Brilliant Gameologists Forum
Playtime! => Play by Post General => : Brainpiercing June 09, 2008, 02:29:31 PM
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Hello everyone,
I want to moderate (i.e. GM) a new Forgotten Realms +X campaign.
Just so you know who you are dealing with:
I have been playing RPGs for over 10 years on and off.
I have been both GMing and playing Play by Post games since around 1999. These games were freeform and as such VERY prose heavy, so you can expect some of that to transfer to here.
I have been playing D&D on and off for around 5 years, and have been participating on the Charop forums since recently. I do condone optimisation.
I am, of course, now looking for players.
On the Campaign:
I will be using a scenario based system instead of a completely written campaign. I will do my very best not to railroad anything. As such, there will be story flow presented as flavour text paragraphs, which the PCs are not expected to know about, while the PCs will have to drive their own story forward. There will of course be hooks, but no force. You are free to divert your PC at any time. There will be no pre-defined outcome of the campaign - except a probable PC victory IF they so desire. There will be no fixed sides. Of course there will be villains and people fighting them. The PCs can choose a side, BECOME a side, or just wiggle through the middle, if they so desire. (And yes, become means become. If you're evil and want to supplant the previous main BBEG, you will probably be able to do so - if you can.)
This is a HIGH ROLEPLAYING campaign, not a dungeon crawl. Fights will happen because they SHOULD happen. When they happen they might be tough. You won't find many random critters attacking you (simply because this detracts from the story and takes up a LOT of time in PbP). XP-awards will be given for fights, but also out of fights.
Story posts and player posts should be written in descriptive style in past tense, as writing an actual story. Elements like "he said", etc. should be used when appropriate. Only using colour coding is not always sufficient, especially when writing about several people. Rolls should be included in bracketed form.
Example combat posts:
[spoiler]
[ROUND 1] [Initiative rolls: Oddjob the Fighter: 10, Goblin: 14]
[Goblin's Turn]
The goblin cackled and spat as it approached warily [move from B15 to B18] and seemed to size up its opponent. [Aura opposed check: Goblin 8, Oddjob 10] It seemed unsure of itself, but it was, after all, defending its home. It's attack came as a sudden lunge with a curved and jagged scimitar.[1d6+2] [Attack roll: 16+4AB=20 vs. AC 18; Damage roll: 6 slashing]
[Oddjob's Turn]
Oddjob saw the little goblin approach, even though he himself towered over it. He readied his greatsword for the goblin's attack, but when the attack came, it passed straight by his sword and stuck an ugly gash in his side. Enraged and angered by the damage, Oddjob swung his blade in a wild diagonal slash at the goblin's body [Power attack 4, Roll 12+9=21 vs AC 15; Damage 19 slashing] followed by a reverse slash at the goblin's legs [Roll 4+4=8 vs AC 15] which unfortunately fell short of its mark.
[/spoiler]
Since this is PbP there will be some quirky house-rules, which I will announce as I find the time over the next few days. Some of these are a bit experimental. These will be categorized for easier reference.
Allowed Books: All WotC, no mags. Certain erratas will be ignored and re-ruled. (Like Fauxlymorph.) All sources must be stated. Campaign setting specific material is subject to approval if it's from a non-faerun setting. [Edit] I don't own the Rules compendium. As such, previous representations of the rules will have to suffice. I also am not entirely familiar with every splat-book game mechanic available. I expect players to explain their characters upon request and direct me to relevant sections of those books.[/edit]
I would like to employ a Responsible Use system: Most things will be allowed, but I expect you to find IC reasons why your character cannot use them to rule the world (or do whatever). As such, there is no gentlemen's agreement, there is only wrath of the gods if you take it too far.
