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Topics - Bauglir

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1
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Plot Armor
« on: August 22, 2013, 01:26:09 PM »
So, I figure that if you're using D&D as a storytelling engine more than a combat engine, there's a good chance you want your character's deaths (if any) to be dramatic and special. This variant rule is meant to give you a way to do that, but it does come with a couple of caveats. Removing death as a necessary consequence for failure means that, as the DM, you need to up the stakes for the party - losing the battle needs to have plot-significant consequences, in each and every battle you run. It's also likely that you'll want to up the difficulty of your encounters, especially critical ones, in order to give players a reason to risk death, and to provide an environment where the significant bonuses from doing so aren't overpowering.

This rule assumes you're also using action points, because they serve a similar purpose.

Plot Armor

Every creature with action points also has plot armor. Plot armor means that a character does not die, even when reduced to the usual number of hit points that would result in death or when a spell or effect would cause instant death. A character with plot armor doesn't need to make a saving throw to avoid death by massive damage. A character with plot armor is still rendered unconscious as normal, and even a character with a feat such as Diehard, or who otherwise can avoid being rendered unconscious or otherwise disabled at negative hit points, is still unconscious when their hit points are reduced so far that they would die without this rule. A creature that is normally destroyed at 0 hit points, such as an undead or construct, is inert instead (see the Living Construct subtype). A creature that would be instantly slain by some effect instead loses exactly enough hit points to be rendered unconscious.

In any case, a creature with plot armor can continue to accrue damage while unconscious, and can also benefit from healing abilities. Such a creature also benefits from its natural healing, if any, just as normal. A creature with plot armor can only be slain by a coup de grace, which functions as normal, except that the saving throw DC is instead equal to 20 + the CR of the creature or object delivering the attack, and the damage from the attack still can't kill the plot-armored creature.

A creature with plot armor can elect to be at risk of death as a free action during its turn. Doing so requires the expenditure of 3 action points. Whenever a creature that is at risk rolls a d20, it instead rolls 2d20 and chooses the best result. If the creature would already roll multiple d20s and choose a result, increase the final result by 1d6 rather than roll extra d20s in this way. This increase stacks with the bonus provided by expenditure of action points. Furthermore, whenever a creature that's at risk spends an action point to improve a die roll, the number of dice rolled to determine the increase is increased by 1 (so a 1st level creature would roll 2d6, an 8th level character 3d6, and so on). In exchange for these benefits, the creature gets none of the protections normally afforded by plot armor.

A creature that is at risk regains its plot armor after 1 minute, but can extend the duration by spending 3 more action points at the moment its plot armor would return. It must be at risk for the entire duration of an action in order to benefit from being at risk during that action. This means that, for instance, a skill check taking an hour couldn't benefit from being at risk unless the character spent 180 action points (3 for each minute in the check).

2
Gaming Advice / Gauging Interest: The Desktop RPG
« on: July 20, 2013, 03:52:40 PM »
So, I've been working on a game for a while, and somebody pointed out that I should really make some effort to gauge interest in the concept before I continue plowing ahead. If nobody actually wants to play it, it might well be a dead end. Also, you guys seem like a pretty good fit for my target audience, so why not use you as a vaguely representative sample.

This would be an original RPG system that's specifically designed for online play, rather than tabletop play. Currently, options for this are limited to using programs that allow you to play existing tabletop games. As far as I know, there is no game that's intentionally built to use this medium. The webcomic presents a good analogy, in that you certainly can just imitate the original medium and still produce great content, but there's a lot of creative space that can be explored if you're willing.

Is this a viable niche? That's basically what I'm asking. I'm hoping I'm not just overenthusiastic over the whole thing.

3
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Low-Magic - Gateway Feats
« on: April 02, 2013, 06:09:28 PM »
Low-Magic settings often don't convey the intention of that setting choice, because players can play magic-using classes just as well as always. In fact, such a setting typically makes casters even more powerful by robbing everyone else of the magic items they need to keep up. What I'm attempting to do here is create a whitelist of base classes that players can enter by default, all of which are nonmagical. Then, they may take a feat to gain access to additional classes, which have magical powers as parts of their defining features. Full casters are forbidden entirely. While the wealth issue needs to be dealt with separately, through a different thread, instituting these gateway feats provides an incentive not to enter the classes unless they're critical to a character concept. Assigning meaningful benefits to these feats, on the other hand, prevents them from being entirely punitive.

I've divided the classes in question into 3 different "traditions" of spellcasting, based on the fluff associated with the source of magical power. Hopefully, nobody will sue me for the feat names.

The class whitelist is: Barbarian, Bard, Fighter*, Rogue, Knight, Marshal, Scout, Swashbuckler, Crusader, Warblade, Warlord.

Esper Heritage
Your supernatural ancestry has granted you a connection to magical energies that few mortals can hope to grasp.
Benefit: Once per encounter, you may exert your command over magical power, reinforcing your spells. If you do, you can choose to reroll a failed caster level check or force another creature to reroll a caster level check whose DC is determined by your own caster level. You make this choice once you know the result of the check. The results of the second roll stand, regardless of which is better. You do not need line of effect or line of sight to the other creature if you choose that option, but you do need some way of knowing that the check is being made.
Special: A character with this feat has additional choices for his or her class levels. A character with this feat has access to the following classes: Bard**, Duskblade, Factotum, Hexblade, Paladin*, Ranger*, and Spellthief. A player can choose from these classes at 1st level, as long as this feat is also chosen at 1st level.

Lore of the Magi
Your ancestors mastered the power of magic with the help of fallen magical beings, and their teachings have been passed down to you over the generations.
Benefit: You know secret traditions of healing and support that allow you to blend additional healing power into your abilities. Once per encounter, when you use a spell-like or supernatural ability or a psionic power that targets a single creature (including one that targets you), you may choose to end one of the following conditions affecting the target: blinded, confused, dazed, dazzled, deafened, exhausted, fatigued, nauseated, sickened, or stunned. You can't end a condition with an instantaneous or permanent duration, such as blindness a creature was born with.
Special: A character with this feat has additional choices for his or her class levels: Divine Mind, Incarnate, Lurk, Monk***, Psychic Rogue, Psychic Warrior, Samurai, Soulborn, Soulknife, and Totemist. A player can choose from these classes at 1st level, as long as this feat is also chosen at 1st level.

Magitek Infusion
You have been gifted with the power of magic through an experimental procedure that imbued you with the life essence of a supernatural being.
Benefit: The magical power that runs through your blood is now a part of you, tied permanently to your own spirit. Once per encounter, when you use a spell-like ability or supernatural ability, you may heal a number of hit points equal to your character level as a free action, drawing on this magical energy to restore your body.
Special: A character with this feat has additional choices for his or her class levels: Advaitan, Anchorite, Dragonfire Adept, Dragon Shaman, Gambler, Ninja, Spellshape Champion, Spellshot Marksman, Swordsage, and Warlock. A player can choose from these classes at 1st level, as long as this feat is also chosen at 1st level.

*Use only the Pathfinder rules for the base class itself. 3.5 feats, spells, and so on, apply wherever possible. Options such as archetypes that are presented in Pathfinder are not allowed, but 3.5 ACFs and similar rules are. Rangers do not need to choose subtypes for their favored enemies.
**Use only one particular type of Bard class for a given character.
***Use only the base class. Other options presented in this post are not available, but standard 3.5 ACFs and similar rules are.

4
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / [3.5] Soulknife Revision
« on: April 02, 2013, 05:42:49 PM »
Reposting from the old boards, because I want to use it in a campaign and I don't want it to go up in a puff of smoke if the old boards do.

The Soulknife

A soulknife is... well, go read the Expanded Psionics Handbook. They got the fluff right, if I recall, at any rate. You're a person who can make a sword out of your mind and beat the everliving crap out of your foes with nothing more than your willpower made manifest. That's about it.

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: The soulknife’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4+Int Modifier)x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4+Int Modifier

   BAB  Fort    Ref    Will  Abilities
1   +1    +0     +2     +2    Mind blade, Mind blade prowess
2   +2    +0     +3     +3    Hidden talent, Evasion
3   +3    +1     +3     +3    Psychic strike +1d8
4   +4    +1     +4     +4    Bonus feat
5   +5    +1     +4     +4    Free draw, Mental cloak
6   +6    +2     +5     +5    Mind blade modification
7   +7    +2     +5     +5    Psychic strike +2d8
8   +8    +2     +6     +6    Bonus feat
9   +9    +3     +6     +6    Bladewind
10  +10   +3     +7     +7    Improved Evasion
11  +11   +3     +7     +7    Psychic strike +3d8
12  +12   +4     +8     +8    Bonus Feat
13  +13   +4     +8     +8    Knife to the Soul
14  +14   +4     +9     +9    Mental blind
15  +15   +5     +9     +9    Psychic strike +4d8
16  +16   +5     +10    +10   Bonus feat
17  +17   +5     +10    +10   Telekinetic dampening
18  +18   +6     +11    +11   Mental suppression
19  +19   +6     +11    +11   Psychic strike +5d8
20  +20   +6     +12    +12   Bonus feat, Unyielding will


