[D&D3.5] Quest for the Sunblade

[Nanshork]

I'd like party input on my auras (I'm already getting vigor).

I get to choose one of the following of what I think looks good (aura bonus is currently +1):

Energy Surge: Allies deal additional energy damage on each damaging weapon attack equal to 1d4 per point of aura bonus. This damage can be either acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic, chosen when the aura is activated. You can change this selection as the same type of action as activating an aura.

Power: Allies gain a bonus on weapon damage rolls equal to 1d4 per point of aura bonus.

Resistance: Allies gain resistance to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage equal to five times your aura bonus.

Resolve: Allies gain a bonus on all saves.

Senses: Allies within the aura gain blindsense out to 5 feet per point of aura bonus and can see through nonmagical darkness within the aura. Allies gain a bonus on initiative checks and on listen and spot checks.

Toughness: Allies gain a bonus equal to twice your aura bonus to any DR they may have. Allies that do not already have DR /- are treated as having DR 0/- before applying this aura's bonus.


Thoughts?

[Liara]

@Nanshork
The Toughness Aura probably gets quickly outscaled; Senses actually looks pretty nice if Catty plays a lot with visibility.
Well saving throws are also always interesting.
The Energy Surge Aura is certainly best for direct combat, but I am not sure we need more damage that urgently?

[CattyNebulart]

Do we have anybody in the party who can identify magic items?

Edit: Lesser Assimar as a race (for Dragonborn Lesser Assimar), yea or nay?

I did already state appraise can be used to I'd magic items.

[Gazzien]

I'd like party input on my auras (I'm already getting vigor).

I get to choose one of the following of what I think looks good (aura bonus is currently +1):

Energy Surge: Allies deal additional energy damage on each damaging weapon attack equal to 1d4 per point of aura bonus. This damage can be either acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic, chosen when the aura is activated. You can change this selection as the same type of action as activating an aura.

Power: Allies gain a bonus on weapon damage rolls equal to 1d4 per point of aura bonus.

Resistance: Allies gain resistance to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage equal to five times your aura bonus.

Resolve: Allies gain a bonus on all saves.

Senses: Allies within the aura gain blindsense out to 5 feet per point of aura bonus and can see through nonmagical darkness within the aura. Allies gain a bonus on initiative checks and on listen and spot checks.

Toughness: Allies gain a bonus equal to twice your aura bonus to any DR they may have. Allies that do not already have DR /- are treated as having DR 0/- before applying this aura's bonus.


Thoughts?

My thoughts:
Energy Surge: Could come in handy in case we run into something with regeneration, and since you can change the selection, resistance / immunity shouldn't be a problem.
Power: Same amount of damage as Energy Surge, but can't bypass regeneration. I'd go with Energy Surge.
Resistance: Resist [Elemental] 5? That's pretty nice. Still a toss up, personally, but I would rather have the damage.
Resolve: A bonus to all saves is rather nice. Especially because mine are just ... horrible. Except for Fort, I've got a good Fort save.
Senses: I've got Darkvision & LLV; the blindsense 5' is nice for invisible creatures, I suppose, but I don't think it's as useful as the energy damage / saves. +1 Initiative / Listen / Spot is a good fringe benefit, but I still don't think it's quite worth it. At least, not for me - I don't know the Darkvision status of the rest of the party.
Toughness: Armored bear laughs at your puny DR! Nah. I've got DR 3/adamantine, which wouldn't stack with 2/-, and I agree - it probably gets outscaled very quickly.

I'd go Energy Surge or Resolve, but I can see the argument for Resistance or Senses.

[phaedrusxy]

Mechanically, I think Senses is by far the optimal choice (it boosts Spot and Initiative, which I've found are two of the most important things in the game, as they help you basically win the Action Economy by getting to act first/more often, plus Blindsense and the other stuff? Pure win).

However, I think Energy Surge could be quite fun and useful as well (especially if our group members have a bunch of attacks via TWF/natural weapons/etc). I think it is better than Power for the reasons Gazzien laid out.

The others are OK, but not as good or flashy/fun.

Do we have anybody in the party who can identify magic items?

Edit: Lesser Assimar as a race (for Dragonborn Lesser Assimar), yea or nay?

I did already state appraise can be used to I'd magic items.

Awesome! I missed that somehow... Is that only Appraise? Or Spellcraft too? Either way, I should have enough skill points to spare to get either/both.

Character (WIP)

I'd kind of like to go sword and board with this little guy, but most of the standard D&D feats for that suck... Any homebrew suggestions?

[Nanshork]

Please note that I do already have an initiative boosting aura if that makes a difference.