There will be coexisting creatures and individuals of all levels at all times. Since your characters are free to do what they want, they MIGHT run into places where they should not be at their level. For that reason there will be a new system to make it possible for a character or creature to gauge a situation:
AURA: Every creature will have an aura that corresponds to its power. A character has an Aura equal to his ECL. A creature has an aura equal to its CR. A PC can at any time gauge his aura relative to another's. To do so he makes an opposing Aura-check, rolling a D6 plus his Aura-value vs. the opponents D6 plus Aura-value. If he loses, he should feel reason to flee or submit (and likewise). Gauging an aura is a free action.
Concerning PCs
[spoiler]
Roleplay and Sheet stats: I fully accept that flavour follows function. Whatever class you think helps your character you are free to add if you can meet the requirements. There will be no XP-penalties and no favoured classes.
Point-buy: I don't see the point in diminishing returns in D&D, where not very many things follow diminishing return mechanisms. As such, there will be a all 8 + 25pt point-buy, WITHOUT increases in cost per stat point. So getting an 18 will cost a flat 10 points. The lowest allowable stat value is 6. The lowest allowable intelligence is 8, unless you promise to really play out stupidity, or the character is a cohort. Monstrous characters use a different system, see below.
Age system: Every individual running about the realms will accrue XP automatically at around 1000pts per year of age after reaching adulthood, even if he never goes adventuring. Adventurers gain a lot more XP. Now unless there are severe complaints I would like to employ the same system for PCs: You get to CHOOSE your starting age, and hence, your starting level. As an example: Fred the town smith is forty years old, he has been working for 24 years. Hence he has accumulated 24000XP. [edit]He has reached level 7 in his NPC class (commoner).
Oddjob the Fighter has been a brothel bouncer for 30 years. He has reached Level 8 doing this rather boring job. (Still he might be a crack fighter.) Unfortunately his little town is attacked and nearly wiped out by an orc warband, so Oddjob has to find some new way of surviving for himself. Even though he's already starting to get a bit stiff in the joints he gathers his belongs, picks up his sword and starts adventuring. (This could be YOU.)[/edit]
However, there's a catch: All levels taken at start of the game were taken while NOT adventuring. You can have been a guard, a town wizard, a thief, whatever, but you have not been actually adventuring before the start of the game. That also means that you have not been accumulating as much wealth as an adventurer. Starting wealth will be one half of recommended wealth, freely distributable between items and gp/valuables. Remember to keep a small reserve of gold to cover initial expenses. I also expect a history for every character starting at an advanced age.
[edit]Age bonus is the only way to start adventuring above lvl 1. I recommend start ages of around 25-30, but it will really be your call. Since this is Pbp, group balance can be maintained differently than by strict level equivalence. It is entirely possible to have huge amounts of fun following a more powerful character reaping the rewards of his battles.
However, in order to benefit from an XP bonus due to low level you must have taken part in the fight, not just watched. I'm going to be handling the GM part of game balance, but I am going to leave group balance largely to the players. I am imposing an arbitrary maximum possible starting age of 61 years (for humans), hence about 45 years worth of XP, assuming near-adulthood at around 16. For non-humans I recommend just setting down the age categories and requesting a certain age. Possible the 1000xp per year won't fit everywhere, especially with immortals or very slow-aging races. Generally lvl 10 is the maximum possible starting level for any character. There WILL be ups and downs to taking a high age from the start. Age bonuses/penalties remain in place. Also, if you DO play a very inhuman race I expect you to ROLEPLAY your racial difference. I don't expect cliché, I expect creativity. An immortal, for instance, should somehow have a notable mindset. I do expect to see something of what your character thinks, his motivations, etc.
Races Anything from WOTC books, basically. LA is allowed, buyback will not be used. Some races will have their LA adapted upon request. Racial hit dice are seamlessly incorporated into the age system (i.e. your starting XP can go into racial HD). Max ECL 10, as stated above.
Monsters as PCs: You can play as a monster. (On whatever side you wish.)
I like monsters to keep their characteristics. They should be neither over the top, nor suddenly be average down to look like humans. So what I'm going to do if someone wants to play a monster is this (modified if necessary on a case by case basis):
Take the monster's CR, add 1, or 2 if it's an extraordinarily awesome monster (like an Erinyes, which puts them out of range as starting characters right now): That's your starting monstrous HD and ECL. If this produces a very sub-standard monster because the monster gets really low CR for it's HD, then do the following: Look at HD, CR and BAB and adjust the HD properties to give about the same BAB as the monster entry.