Class Features
All the following are class features of the soulknife.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Soulknives are proficient with all simple weapons, martial weapons, and with light and medium armor and shields (except tower shields).
Mind Blade (Su): Each soulknife has the ability to coalesce a weapon from the substance of his mind alone. As a move action, a soulknife can create his mind blade. At 1st level, he chooses a single weapon with which he is proficient to be the form his mind blade takes. His mind blade is identical to that weapon in all ways, except that it is visually different, weightless, and has other properties described in this entry. At each odd level thereafter, he can choose to change his mind blade to a different weapon with which he is proficient if he so desires, but otherwise his mind blade always manifests as the same weapon. When a soulknife chooses which weapon to use, he also chooses its size, taking any appropriate penalties for improperly sized weapons if applicable. The wielder of a mind blade gains the usual benefits to his attack roll and damage roll from a high Strength bonus.
The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a soulknife can simply create another with his next move action. The moment he relinquishes his grip on his blade, it dissipates unless he intends to throw it, in which case the weapon lasts just long enough before discorporating harmlessly (regardless of the result of the attack roll) for the attack to be made before reappearing the soulknife’s hand, allowing him to make as many attacks as his base attack bonus would entitle him to with a thrown mind blade. A thrown mind blade has a range increment equal to that of the normal weapon plus 5 feet, is never considered an improvised thrown weapon, and a soulknife can make use of his Psychic Strike or Knife to the Soul abilities in conjunction with a throw. A mind blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
A soulknife can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the mind blade just as if it were a normal weapon. He can also choose mind blade for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Weapon Specialization, in which case these feats apply to his mind blade no matter what form it takes. Powers or spells that target or otherwise apply to weapons can be used on a mind blade.
At 2nd level, a soulknife becomes better able to focus his mental energies, and his mind blade is treated as a masterwork weapon, granting the normal +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls. To upgrade his mind blade further, a soulknife must make use of normal item crafting rules, treating his mind blade as a normal manufactured weapon of its type. While a crafter is improving the weapon, the soulknife must be present for the entire time and have manifested his mind blade.
At 7th level, a soulknife can designate his mind blade as a single type of special material for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction and regeneration. He can change this choice with 8 hours of meditation.
At 14th level, a soulknife chooses a single alignment that does not oppose his own on either axis, and his mind blade is considered a weapon of that type for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction and regeneration. This choice may never be changed.
Even in places where psionic effects do not normally function (such as within a null psionics field), a soulknife can attempt to sustain his mind blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the soulknife maintains his mind blade for a number of rounds equal to his class level before he needs to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the mind blade vanishes. As a move action on his turn, the soulknife can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his mind blade while he remains within the psionics negating effect.
Mind Blade Prowess: A soulknife wields his very mind as a weapon. Understandably, this gives him unparalleled control over his mind blade, allowing him to duplicate abilities otherwise only possible through decades of training. A soulknife qualifies for feats that have a minimum number of Fighter levels as though he were a Fighter of his class level –4, with a minimum of 1. If a feat requires a specific weapon choice, he must choose his mind blade. If a feat only works with certain types of weapons or damage, it now works only with his mind blade and only so long as his mind blade is treated as that weapon type or deals that damage type. Although a 1st level soulknife lacks power points, he is still a psionic creature and can qualify for [Psionic] feats, and can maintain a psionic focus.
Hidden Talent:  A 2nd level soulknife gains a single 1st level power known from the Psychic Warrior list. He manifests this power as though he had a manifester level equal to his class level, and he gains 2 power points per class level (including 1st level). For the purposes of determining saving throw DCs and other aspects of the power, the soulknife designates Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the ability score to be used. This choice can never be changed.
Evasion (Ex): Whenever subjected to an effect that allows a Reflex save for half damage, a soulknife of 2nd level or higher takes no damage on a successful save so long as he is wearing medium, light, or no armor. See the Rogue class feature.
Psychic Strike (Su): As a swift action, a soulknife of 3rd level or higher can imbue his mind blade with powerful destructive energy. This effect deals an extra 1d8 points of damage to the next target he successfully hits with his mind blade. Mindless creatures are immune to this extra damage, but even other creatures immune to mind-affecting effects are vulnerable to this lethal psychic power.  A mind blade deals this extra damage only once when this ability is called upon, but a soulknife can imbue his mind blade with psychic energy again by taking another swift action.
Once a soulknife has prepared his blade for a psychic strike, it holds the extra energy until it is used. Even if the soulknife drops the mind blade (or it otherwise dissipates, such as when it is thrown and misses), it is still imbued with psychic energy when the soulknife next materializes it.
At every four levels beyond 3rd (7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th), the extra damage from a soulknife’s psychic strike increases by 1d8 points of damage.
Bonus Feat: At 4th level and every 4th level thereafter, a soulknife gains a bonus feat. He can choose any [Psionic] or [Fighter] feat for which he qualifies.
Free Draw (Ex): At 5th level, a soulknife becomes able to materialize his mind blade as a free action instead of a move action. He can make only one attempt to materialize the mind blade per round, however.
Mental Cloak (Su): At 5th level, a soulknife learns to mislead the senses of others. He can hide even without cover or concealment in any terrain, but only from creatures that are not mindless. Creatures that are mindless follow the normal rules for spotting a character attempting to hide (that is, they automatically succeed unless the character has cover or concealment). As normal, he must not be being observed at the time (but see Mental Blind below).
Mind Blade Modification (Su): At 6th level, a soulknife gains the ability to influence the enhancement of his mind blade. By spending 8 hours in meditation, he can remove any number of enhancement bonuses or effective enhancement bonuses on his mind blade and replace them with special abilities with an equal value in effective enhancement bonuses to the total of those removed. He cannot affect weapon special abilities that do not have an effective enhancement bonus value, nor can he affect bonuses granted by spell effects. He can apply any of the special abilities from the following list, using his own class level for the manifester level of the ability if necessary. It may be appropriate to allow a soulknife to permanently lose a quality from this list to replace it with one from another source of the same effective enhancement bonus.
The weapon ability or abilities remain the same every time the soulknife materializes his mind blade for the next 24 hours after his meditation is completed, at which point they revert to their normal values.

Weapon Special Ability   Enhancement Bonus Value
Defending                      +1
Keen                           +1
Lucky                          +1
Mighty cleaving                +1
Psychokinetic                  +1
Sundering                      +1
Vicious                        +1
Collision                      +2
Mindcrusher                    +2
Psychokinetic burst            +2
Suppression                    +2
Wounding                       +2
Bodyfeeder                     +3
Mindfeeder                     +3
Soulbreaker                    +3


Bladewind (Su): At 9th level, a soulknife gains the ability to momentarily fragment his mind blade into numerous identical blades, generating a burst of whirling shards.
As a standard action, the soulknife can generate a cloud of mind blade fragments in either a line 5 feet long per 2 class levels or in a 5 ft per 4 class levels radius. Both effects are bursts with their point of origin being the soulknife, although he is of course immune to the effects of his own Bladewind. Creatures caught in the area take damage as though struck by the soulknife’s mind blade, including bonus damage from a high Strength score and any other damage modifiers that might apply to the soulknife's attack, with a Reflex save to halve the damage. A soulknife can channel his Psychic Strike damage through this attack, and it affects all creatures struck by it, albeit at reduced power (one die of damage less than the mind blade was originally imbued with).
The mind blade immediately reverts to its previous form after the bladewind attack.
Improved Evasion (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, whenever a soulknife is subjected to an effect that allows a Reflex save for half damage, he still takes no damage on a successful save, but even a failed saving throw results in half damage (as though he had succeeded on his save and did not have Evasion). See the Rogue class feature, except a soulknife must be wearing medium, light, or no armor to benefit from this ability (rather than just light or no armor).
Knife to the Soul (Su): Beginning at 13th level, while a soulknife has infused his mind blade with the energy for a psychic strike, he can take a move action to substitute Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage (his choice) for extra dice of damage. For each die of extra damage he gives up, he deals 1 point of damage to the ability score he chooses. A soulknife can combine extra dice of damage and ability damage in any combination. Mindless creatures are immune to this ability damage.
The soulknife decides which ability score his psychic strike damages and the division of ability damage and extra dice of damage when he takes the move action, and the effect remains until the next strike made with the mind blade, just as Psychic Strike.
Mental Blind (Su): At 14th level, a soulknife’s ability to cloud the senses of others allows him to hide even while being observed, but only from creatures that are not mindless. Because of his Mental Cloak ability, he can hide without cover or concealment, even while being observed.
Telekinetic Dampening (Su): At 17th level, a soulknife can exercise his mind’s power to still any clothing he wears and even the air around him. He ignores any armor check penalties imposed by armor with which he is proficient, and can move at full speed without taking penalties to Hide or Move Silently checks.
Mental Suppression (Su): At 18th level, a soulknife can conceal his mind as well as his body. He gains the benefit of a continuous psionic mind blank effect, as the power of the same name. This ability also renders him invisible to such supernatural, spell-like, or psi-like senses as the Lifesense special ability of some undead, but not Extraordinary means of special perception, such as some forms of blindsight or scent. It also protects against the Mindsight feat and senses granted by spells or powers.
Unyielding Will (Ex): A 20th level soulknife’s mind blade is immune to sundering attempts and cannot be suppressed or broken by any means, even a null psionics field.

5
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Items for a Low-Magic Setting
« on: March 30, 2013, 03:33:37 AM »
So, I am running a low-magic campaign sometime in the future. It's low-magic primarily for fluff reasons, but the consequence here is that I need ways to fill in magic's traditional contributions to the game. The major things that need to be accounted for are magic items. Alchemical items will take the place of consumables, as well as certain spell effects not typically available to members of the relatively few spellcasting classes allowed, and provide readily-available buffing capabilities. It's important to discard any existing examples of potions and elixirs, as these new items do not follow the same rules, even if they use similar terminology. Well-crafted equipment will take the place of equipment that grants magical bonuses – miscellaneous tools will not find much replacement, because they usually are not vital to the game's assumptions.

While I may later expand these rules to explain, in detail, what you have to do to create these items, right now, they exist primarily to serve as wealth by level. Thus, I'll only be including GP prices. I will try to make these prices match up with the D&D WBL scale, but I can't promise anything. In particular, several of these items will challenge the usual assumptions of the game, which means some care will need to be taken in inserting them into your campaign. The setting in which I plan to run my game is one which hews very closely to certain JRPG games. Among other things, this means that death in combat is not a loss condition – rather, death followed by abandonment is, since they'll usually need your body to save you. So items that restore the dead to life, for instance, will be cheaper than D&D's standard rules would indicate they ought to be.

More to be added as I have time and inclination.

Alchemy

Alchemy is an arcane and complicated science, uniting many principles of magic with the reliability of the mundane. Most alchemical products take the form of one of three types of item: grenades, oils, and potions. Crafting an alchemical item requires some quantity of gold, typically to pay for specialized reagents, as well as access to the equipment in an alchemical laboratory, and often requires special ingredients that depend on the type of item being crafted, which may not be available on the general market.

An alchemical item is not magical, but its effects are. This means that while the items do not appear magical to spells such as detect magic, and they cannot be affected by spells such as mordenkainen's disjunction, they will fail to function in an anti-magic field and their effects can be dispelled by a dispel magic spell or similar effect. In general, treat the effects of an alchemical item as the effects of a spell of a level equal to half its crafter level (rounded down), and with a caster level equal to its crafter level.

Treat all grenades as splash weapons with a range equal to twice its wielder's Strength score (round up to the nearest multiple of 5). Using a grenade is no more difficult than attacking with a conventional thrown weapon, so a character can make multiple grenade attacks with a full attack action if that character's base attack bonus is high enough.

An oil must be spread evenly over an object or surface before it takes effect, the magic seeping into the object in question. It takes a move action, which provokes an attack of opportunity, to spread an oil over any object or surface that can fit within a 5 foot square, and each container of oil contains enough oil to accomplish this. Typically, exposure to air will activate the oil's properties fairly quickly, so it is impossible to reuse a single container – within a few moments of opening, any oil still in the container will activate as if the container were the target object. Depending on the oil's effect, this can be useful, or require the container to be quickly thrown away before it (for instance) ignites in the owner's hand.

A potion must be consumed before it takes effect. It takes a swift action, which does not provoke an attack of opportunity, to drink a potion. It takes a move action to trickle a potion down the throat of an unconscious or otherwise helpless character. These are typically packaged in doses just large enough to have full effect, so you must drink the entire contents in order to benefit.

