged attack seeds still require an attack roll if it deals damage as a targeted seed, in addition to requiring a saving throw.

4. There is no recording of epic spells. You will always pay to learn/develop both existing and custom epic spells.

5. There is no additional participant mitigating factor. You can't chain gate solars for circle magic on crack.

6. Dirty-trick fix the seeds: the Armor, Conjure, Fortify, Reflect, Summon, Transfer, and Ward seeds have certain effects removed (see below). This is either to prevent TO things like loops, or because they replicate an effect already banned in any serious, balanced game. Specially they are, in order,:

Item Alteration [ECS113],
"attack of the clones,"
item alteration again and rules consistency,
pure balance so your monk ally doesn't feel even more useless when you say to the DM "I don't need delay death, I'm just immune to all attacks,"
no summoning Asmodeus,
no becoming Asmodeus,
and similar to the immunity to attacks but also with a "no coming near and no save."

The Epic spell factors you will want:

+20DC for a 1-action casting time on in-combat spells.
+25DC Contingent on specific trigger.
+4DC No verbal or somatic component for in-combat spells.
+2DC Increase duration by 100% for buffs.
+2DC Range Increase range by 100%
+10DC Change from target to area (pick area option below)
+4DC Change from touch or ranged touch attack to target
+2DC Increase spell’s saving throw DC by +1
+2DC Gain +1 bonus on caster level check to overcome target’s spell resistance
+2DC Gain +1 on caster level check to beat foe’s dispel effect
+10DC Increase damage die by one step (d20 maximum)

Custom mitigation factors that are worth it:
Code: [Select]
Everyone is going to select +20DC on in-combat custom epic spells since feats & MM don't apply to epic spells.
Everyone is going to select +10min casting time for -20 DC on buffs
Everyone is going to select 2*HD d6 backlash for -2*HD DC on instantaneous spells. Share pain/vigor is assumed.

Quick Notes on the Seeds:

I'm ignoring effects that require 200+ spellcraft checks. See costs below for why.

Afflict = [M-A] lame bestow curse

Animate = Objects

Animate Dead = 20+3HD/+2DC allows ghosts, vampires, etc

Armor = 24hr 4+1armor/+2DC or +1defl,divine,insight/+10DC. ALLOW ONLY defl, divine, or insight. NOTHING ELSE

Banish = DC27 will, SR, 75' 14+2HD/+DC. Non-outsiders +20DC

Compel = [M-A] 20hr suggestion

Conceal = 3hr greater invis except CL check to see if true seeing works.

Conjure = major creation. REMOVE NEW CREATURE CREATION OPTION

contact = telepathic bond or sending

Delude = 12,000' range full illusion. Programmable, etc

Destroy = 12,000' range disintegrate. Fort save for half damage

Dispel = 300' DC19+dispel boni. Uses d20+10+ 1/+DC vs DC11+CL. Dispels anything or supresses for 1d4 rounds

Energy = energy damage

Forsee = CoP @90%

Fortify = DC47,DC215 (23+4*6)x5-20 permanent +5inh to stat, save, nat or DC115 for permanent SR25 or DC32+2x for 1+x DR/epic. ALLOW ONLY enhancement & inherent BONI. DO NOT ALLOW BONI TO STATS YOU DON'T HAVE

Heal = 100% hp heal+restoration or fort or 1d4hp currently via negative/positive energy

Life = ressurection or awaken anmial/plant

Reflect = spell turning (linkens' sphere). REMOVE THE MELEE AND RANGED ATTACK REFLECTION OPTIONS.

Reveal = scrying w/ true seeing

Slay = [Death] fort for 23-38damage or enervation +4DC / +d4 negative levels

Summon = 20round gate w/o dominate. REMOVE THE INDIVIDUALS OPTION

Transform = permanent metamorph w/ gas&incorp. REMOVE THE INDIVIDUALS OPTION

Transport = teleport+plane shift or time stop

Ward = 24hr 18+2*x DC 5+x DR or an energy res or a spell immunity. REMOVE THE HEDGING AND NULLIFY OPTIONS

On specific spells and seeds:

Not that it matters, but I can't see Time Duplicate being usable due to time paradoxes: cast the spell, and then quicken kill yourself. Did the spell text lie? Did you just break the game and the metagame simultaneously?

Animate dead can get you ANY type of undead. It RAW forces x kind of undead to appear before you. Although its not exceedingly powerful, I can't think of any other effect that does this. Therefore it's balanced and could be useful.
Dispel = 300' d20 (+any other dispel boni) to see if its less than CL. Can 1d4 supress ANYTHING. Free @11min
Armor = 48hr +6armor for free 11 minute cast
Ward = 48hr DR5 for free 11 minute cast

Costs:

Ironically the above seeds should be used without any other seeds that would make the spellcraft checks higher. If you take a DC20 epic spell with a -20DC modifier, you can learn the spells for free. Spending any more is a waste. Otherwise you would spend 9,000gp of per extra spellcraft DC. That quickly adds up, especially when you remember that the archetypal full caster has invested in some serious crafting reductions in order to stretch his WBL. But since none of your tricks work on epic spellcasting, you have to shell out the gold the old fashion way. Remember that with lazy amounts of crafting modifiers, your WBL is about 10x the number listed on the DMG. So without those, the epic development costs basically have a 10x price tag on them. A +1DC isn't comparable to a 90k non-epic item.

Basically unless you have huge piles of gold laying around, which you shouldn't if you are using your WBL wisely, it seems to me that you are better off putting those resources into non-epic areas where you will get higher return on investment. I am interested to see if someone pulls together a custom spell with the above restrictions that's worth spending a third of your ECL20 WBL on.

