Fun Finds v5.0

[Argent Fatalis]

Screw the Dragonwrought Kobold debate, now anybody can be a True Dragon!

Also, from that same book:
Large:
You are now size Large.  You take a -1 to hit and AC, but you get 10' reach, +10' speed, and double carrying capacity.

Requires a Bloodline from a normally Large or larger race, can be taken after first level.  Does the book ever define what a "bloodline" is, or can you just say "My character is descended from dragons" and call it a day?

The feats section says these horrifically vague bits about Bloodline feats specifically:

"Bloodline feats are special abilities that only members of certain bloodlines may take."

And...

"In general these represent a character developing some natural ability to a greater degree, perhaps even exceeding the ability of a full-blooded parent."

Page 91 offers us this tidbit as well...

"The expression 'blood' or 'bloodline' always describes the heritage of a pure-blood ancestor; for example, 'elven blood' indicates the half-breed traces ancestry from at least one elven forebear."

Which warrants actually checking the book for what it defines as a "bloodline" specifically...

Page 5 gives us this, its fluff, but intent might be what counts at this point given how vague its been thus far:

(Previously discussing inclusion of this book in a game.) "Someone who is described as 'human' may in fact have elven blood dating back six generations. Allowing players to claim such obscure heritage for their characters opens up many of the options presented in the following chapters without discounting previous histories."

That helps some, but a "Bloodline feat" isn't explicitly mentioned here; this does suggest, however, that a bloodline many generations old, and thus lacking in an actual half-breed from the book, is entirely valid - we might have progress yet.

I'd read more right now, but can't stay conscious enough to do so, but from what I can tell, anyone can take a Bloodline feat more or less, provided you have a valid (DM approved) roleplaying reason and not just because the feat's prerequisites didn't state you needed X or Y.

Strangely enough though, a blurb on page 7 mentions something about "savage humanoid" creatures and feats, but not once is it ever brought up in the feat section itself or the table (Table 4-1: Feats, page 88). It seems as if it is an unfinished concept and that they abandoned it altogether.

Also...

A first level dip in the "Autarkic" PrC can grant immunity to Death Effects. That's nifty.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

This is the Star Wars d20 guy, yes?

Some interesting feats from a 3.0 book, Bastards and Bloodlines ...


Lost Tradition pg 91
- "Choose one spellcasting class."
- "You may change which ability score governs spellcasting with that class."
- General Feat, 1st level only.
- Example shows us a cleric taking Charisma instead of Wisdom to base her spells off of and contains this statement, "... and any other calculation regarding cleric spells." and that's after it outright says pretty much everything spell related for the cleric is now based off of Charisma instead of Wisdom.
- This isn't even a Bloodline feat - literally anyone could use this.
- Wait... Wait what? So... I had to check to see if this had any other limitations or stipulations (except that you can't do this again, not that you even could really in the first place), but no, you can base your spellcasting for one casting class off of any ability score. That means you can have absurdities such as Strength based spellcasting, where you outright muscle spells into existence just because you can - but hey, that's not the strangest thing in D&D to date.

Gish-apalooza !!
3.0e psionics cries yet one more death.

Dex Cleric Archer ; Str Sorc EK ; Con Druid Totemist.
Would have strange troubles with some otherwise normal PrCs.

[Cyrocloud]

Nothing like the a Feral  Loth-touched Half Minotaur Incarnate Construct Warforged  Wizard 13/Ab Champ 5/Spellsword 1// Cleric 9/Warhulk 10 with his +32 to STR, before he uses some spell to enlarge himself on top of it to, Giant Size, righteous might maybe...+6 enchant, +4 levels, +5 tome, +24 size, that's what +71 to strength so he'll have what 88 strength as his casting stat, granted this is cheesy as hell and gesalt, but any Caster capable of changing their size or assuming different forms could easily get huge STR scores to pump their DC's and get bonus spells.