Take the Monster's stats, and either keep them as they are, or modify them by a NONELITE-array to more suit your desired class you'll add. Pay in mind that the lowest allowed stat is a 6. Int should ideally be at least 8, or I want to see the effects of stupidity in your roleplaying.
If your monster is chaotic evil, change that alignment to something that allows cooperative play.
Examples: [spoiler]
Succubus: ECL 9, 9 Outsider HD. (Might be cut down to 8, depending on how a final character looks.)
Troll: ECL 7, 7 Giant HD. I'm going with the giant HD here due to regeneration, which is really powerful in PC hands. But watch that int, ideally use Nonelite-array to increase Int.
Imp: ECL 3, 3 Outsider HD.
Quasit: ECL 3, 3 Outsider HD.
Ethergaunts are unfortunately out of reach at ECL 11 even for a red Ethergaunt.
Medusa: ECL 8, 8 Monstrous humanoid HD.
Young Red Dragon: ECL 9, 9 dragon HD. YES, I know dragons get iffy this way. Take the abilities of a young dragon, but modify numeric values as per the lower HD.
Juvenile Green Dragon: ECL 10.
Orthon Devil: ECL 10, 10 outsider HD.
I guess you know the drill by now. In all cases show me your stats with and without equipment. I might impart an arbitrary bonus or penalty on starting equipment for monstrous characters.[/spoiler]
You may then advance your monster by Class level, but also by RHD, if you so desire, up to a max of ECL 10. This counts as aging, too, although the year count won't match the rest of the system.
Before anyone cries foul at this rule: Remember Polymorph is not forbidden (although I haven't gotten around to thinking about how to errata it). Pure physical stats are easily reproduced by polymorph.
Monstrous races with ECL entries are either handled the same as normal monsters, as long as this produces playable characters, OR They might get a few bonus points after their average monster entry, OR they might even get full point-buy, depending on the amount of benefits a race gives.
Templates This is a bit of a mixed bag. Most templates won't give stat boosts significant enough to warrant reducing them to being played as monsters. Still, I give the option of changing the templates' LA into RHD if those are other than humanoid. However, as with the CR for monster characters calculation, depending on the template I would impose +1 to +3 RHD on top of the templates LA, depending on the impact the template will likely have.
Remember in PbP it's ALSO possible to have fun by NOT getting the cake. That's the superior role-playing aspect that's possible in high-prose PbP-games. However, if someone feels unsatisfied with the performance of his character in any ROLLplaying situation, he should speak to me about it. Ideally, WITH a few ideas of his own how to improve the character mechanically. Generally many options are possible. Minor restructuring or rebuilding, adding a template, getting a permanent PAO, etc.
Classes:Mostly all classes are allowed. There are some that I dislike because the writers must have been on crack when writing the class (like the Dweomerkeeper). If a class has a flavour prerequisite you can re-write the class to fit your flavour. (For example: The Thayan Knight could just as easily be an Elven High Mage Bodyguard. Or whatever, if you can make the function fit your flavour. You can also rewrite Alignment prerequisites. I would just like to see the brief rewrite.
Monster classes suck so hard that I'm just going to disallow them. If you want to play a monster just play the monster (the specific creature is subject to approval).
Alignment and Mindset: I am distinguishing between Mindset and Alignment. Alignment is like a judgement of your actions. Mindset is what you actually think. You could be of lawful good alignment because you only ever do good, but actually be of lawful evil mindset - and just hide this fact by your actions. Alignment can be detected, mindset can only be found out by reading your thoughts, for instance. If you are cleric of a certain god you should try to harmonize mindset and alignment, because your god expects you to act in his name, and also just might find out your real thoughts. Possibly not all gods care about this.