It seems we're down to Energy Surge, Resistance, Resolve, or maybe Senses.

Catty, you quoted it but didn't answer my race question.

[Gazzien]

Please note that I do already have an initiative boosting aura if that makes a difference.

It seems we're down to Energy Surge, Resistance, Resolve, or maybe Senses.

Catty, you quoted it but didn't answer my race question.

If you already have initiative I'm not sure that Senses is really worth it. (I have four attacks, so I want the Energy Surge... Hammer, claw, claw, bite, rend on an optimal round.)

Hjalmur is pretty much done (just a couple of class-related questions left); I've got a Wand of Lesser Vigor for more healing, and plenty of rope and rope-related accessories. Also a bit of spare change I'm willing to chip in, if someone's a hundred gold or so from some cool item. Wanted to pick up a Rust Monster Wand but couldn't quite make it fit.

[CattyNebulart]

Please note that I do already have an initiative boosting aura if that makes a difference.

It seems we're down to Energy Surge, Resistance, Resolve, or maybe Senses.

Catty, you quoted it but didn't answer my race question.

Sorry on phone away from books. Trying to be responsive even if I have. To skip a bit. Overall the party is optimizing a ibit more than I originally planned, but I can deal. Will answer the race question when I can look it up, probably yes. You could also pm me the stats and I'll make a Edison on that.

Blame typo in phone auto corrupt

[Nanshork]

Please note that I do already have an initiative boosting aura if that makes a difference.

It seems we're down to Energy Surge, Resistance, Resolve, or maybe Senses.

Catty, you quoted it but didn't answer my race question.

Sorry on phone away from books. Trying to be responsive even if I have. To skip a bit. Overall the party is optimizing a ibit more than I originally planned, but I can deal. Will answer the race question when I can look it up, probably yes. You could also pm me the stats and I'll make a Edison on that.

Blame typo in phone auto corrupt

Lesser Aasimar As Characters

Lesser Aasimar characters possess the following racial traits.

    Type: Humanoid
    +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma.
    Medium size.
    A Lesser Aasimar’s base land speed is 30 feet.
    Darkvision: Lesser Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
    Racial Skills: Lesser Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks.
    Resistance to acid 5, cold 5, and electricity 5.
    Automatic Languages: Common, Celestial. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Sylvan.
    Favored Class: Paladin.
    Level adjustment +0.


Then sticking dragonborn on it makes it as follows:
  Type: Humanoid
  +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity,+2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma
  Medium size.
  A Lesser Aasimar’s base land speed is 30 feet.
  Darkvision: Lesser Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
  Racial Skills: Lesser Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks.
  Resistance to acid 5, cold 5, and electricity 5.
  Dragonborn bonuses
  Automatic Languages: Common, Celestial. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Sylvan.
  Favored Class: Paladin.
  Level adjustment +0.
 

[phaedrusxy]

Plus whatever dragonborn subtype you pick (Heart for Breath Weapon, Mind for senses, Wings for... wings).

Edit: These look cool, and I know Garryl made a similar thread. Would you allow Reckless Attack from here?

Reckless Attack [Fighter]
You can sacrifice defense to put more power behind your blows.
Prerequisite: Str 13
Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from your AC and add the same number to all melee damage rolls made with two-handed weapons, or one-handed weapons wielded in two hands. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty to AC and bonus on damage apply until your next turn.
Special: This feat may not be used in conjunction with the Power Attack feat.
Reckless Attack can be used in place of the Power Attack feat to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other special ability. Abilities that modify Power Attack (such as the Leap Attack feat, or a Frenzied Berserker’s Supreme Power Attack) modify Reckless Attack in a similar manner.

Combat Insticts is also tempting...

Combat Instincts [Fighter]
You’re capable of giving into your instincts in combat, granting yourself better defense at the cost of self-control.
Prerequisite: Wis 13
Benefit: You may take a penalty of up to -5 to your Will saves and add the same number (+5 or less) your AC as a dodge bonus. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus or your base Will save.
Special: Combat Instincts can be used in place of the Combat Expertise feat to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other special ability. In such cases, replace any “Int 13” prerequisite with “Wis 13.”

[CattyNebulart]

Lesser Asimar is allowed since I am allowing the lolth touched.

Reckless attack and Combat instincts are both fine. So note that reckless attack doesn't have the bonus that powerattack has for 2 handed weapons.

[CattyNebulart]

Awesome! I missed that somehow... Is that only Appraise? Or Spellcraft too? Either way, I should have enough skill points to spare to get either/both.