[Maat Mons]

The mighty contender of Kord prestige class (Dragon 283, p46) has two cool abilities.  Feat of strength, given at 1st level, lets you use the granted power of the strength domain a number of times per day equal to your “unmodified” str modifier and lets levels in the prestige class stack with cleric levels for the granted power of the strength domain.  Surge of strength, given at 3rd level, makes the granted power of the strength domain last for 1+1d4 rounds.  The domain focus ACF (Dragon 347, p91) for cleric doubles the benefit of a domain but costs you the other one and your spontaneous casting ability.

So, a cleric (domain focus: strength) 8 / mighty contender of Kord 3 / cleric +9 could gain a +40 enhancement bonus to strength for 1+1d4 rounds as a free action some number of times per day.  On the down side, mighty contender of Kord only advances casting at even-numbered levels, so you're behind by two on casting.  Another downside is that you need to stick with cleric or those few prestige classes that stack for domain granted powers.  I can only think of ordained champion (which isn't compatible with Kord) and paragnostic apostle. 

They called me mad … mad!  Well who's mad now‽ 

Also, it was hard to construct that quote since the thread it's in is locked and no longer has quote buttons.  In particular, working out that the time stamp should be 1360220119 was a pain. 

[altpersona]

The mighty contender of Kord prestige class (Dragon 283, p46) has two cool abilities.  Feat of strength, given at 1st level, lets you use the granted power of the strength domain a number of times per day equal to your “unmodified” str modifier and lets levels in the prestige class stack with cleric levels for the granted power of the strength domain.  Surge of strength, given at 3rd level, makes the granted power of the strength domain last for 1+1d4 rounds.  The domain focus ACF (Dragon 347, p91) for cleric doubles the benefit of a domain but costs you the other one and your spontaneous casting ability.

So, a cleric (domain focus: strength) 8 / mighty contender of Kord 3 / cleric +9 could gain a +40 enhancement bonus to strength for 1+1d4 rounds as a free action some number of times per day.  On the down side, mighty contender of Kord only advances casting at even-numbered levels, so you're behind by two on casting.  Another downside is that you need to stick with cleric or those few prestige classes that stack for domain granted powers.  I can only think of ordained champion (which isn't compatible with Kord) and paragnostic apostle. 

They called me mad … mad!  Well who's mad now‽ 

Also, it was hard to construct that quote since the thread it's in is locked and no longer has quote buttons.  In particular, working out that the time stamp should be 1360220119 was a pain.

bloodlines?

heirophant / spell power?

[phaedrusxy]

Nothing like the a Feral  Loth-touched Half Minotaur Incarnate Construct Warforged  Wizard 13/Ab Champ 5/Spellsword 1// Cleric 9/Warhulk 10 with his +32 to STR, before he uses some spell to enlarge himself on top of it to, Giant Size, righteous might maybe...+6 enchant, +4 levels, +5 tome, +24 size, that's what +71 to strength so he'll have what 88 strength as his casting stat, granted this is cheesy as hell and gesalt, but any Caster capable of changing their size or assuming different forms could easily get huge STR scores to pump their DC's and get bonus spells.

Yeah, this is pretty much exactly where my head went, as well. Don't forget Necrotic Empowerment!

[Vampireshado]

No, no, no. Festering anger + cancer Mage. Any be a gnome just cause. Then you just sit. You just sit and be the most patient, angry lil guy in the whole world. You become so angrily patient that your power becomes cosmically phenomenal. Beyond, of course, what it was already.

[SorO_Lost]

Nothing like the a Feral  Loth-touched Half Minotaur Incarnate Construct Warforged  Wizard 13/Ab Champ 5/Spellsword 1// Cleric 9/Warhulk 10 with his +32 to STR, before he uses some spell to enlarge himself on top of it to, Giant Size, righteous might maybe...+6 enchant, +4 levels, +5 tome, +24 size, that's what +71 to strength so he'll have what 88 strength as his casting stat, granted this is cheesy as hell and gesalt, but any Caster capable of changing their size or assuming different forms could easily get huge STR scores to pump their DC's and get bonus spells.

Yeah, this is pretty much exactly where my head went, as well. Don't forget Necrotic Empowerment!

I like, don't understand this series of posts.