[edit]PCs may choose all alignments and mindsets except chaotic evil. I regard chaotic evil as pretty much incapabale of functioning in a cooperative environment. Generally good alignments and evil alignments are at odds, but they MAY cooperate for whatever plausible reason they might find. (Like good PCs and devils working together to beat back a demon invasion.) [/edit]
Corruption, Taint, Depravity: These formalized evil aspects do not exist for the purpose of this campaign. Similarly, classes that require them are not accessible. Casting spells with the evil descriptor can only change your alignment if you do evil things with them. Corrupt spells exist but lose this descriptor. Corruption cost counts like a material component and cannot be circumvented.
The Undead: Not all undead are inherently evil. Non-intelligent undead are mostly of neutral mindset, except those that have been created with evil intent, for instance with a hunger for human flesh. Intelligent undead that keep features of their previous life (by adding a template) are usually of the same alignment and mindset as the living creature (for the purpose of this campaign these include Necropolitans, Corpse and Bone creatures, Dread warriors, Liches, Demiliches, Mummies, and possibly some others I have forgotten). Some undead that specifically mention that they are holding grudges and hate the living are of course more likely evil (for example Ghasts, Ghouls, Bodaks, etc.)
Most Undead are always at risk of acting evilly because their ability to empathise with people and follow altruistic goals is very much reduced. They basically feel very little emotions - which usually includes the negatives like anger or hate. Of course, this is not all set in stone. If you wish to be or become undead you are free to play as you like, I only expect consistency.
Leadership Is specifically allowed, with the EXCEPTION of a cascade with cohorts taking leadership, too. You do the paperwork, but I want to see character sheets for cohorts. When a cohort dies you should roleplay aquiring a new one. [Edit] Monstrous cohorts work by the rules I put up for playing monsters as PCs. Any cohort should match your alignment (but not necessarily mindset) and have a really good reason for following you around. Cohorts should be characters with their own personalities. They don't have to slavishy agree with every word their "master" says, and they might even flat out disagree with something. They follow you because of your qualities, because they see something special in you. They are not thralls.[/edit]
Minions and Hirelings, non-special mounts: Are allowed without much interference from me. Anything that has a character sheet is subject to approval. If it's just a pack animal or a mount you can buy for money or train you can handle it by yourself.
[/edit]
Character management, inventory, purchasing items Basically I won't double check everything you do. Generally you can buy or craft/have crafted any item with a CL equal to or smaller than your character level without consulting with me, but you should write about your shopping spree.
Aquiring spell components may be roleplayed by you at your discretion. Some people enjoy this more than others. I won't hassle anyone over components or foci unless they are quite special. For example, the Hindsight(or was it?) spell requires a 1000+gp diamond shaped like an hour-glass. You should roleplay aquiring this diamond, and not expect every street vendor to sell one. I would expect at least one quality paragraph spent aquiring such a component. Body parts of creatures needed as requirements must be roleplayed unless they are easily available.
Training required to learn new class-features can be roleplayed. Spell research for spells granted by class features should be mentioned on an off between levels, but no great effort on part of the PLAYER is required. I assume the PC will make an effort, naturally.
Prereqs and Items, spell effects, etc.: You must meet the prereqs for any feat, skill or ability you wish to learn for at least your average 16 waking hours every day (as such, persistent spell effects work, as well as spells with a duration of at least 16 hours, as well as class abilities that can be made to last for 16 hours, like Wildshape). Any time you do not meet the prerequisites you cannot use that feat or ability.
Epic Levels: Epic levels are a normal part of this campaign world. As such epic characters exist, and depending on the time, it is theoretically possible to reach epic levels. However, due to the slowness of PbP, don't expect this. VERY FEW important NPCs MAY be epic level characters. I find the levels on many of the famous rulers to be a little low, so they might just get a few more. I won't be using many famous NPCs, but don't be surprised if you are confronted with an Aura check exceeding 30.