Oils

Blaze Oil: This thick, greasy liquid starts to smoke as soon as the cap is removed, bursting into flame moments later. Any object it is applied to burns for 1 minute, with a smoky flame that deals 1d6 points of fire damage to a creature or object that comes in contact with it. The oil itself protects an object it's applied to. Applied to a weapon, this damage is added to every damage roll made with that weapon.
Price: 50 gp; Crafter Level: 1

Phoenix Feathers: This amber fluid, named for the crystalline, feather-like patterns it forms when exposed to air, can restore life to the recently slain. If applied to the body of a slain creature within 1 minute of death, that creature is restored to life. This oil can't resurrect creatures that can't normally be resurrected, such as most outsiders. This oil has no effect on living creatures, but a resurrected creature is cured of any mundane poison or disease, may make a new saving throw to resist magical poison or disease, heals 1 point of ability damage to each ability score (if any), and is restored to life with -1 hit points (but is stable). While most wounds are healed, entirely missing body parts are not restored, which may prevent the creature from being restored to life in the first place. This oil deals 5d6 points of damage to an undead creature, but cannot restore it to life until that creature is slain (at which point the oil might return to life the creature it was before becoming undead, if the body is still in acceptable condition).
Price: 1000 gp; Crafter Level: 10

Potions

Elixir of Vitality: This ruby-colored liquid tastes only of fire, which rapidly spreads throughout the body. It has tremendous healing powers, and can restore even mortal wounds, provided the drinker hasn't yet passed on. An elixir of vitality heals 7d8+15 hit points, plus 5 hit points per hit die of the drinker.
Price: 750 gp ; Crafter Level: 15

Ether Vial: This blue, faintly glowing fluid is so light and thin that it's impossible to tell exactly where it ends and the air begins. Drinking it causes brief disorientation and confusion, but grants a temporary surge in magical power. The drinker may refresh a single expended arcane formula, but this formula becomes expended again if it is not used by the end of the drinker's next turn. A creature that does not shape arcane formulae does not gain any particular benefit from this item. Either way, the drinker takes a -2 penalty on Concentration and Perception checks, Wisdom-based skill checks, and initiative checks for 5 rounds.
Price: 300 gp ; Crafter Level: 6

Healing Potion: This drink's flavor is indescribable, other than that it is deeply unpleasant. Nevertheless, it has even greater healing powers than the typically available tonics. A healing potion heals the drinker of 3d8+6 hit points, plus 3 hit points per hit die of the drinker.
Price: 300 gp ; Crafter Level: 6

Restoration Tonic: This unpleasant, sparkling beverage spurs on its drinker's natural healing abilities and enhances them to supernatural levels. A restoration tonic heals the drinker of 1d8+1 hit points, plus 1 hit point per hit die of the drinker.
Price: 50 gp ; Crafter Level: 1

6
The Spellshaping Codices / Base Class - Advaitan
« on: March 28, 2013, 10:32:29 PM »
Advaitan
“All is one, and I am one. It makes little difference what you think you believe – I see this truth, and through me, so too will you.”
—Darya Rayough, Advaitan

Throughout the multiverse, magical power gives rise to endless philosophical questions. The ability to directly manipulate the world through the power of thought and belief, guiding mystical energy with the mind alone, raises countless questions as to the nature of mortal existence. Advaitans are those who believe that magic is proof that there is no real distinction between the self and the “outside” world, and that the power to shape reality is no different than the power to move an arm.

An advaitan seeks to dissolve the apparent barriers between herself and her environment, learning to control her surroundings rather than to be controlled by them. They blend these teachings with rigorous exercise and martial study, believing that the pursuit of physical strength is, in truth, no different than the pursuit of mental strength. Many believe that conflict is the ultimate crucible in which barriers between the self and the world melt away, leaving only unity, for it is only on the battlefield that the stakes seem so high that intuition and instinct will overwhelm the artificial barriers of the mortal perspective. Each advaitan takes with her a spiritless creature, a vessel to be filled with her spirit and powers as she ascends to greater heights of enlightenment, a functional example of the truth of her beliefs.

Making an Advaitan
The advaitan is most at home in a melee. While her spellshaping attacks might allow her to pick off targets at range, she cannot exercise the bulk of her special abilities at range, and she will quickly exhaust her highest-level formulae. The advaitan is a good choice for a player familiar with spellshaping, who wants a different spin on melee combat than the spellshape champion can provide, or who is interested in a combining mounted combat and spellcasting prowess.

   Abilities: Your Strength and Intelligence scores should be as high as possible, since they're critical to melee combat and your spellshaping, respectively. Constitution will help you survive damage, and Dexterity will help you make the crucial first strikes in combat.

   Races: The combination of martial prowess and intellect that makes for an effective advaitan is rare, but humans are fairly common members of the class, as are members of any race that grants a Strength or Intelligence bonus (especially if it does not penalize the other). Elves make terrible advaitans, because they're too busy causing cancer to learn how to take an axe to the face. Fuck elves.
   Alignment: Advaitans can be of any alignment, but they are typically aggressive in their beliefs. While a good advaitan might be renowned for honor and mercy, she is first and foremost known for her righteous stands against evil. Likewise, evil advaitans are known to slaughter even helpless civilians for sport, unconcerned with their “insignificant” suffering.

   Starting Gold: 6d4x10 gp (150 gp).

   Starting Age: As paladin.

Hit Die: d10
Level   Base Attack Bonus      Fort   Ref   Will   Special
Formulae Known
Formulae Prepared
1st+1+2+0+2Mounted Combat, Favored Mount
4
2
2nd+2+3+0+3Spellstrike Blade
4
2
3rd+3+3+1+3Bonus Feat
5
2
4th+4+4+1+4Extra Circle
8
3
5th+5+4+1+4One Soul as Two I
9
3
6th+6/+1+5+2+5Improved Mounted Combat
9
3
7th+7/+2+5+2+5Cavalry Master
10
4
8th+8/+3+6+2+6Bonus Feat
10
4
9th+9/+4+6+3+6One Soul as Two II
11
4
10th+10/+5+7+3+7Extra Circle
14
5
11th+11/+6/+1+7+3+7--
15
5
12th+12/+7/+2+8+4+8Surefooted Charge
15
5
13th+13/+8/+3+8+4+8Bonus Feat
16
6
14th+14/+9/+4+9+4+9One Soul as Two III
16
6
15th+15/+10/+5+9+5+9--
17
6
16th+16/+11/+6/+1+10+5+10Extra Circle
20
7
17th+17/+12/+7/+2+10+5+10--
21
7
18th+18/+13/+8/+3+11+6+11Bonus Feat
21
7
19th+19/+14/+9/+4+11+6+11--
22
8
20th+20/+15/+10/+5+12+6+12One Soul as Two IV
22
8

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Concentration (Con), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Class Features
All the following are class features of the advaitan.

(click to show/hide)

Favored mount
An advaitan's favored mount is superior to a normal creature of its kind, and gains special powers as described below, as the advaitan expands her spirit and magical powers into the creature. These special powers are based on her shaper level.

(click to show/hide)

Playing an Advaitan
You are a warrior-philosopher, walking the line between brute force and impotent reasoning. You strive to perfect your martial talents, even as you work to understand why they're necessary and what they can accomplish. Your magical talents are simply an extension of your will, in just the same way as a slash of your sword is an expression of your intent. You see your mount as an extension of yourself, and have a similar view of other creatures you encounter. Though you don't believe yourself omnipotent, you believe that it is only the illusion of perspective that separates you from others.

You are willing to adventure solely for the challenge of combat, and to advance whatever causes you put your  zeal behind. You are as likely to take on peaceful work as not, understanding that a sword is not a universal tool, but you are unlikely to devote yourself to it for long enough to distract you from your training. Warfare is not the only way for you to reach a true understanding of the universe, but it is helpful to your focus, and brings you the material prosperity you need in order to support yourself.

Religion
Religion is likely to play a large role in your life, but you may very well choose not to worship a deity, instead paying respect to the universe at large. Though you recognize deities as mere facets of a greater Truth, you may still pay homage to some as a matter of respect to the aspects of the world they represent. While you might choose any deity for this reason, you are likeliest to chose a deity of warfare and combat, such as Erythnul, Heironeous, Hextor, or St. Cuthbert. Should you choose to follow a god, you likely view that deity as a role model for your own path to enlightenment, and shape both your daily life and your combat style after their teachings.

Other Classes
Because of your focus on warfare, you particularly respect members of other classes devoted to the same ideals. Martial adepts, fighters, and paladins are close friends to you, and you have a special affinity for spellshape champions and duskblades. You share much with anchorites, but your philosophy is focused outward, while theirs is focused inward – this can lead to friction and disagreements, despite your shared perspective of spellshaping as an expression of a philosophy. You are not particularly fond of members of stealthy classes, taking issue with people who work to hide knowledge from others, though you do respect those who reserve force for key moments instead of applying it to all problems.

Combat
As soon as you can, charge to the front lines. Attack as rapidly as you can, discharging as many formulae as you are able – you can recover them quickly, and even adapt to new situations on the fly. You are not built for long, drawn out conflicts in which your opponents can slowly build up an advantage. Take advantage of your mount's offensive capabilities, whatever they might be.

You gain access to more circles as you gain levels, allowing you access to a wider variety of effects, but you should always ensure that you have a focus on damaging formulae. Even so, since you change your prepared formulae so often compared to other spellshapers, it can be worth it to pick up a few unusual formulae, even if you don't expect to use them often. At low levels, focus on minor formulae, since you will likely be busy with melee combat, but keep a few major formulae that modify your spellshape attack on hand in case ranged combat becomes necessary. At higher levels, once you gain the ability to shape formulae through your mount, try to keep a balance of minor and major formulae available, so that you exhaust both at the same time and do not have to waste a round on one or the other.

Advancement
You likely were a member of a monastic order of spellshapers who taught you both your philosophy and your magical techniques. You might also have been expelled from a less martially-oriented order, or have discovered this path for yourself. Whatever the case, you're a member of this class because you seek enlightenment through the focus and struggle of conflict. Whether you're following orders or striking out on your own, you're aiming to be the best you can.

As an advaitan, your advancement is fairly straightforward. Choose bonus feats that reflect your personal style of combat. If you decide to multiclass, you should consider options that enhance your melee capabilities. Although you cannot use the spellshape channeling ability of some classes in conjunction with your most powerful abilities, other class features synergize well with your own skills, allowing you to make attacks of opportunity with formulae or to improve your defenses.

Advaitans in the World
“I heard she was some kind of monk. I don't know what church teaches you to ride a giant spider and start throwing acid, and I'm not sure I want to. The cleanup still isn't finished, but at least the bandits are gone.”
—Radmor Chaling, Tavern Proprietor

Advaitans are usually relatively unknown, confused with members of other classes that have companion creatures, or with wizards accompanied by their bizarre creations. If they are well known, it is likely as a large organization of warrior-monks, which might have any number of political ties. At any rate, because a disproportionate number of advaitans are likely to spend time as adventurers, whatever reputation they do have likely involves wandering heroes or villains, bringing change in their wake.

Whatever the case, the example these characters set is likely to inspire others. Whether they inspire fear and hatred for the crimes they use their abilities to commit, or admiration and respect for the work they do for others, they often make an impression on others. While the class itself may be rarely known, individuals are likely to be well-known, and their personal philosophies to impact their surroundings.

Daily Life
An advaitan typically has a strict training regimen of exercises that keep her in peak physical condition. When not maintaining her body, she is likely to spend time taking care of her mount or her mind. It's rare for her to have an idle moment – the most relaxing time of day for her is when she prepares her formulae for the day, taking a few minutes to calm herself and bring forth the knowledge she needs.

Notables
Advaitans' pursuit of battle ensures that many find places of recognition among militaries the world over. General Seraia Kineld is known for her honesty and straightforward actions when it comes to dealing with enemies, but its rumored that she secretly subverts orders from her superiors that she believes to be underhanded or cruel. On the other hand, Kelwor Echar is universally reviled among the common soldiers of his army for his senseless fits of anger and his tendency to order warriors to their deaths. There's debate on whether he's incompetent, or weakening his position on the battlefield so that his later victory seems all the more miraculous in the Imperial Court. The truth is that he simply doesn't care for their lives, and finds the sight of blood incredibly relaxing.

