Min/Max Boards

Well, this is turning into a very interesting campaign, courtesy of the DM.

When we created our characters, little did we know that we wouldn't be working together, but pitted against each other for control of the empire!

Each of us is playing as a member of a high-ranking noble house, or other organisation of similar power (thieves' guild, assassins' guild, etc.). None of us know for sure which member of each house is being controlled by the other players (i.e. whether the player character is the ruling lord or lady, or the next-in-line, or one of the others, or even a bastard daughter or son), or which organisations are actually under the complete control of the DM. The throne lies vacant, the capital city is a spy-infested snakepit, alliances are constantly forming, dissolving and being re-negotiated, and foreign powers are eying the situation carefully, in order to take advantage of the divisions. In essence, it's quite the crapsack world - the uncompromisingly pure and noble would struggle to survive a gaming session, but it's full of opportunities for those with more flexibility. And, to top it off, there are rumours of some ancient evil reawakening, with reports of occasional signs beyond the boundaries of the empire (I'm guessing something like Age of Worms/the Worm-That-Walks, but that's metagaming a bit...).

My character is at 9th level at the moment and is doing well, despite - or because - of the fact that I have yet to make a single attack roll! I've rolled damage dice for coups-de-grace, but no attack rolls as yet. I'm guessing some of the other players, who sounded like they were looking at more martial-oriented characters, have made hundreds of such rolls, yet control smaller forces... It's interesting playing as the chessmaster once in a while, rather than one of the pawns.

Being restricted to just a Move action prevents charging:

Quote from: Rules Compendium 27

Restricted Activity
If you're unable to take a full round's worth of actions on your turn, such as during a surprise round, you can charge as a standard action. In this case, you can move up to your speed rather than up to double your speed. All other rules for charging still apply.

Emphasis added.

According to the SRD:

If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn.

Pity they never updated the Bag of Vanishing to 3e.  That thing was great for smuggling things in anywhere.  Can't find what isn't on you when they're looking.

What did that thing do?

I was considering a bag with some sort of Calling ability (so I could keep it back at base and call it in if I need it), but then realised I didn't have a way to send the bag back after I had finished with it, in case I needed to drop it somewhere to pull off a disguise. Unless anyone can think of a solution to that...

Discussed the lead foil/sheet with the DM, and, based on his experience as a materials engineer, it won't work.

Apparently, lead foil exists, and you can wrap it around things for radiation shielding, but only for fixed, non-moving objects. Flex it back and forth a few times (and it'd be flexing a lot if incorporated into clothing, or a possum pouch) and it quickly falls apart in your hand. The 'lead' aprons used to take X-rays don't actually contain a solid, continuous layer of lead.

And, for a more in-game reason, a lead-lined possum pouch would hide the magic auras of the pouch's contents, but not the aura of the pouch itself. To hide the aura of the pouch, the lead covering would need to go over the pouch and, therefore, would no longer be hidden by the pouch's illusion and be easy to find...

Just to clear things up, it's not a spy- or stealth-themed game - it's a normal game, in the sense that the backstory and the overall threats are the same as you'd find in a hack-and-slash game. Just that we're approaching the problems with guile, strategy and allies/minions/pawns rather than brute force, tactics and personal power.

That works too, just cast and throw into the pouch until tmw, repeat

Maybe a custom 5/day item would be better - I don't have the skill points to spare for UMD.

Also, a possum pouch doesn't hide the magical auras of its contents - it's just a colostomy bag that's hard to find, not an extradimensional space.

A detect magic wouldn't see an aura through clothing, unless your clothing somehow fails to provide total cover to your possum pouch.

Yes it would. From the SRD: "The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it. "

And it'd be pretty hard to justify wearing a lead apron around...

Also, Nystul's Magic Aura is 1 day per level. Bam, undetectable magic items. Unless you're somehow screwing up enough that someone is casting identify on your gear.

I don't get it until level 19. Is it worth delaying the rest of my class progression by a level just to do this?

Throw it in a glamoured possum pouch, no ones going to find that easily. Esp if you're playing a low end role (ie Joe-Bob the dead cart hauler)

Sure, it can hold a few useful items, but I'm more concerned about the dire implications of being caught, and incriminating items being found! After all, it's a DC 30 Search check, so it can be found with a thorough patdown (Take 20) by a 2nd level guard with Skill Focus: Search and 14 Int - common-enough when entering a high-security area. Also, a quick glance with Detect Magic will find the magical aura.

As with all items for this sort of character, it's situational - useful in specific circumstances, but you can't rely on being able to have it with you at all times. Better to optimise without items, be able to improvise your way through any situation, and take advantage of items when you're able to use them...

Human Heritage (or whatever the RoD feat) makes you part human.

but I understand if you don't want to


have you bought a collar of umbral metamorphosis? That's an amazing item

Definitely intending to - it's too useful to pass up for the sneak jobs, even if I'd have to pass it to a cohort or party member for many of the social jobs!

Skill Focus (Bluff) is a prerequisite for Spymaster. I'd also be taking a -2 to Disguise checks almost all the time, due to disguising as a different race. Sure, the +10 from shapeshifting compensates for this, but only when the enemy doesn't have True Seeing (and True Seeing items are fairly common at high level).

At low levels, before True Seeing becomes common, Changeling would rock, though.

Ok maybe i'm not so used to this, but how did you get ~+30 to disguise? I can't pinpoint all the bonuses that get there :\

23 ranks + 3 (Skill Focus) + 2 (Deceitful) + 4 (Skill Artistry) + 8 (Cha) + 8 (Motivate Charisma) + 2 (disguise kit) + 12 (Take 12, with Skill Mastery and Savvy Rogue) = 62

64 when acting in character (due to Bluff synergy), 60 when a disguise kit isn't available.