[/spoiler]
NPCs
[spoiler]
Level: As a rule, you can expect older NPCs to have accumulated more XP. As such, a young lvl 1 adventurer might still be smacked around in a bar fight. There will be young and old city guards, etc. Other than by age, important NPCs will of course have class levels.
NPCs vs. mooks:There are important NPCs and very unimportant ones. I fully expect each player to handle non-combat, non-hostile interactions with barkeeps, street vendors, shop owners, prostitutes, etc. by themselves. You can both invent and play these NPCs. You can even create NPCs as contacts (although information they give will be subject to rolls), magic item enchanters, etc.
Important NPCs will get more attention by me, will have a name, a position, some indication of status, and these will be played by me.
Due to the Aura system there won't be many fights against vastly inferior foes (mooks) (because they'll run). Should these still happen, it is entirely possible for a player to beat up a bunch of them without my interference. This should go pretty intuitively.
[/spoiler]
The Game World
[spoiler]
Gods: Generally I'll be using the faerunian pantheon. I will be adding certain gods from the D&D pantheon (Wee Jas as Lawful Neutral greater Goddess is pretty much certain), and I'm open to requests to add others, as long as their portfolio isn't completely covered by a faerunian gods. If you find a domain you particularly like in books like the SpC, CD, etc., which is not offered by faerunian gods you can also add this domain to a god if it fits his portfolio.
Faerun AFAIK doesn't allow devotion clerics. If you want to play one you're going to have to come up with a really good reason.
Famous faerunian people For the fact that I'm playing a FR campaign, I don't know a lot of famous characters. I haven't read any novels, although of course I do know some names. Basically don't count on meeting anyone. Probably it will just be a timeline in which these people aren't alive.
People who will exist (I'll be adding to this list if I find someone else useful):
Szass Tam exists in the timeline, is most probably a Lich, but only appears as a distant figure.
Halastar might exist, but similarly distant.
The big mages are historical figures, and spells get to keep their names.
Famous people (and critters) from other settings, or universal settings
The Githyanki Lich Queen exists in the world, but she's definitely not level 16. Probably more like level 25. Which also means that there are gith of levels higher than 16, although probably she'll kill everyone before they reach epic levels. So a lvl 20 gith might happen. Higher gets very unlikely. Still, it would be wise to keep a close eye on those silvery chords....
The Big T: Is known to be dead. At least, the one that was known is. And that doesn't mean it will stay dead.
These lists are positive lists, if someone is missing he or she probably doesn't exist, or may just be a historical figure. Nevertheless if you think someone is important, hey, name him or her, I can add them.
Accuracy of my representation of the FR world I don't hold a doctorate in FR lore. It's simply the setting I seem to always PLAY in, which means I know it better than any other setting. That doesn't, however, mean that I will get everything right. Count on me to change stuff, intentionally or un-intentionally. Count on me to put stuff on some of the blank spaces of the map. Count on me to forget things - even important things. People familiar with the FR may note these mistakes and changes, and might alert me to them. I may or may not correct my mistakes in such a case. If I've already built some story around the mistake, you'll just have to live with it.
Population, cities, magic, threat levels
Populations will probably be generally LARGER than it says in the books. This not a medieval world, it's a medieval world with literally TONS of magic. There are very few diseases you can't heal. Immortality is within close reach. Infrastructure can be created with magic. Food and water can be created with magic. Fast travel is just a few hundred gp away.
Metropolises can have up to one million citizens.
Large towns will have populations of one hundred thousand or more
Small towns in the tens of thousands
Large villages in the thousands, small villages and hamlets cover everything else.
So basically FORGET the city maps you might have seen.
With the amount of magic in the world, certain aspect will necessarily change. If any mid-level druid can create a tornado that could flatten a city or a major portion of one it'll be a given that people will have found ways against that. Don't expect to be able to destroy anything larger than a village with a control winds spell. Expect a large town to have a defense against even Tsunamis and the like. Expect structures in any town sized settlement to be fire-proofed and efficient fire-fighting to exist even in smaller towns. Expect towns to take measures to protect their water supplies.