Organizations
Advaitans as a whole do not always have united organizations. Rather, they tend to pledge their allegiances to wider military organizations or to particular monasteries that share their views, serving as a warrior or defender. In a military, they typically enjoy a higher status than the common soldier, whether they have noble blood or not. In some settings, advaitans may be essentially unique to a single nation, but even in this case they owe their allegiance to that nation, rather than to some order dedicated to warriors like themselves.

NPC Reactions
In a world that contains advaitans, they tend to be one of the most obvious classes when encountered. A man on a shining horse might be a paladin, or, more likely, just take very good care of his animal, but when somebody rides into town on a giant, steam-powered machine, it's undeniable that somebody unusual has arrived. They will likely be treated with suspicion or respect, depending on a particular locale's reactions to strangers.

Advaitan Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can research advaitans to learn more about them.  When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs.
(click to show/hide)

Advaitans in the Game
Advaitans are best suited to heroic games in which acts of bravery and valor are reliable solutions to the problems the characters face. Their defining class feature makes them ineffective at stealth, and they have no particular ability to deal with social situations. They work well in a party, and will often work hard to earn the approval of their fellow adventurers. Alternatively, as an NPC, they may request the party's aid in winning some battle that they feel is beyond their ability alone.

Adaptation
Advaitans are limited to mindless mounts as currently written, but this need not necessarily be so. Alternative choices could be written for other types of mount, such as magical beasts or aberrations. Such an alternative would need to include variants for each level of One Soul as Two, and a particular choice of spellshaping circle associated with that type of mount.

7
Gaming Advice / Lowest HD, Lowest ECL Large PC?
« on: March 13, 2013, 09:05:17 PM »
I'm writing a class that heavily involves mounts, and I need to account for PC size. Possible options include allowing LA to count toward effective class level for determining mount abilities, allowing racial HD, or allowing both, and having size increases be an option as the character advances, but for that to work, I need to know what the earliest I can expect it to come up is, and balance that against the earliest it's reasonable to have a Huge mount. Otherwise, I'll probably need to write a sidebar describing how to handle size differences, and include some fairly ugly patching.

So, what is a good representative list of the lowest ECLs at which you can be Large (powerful build doesn't count), and what is the spread of Hit Dice and Level Adjustments? 3 or 4 of the more useful non-Half Minotaur options ought to do it.

8
So, I'm converting Magic: The Gathering creature cards into D&D statblocks. This is a sort of diversionary tactic to give myself something to do when I hit a block in a bigger homebrew project - by giving myself a short, concrete goal, I can take my mind off the bigger problem for a while without diving into another big project, while still doing something productive. In this thread, make suggestions, and I will convert them in a fairly arbitrary order that boils down to what is most interesting for me. I make no promises that what I wind up with will be what you expect. I'm also sure this exact thing is something somebody else is already doing, but to hell with that. We also have room somewhere on the boards for "A Planeswalker's Arsenal: MtG Artifacts for D&D", "A Planeswalker's Grimoire: MtG Instants and Sorceries for D&D", and so on, if somebody else wants to start those or I get bored of creatures and do it myself.

So, basically, suggest creature cards. Rules and guidelines follow:

*For the purposes of my bigger project, I need Constructs, Oozes, Plants, Undead, and Vermin, so suggestions for those types get highest priority.
*The project I'm on right now is centered around mounted combat, so creatures that could reasonably serve as a mount of those types get the highest possible priority.
*No Legendary creatures; those are better suited to being statted as creatures with class levels, templates, and so on, although if you want me to create a creature that could serve as a base for that if D&D doesn't already have one, that could theoretically be fine.
*Nothing with a creature type that is indicates class or profession (for instance, Advisor, Rogue, Soldier), for similar reasons.
*Please make no more than 3 suggestions per post. I've only got so much time, and the list will probably grow faster than I can move through it anyway.

Otherwise, whatever's most interesting is what I'll probably work on. I reserve the right to point out an essentially equivalent creature that already exists, or to entirely fail to notice your suggestion.

INDEX:
Nemesis of Reason - Guest Starring sirpercival!
Pilgrim's Eye
Platinum Angel
Spawnwrithe

To Be Done:

Hypnotic Specter
Verdant Force
Spirit of the Night and Company
Gemini Engine
Nether Shadow
Forgotten Ancient
Felidar Sovereign
An Introduction to Slivers
Spellfused - A template emulating creatures with the ability to spend +1/+1 counters to produce special effects.
Birds of Paradise
Relentless Rats
The Nephilim
Thundermare
Kiln Fiend

9
For a campaign I hope to run soon. CSp is the abbreviation I've used for Codices of Spellshaping. I've not posted it there, mostly because it breaks one of the most fundamental rules of the system (shaper level advancement). I needed a partial shaper, and the damage output on this is potentially rather high, so it's been... altered for this class.

Magitek Knight
“Run! Run! Or you'll be well done!”
—Kefka Palazzo, Magitek Knight

Arguments on the proper use of magical power are among the most common debates in the multiverse. Virtually every school of thought and every organization has its own position on what is the “right” goal to seek through the phenomenal power that magic can bring to bear. Some believe that violence is to be abhorred, and magic is to be used to heal the ills of the world. Others see magic as the key to innovation and progress, allowing its wielders to project their thoughts directly into reality. And so it goes, through infinite variations on infinite philosophies. But there is one ideal that always recurs in every discussion on every plane – magic as a weapon, another tool in the warrior's arsenal for conquering those less talented at the art of battle.

A magitek knight is, first and foremost, a soldier of this mindset. Though they lack the dedication to magic as an art form that other spellshapers, even those of a martial bent, possess, they are no less dedicated to their pursuit of war as art. To them, spellshaping provides one tool among many others that any competent artist should possess some talent for.

Making a Magitek Knight
The magitek knight is most at home in a melee. While her spellshaping attacks might allow her to pick off targets at range, she cannot exercise the bulk of her special abilities at range, and she lags behind other classes in pure spellshaping ability, making her less effective in such situations. The magitek knight is a good choice for a player familiar with spellshaping, who wants a different spin on melee combat than the spellshape champion can provide, or who is interested in a powerful mount.

   Abilities: Your Strength and Intelligence scores should be as high as possible, since they're critical to melee combat and your spellshaping, respectively. Constitution will help you survive damage, and Dexterity will help you make the crucial first strikes in combat.

   Races: The combination of martial prowess and intellect that makes for an effective magitek knight is rare, but humans are fairly common members of the class, as are members of any race that grants a Strength or Intelligence bonus (especially if it does not penalize the other). Elves make terrible magitek knights, because they're too busy causing cancer to learn how to take an axe to the face. Fuck elves.
   Alignment: Magitek knights can be of any alignment, but they are typically aggressive in their beliefs and seek glory in battle. While a good magitek knight might be renowned for honor and mercy, she is first and foremost known for her righteous stands against evil. Likewise, evil magitek knights are known to slaughter even helpless civilians for sport, lawful magitek knights serve to enforce the will of the law, and chaotic magitek knights may attack an ally just to see how entertaining the fight is. Naturally, these aren't hard-and-fast rules, but they are a good way to get an idea of what positions such characters might occupy in your campaign.

   Starting Gold: 6d4x10 gp (150 gp).

   Starting Age: As paladin.


Hit Die: d10
Level   Base Attack Bonus      Fort   Ref   Will   Special
Formulae Known
Formulae Prepared
1st+1+2+0+2Mounted Combat
4
2
2nd+2+3+0+3Spellstrike Blade
5
2
3rd+3+3+1+3Bonus Feat, Practiced Shaper
5
2
4th+4+4+1+4Extra Circle
8
3
5th+5+4+1+4Favored Carrier
9
3
6th+6/+1+5+2+5Machine Mastery
9
3
7th+7/+2+5+2+5Magitek Trigger, Practiced Shaper
11
4
8th+8/+3+6+2+6Bonus Feat
12
4
9th+9/+4+6+3+6Tek Beam
12
4
10th+10/+5+7+3+7Extra Circle
15
5
11th+11/+6/+1+7+3+7Practiced Shaper
16
5
12th+12/+7/+2+8+4+8
17
5
13th+13/+8/+3+8+4+8Bonus Feat
18
6
14th+14/+9/+4+9+4+9One With The Machine
19
6
15th+15/+10/+5+9+5+9Extra Circle, Practiced Shaper
21
6
16th+16/+11/+6/+1+10+5+10Tek Blast
22
7
17th+17/+12/+7/+2+10+5+10
23
7
18th+18/+13/+8/+3+11+6+11Bonus Feat
24
7
19th+19/+14/+9/+4+11+6+11Practiced Shaper
25
8
20th+20/+15/+10/+5+12+6+12Perfect Synergy
26
8

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Concentration (Con), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Class Features
All the following are class features of the magitek knight.

(click to show/hide)

Favored Carrier
A magitek knight's favored carrier is superior to a normal set of armor of its kind, and gains special powers as described below, through tinkering and improvement performed by the knight.

(click to show/hide)

Playing a Magitek Knight
You are a warrior before anything else. You strive to perfect your martial talents, enhancing them with magic and the highest technology of your age. This combination makes you a superb front line fighter, and allows you to survive rigors others might not. However, you are less useful in areas where a mount is impractical. If this is a regular occurrence for you, you should invest in a Blast Amplifier.

You are willing to adventure solely for the love of battle, and to advance whatever causes you put your significant zeal behind. You are unlikely to take a mission that can likely be resolved peacefully, viewing it as something between a waste of your talents and better suited to another, depending on your particular degree of hubris. If you aren't putting your skill at warfare to the test against a worthy opponent, you've wasted the training and effort that went into making you who you are today. You might not actually fight the battle yourself, but you'll ensure that whoever does is doing the best they can.

Religion
Religion is unlikely to play a large role in your life, but if it does, you almost certainly worship a deity of warfare and combat, such as Erythnul, Heironeous, Hextor, or St. Cuthbert. Should you choose to follow a god, you view your skills as an expression of your devotion, and do your best to mold your combat style to follow your deity's expectations.

Other Classes
Because of your focus on warfare, you particularly respect members of other classes devoted to the same ideals. Martial adepts, fighters, and paladins are close friends to you, and you have a special affinity for spellshape champions and duskblades. Many more traditional spellcasters, particularly those who value peace and quiet, earn your disdain, but you respect their mastery of magical energies and rarely go out of your way to insult them. You enjoy the company of Warmages most among spellcasters, even if their contributions on the battlefield are lacking. You are ambivalent about members of stealthy classes; you respect stealth as a viable tactic and an effective tool, but a part of you is likely to instinctively reject them as the tools of a coward.

Combat
As soon as you can, charge to the front lines. Attack as rapidly as you can, discharging as many formulae as you are able – you can recover them quickly, and even adapt to new situations on the fly. You are not built for long, drawn out conflicts in which your opponents can slowly build up an advantage. Take advantage of your mount's offensive capabilities, and focus fire on a single target.

You gain access to more circles as you gain levels, allowing you access to a wider variety of effects, but you should always ensure that you have a focus on damaging abilities. Even so, since you change your prepared formulae so often compared to other spellshapers, it can be worth it to pick up a few unusual formulae, even if you don't expect to use them often. Try to keep a balance of minor and major formulae available, so that you run out of both at the same time and do not have to waste a round on just one or the other.

Advancement
You likely were inducted into a larger force of soldiers who teach these techniques, but it's far from impossible that you developed the necessary technical, magical, and martial skills to forge the path for yourself. Either way, you're a member of this class because you seek glory through valorous action on the battlefield. Whether you're following orders or striking out on your own, you're aiming to be the best you can. Even if you're not personally fighting the war, you'll be devising strategies and tactics to ensure it's won.

