Fun Finds v5.0

[123456789blaaa]

I foresee a humongous debate that clogs this thread in the near future. Why not either create a new thread or decide to cease arguing?

[JaronK]

Fair enough.  I see no point to continuing said madness.

JaronK

[Lunarambling]

So it seemed to be overlooked in the war of KoK, but does anyone have the Menta Cyclopean issue on line? I would really like to see that. I had never heard about it and would love to read about that race. Thanks.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

2 kinds, both humanoid:
+2con, -2dex (or also +2str for -2int)
medium 30' darkv 60'
the 3/day other people augury thing or instead +1init & refl insight
-2search, spot & ranged rolls
auto common & giant, some other manual languages
LA+0 favored wizard or bard

[Lunarambling]

2 kinds, both humanoid:
+2con, -2dex (or also +2str for -2int)
medium 30' darkv 60'
the 3/day other people augury thing or instead +1init & refl insight
-2search, spot & ranged rolls
auto common & giant, some other manual languages
LA+0 favored wizard or bard

So I did a ton of digging and found that Dragon mag online. The interesting thing is that in the Racial Traits, they are not listed as either Humanoids, or Giants. They are routinely described as Giants, until it starts talking about their appearance, at which it refers to them being large humanoids. So the article clearly describes them as both, and their official stats do not call them out as either. Were they ever updated anywhere else? Otherwise, it seems like DM's choice. Personally, I would lean toward allowing them as Giants as that is what the majority of the fluff suggests, and there is no Rules material to counter it.

[Maat Mons]

Actually, it's cyclopes that are called giants.  Cyclopeans are only ever called humanoids. 

[Lunarambling]

Actually, it's cyclopes that are called giants.  Cyclopeans are only ever called humanoids.

That is incorrect. Here are a couple of quotes.

"Known as Feral-Kind, these cyclopeans are violent and savage, like many other types of giants." This clearly implies that they are in fact giants.

"As befitting their Giant ancestry, Cyclopeans have short, simple names." Again referencing their giant heritage.

Personally, I think that the author foolishly used the term humanoids to reference other creatures with a humanoid shape, such as Humanoids, Monstrous Humanoids, etc. Humanoid does have a meaning in the english language beyond the rules of creature types. If reading with context, that general English meaning fits perfectly in every place where humanoids are referenced. This would clear up why they are called out above as being giants.

Personally, for me the first quote solidifies the intent of what creature type they were meant to be.

[DavidWL]

The Hallowed Witch from Van Richten's Arsenal is interesting in that it advances the caster level of all your other classes. The features are kinda boring, but you can get awaken as an SLA which is kinda fun

Very cool!

Also makes me think that a warlock's abilities would also be advanced. 

A bard / sublime chord would have both CLs advanced ... big perk!
Knight of the weave becomes a fabulous dip ... would be interesting to make a build.

Bard 4
Warlock 1
Cleric 3
Hallowed Witch 2
Sublime Chord 1
Knight of the Weave 1
Hallowed Witch +8
-->
11th level Warlock abilities
10th level Knight of the weave casting
13th level cleric casting.
14th level bard casting
10th level sublime chord casting

Not uber powerful, but cool.

Also, order independent (you don't "advance" previous CL ... you "stack" with them).

Best,
David

[Maat Mons]

Known as Feral-Kind, these cyclopeans are violent and savage, like many other types of giants.

Alright, I did miss that one.  Now I'll agree that it's ambiguous. 

[Mithril Leaf]

The Hallowed Witch from Van Richten's Arsenal is interesting in that it advances the caster level of all your other classes. The features are kinda boring, but you can get awaken as an SLA which is kinda fun

*Stuff*

Best,
David

Note that there's a 70% chance that it in fact only advances Caster Level, not full spell advancement. So it's pretty much only good for pumping your CL, not so much for advancing a bunch of classes. For example, a Spellthief 1/Bard 1/ Beholder Mage 10/ Knight of the Weave 1/ Arcane Caster X 1/ Hallowed Witch 5 gets you a CL of silly.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

That's the most Div action going on in an LA+0 Commoner.
Wouldn't these guys survive + thrive, in The Singularity ?!



So what happened to the KoK Fight ?
 

[SorO_Lost]

So what happened to the KoK Fight ?

Someone called stop.

[deadkitten]

so I was making a Monk for a campaign the other day and I took a look at the Shiba Protector prestige class from Oriental Adventures, pg 223, and came across something interesting regarding its wording of its 1st level ability.

No Thought (EX): Shiba Protectors add their Wisdom modifier if positive, to their attack and damage rolls.

 now it does not specify weapon damage, just plain old damage. so hello things such as inflict spells, ice axe, and shivering touch, flame acorns (dont know for sure if that is the right name of this one).

practicality aside that is an interesting way the ability is worded.

[Amechra]

Might be nice as a small dip as a Dragonfire Adept...

Actually, don't most class features that add an ability score to damage not specify weapon damage?

[deadkitten]

probably a fair point there, never looked much into the rest of the x stat to damage abilities were worded to see if they qualified. this one i thought was interesting because it would potentially be a great dip for either a cleric or druid.

[deadkitten]

Also the Vodan is an amazing divine caster that gets 9th level spells, imbue with spell ability as a class feature and MULTIPLE turning pools such as undead, outsider, fey, and animal

you can find it on pg 174 of Dark Tales and Disturbing Legends in the Ravenloft campaign setting.

[SorO_Lost]

probably a fair point there, never looked much into the rest of the x stat to damage abilities were worded to see if they qualified. this one i thought was interesting because it would potentially be a great dip for either a cleric or druid.

Ability Damage is not Damage just because they share one word.

The argument is so old even the FAQ jumped in and said no.

Do feats that affect damage, such as Weapon Specialization, increase the amount of ability damage done with an attack such as a shadow’s touch attack?
Although they do use the same word, damage and ability damage are completely different. Feats and other sources that give bonuses to damage do not affect ability damage unless they specifically say so.

[BearsAreBrown]

probably a fair point there, never looked much into the rest of the x stat to damage abilities were worded to see if they qualified. this one i thought was interesting because it would potentially be a great dip for either a cleric or druid.

Ability Damage is not Damage just because they share one word.

The argument is so old even the FAQ jumped in and said no.

Do feats that affect damage, such as Weapon Specialization, increase the amount of ability damage done with an attack such as a shadow’s touch attack?
Although they do use the same word, damage and ability damage are completely different. Feats and other sources that give bonuses to damage do not affect ability damage unless they specifically say so.

Thank you. The intent has always seemed braindead obvious to me. Do you think it would work on spells and breath weapons though?

[Amechra]

Sor0, ability damage was never mentioned. Or implied. He was referring to the X Stat to Y Bonus thread.

We're not that dumb, you know  .

That said, if it is based off of damage and not weapon damage, it applies to stuff like breath weapons or other abilities that deal flat damage that are otherwise kinda a pain to enhance otherwise.

[Maat Mons]

That's odd.  I got the opposite impression from Rules Compendium. 

Damage reduces a target’s current hit points, unless it’s specified as some other sort of damage. Certain attacks, creatures, and magical effects can cause other sorts of damage, such as ability damage, energy drain, or nonlethal damage.