Expect any larger village to contain at least one higher level (10+) character with classes other than commoner. (Mid to mid-high level commoners are, well.... I have to say it, common.) Expect towns to contain several such characters. Expect a layered response to law-breakers in anything of town-size. Expect cities to have very effective ways of dealing with law-breakers that really mean trouble, but also expect them to take a while to react. (This necessitates a slightly more Shadowrun-like play-style when playing clandestine operations.)
This version of Faerun is probably both generally safer, but also critically more dangerous in places. Since NPCs are generally of higher level than normal, the frequency of roaming monsters is far decreased. Travelling in civilised lands will not be much more dangerous than taking a stroll through the American mid-west. However, brigands, robbers, rebels and also hostile non-human populations pose on average GREATER threats than normal. Don't count on tribes of orcs and goblins to be made up of 1-2HD mooks. Countries bordering on non-human occupied lands have a harder time defending their borders. This also means one thing: A shorter border is sometimes a better border. Countries will compact a little to be able to defend more tightly. There WILL be room between the high-safety and high threat zones for moderate threat adventuring. The FR map is pretty big.
Warfare Expect warfare to be tactically modern rather than medieval with ranks of soldiers. This is a simple consequence of the large amounts of mass-destruction that can be easily dished out by spellcasters.
Wish economy Efreet exist. So does the planar binding spell. This creates problems. Which is why all major countries (and a few select large and powerful mage guilds - including the Red Wizards) have a deal with Efreet communities. Since they can't use their wishes for themselves they need others to activate them for them. The proceeds are divided, depending on the contract. So basically many countries run on wished gold. If people try to do non-legalised binding of efreet you can expect SOMEONE to crack down on them. The countries will, if they find out. The lawful churches will, because people wishing for free creates problems. The nine hells will, for similar reasons. The efreet will, because of non-contractual work. And if you wish for the wrong things, the GODS will interfere as well. Binding and murdering in order to get undead efreet will have even worse repercussions. As long as noone finds out, fine. But if someone does, expect trouble.
Thanks to these long-running agreements most efreet are now apparently lawful evil. What mindset they have remains their business.
Zodars remain little known. If you ever meet one in the campaign, THEN you can think about shapechanging into one.
[/spoiler]
Game Mechanics
[spoiler]
Rolling: I'm going to do the unbelievable: I'm going to trust you. Make your own rolls and write the results. In order to not disturb the flow of the prose text I'm going to decide upon a specific format for putting rolls into the text.
Hit Points Hit points are determined by Half-HD+1. (So a D4 gives 3HP, a D6 gives 4HP, a D8 gives 5HP, a D10 gives 6HP, a D12 gives 7HP.)
Roleplaying vs Rollplaying: I want to read nice posts. Even in combat. Expect enemies to get circumstance bonuses to AC or saves if your posts seem to take too little interest, or circumstance penalties if you try an ingenious or just well-written attack. The same goes for social situations. You don't even need to roll many social situations if your posts are written well enough.
Retraining: Retraining represents forgetting stuff and learning new stuff. As such, there are some changes:
You may retrain feats, skills or abilities (= in this case: Class feature that lets you pick different abilities; Also spells selected by class features or feats) that are no longer useful to learn new feats, skills or abilities. The retrained feat may not be a prerequisite for a feat or class you still have. You must meet the prerequisites of the new feat at the time of retraining, you need not have met them previously.
In order to retrain something the game mechanic a certain feat, skill or ability fulfills must have become obsolete. During the level after which you wish to retrain a certain feat you must have not used said feat or ability. Even if in the meantime you have aquired other ways of using the feat (like from an item), you may not use that feat if you want to retrain it. (So you can't get a feat, enchant an item with it and then retrain, while using the feat off the item.) There are two exceptions: a) Feats that give mere numerical bonuses without adding a distinct mechanism of use, like Weapon Focus. b) Feats that REPLACE a certain mechanism with a better/different one that fulfills the same purpose. This case must be roleplayed as an advance in abilities.