As a magitek knight, your advancement is fairly straightforward. Choose bonus feats for yourself, and upgrades for your favored carrier, that reflect your personal style of combat. If you decide to multiclass, you could do worse than to take some levels of Artificer to enhance your favored carrier more efficiently. A spellshape champion's spellshape channeling ability can function well with this class, and can allow some devastating attacks involving multiple major formulae in a single round. Remember that a prestige class counts fully toward your shaper level, and so will advance it faster than staying in this class if you are a more magically-minded soldier.

Magitek Knights in the World
“I heard she fried 50 of our best soldiers in under 3 minutes!”
—Biggs, Imperial Lieutenant

Magitek knights inspire, if nothing else, fear. Primarily, their opponents fear standing toe-to-toe with a sword-swinging knight astride a huge robot that blasts apart swathes of the battlefield with lasers that are somehow made of acid. Besides this, though, their talents, along with those of artificers, inspire fear in the well-entrenched powers of the world that change might be on the horizon, and change is the last thing that anybody wants who is comfortable, safe, and powerful. The ability to create machines that use and manipulate magical power will fundamentally change the world, and here these lunatics endeavor to find the most efficient way of using that ability to kill things. This is far from a justified stereotype - there are many members of the class who do not meet this description, and who use their power to defend those who cannot and put an end to needless destruction, but even so, they are defined by their opposition to these things.

Wherever they are found, members of this class constantly redefine conflict. Ultimately, they claim, everything comes down to it, and their solution is to end it in the most brutally efficient way available. Even if physical combat turns out to be less applicable to the situation, a magitek knight remains a clever opponent, and will try to devise less direct solutions to her problems.

Daily Life
A magitek knight typically has a strict training regimen of exercises that keep her in peak physical condition. When not maintaining her body, she is likely to spend time maintaining her machines or her mind, tinkering with her favored carrier or studying new magical techniques or battle strategies. It's rare for her to have an idle moment – the most relaxing time of day for her is when she prepares her formulae for the day, taking a few minutes to calm herself and bring forth the knowledge she needs.

Notables
Magitek knights' love of battle ensures that many find places of recognition among militaries the world over. General Celes Chere is known for her honesty and straightforward actions when it comes to dealing with enemies, but rumors are beginning to fly among the officers that she's starting to have misgivings about following orders when so many of late have led to pointless deaths. On the other hand, Kefka Palazzo is universally reviled among the common soldiers for his senseless fits of anger and his tendency to order warriors to their deaths. It's a matter of opinion whether he's just incompetent, or weakening his position on the battlefield so that his later victory seems all the more miraculous in the Imperial Court. The truth is that he just likes to watch people bleed.

Organizations
Magitek knights as a whole do not always have united organizations. Rather, they tend to pledge their allegiances to wider military organizations, serving on the front line or in command positions. In any case, they typically enjoy a higher status than the common soldier, whether they have noble blood or not. In some settings, magitek knights may be essentially unique to a single nation, but even in this case they owe their allegiance to that nation, rather than to some order dedicated to warriors like themselves.

NPC Reactions
In a world that contains magitek knights, they tend to be one of the most obvious classes when encountered. A man on a shining horse might be a paladin, or just take very good care of his animal, but when somebody rides into town on a giant, steam-powered machine, it's undeniable that somebody unusual has arrived. When somebody without levels in this class purchases a set of magitek armor, other characters are likely to assume that that person actually is a magitek knight, likely in service to the local rulers.

Magitek Knight Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can research magitek knights to learn more about them.  When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs.

   DC 10: Magitek knights are warriors who augment their attacks with magic, and ride powerful mechanical mounts.

   DC 15: Magitek knights practice magic in the form of spellshaping. However, their studies in the area are shallow compared to other spellshapers.

   DC 20: A magitek knight can use their mounts as a source for their spellshape attacks, saving them actions.

Magitek Knights in the Game
Magitek knights are best suited to heroic games in which acts of bravery and valor are reliable solutions to the problems the characters face. Their defining class feature makes them extremely ineffective at stealth, and they have no particular ability to deal with social situations. They work well in a party, and will often work hard to earn the approval of their fellow adventurers. Alternatively, they may even request the party's aid in winning some battle that they feel is beyond their ability alone.

Adaptation
Magitek knights are an unusually focused class as currently written. They could benefit from an adaptation that allows a wider selection of mounts, such as undead, oozes, or vermin. A more extensive adaptation could allow virtually any kind of mount, or even shift the focus onto a more nimble, self-reliant type of magical warrior.

Magitek Armor
A set of Magitek Armor is a construct powered by steam and magical energy. Despite the name, a set functions as something closer to a mount than a suit of armor – the term refers to its role on the battlefield as a type of armored cavalry. While each set is a powerful tool in its own right, when piloted by a character trained in their use, they serve as powerful amplifiers for their riders' own magical energy. Because Magitek Armor is entirely mechanical, Handle Animal and Animal Affinity provide no bonuses to Ride checks involving it.


(click to show/hide)

Magitek Items
The blend of magic and technology has far wider implications than just hulking weapons of war. Some of the most common items are listed below.

(click to show/hide)

10
Gaming Advice / [3.5] Stone Dragon and Flying Carpets
« on: January 29, 2013, 05:38:25 PM »
Does D&D have a consistent definition of "the ground"? I'm wondering exactly how large a chunk of rock I'm going to have to stand on top of. Probably going to have get pumice or something to satisfy the weight limits of carpets of flying, but still, maybe we can make something work.

11
Play By Post / [Dwarf Fortress] The BG Succession Game
« on: December 27, 2012, 05:54:57 PM »
So, I think this is the right board. Sort of. If all goes according to plan, it'll be like a PbP, only instead of dice we have a bunch of drunken, bearded, bipolar midgets trying to dig out an underground house in the middle of an unforgiving wilderness. You can skip the next paragraph if you already know what I'm on about.

Dwarf Fortress is a game where you're a sort of omniscient overseer of a colony of very stupid dwarves. The kind of stupid where they don't realize that they are on fire, but do know they want a drink from your very flammable booze supply. The stupidity isn't really intentional on the designer's part, it's just that there's some bugs in the AI, some of which resemble this son of a bitch. Anyway, despite what I've said just now, it's an incredibly deep game with a notoriously steep learning curve and staggering freedom for the player. A succession game is a game in which a bunch of jackasses like us take turns playing, each one lasting about a year, narrating the events that happen in the fortress. Boatmurdered is the archetypical example, and Headshoots makes good supplementary reading (guest starring our very own veekie, I believe). Needless to say, I don't expect this to be a serious game and wholeheartedly encourage you to be silly in writing your posts. You don't have to know much about Dwarf Fortress to play - in fact, it's probably funnier if you don't. The biggest hurdle in this case will be the user interface, and this page will come in handy with that.

So, I'm currently looking through the rules for generating a world with as many options as I can work out how to max out, but I want to gauge interest and all that. Figure out who's interested in playing, who's interested in being "dorfed" (having a dwarf in-game named after you). All players will be dorfed, and have their titles changed to "Former Ruler" once they retire from rulership. If your successor isn't named in the fort yet, or you don't know who your successor will be, leave at least one dwarf unnamed for them. First come, first served, and all that. Although if two people who really hate each other from what I know of board politics post asking to play, I will make sure you're adjacent and flip a coin to see who goes first. You can also request particular arrangements relative to each other and I'll see that it works out as best I can.

You'll be expected to post a narrative of your time in the fortress, in the form of engravings, notes, a journal, letters, or whatever form seems plausible. Hell, if you're playing a time traveler from the distant future, you could record it in holograms for all I care. You don't have to do it all in one post, though. Turns will generally last an in-game year, but unless you've completely trashed everything you can pass to the next player early if you need to. Their turn will last a year from the date they pick it up.

Don't be a douchebag; while picking on former rulers is okay, and even encouraged if you're funny about it, don't go out of your way to kill them, undo their projects, destroy the fort, or otherwise be uncreative in attempting to ruin the other players' fun. Remember, this is a cooperative game, so the better people like your turn's results, the more you're winning.

This will be a fairly hands-off game, in terms of DMing. In fact, I don't really intend to do much of that. I might ask for a sub-board so that I can be a moderator, but that's about it in terms of active running of things. Once I've got the world generated and a site picked (I'll ask for opinions on what sort of site we should look for before picking one), I'll hand off the save to somebody else. I don't even want to play the first year - I'm exercising a bit of executive privilege and assigning myself the third turn. It should be noted that I'm not a particularly sage player - I haven't played the game much since 40d (an older version lacking many current features), so I'm missing out on a lot of knowledge. In particular, I haven't got experience with the military or hospital systems, both of which sound pretty important to avoiding !!Fun!!*.

*I'm going to explain the joke now, thereby killing it. For those of you with weak, elf-like stomachs, you should quit reading now before the gruesome violence toward the joke begins. Objects in the game that are on fire, you see, flash orange and red with a pair of exclamation marks on each side (x -> !!x!!), and Fun refers in general to terrible things that kill everyone, because of the game's slogan, "Losing Is Fun!". Despite that slogan, once your fortress becomes established, it's very easy to render your fortress invulnerable, but it's often not very fun to do so and cuts off a lot of options.

EDIT: Added link to Dwarf Fortress.

12
According to TOB pg 39,

Quote
Attack Rolls: Many maneuvers include an attack of some kind. All offensive combat actions, even those that don’t damage opponents (such as disarm and bull rush), are considered attacks. All maneuvers that opponents can resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are considered attacks.

Ordinarily, you can't combine maneuvers with some of the most interesting things because of action costs - this is why you can't use both Arcane Channeling as a Duskblade with a maneuver, because they're both Standard actions that require you to make a melee attack as part of it. Similarly, you can't use a maneuver as part of another maneuver because the rules don't support nesting that way - the maneuver you'd chain it into doesn't usually have an offensive combat action in its rules, instead asking you to make one as part of it.

Spells are an important exception. A lot of the sillier, nonsensical ones (say, fireball), don't work because they don't meet the requirements of an individual maneuver (melee being a universal requirement). Spells that require melee touch attacks, though, are just fine. Further, since you're casting them as part of an action of some fixed length (standard, usually), the casting time isn't an issue - it just happens.

How accurate is this post?

EDIT: Certainly doesn't work with spells that tell you to make a melee touch attack as part of casting it. If touch attack spells work that way in general, we're much more limited in what we can do. Similarly, problems arise if melee touch attacks aren't melee attacks. What we need are spells with which you make an attack as a consequence of casting.

13
Game Design / Dice: Mechanical Variations and Statistics
« on: November 10, 2012, 01:33:55 AM »
Just a sort of general thread for discussing the impact different ways of rolling dice can have on the way a game plays out, and for asking questions about how the statistics play out in some situations.

Starter question: Let's assuming you're building a system with variable dice size and exploding dice (if you roll max, roll again and add the result to the original roll). Is there a situation in which the d2 is worse than the d3, if you can only keep some number of dice (finding the sum thereof)? My current empirical results (running from a roll of 1 die to 10, keeping only one) suggest that there is not. Currently debugging the program, which I somehow broke since the last run, to get higher numbers of kept dice.

If you keep more than one of the dice you roll, you do better with d3s. Hypothesis holds only with 1 die kept.