First of all, Necromantic Empowerment doesn't give a bonus to Strength. Seconded, WotC official let's you have nearly 70 Charisma without Race/Class being factored, 2nd Party level kicks this up to an easy 82ish. TO insane Incarnate Construct shenanigans and Gestated comes up with an 88? Ok...

No, no, no. Festering anger + cancer Mage. Any be a gnome just cause. Then you just sit. You just sit and be the most patient, angry lil guy in the whole world. You become so angrily patient that your power becomes cosmically phenomenal. Beyond, of course, what it was already.

Much better.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

... and Shambling Mound or Zegulak (?) cheese.



Pounce Barb 1 / Dungeoncrasher 6
is now a viable caster build lead-in.  Ha.

[zook1shoe]

All the physical stats can go infinite with only templates.

this means, with Fist of the Forest 1, normal/touch/ff AC, saves (Steadfast Determination for Will, and initiative infinite

also, you can have infinite attacks
----
here is a 8ecl PC with 10 HD
----
someone previously mentioned gaining the template multiple times and I think cited the WotC site. Where was that?

[Amechra]

Here's a "fun find"; by a strict reading, a Crusader's delayed damage pool does not actually delay damage. It says that "any hit point damage you take is added to your delayed damage pool", and mention nothing about reducing the amount of damage you take that round.

In other words, if you have Steely Resolve 10 and are hit by an attack that deals 20 damage, you take 20 damage, set the pool to 10, and then take 10 damage next round as the pool empties.

Now, the rest of the ability indicates that the RAI is that the damage is delayed (including the example given, which says that the damage is "shifted" into the pool), but the RAW makes me go wha?

[Maat Mons]

I just realized something about this feat from Dragon 359 (page 125). 

NAME OF THE MAGE

By plumbing the depths of eldritch knowledge, you have discovered dire secrets no mortal was ever meant to know.

Prerequisites: arcane caster level 20th.

Benefit: Anyone other than you who speaks your name becomes greatly unnerved, as are all who hear it (other than you). If the creature who speaks your name has as many or more Hit Dice as you, he is shaken for 3 rounds (no save); if he has fewer Hit Dice than you, he is frightened for 1d4+1 rounds (no save). Creatures who hear your name must make a Will save (DC 10 + your arcana spellcasting level + your Cha bonus) or become frightened for 3 rounds. Even those who succeed on the saving throw are shaken for 1 round. Neither your presence nor knowledge of you has any effect on this ability. Your name itself has gained an inherent power all its own.

This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

As long as someone in the campaign setting has taken that feat, you can say his name and automatically render everyone around you shaken.  Also, there's nothing stopping you from saying the name again for another shot at frightened. 

By speaking the name, you'll be frightened yourself, but immunity to fear takes care of that. 

[Amechra]

You know what you do with that?

You play a Wizard. And, as part of your character's personality, throw in a ton of alternate names (pretty much every common name in the setting.)

Then watch society fall apart because no-one can say anyone's name. You can also work it out with somehow preserving a bajillion clones of yourself that all have different names.

[JaronK]

Heck with that, I'm renaming myself "Boo" before taking that feat.  Or if I'm really being cruel, I'll go with "and".

JaronK

[Prime32]

Just watch out for lv20 Monks of the Healing Hand.

[Amechra]

Heck with that, I'm renaming myself "Boo" before taking that feat.  Or if I'm really being cruel, I'll go with "and".

JaronK

How about 'is'?

[nijineko]

or, depending on your culture, 'eh', or even just 'e'.

[zook1shoe]

I totally love that section in Dr359

Bestow Curse, say my name at very awkward times?

Even meaner? Have your alternate names the names of a bunch of gods. Then every time a clergyman prays, they need to make ~100 saves vs fear

[phaedrusxy]

I just realized something about this feat from Dragon 359 (page 125). 

NAME OF THE MAGE

Did anyone else think of this?

[Bauglir]

That means you can have absurdities such as Strength based spellcasting, where you outright muscle spells into existence just because you can - but hey, that's not the strangest thing in D&D to date.

I'm not the only one who thought of Muscle Wizards?