In every case, consult me when retraining.
Magic items and crafting: I am using the crafting guidelines from the SRD as well as in the MIC.
You CAN enchant spell effects or items that cast spells. Generally activation of such an item takes as long as casting the spell (you CAN enchant quickened spells).
You CAN enchant items with multiple effects. Any cheaper effect carries a 50% increase in price (which is also payable when adding a more expensive effect). Exceptions are weapon and armour enchantments which are given at a fixed price. Feats can be enchanted on items. A base feat costs 10000 gp, any feat with a prerequiste costs an additional 5000gp per prerequisite, and DOES NOT meet those pre-requisites by itself. Any crafter must have the feats and prereqisites he wishes to enchant.
Crafting time is reduced by level. Divide crafting time by 1/2 your character level, rounded down, and also round down the result.
You may use XP-transfer rules without special items or conditions. As such, a fighter can ask a crafting wizard to enchant an item for him using the fighter's XP, without using any special means to transfer said XP. Such an item costs 60% of it's market price. Tomes and Manuals are only available like this, unless you manage to persuade a rich and powerful mages guild that gets contractual wishes to create those items for you. No sane crafter will pump 5000XP into an item then sold for a bit of gold. To make up for that, inherent bonuses stack, up to a max of +5. (So you can buy your inherent bonuses little by little.)
Crafting an item with your own XP acts as an encounter with an EL of the item's CL, and as such grants XP. You can't generally craft and adventure at the same time, but those crafting wizards need to get their XP from somewhere, too. This mechanism will try to provide an XP source for dedicated crafting wizards who are not artificers. So YES, they exist in the game world, and will sell those items. (This is experimental right now. I haven't calculated whether this quite works out. Also, I'm hoping that the time factor will make sure crafters don't level faster than everybody else. It won't be a problem if they level slower, as long as they level at all. UNTESTED as of yet, and as such, subject to subsequent revision.)
Party PlayI expect people to roleplay their entry into an adventuring party. Players will not generally start together, rather, every player gets a few introductory posts. Parties should be realistically homogenous. A lawful evil character in a good party might work, neutral evil or chaotic evil probably won't. PvP is allowed, although if a player wishes to retreat before combat commences this wish must be respected, and a generally IC reason must be found to let him retreat. If someone provokes a fight with other players he may not demand the chance to retreat.This campaign will probably have less standard party play.
BANNED Stuff
Items: Basically if an item produces an effect that just makes the game ridiculous you should ask whether it might not be banned.
Thought Bottles
Starmantle Cloak AND spell
Classes:
Dweomerkeeper
Monster Classes (just play a monster with RHD)
[/spoiler]
Inofficial Errata by me, open for discussion
[spoiler]
Polymorph, can of worms
[spoiler]
a) The Polymorph Subschool (PHBII and others): The description of the polymorph subschool is to be ignored.
b) Alter Self, Polymorph, Draconic Polymorph, Shapechange
These spells work as per the description available in the SRD (with the exception of Drac. Polymorph), with the following exceptions.
Alter Self No changes to the benefits of the spell, with the exception that ALL numerical bonuses become enhancement bonuses. (For example Natural armour will become an enhancement bonus to NA.)
Polymorph
Polymorph
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
ange: Touch
Target: Willing living creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin. The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject’s HD, whichever is lower), to a maximum of 15 HD at caster level 15. You can’t cause a subject to assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can you cause a subject to assume an incorporeal or gaseous form. The subject’s creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form.
Upon changing, the subject regains lost hit points as if it had rested for a night (though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage and provide other benefits of resting; and changing back does not heal the subject further). If slain, the subject reverts to its original form, though it remains dead.