14
The Spellshaping Codices / Circle - Surging Spirit
« on: November 05, 2012, 12:46:49 AM »
Formula List
(click to show/hide)


Surging Spirit
The power of life flows throughout the cosmos, defining the nature of virtually all creatures. This energy can be called forth as radiant power, just as can more mundane elements and powers. A student of the Surging Spirit might not have the raw destructive ability of another spellshaper, but their strength lies in warding off that very power.

Spellshape Attack
The spellshape attack associated with the Surging Spirit circle is vital ray.  A vital ray is a beam of brilliant, sparkling light with a range of 60 feet.  It is a ranged touch attack that affects a single target, healing 1d6 points of damage.  For every four shaper levels beyond 1st, you heal an additional 1d6 points of damage to the subject, to a maximum of 5d6 at 17th level. This is positive energy, so a creature harmed by it (such as an undead) instead takes damage, and other nonliving creatures (such as constructs) are unaffected.

Numen
While under the effect of the Surging Spirit numen, you and your allies gain the ability to roll twice and choose the better result when making a saving throw against death effects and energy drain.  In addition, an affected creature heals 3 hit points whenever it succeeds on a saving throw.  This healing increases by 3 for every five shaper levels you have, to a maximum of 15 points at 20th level.

Incantations
The incantations of the Surging Spirit circle allow a spellshaper to contain unnatural creatures, relieve the most dire afflictions, and bring back the dead.

(click to show/hide)


Sidebars
This circle needs some special rules to govern interactions with other parts of the game, and can also benefit from a few houserules. These are detailed here.

Anchorites of Surging Spirit
(click to show/hide)


Reshaping the Spirit
(click to show/hide)


Friendly AC
(click to show/hide)

Channeling the Spirit
(click to show/hide)

Formulae
The formulae of the Surging Spirit circle focus on healing allies, vanquishing the undead, and protecting others. 

Affliction Annulment
Surging Spirit (Minor)
Level: Spellshaper 3
Prerequisite: One Surging Spirit Formula
Shaping Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

With a gesture, you imbue cleansing power into the energies you are already gathering.

You alter your magic slightly, allowing it to remove more subtle maladies than obvious damage. Until the end of your turn, your vital ray attacks also end any poison or disease affecting a target you strike, and remove the fatigued and sickened conditions. They also reduce the exhausted and nauseated conditions to fatigued and sickened, respectively. If your vital ray ends a poison or disease in this way, the target is healed of 1d4 points of ability damage to each ability score damaged by each poison or disease so ended. A magical disease requires you to make a shaper level check against the saving throw DC of that disease in order to remove it.


Circle of Life
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 4
Prerequisite: Two Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 20 ft. radius cylinder, 40 ft tall
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

You create a circle in which the energy of life flows freely, closing the wounds of your allies with gentle light.

This formula creates a brightly glowing circle of energy. Any living ally that ends a turn in the area heals 3d6 points of damage, plus 1d6 per 2 shaper levels you possess.

Lingering Vitality
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 3
Prerequisite: One Surging Spirit formula
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 2 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); see text
Spell Resistance: As spellshape attack

You attune your ray of healing light to the spirit of its target, causing it to resonate beyond its initial shaping.

As a part of shaping this formula, you make a single vital ray attack that heals an extra 3d6 points of damage.  If it hits, your target is healed each round thereafter, at the beginning of your turn, as if by your normal vital ray. On your first turn after you use this formula, that healing is increased by 2d6. Each round thereafter, the extra healing decreases by 1d6. A successful saving throw prevents the target from being healed during subsequent rounds, but not the extra healing from the initial attack.


Persistent Health
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 6
Prerequisite: Three Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); see text
Spell Resistance: As spellshape

Your vital ray is so perfectly keyed to the target's own spirit that its healing light takes much longer to fade away.

As a part of shaping this formula, you make a single vital ray attack that heals an extra 6d6 points of damage.  If it hits, your target is healed each round thereafter, at the beginning of your turn, as if by your normal vital ray. On your first turn after you use this formula, that healing is increased by 5d6. Each round thereafter, the extra healing decreases by 1d6. A successful saving throw prevents the target from being healed during subsequent rounds, but not the extra healing from the initial attack.


Prism Splinter
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 1
Shaping Time: 1 full-round action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: 4 creatures, plus 1 per 5 shaper levels
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: As spellshape

As it leaves your outstretched hand, the ray of light you produce splits into many beams, each radiating its own color.

As a part of shaping this formula, you make a vital ray attack against each target.


Purge Suffering
Surging Spirit (Minor)
Level: Spellshaper 6
Prerequisite: Three Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn, see text

You draw restorative energies together, allowing you to wipe away even the most stubborn ills.

You shape your vital ray so as to cleanse your target a level more fundamental than cuts and scrapes. Until the end of your turn, your vital ray attacks also cure a creature they strike of the following conditions: confused, dazed, dazzled, exhausted, fatigued, feebleminded, nauseated, sickened, and stunned. It also reduces the target's level of fear (if any) by 1 level, and cures the target of non-permanent blindness and deafness. Finally, it ends any poison or disease affecting the target, and restores 1d8 points of ability damage to any ability score damaged by a poison or disease so ended.


Restore Health
Surging Spirit (Minor)
Level: Spellshaper 4
Prerequisite: One Surging Spirit formula
Shaping Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

You call on a deeper energy, invigorating your healing light to new heights.

You focus entirely on ensuring that your vital ray is well-shaped. Until the end of your turn, your vital ray attacks heal an extra +2d6 points of damage +1 point per shaper level.


Restore Life
Surging Spirit (Minor)
Level: Spellshaper 7
Prerequisite: Three Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

Uttering a brief prayer for deliverance, you shape your rays of light into ever brighter forms.

You call upon the highest levels of healing magic available to you. Until the end of your turn, your vital ray attacks heal an extra +3d6 points of damage +1 point per shaper level.


Restore Stamina
Surging Spirit (Minor)
Level: Spellshaper 1
Shaping Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

You focus briefly, bringing new clarity to your spellshaping form.

You exert effort toward enhancing your healing magics. Until the end of your turn, your vital ray attacks heal an extra +1d6 points of damage +1 point per shaper level.


Seal Wounds
Surging Spirit (Minor)
Level: Spellshaper 2
Prerequisite: One Surging Spirit formula
Shaping Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will half (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

You channel healing light into a nearby ally, rescuing him from the brink of death.

This formula heals a living creature with positive energy. The target heals 1d4+1 points of damage per 2 shaper levels you possess. If you shape this formula just after a creature takes damage, you heal the target so fast that the damage you healed might as well not even have happened. For instance, if the target had lost enough hit points to die, you might heal enough to prevent him from dying in the first place. Used against a creature harmed by positive energy, this formula naturally deals damage.


Sealing Circle
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 4
Prerequisite: Two Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: As spellshape

Runes encircle the ray of light stretching forth from your hand, and as it strikes your target, embed themselves on the ground around it.

As a part of shaping this formula, you make a single vital ray attack that heals an extra 5d6 points of damage. If it hits, your target is enclosed within a magic barrier. If the target is undead, this barrier is focused inward, locking it in place. In this case, the target is immobilized. While it can use teleportation and similar effects to move, the circle moves with it, immobilizing it in its new location. If the target is not undead, then the runes ward her against certain malevolent magics. In this case, the target may roll twice and choose the better result whenever making a saving throw against an Enchantment or Necromancy spell (or similar effect, in the case of systems which have transparency with magic, such as a psionic power of the Telepathy discipline). Furthermore, undead attackers have difficulty crossing such a circle, even for the instant required to make an attack, and take a -2 penalty on attack rolls, and a -8 penalty on grapple checks made to establish or maintain a grapple, against a target so warded. A successful Reflex save allows the target to leap out of the circle in the moment of its forming, preventing most effects of this formula, but not the extra healing.


Shining Barrier
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 2
Prerequisite: One Surging Spirit formula
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 3 rounds, or until discharged (see text)
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

You wrap a bright white light around your target that shines for an instant before fading, but the layers of protection you have entwined around his spirit linger.

This formula protects your target from a few sources of damage. The target gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC. Whenever the target would take damage, it instead takes ½ that damage. Once damage has been reduced in this way a number of times equal to 1, plus 1 per 5 shaper levels you possess, the entire effect ends.


Spark of Life
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 8
Prerequisite: Four Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: As spellshape

You link your target to the essence of life's power, shielding him from assaults that would draw that power away.

As a part of shaping this formula, you make a single vital ray attack that heals an extra 12d6 points of damage.  If it hits, your target gains fast healing equal to your shaper level for the duration, and gains immunity to ability drain, energy drain, death spells, death effects, and magical diseases. Your target also gains spell resistance equal to 10+your shaper level, but only against necromancy effects and effects that deal negative energy damage (such as the withering hand spellshape attack). A target harmed by positive energy takes damage instead of being healed by the fast healing, and gets none of the other benefits of this formula. A successful saving throw negates most of the effects of this formula, but not the extra healing.


Spark of Vitality
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 5
Prerequisite: Two Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: As spellshape

As the healing light washes over your target, she begins to glow softly with an inner light that repels the power of death.

You protect your target from negative energy. As part of this formula, you make a single vital ray attack that heals an extra 7d6 points of damage. If it hits, the target gains immunity to death spells, death effects, and energy drain. She gains spell resistance against Necromancy spells equal to 10 + your shaper level.


Spirit Flame
Surging Spirit (Minor)
Level: Spellshaper 2
Prerequisite: One Surging Spirit formula
Shaping Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

You project the power of your own soul into the light streaming from your fingers.

You enhance your magic so as to strengthen the spirits of your allies and scorch the undead. Until the end of your turn, any vital ray attacks you make gain this benefit. If your vital ray strikes an undead target, it takes an extra 1d6 points of fire damage and must make a Will save or be frightened for 1 round; while its immunity to mind-affecting effects as an undead, or as a mindless creature (if it is one) does not protect it from this fear, other sources of the same immunity might. If you instead strike a living creature, he burns with an ethereal flame for 1 round. His attacks are considered to be made with ghost touch weapons when targeting an undead creature, and he may roll twice and choose the better result whenever making a saving throw against a fear effect.


Surge of Life
Surging Spirit (Minor)
Level: Spellshaper 1
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You invigorate your ally with the power of pure, healing energy.

This formula grants the target extra health. The target gains temporary hit points equal to twice your shaper level (to a maximum of 20 temporary hit points).


Surge of Power
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 5
Prerequisite: Two Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 swift action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You breathe new strength into your ally, granting her health and power.

You channel the raw power of life into your target, granting them extra hit points and the ability to burn this excess energy rapidly for additional power. The target gains temporary hit points equal to four times your shaper level. The target can spend 20 of these temporary hit points as a free action, once during her turn, to gain a +2 sacred bonus on a single attack roll, saving throw, skill check, or ability check.


Sympathetic Barrier
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 7
Prerequisite: Three Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

You gather the magic of life around your friend, entangling their lifeforce with that of any who come too close.

This formula links the target's spirit to those of nearby creatures. Besides the saving throw to avoid being affected by the formula in the first place, any creature that strikes the target with a melee attack must make a Will save or take damage equal to the damage taken by the target. A given creature needs make this save only once per round. If it succeeds, it doesn't take damage in this way until the start of its next turn, at which point it must make a new saving throw. If it fails, it takes damage every time it deals damage to the target with a melee attack, until the start of its next turn, at which point it is allowed a new saving throw. If a creature adjacent to the target is healed, the target is healed for the same amount of damage.