Character (WIP)

I'd kind of like to go sword and board with this little guy, but most of the standard D&D feats for that suck... Any homebrew suggestions?

Just appraise. In a magical world that skill covers the identification of magic items too. Also you seem to have missed the +50% to base class skills so 12+int skills per level, and the pathfinderism of giving class skills with ranks a +3 bonus that counts as ranks, but ranks otherwise capped at HD instead of 4x skillpoints at the 1'st level.


Also for build rules no flaws or stuff but 2 feats at 1'st level.

[Gazzien]

Awesome! I missed that somehow... Is that only Appraise? Or Spellcraft too? Either way, I should have enough skill points to spare to get either/both.

Character (WIP)

I'd kind of like to go sword and board with this little guy, but most of the standard D&D feats for that suck... Any homebrew suggestions?

Just appraise. In a magical world that skill covers the identification of magic items too. Also you seem to have missed the +50% to base class skills so 12+int skills per level, and the pathfinderism of giving class skills with ranks a +3 bonus that counts as ranks, but ranks otherwise capped at HD instead of 4x skillpoints at the 1'st level.


Also for build rules no flaws or stuff but 2 feats at 1'st level.

Oh ranks are also capped at HD? Thought it was just a bonus for investing heavily in one thing. Y'know, I'm not sure why I thought that... It seems really silly in retrospect.

I did change it to Fury-touched and CN, in case you missed it.

[CattyNebulart]

Awesome! I missed that somehow... Is that only Appraise? Or Spellcraft too? Either way, I should have enough skill points to spare to get either/both.

Character (WIP)

I'd kind of like to go sword and board with this little guy, but most of the standard D&D feats for that suck... Any homebrew suggestions?

Just appraise. In a magical world that skill covers the identification of magic items too. Also you seem to have missed the +50% to base class skills so 12+int skills per level, and the pathfinderism of giving class skills with ranks a +3 bonus that counts as ranks, but ranks otherwise capped at HD instead of 4x skillpoints at the 1'st level.


Also for build rules no flaws or stuff but 2 feats at 1'st level.

Oh ranks are also capped at HD? Thought it was just a bonus for investing heavily in one thing. Y'know, I'm not sure why I thought that... It seems really silly in retrospect.

I did change it to Fury-touched and CN, in case you missed it.

Yes, basically like in pathfinder.

[CattyNebulart]

OK so I put in the board request and we'll likely start the game Monday or Sunday, that should be enough time to. Finnish characters.

[oslecamo]

You're being quite optimistic if you think we'll actually have a board by Sunday/Monday. Prime32 isn't as active as he used to be.

Out of pure curiosity, what will Anomander be playing? I saw him on the list of PCs but didn't see him post here.

Gah, got 3 campaigns of my own to update, but I'm quite busy until the weekend...

[Nanshork]

Okay, I've got my draconic auras sorted out.  Now what would you guys like for my minor auras?

The list is here , I'm already taking Motivate Dexterity.  The bonus will be +4.  We'll only get one minor aura at a time for now.

[Gazzien]

Okay, I've got my draconic auras sorted out.  Now what would you guys like for my minor auras?

The list is here , I'm already taking Motivate Dexterity.  The bonus will be +4.  We'll only get one minor aura at a time for now.

My suggestions: Master of Tactics (+damage while flanking) and Force of Will (+will saves).

[Liara]

Okay, I've got my draconic auras sorted out.  Now what would you guys like for my minor auras?

The list is here , I'm already taking Motivate Dexterity.  The bonus will be +4.  We'll only get one minor aura at a time for now.

Hmm, I always like tanky stuff like "Tough it out" and "Watchful Eye" although its probably not that effective. Art of War would probably be nice for our bear, and I think I'll do a controller-like build.
Overall our Will throws are probably pretty low, so "Force of Will" might be good for us. About the rest, ehh not sure. They all look kinda nice but sticking with my ponderings so far.

[Gazzien]

Okay, I've got my draconic auras sorted out.  Now what would you guys like for my minor auras?

The list is here , I'm already taking Motivate Dexterity.  The bonus will be +4.  We'll only get one minor aura at a time for now.

Hmm, I always like tanky stuff like "Tough it out" and "Watchful Eye" although its probably not that effective. Art of War would probably be nice for our bear, and I think I'll do a controller-like build.
Overall our Will throws are probably pretty low, so "Force of Will" might be good for us. About the rest, ehh not sure. They all look kinda nice but sticking with my ponderings so far.

Art of War would be nice, but I didn't want to suggest it because I think I'd be the only person benefitting, which feels like a waste of an aura. (Plus, I've already got +19 to sunder...)