Pre-game and "mother-may-I"s with the DM

[VennDygrem]

Ooh, now I have a bit of inspiration for my character,  haha.

[geniussavant]

You still starting a second party? If so, am I still in?

[ariasderros]

You still starting a second party? If so, am I still in?

Yes, and Yes.

[geniussavant]

Anything I should know before I start thinking up a character?

[ariasderros]

Anything I should know before I start thinking up a character?

I would read the houserules, for one thing.
Beyond that, I can't think of anything. I'll be starting you in a city, but it is up to ya'll as to how urban it'll stay. Anything you want to know?

[geniussavant]

I went through the house rules and didn't have any questions at first glance. Any idea what the rest of the group has in mind or the campaign style?

[phaedrusxy]

I went through the house rules and didn't have any questions at first glance. Any idea what the rest of the group has in mind or the campaign style?

I'm playing an incorporeal (some of the time) telepath. I think VennDygrem is playing some kind of (sublime?) rogue. Campaign has been stated to start out as "nintendo hard" but with more or less static CRs (around 8), and be "low magic items" (and generally low magic, but the PCs can be unique snowflakes as far as that goes ).

[geniussavant]

What are ya'lls' thoughts about a swarm focused character? And is it even possible in this game or without crazy shananigins?

[phaedrusxy]

What are ya'lls' thoughts about a swarm focused character? And is it even possible in this game or without crazy shananigins?

I'm not exactly sure what you have in mind. Swarms are one way to deal pretty effectively with otherwise powerful brutes who have no magic capacity... So yeah, it might work OK, if you have a way to hide while the swarm (slowly) does its business.

Of course, if the rest of the party can't do the same, they're going to get pounded by the enemy and maybe even damaged by your swarm(s).

My character's MO will be to hide inside the ground/objects while using his psi-powers against enemies (Astral Construct, Matter Agitation, etc). I think this should work even without Burrowing Power, as I have Mindsight and the incorporeal subtype says that while you're inside an object, creatures have total concealment from you (but not cover). So he should have LoE, and be able to target well enough via Mindsight. (If this isn't kosher, let me know ariasderros, that's part of the reason I was spelling it out here  ).

He only has a limited amount of time he can be incorporeal though, and being inside objects slowly does subdual damage to him, so even when he is incorporeal, he can't just stay inside a wall/floor/etc all the time (for another two levels, anyway ).

[geniussavant]

Something along the lines of a character that has let his body become a sort of ant farm and the swarm in turn protects him, kinda like that template from dungeonscape for Golems and undead

[phaedrusxy]

Something along the lines of a character that has let his body become a sort of ant farm and the swarm in turn protects him, kinda like that template from dungeonscape for Golems and undead

Well, I know a very cool and fitting PrC that might work if it is allowed, but you wouldn't be able to enter it for a few levels.

[geniussavant]

Prc is close to what I want, ducks I cant get in yet. I'll. See what I can find laying around. And I'll. Need word from A though to get approval for the concept too

[Risada]

I want to go Martial Hexblade... If it's ok with ariasderros swap one of the disciplines available with this one... Most probably Human for race... Any race you guys know that helps with debuffing aside from Unseelie fey (that one from Dragon Compendium)?

[geniussavant]

Something along the lines of this would be great if anyone knows of anything similar or this is allowed.

[ariasderros]

If this isn't kosher, let me know ariasderros, that's part of the reason I was spelling it out here 

It's fine.
Just remember that Mindsight alone wouldn't let you target people, since they'd still have total concealment. But it would work well enough for AoE's and things like Astral Construct.

Prc is close to what I want, ducks I cant get in yet. I'll. See what I can find laying around. And I'll. Need word from A though to get approval for the concept too

Just remember, the more freakish you look, the more wary people will act.

He said it well here:

but the PCs can be unique snowflakes

But, as I mentioned about the Nagaja and Warforged, being mosterous is allowed, being overtly monsterous might make things difficult.

Something along the lines of this would be great if anyone knows of anything similar or this is allowed.