Unbreakable Resilience
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 5
Prerequisite: Two Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: As spellshape

You imbue your target with a lingering aura of power that blunts the attacks of foes and closes mortal wounds instantly.

As a part of shaping this formula, you make a single vital ray attack that heals an extra 5d6 points of damage.  If it hits, your target instead takes nonlethal damage from any effect that would deal lethal damage, unless the target is immune to nonlethal damage. If the target is rendered unconscious, the effect ends. A successful saving throw prevents most effects of this formula, but not the extra healing.


Undying Spirit
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 9
Prerequisite: Five Surging Spirit formulae
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: As spellshape

You forge a deep connection between your target and the ultimate source of life in the universe, rendering your ally all but immortal – for a time.

As a part of shaping this formula, you make a single vital ray attack that heals an extra 15d6 points of damage.  If it hits, your target becomes virtually indestructible. Your target is not rendered unconscious if reduced below 0 hit points. Your target cannot die during the duration of this formula. The target still takes damage, but does not die no matter how far below 0 his hit points may fall. The target does not die from any effect that causes death, but other consequences of that effect occur normally. When this formula's duration ends, the target immediately dies if his hit points at the time would ordinarily result in death. Furthermore, if he fails a saving throw against an effect that causes death on a failed saving throw, he must make a second saving throw or die when this formula expires. If he was subjected to an effect that simply kills, with no saving throw allowed, he dies when this formula ends. While an effect that would destroy enough of the target's body to prevent a raise dead spell from working does not do so during the duration of this formula, it immediately does so when this formula ends. A successful saving throw prevents most effects of this formula, but not the extra healing.


Vigorous Power
Surging Spirit (Major)
Level: Spellshaper 3
Prerequisite: One Surging Spirit formula
Shaping Time: 1 standard action
Range: Vital ray attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: As spellshape

Your healing magic invigorates your target's muscles and body beyond their normal capacity.

As a part of shaping this formula, you make a single vital ray attack that heals an extra 4d6 points of damage.  If it hits, your target gains a +4 sacred bonus to your choice of Strength or Dexterity. A successful saving throw prevents most effects of this formula, but not the extra healing.

15
Gaming Advice / Negative Hit Points Details
« on: November 03, 2012, 01:31:16 AM »
If an attack kills you, do you stop reducing hit points at -10, or do you go to the full negative value that the math would have you? I'm writing an ability that's mean to mimic Close Wounds, but due to the ruleset it appears in, I'm constrained to a swift action (it can't be immediate). Thus, I have to let it target dead creatures and start healing from the hit point total the target would have been reduced to (and have it unkill you if it brings you up far enough), and I'm trying to figure out how, exactly to word that so that it works with RAW.

16
The Nagollur
"My research has immortalized the names of hundreds, yet the others in the fortress seem ungrateful. I don't understand. I'll have to do more research." – Journal of Zundrek Bonehammer, Dwarven Nagollur

Nagollur, the death-callers, are the archetypical researchers to venture beyond traditional morality and custom in the pursuit of their study. They compile tome after tome of personal truenames, drawn from years of perusing ancient texts and carrying out impenetrable arithmetic to unlock secrets that remain hidden from others. They master the art of using a personal truename to enslave the dead – the most powerful nagollur can bring a spirit back from the beyond and shackle it to the flesh it once inhabited. Members of this class can be found as classical necromancers or mad scientists stitching together strange creatures, but many may also become renowned healers. With proper preservation, such as that provided by a gentle repose spell, a high-level nagollur can even provide an interesting alternative to traditional resurrection, by creating a draugr of an individual and simply refraining from issuing orders.

MAKING A NAGOLLUR
Nagollur are truespeakers who find their truest calling in researching personal truenames. They learn to master their subjects in ways that no other truespeaker can, raising from the dead the creatures whose names they speak. As a nagollur, you command the undead, and manipulate the forces of Life and Thought.

   Abilities: Your Intelligence score is the basis of your Truespeech check, and several of your class features, making it a top priority. You'll need a high Constitution score to withstand the rigors of failure, and a high Charisma score allows you to create more powerful undead and wield the powers of necromancy more effectively.

   Races: Members of any race can be drawn to this class. However, dwarves and elves rarely enter the class, because their cultures often have a tradition of reverence for the dead; on the other hand, many members of this class view their actions as a gesture of respect of its own, bringing new purpose to the deceased.

   Alignment: Nagollur can be of any alignment, but relatively few are good-aligned – while raising the dead is not inherently evil, most cultures and religions treat it as if it were. A good-aligned nagollur has to overcome his own biases, as well as those of those around him, in order to pursue his research. While many of these class features lend themselves to evil ends if used thoughtlessly, a nagollur who is careful can use their powers for good purposes.

    Starting Gold: 3d4x10(75)

    Starting Age: As wizards.

Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Truespeech (Int)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int Modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int Modifier

Hit Dice: d12


Level

BAB
Fort
Save
Ref
Save
Will
Save

Special
Utterances
Known
Mental
Void
Spells
Prepared
Maximum Spell
Level
1st+0+0+0+2Grimoire, Mental Void, Unholy Awakening
1
1
-
-
2nd+1+0+0+3Necromantic Study, Rebuke Undead
2
1
1
1
3rd+1+1+1+3Words
3
2
1
1
4th+2+1+1+4Researcher I
4
2
2
1
5th+2+1+1+4-
5
3
2
2
6th+3+2+2+5Shared Burden
6
3
3
2
7th+3+2+2+5-
7
3
3
2
8th+4+2+2+6-
8
4
4
3
9th+4+3+3+6Ritual Sacrifice
9
4
4
3
10th+5+3+3+7Sentences
10
4
4
3
11th+5+3+3+7Researcher II
11
5
4
4
12th+6/+1+4+4+8-
12
5
5
4
13th+6/+1+4+4+8-
13
5
5
5
14th+7/+2+4+4+9Deathlord
14
6
5
5
15th+7/+2+5+5+9New Dialect
15
6
5
6
16th+8/+3+5+5+10Unholy Awakening (Original Spirit)
16
6
6
6
17th+8/+3+5+5+10-
18
7
6
7
18th+9/+4+6+6+11Researcher III
20
7
6
7
19th+9/+4+6+6+11Fleshwielder
22
7
6
7
20th+10/+5+6+6+12Ascendance
25
8
7
7

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A nagollur is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor, but not with shields.

Utterances: You learn one utterance of your choice, and gain knowledge of new utterances as you gain levels, as shown in the table. You may choose nagollur utterances from the dialects of the Coursing Blood, the Manifest Ideal, and the Transcendent Mind. If you fail a Truespeech check to speak a nagollur utterance, you take a point of Constitution burn. At first, you can learn only Syllables and Phonema as nagollur utterances.
At 3rd level, your research demonstrates new techniques, allowing you to learn Words as nagollur utterances. At 10th level, you improve your methods further, and can learn Sentences, as well.
At 15th level, you master unfamiliar concepts, and choose an additional dialect from which you may learn utterances.
You also automatically gain knowledge of the Lexicon of Undeath as you advance through the class. These utterances do not count toward your nagollur utterances known. At 1st level, you know the Phonema, Syllables, and Words of the Lexicon of Undeath, even though you cannot normally learn Words as nagollur utterances. At 6th level, you also gain access to the Sentence of Undeath, even though you cannot normally learn Sentences as nagollur utterances.                                                     

Mental Void (Ex): When you enter this class, a tiny gap appears in your soul, a void that hungers for energy – energy that you must supply. If you do not feed it, this emptiness consumes your own spirit. At 1st level, you have 1 point in your Mental Void. You can spend 1 point from this pool in place of each point of Constitution damage you would take for failing the Truespeech check to speak a nagollur utterance, funneling the backlash into the emptiness of your spirit. The gap grows as you gain levels in this class, as indicated in the table above. When you rest for 8 hours, the void snaps back to its original state, returning to its normal maximum number of points and sapping your own energy. You are fatigued for a number of hours after resting equal to the number of points left in your pool when you began rest.

Grimoire: Each nagollur keeps a record of the personal truenames they learn and the histories of the beings associated with them. Within a grimoire, these names are studied, reduced to their fundamental components, and rebuilt into new forms. You require a personal truename to be entered into your grimoire in order to use it in conjunction with many of your class features. Only an undead's or a living creature's truename can be entered into a grimoire in this way; an intelligent item, construct, or similar being possessing a personal truename is fundamentally dissociated from the force of Life, and hence from Death. Scribing a personal truename and the associated notes into a grimoire requires 1 page per hit die the creature possessed, and 10 gp and 10 minutes per page written in this way. A grimoire costs and weighs the same as a wizard's spellbook, and has as many pages. Alternate types of spellbook are easily adapted to function as grimoires.
You also derive the personal truenames of some creatures as you gain levels, without any need for separate research. At 1st level, and each time you gain a nagollur level thereafter, you may add to your grimoire the personal true name of an individual of a kind of mindless undead with hit dice equal to or less than your class level. This is an exception to the normal rules on what sort of creature may have a personal truename; you construct an artificial truename that describes the creature, rather than discovering one. The undead described by this truename is an ordinary representative of its kind. A single template may be applied to the creature in question, but it must change the creature's type to undead and may not be applicable to undead creatures (this template may qualify a creature that is not normally undead or mindless for this class feature, but a similar exemption does not exist for templates that cause the creature to lose its Intelligence score). Any corpse can be used to create a draugr of this kind with your Unholy Awakening ability.

Unholy Awakening (Su): By incanting a personal truename written in his grimoire as part of a 1 minute ritual, a nagollur can return the creature described by it to a shambling semblance of life. This ritual must be performed within arm's reach of the creature's (inanimate) corpse. If you successfully speak the appropriate truename, the creature's corpse animates at the ritual's completion as a draugr. The draugr obeys your spoken commands, regardless of language, and is entirely loyal. Your created draugar don't count toward the number of hit dice of undead you can control at once. Instead, you can have up to one draugr per point of Charisma modifier animated at once, each with a CR (before application of the template) equal to your speaker level, or lower. If you attempt to animate draugar that would put you over this limit, the attempt simply fails. You can even use this ability to bring back a draugr that was destroyed after being animated through another use of this ability, but the draugr gains the Crumbling Draugr template each time you do.
At 16th level, if the creature possessed an intelligence score before its death or destruction, that spirit can be called into the body; it may make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your class level + your Charisma modifier) at the modifier it possessed at the moment of its death to resist being trapped in this way. It possesses knowledge of you, just as if you were attempting to resurrect it. If it succeeds, the ritual still succeeds at animating the creature, but you do not bind the base creature's original spirit to the draugr, and you may never again try to bind that particular spirit into a draugr. If creating a crumbling draugr, the spirit gets a new save every time the draugr is reanimated, but it uses the Will save it possessed at the moment of its previous draugr incarnation's destruction. If it fails, it is bound into the new form, and forced to serve you. You can't bind the spirit of a mindless creature to a draugr, because it didn't possess one.

Rebuke Undead (Su): At 2nd level, you gain the ability to rebuke undead, channeling your inner connection to undeath, as would an evil cleric of your class level. See the cleric class feature.