75
The PBMC Metacompendium / PrCs in C8
« on: March 22, 2018, 05:29:05 PM »
All class levels progress at 2.5x (as normal in C8) rate except casting and manifesting progressions.

PrC levels that do not advance casting follow the 2.5 rule.
Unlike Base classes, this can allow PrCs to bunch up when their is no advanced progressions.
As usual, those that do progress casting follow a x1 progression.
If this makes certain class features unaccessible, you have to use legacy champion (which is itself now not squished) to get up to those levels.

Example 1: Carn the mundane decides to take Exotic Weapon Master. He takes the first level which gives all class features of the non-squished progression at once.
Example 2: Brie the wizard takes Initiate of the Seven Fold Veil. Its full casting progression does not squeeze down any and therefore the class feature progression is unchanged.
Example 3: Candy the sorcerer takes Acolyte of the Skin its 50% casting progression squeezes down until it bumps into other caster-progressing levels. This makes the PrC 5 levels deep.
Example 4: Bob the bard goes into sublime chord. But since it grants a casting progression, it is full length.
Example 5: Cully the cleric vampire takes the Lifedrinker PrC. Since it doesn't advance his casting, it is only a 4 level PrC. Cully is very happy the PrC abilities "bunch up" despite never having a dead level.

Metagame: This encourages casters to lose out on caster levels for the more flavorful PrCs. Now those wizards don't just shrug and say, take Master Specialist because its there and full casting.
Non-progressioned base class abilities for casters do get squished, though. This again encourages casters to single class more.
Mundane's progressions can be gained all at once at its initial level if it isn't correctly divisible and it isn't the class's main progression. See the first as an example.

76
The PBMC Metacompendium / C8 (8 level Chassis)
« on: March 22, 2018, 05:27:19 PM »
This E6. Now imagine classes have their abilities get compressed from 20 to 8 levels. Spellcasting doesn't get compressed (this makes bards literally 3/4 casters rather than 2/3). Level-based feats have level-triggered effects and prereqs cut by 2.5 so they are easier to qualify for and more powerful. Therefore bloodline psuedo levels are after class levels 1, 2, and 4.

Base class abilities do not "bunch up" at the beginning; they are already front-loaded. Instead only the non-full, later (often dead) levels roll down to the lower levels.

Non-Spells/power ability progressions can progress at a maximum of one "bump" per level. This may leave certain C8 classes with a slightly weaker "main ability" at level 8 than a non C8, ECL 20, single-classed build.

Mundane classes with an (Ex) ability concerning mundane acts may strip that restriction from that one ability in order to make it "work." For instance monks with shields, or barbarians that want to have stacking (non-enhancement bonus) fast movement with haste. See your DM about such a change. Common requests include: "I'll never use an action to activate this ability. Can it be a free action so I'll actually use my class feature?"

Bad Saves are 1/2 rather than 1/3 and good saves give the initial progression at every level. This reduces the need to multiclass in order to maintain high saves.

All non-tier 1 classes recieve one bump in either their skill points or HD. We are remedying the fact that classes are actually a small source of power for these statistics over buffs, items, templates and races (in contrast to what WotC expected). It is still doable for a psion to have more HP than an equally optimized raging barbarian, its just not as likely.

"Bumps" in the saves, BAB, skill points, and HD stats may be transferable as suits flavor. Each bump in skill points adds two flavorful class skills. Lower tier classes may substitute one unflavorful class skill for a flavorful one and may conglomerate a flavorful sub-skill.

These few C8 changes can still be used in an ECL20 game to make class ability-driven mundanes more competitive with full casters. Both casters and mundanes will PrC/multi-class into other classes anyway, so it isn't really that imbalancing. After all the HP, skillpoints, iterations (BAB) and saves for a C8 goblin Fighter8/Monk8/Rogue4 with bad score rolls is about equal to a Fighter 20 // Monk 20 // Rogue 10 with an optimized race and good rolls. Both generic builds are probably still tier 4. Such a PC could still be adventuring with a t1 Wizard master specialist archmage or a t2 Anarchic Initiate Psion or a t3 Bard Sublime chord or ... And that's just assuming other straight class 'lazy' builds. This isn't even counting the big guns like t1+ Druid Planar shepard or t0 Ur-Priest or (TO) tainted sorcerer or ...

(click to show/hide)

77
The PBMC Metacompendium / Skill quickstep
« on: March 22, 2018, 05:14:19 PM »
Add a small "check" to the max skill point determination so that if your temporary HD go away, the old skillpoint max is no re-enforced and feats - whether they have been turned into something else by psychic reformation or not - also disappear.

78
The PBMC Metacompendium / Save Crystals
« on: March 22, 2018, 05:13:44 PM »
MoE104-105.

The operative sentence is "When this effect is used, everyone and everything is reset to the state they were in at when the subject's turn began." and "The only exception to this is that any power points spent to manifest forced dream are not recovered."

This seems to mean that the target and all other creates will not remember the use of the restart, except to count the loss of PP. This seems to mean that unless the manifestor is willing to A) write out a list of exactly what actions are going to be taken [perhaps to the point there is no real room for improvisation] and B) stick to that list without deviation [because on the same try, the same choices would be made], this power is not useful...

Unless the player metagames worse than taking the DM's notes and monster entries. After all with trial and error while metagaming to allow a PC to remember these things, both of those are achievable.

79
The PBMC Metacompendium / Regen slash X with X immunity
« on: March 22, 2018, 05:13:14 PM »
Said immunity still converts to nonlethal damage.

If immune to nonlethal damage, it still accrues a number which can get too high.

80
The PBMC Metacompendium / Proficiencies
« on: March 22, 2018, 05:11:09 PM »
do not count as feats. This prevents feat-trading things from inflating huge numbers of feats.

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