Approved with certain "fixes".
First, Constitution is not a casting stat. Guy casts Divine Spells, from the Druid list. Wisdom.
Second, Vermin Servant is subject to approval. Don't know of anything I'd say "No" to, but I'm just covering my bases here.
Third, Spider Hand, uses per day should be based off of either Charisma, or Wisdom. Again, not Constitution.

I want to go Martial Hexblade... If it's ok with ariasderros swap one of the disciplines available with this one...

I like everything about that class with one major exception. The manouver recovery mechanic sucks. If you are fighting a big group of weaker enemies, you are powerful, one big bruiser, though, makes you much weaker. Also, does any enemy in your aura count for the recovery? I'd say no, but it isn't clear.
Needs something else for recovery, though IDK what.

As far as the school, I haven't finished reading it yet, and I realize you got it from a different game, but yes, you can Albel Nox, the Albel Nox out of Albel Nox as much as you'd like to Albel Nox.
... That's a yes.
I would say swap out for White Raven, since that doesn't make much thematic sense for a Hexer.

Most probably Human for race... Any race you guys know that helps with debuffing aside from Unseelie fey (that one from Dragon Compendium)?

A Diaboli tail poison causes the sickened condition. I know there are others, I just can't think of them right now.

[Jackinthegreen]

Looking at the class, I'd say it would be fitting if it was like the warblade's recovery but with a twist:  Use a swift action followed by a standard or full attack against a creature afflicted by one of your Curses.  Alternately, using a standard action to Intimidate a creature affected by a Curse might work, and the intimidate for this purpose can't be sped up via stuff like DotU's Fearsome armor.

[ariasderros]

Looking at the class, I'd say it would be fitting if it was like the warblade's recovery but with a twist:  Use a swift action followed by a standard or full attack against a creature afflicted by one of your Curses.  Alternately, using a standard action to Intimidate a creature affected by a Curse might work, and the intimidate for this purpose can't be sped up via stuff like DotU's Fearsome armor.

Keying a martial adept recovery mechanic off of a per-day limited use class ability seems awfully dependent on a 15 minute workday. Which can be pretty unreliable.

The thing is, recovery should always be self-contained within the class, and not based on something that is limited use. Crusader has his Granted mechanic, Swordsage & Warblade both have an action cost. Some of the homebrew has an action cost, or is keyed off of using a class attack mode (that is either at-will, or has a 'cooldown'). But not actually based on the results on the battlefield, since a mechanic like that would be, well, based on the battlefield, which is going to be different every time.

[phaedrusxy]

Keying recovery off of a use of Intimidate to demoralize an enemy could be an interesting recovery mechanic, though.

[Jackinthegreen]

Keying a martial adept recovery mechanic off of a per-day limited use class ability seems awfully dependent on a 15 minute workday. Which can be pretty unreliable.

The thing is, recovery should always be self-contained within the class, and not based on something that is limited use. Crusader has his Granted mechanic, Swordsage & Warblade both have an action cost. Some of the homebrew has an action cost, or is keyed off of using a class attack mode (that is either at-will, or has a 'cooldown'). But not actually based on the results on the battlefield, since a mechanic like that would be, well, based on the battlefield, which is going to be different every time.

Perhaps the curse uses need to be per encounter then, and taken down a bit?

[ariasderros]

Keying recovery off of a use of Intimidate to demoralize an enemy could be an interesting recovery mechanic, though.

But not actually based on the results on the battlefield, since a mechanic like that would be, well, based on the battlefield, which is going to be different every time.

You fight a plague of rat-swarms. Demoralize = useless. You cannot succeed, therefor cannot recover.

Going through SirP's MA's: a S.Rogue needs to move, using a move action; a Wardancer makes a perform check as a free action; a Cycle Warden recovers from one discipline when using the other; Warcrafter uses free action skill checks; Hylian Warrior uses a swift action; Gerudo uses a standard action; and Wyrm Warrior's have a 1d4+1 cooldown on each of their manouvers.
All of these things are self-contained.

The only class I've seen in-play that isn't self-contained for recovery is Osle's Frostwind Virago, which needs to cold-touch an enemy, or catch an enemy in its vortex to recover. This is easier than it sounds.

Honestly though, I'm curious for Risada's opinion.