Necromantic Study (Ex): The nagollur seek to master death, and through it life. Each augments their power in the realm of truespeech through study of more common necromancy. At 2nd level, by spending uses of rebuke undead or by spending points from your Mental Void, you can produce the equivalent of a necromancy spell as a spell-like ability.
You must keep a spellbook, as a wizard does, in order to use this class feature. You can use the same book as your grimoire. By studying the spellbook for 15 minutes, you can prepare a number of spells determined by your class level, as given in the table above. The maximum level of spell you can prepare is given in the table above.  You can scribe and subsequently prepare only Necromancy spells in this way. Your caster level for this purpose is equal to your nagollur level, and the spell's saving throw DC is equal to 10 + the spell's level + your Intelligence modifier. You must spend one rebuke undead attempt or point from your Mental Void for every level of the emulated spell when you cast it; you need not pay this cost entirely in one form.
Once you have used a prepared spell in this way, you cannot use it again until you prepare it again. You cannot prepare a spell multiple times at once in this way, and you can prepare only one spell of the highest level to which you have access. You must rest for 8 hours in order to prepare spells again. For instance, an 8th level nagollur could cast a 2nd level spell by spending one rebuke undead attempt and one point from his Mental Void. He could cast another 2nd level spell in the same way, if he had prepared it, but not the same one.
You can prepare a spell modified by a metamagic feat, but you must first scribe it separately in its modified form. You choose when preparing spells whether to prepare the modified version or the unmodified version; you can't prepare both. You cannot prepare a spell in this way if it has an XP cost, and must supply other components as normal for that spell when casting it.

Researcher (Ex): As a nagollur, you pursue the personal truenames of creatures with unparalleled zeal. As you gain levels, your study grants you unmatched familiarity with the forms of truenames and the resources at your disposal, allowing you to construct accurate guesswork where standard research might fail and to find what you're looking for faster than anyone else.
At 4th level, research phases begin at 1 hour, rather than 1 day, of length. Furthermore, you need spend one less phase of research on discovering the truename of a creature with a CR lower than your level.
At 11th level, you save an additional phase of research when attempting to discover the truename of a creature with a CR lower than your level, minus 1.
At 18th level, you master the art of research. Your first research phase is only 1 minute long, and you save yet another phase when researching the truename of a creature with a CR lower than your level, minus 2.

Shared Burden (Su): At 6th level, your draugar become so tightly bound to your spirit that you can share the pain of your injuries with them. As an immediate action taken in response to taking damage, you can reduce that damage by half, and cause a draugr you created to take the rest of the damage you would have taken. This ability functions no matter the distance between you and the draugr, but you must be on the same plane.

Ritual Sacrifice (Su): A nagollur of 9th level can sacrifice undead he controls in order to lend extra power to his utterances in case of failure, using the energy released by their destruction to fuel the utterance. If you fail the Truespeech check to speak a nagollur utterance, you can use an immediate action to destroy draugar you control. If you do, you can use the utterance of the length you intended, as if you had not failed the Truespeech check. This immediate action uses the swift action from your next turn, regardless of when it is used, so that you may use it to affect a Phonema or Syllable, as long as you speak it during your turn. In order to force a Phonema or Syllable to be spoken, you need only destroy a single draugr. In order to force a Word to be spoken, you must destroy two draugar, and if you intend to force a Sentence to be spoken, you must destroy three.

Deathlord (Ex): At level 14, you demonstrate a greater degree of control over the undead than lesser necromancers. You can have one more draugr animated at a given time than normal. You can control up to two hit dice per level of undead by commanding them with your rebuke undead ability, rather than one.

Fleshwielder (Ex): At level 19, you master the art of commanding undead. If you would rebuke an undead, but not command it, you may instead command it for 1 minute. This still counts against the total number of undead you can command at once.

Ascendance: At level 20, you unlock the secrets of perpetual life, and can use them to order death to desert you. At any time after reaching level 20, you can grant yourself the Draugr template, with a number of exceptions. Performing this ritual requires that you first craft an object to serve as a repository for your soul, and 24 hours of meditation in a tomb, surrounded by at least 3 draugar you command. When you complete the ritual, the unholy power of these draugar is subsumed into your very being, instantly destroying them and granting you the template. You automatically bind your own spirit to the created draugr, and you do not possess the Resistance quality. You retain all of your special abilities and special qualities, regardless of origin. You are created by yourself for the purposes of determining the effects of the template.
The crafted object must be Diminutive or smaller in size, and regardless of its original characteristics, has Hardness 20 and 40 hp after the ritual's completion. It loses any magical properties it might possess, and cannot be given any permanent enchantments or other magical effects; in short, it cannot become a magic item. While it can be affected by spells, it is considered to have impenetrable spell resistance. It cannot be used as a material component for a spell, regardless of its form.
If you should ever be slain after becoming a draugr, your phylactery allows your soul to tether itself to the material world and grants you the power to produce a new body. 1d4 days after your death, you regenerate in the phylactery's square, wherever it might be. You gain the Crumbling Draugr template each time you regenerate in this fashion. This effect is considered a wish spell for the purposes of interacting with magic or other effects that would prevent you from being resurrected, except that the strength of your bond to the phylactery is such that resonance builds between you and it every moment you remain slain – each year an effect prevents you from being resurrected in this way, there is a cumulative 1% chance that your soul will break its way free of imprisonment and be brought back as normal. If your phylactery is destroyed, you are immediately slain, and you cannot be brought back by any means short of a wish or miracle, followed immediately by a true resurrection spell. In this case, you return to life without the templates granted by this class feature, but you may perform the ritual again, with a new phylactery.

17
Truespeech: Amended Articulation / The Dialect of the Manifest Ideal
« on: October 09, 2012, 07:26:18 PM »
Dialect of the Manifest Ideal
Utterances from the Dialect of the Manifest Ideal create their own targets. You can't create these targets in illegal squares, and they fall at a rate of 60 feet per round if they have weight and are not created in a space that can support that weight.

The Standard Format
(click to show/hide)

Lexicon of Undeath
With this lexicon, you create avatars of undead might. By reversing its utterances, you instead summon the essence of the living to serve you.
(click to show/hide)

18
Gaming Advice / Eldritch Blast Weapon Classification
« on: October 02, 2012, 01:53:38 PM »
Does an Eldritch Blast count as a "ranged weapon"?

19
Truespeech: Amended Articulation / A Truespeaker's Inventory
« on: August 29, 2012, 11:36:08 PM »
Truespeech Items

A truespeaker, like a member of any other class, benefits from the appropriate equipment. Items listed in this section are either created using the power of a truespeaker, or are particularly helpful to such a character.

Written Truespeech - WIP, Unbalanced as Fuck
Skilled truespeakers can put to paper the almost impossibly complex rules for pronouncing truespeech. After all, it's merely almost impossible. There are two ways of doing this; mundane text, and supernatural runes. The former amounts to an instruction guide that includes not only the syllables and punctuation but supplementary written instructions for the nuances of that particular bit of text. Runes are far more compact, for readers hear the correct sounds echo in their minds as they read, conveying perfectly the intent of the author, but the True Tongue escapes such bonds quickly, destroying the surface as it does so, giving these a short lifetime and encouraging creators to place them only on stone or similarly sturdy surfaces. In either case, while many truespeakers are prolific authors and keep extensive journals, this isn't out of a sense of practicality. At best, they're personal reminders for knowledge already gleaned, since speaking an utterance involves so many variables that must be accounted for in the moment of speech that simply knowing a truename is usually the easiest part of the work.

However, there remain several uses for written truespeech. Most widely known is the art of transcribing a personal truename, an eternally consistent Word that grants tremendous power over its subject. There are also Truescribed Scrolls, which do convey everything you need to know in order to use an utterance, as well as Truecut Runes, which allow the powers of the True Tongue to be incorporated into items and other physical objects. Finally, there are more mundane uses that still find use among truespeakers of all kinds, in particular the Truespeech Dictionary.

Recording anything in the True Tongue requires a Truespeech check with a DC of at least 15. Most written documents in the True Tongue don't have the power of an utterance, but you can write such a thing if you desire. If you are transcribing an utterance, the DC usually equals the DC to target the subject described by whatever unit of truespeech is being written. Transcribing an utterance requires you to make decisions as if you were actually speaking it, such as its target. In the case of transcribing a personal truename (which is a Word targeting the subject with that truename for the purposes of being written), the DC is equal to the DC of the check you would make at the end of research in order to learn the subject's truename. You must actually know a personal truename in order to transcribe it.

To learn to speak a written unit of the True Tongue requires a Truespeech check, and time spent learning it. You must spend at least 8 hours per day, for a number of days depending on the length of what you're learning, though these need not be consecutive days. The Truespeech DC to learn a written unit of the True Tongue is 10 for a Syllable (which takes 1 day), 15 for a Phonema or Word (which takes 7 days), or 20 for a Sentence (which takes 30 days). This is not the same as the DC to speak it after having learned it. Neither does learning an utterance in this way tell you what its effects will be - to determine that, you must make a Truespeech check while learning, as if identifying the utterance as it was spoken. If you learn an utterance in this way, you learn it exactly as it was recorded, including its target and so on. For instance, a Phonema would appear entirely useless if you failed to identify it, unless you spoke it within 30 feet of the target. Failure to speak an utterance learned in this way results in ability burn to each of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, and the utterance fails entirely rather than being shortened (as it would with broken speech).

Truespeech Dictionary: This massive tome contains a variety of priming exercises, general words, and grammatical exercises. Studying it for 1 hour grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Truespeech checks for the rest of the day. This is a masterwork tool of Truespeech.
Weight: 5 lb. Cost: 400 gp.


20
Truespeech: Amended Articulation / Truespeaking Creatures
« on: August 29, 2012, 11:32:30 PM »
Truespeaking Creatures

Just as characters can take levels in truespeaker classes, many creatures display the ability to speak utterances. Generally, their utterances work just like those of their playable counterparts. Each such creature will make note of the rules necessary to define their particular abilities, such as the mechanism by which the saving throw DC is calculated, or the ability score which takes burn in case of a failure.

Some subtypes I have shamelessly ripped off from DonQuixote:

The Fluid Subtype
(click to show/hide)

Dragons of the Word:
True dragons are creatures of vast magical power, but that power does not always make itself known through spells and magic. Dragons were, after all, among the first intelligent creatures, and it is said that they devised the art of speech before the lesser races ever walked. Scholars of truespeech have noted a similarity between the Draconic language and many of the syllables and forms of the True Tongue, and this is no surprise to those who know the truth – Draconic is derived from the primeval language of the universe, a codified and simple version that lacks the power of its ancestor. Many dragons find their talents closer to these roots, and tend less toward interest in other forms of magic.

A true dragon may gain effective drakespeaker levels as it ages. These levels provide lexica known and the Draconic Will class feature, and determine the longest utterance the dragon can speak and the number of points of Charisma burn its Draconic Will ability can prevent each day, but don't provide any other benefits of the class (such as the Spiritual Avarice class feature). In addition, when its effective drakespeaker level reaches 14th, a true dragon gains the ability to speak Sentences from lexica it learns in this fashion, unlike a standard drakespeaker. A true dragon must give up the effective sorcerer spellcasting it gains as it ages, which means that a true dragon that does not normally possess it cannot choose this option. The dragon's effective drakespeaker level is equal to the effective sorcerer level it would have had. A true dragon that selects this option cannot have selected any other options, such as a Draconic Archetype, that modify the spellcasting it gains by virtue of its race.

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