The subject gains an enhancement bonus or penalty to its Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores equal to the racial bonuses or penalties of the new form, but receives no bonuses to its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. It also gains all extraordinary special attacks possessed by the form but does not gain the extraordinary special qualities possessed by the new form or any supernatural or spell-like abilities. The subject retains all special qualities, supernatural and spell-like abilities of its old form, except for those that need a body part no longer posessed by the new form. It loses natural attacks and special attacks derived from type or subtype, but retains all special attacks from class-features or feats. The subject keeps all spell-casting abilities except natural spellcasting, as long as it can supply all verbal and somatic components in its new form, too.
The subject loses its primary sense and gains the primary sense of the new form. (For example polymorphing into a bat causes the subject to lose sight (and appropriate secondary sight benefits like darkvision, low-light vision, etc., but gain blindsense.) If the new form has no mention of a different primary sense no change to the senses occurs.
The subject keeps all skills and feats, and does not gain racial bonus feats or skill bonuses from the new form.
All items worn by the subject remain at an appropriate place of the new form. Items that do not adapt size automatically or items for which the new form has no body slot meld into the new form and become non-functional. Items equipped while in the new form either remain in place after turning back if there is an appropriate empty body slot available, or fall to the ground if not.
Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to being polymorphed, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural form as a standard action.
For the purpose of feats and abilities that work with the wildshape class ability treat Polymorph as Wildshape:
Items that change size and shape for the Wildshape class ability also do so when the subject is polymorphed.
The Natural Spell feat allows supplying verbal and somatic components also in polymorphed form as long as both a mouth and appendages are present in the new form.
Material Component: An empty cocoon.
Drac. Polymorph
As Polymorph but...
Shapechange
....
Polymorph Any Object
....
Baleful Polymorph
As the spell description, but all racial modifiers of the new form are taken as penalties, instead of absolute stat values.
[/spoiler]
Death Ward, Life Ward [SRD and SPC]
Death Ward
Necromancy
Level: Clr 4, Death 4, Drd 5, Pal 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
The subject is immune to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, turning effects, and receives resistance 30 against negative energy damage.
This spell doesn’t remove negative levels that the subject has already gained, nor does it affect the saving throw necessary 24 hours after gaining a negative level.
Death ward does not protect against other sorts of attacks even if those attacks might be lethal.
Translate for Lifeward.
Gr. Death Ward, Gr. Life Ward
Level: Clr 8, Drd 9
As Death Ward but give immunity to all neg./pos. energy damage.
ALL Buffs with Caster Level dependant values or options
All buff spells that take any variables except duration from CL are capped at REAL unaugmented CL. It is not possible to buff your CL to increase the benefits from such buff spells. This includes Transmuation(Polymorph) type of spells.
Consumptive Field/Gr. Consumptive Field [SPC]
These spells are capped to kill caster-level creatures as per the spell description. They give benefits as per the spell description. (+1CL / creature killed; +2 Str / creature killed; +1D8 temp. HP / creature killed.) Once they have reached their limit they no longer kill creatures and maintain their bonuses while the duration lasts. Temporary HP lost from damage cannot be replenished.
[/spoiler]
More later.
Revisions
2) Added stuff. Edited stuff. Mostly editing should be bracketed with [edit][/edit].
3) Added stuff in the PCs and NPCs sections, added the game mechanics section.
4) Added stuff in game mechanics section (crafting, etc.)
5) Edited some details. Rearranged some aspects into different categories. Added stuff on party play and character management. Added example combat post.
6) Minor corrections. Added paragraph on epic levels and warfare.
7) Added the Game world section. Lots of new stuff there.
8) Added the Monsters as PCs section in the PCs section. Made some changes here and there. Defined starting wealth.
9) Added Inoffcial Errata section. More to come, there.
10) Edited Errata section. Added HP rule to Game mechanics.
11) Started Polymorph errata.
12) Some edits in PCs section about races and templates; A bit more Polymorph errata.
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Prospective players:
Prospective players so far:
Stratovarius
Risada
Straw_Man - concept present and approved so far. Can we say pathologically good alignment and mindset?
Smudgyhandsman - build ideas present, concept pending, I hope. Likely as not good alignment.
Snizor - build present. Concept present, and approved. Oddball or villain, at present.
DetectiveJabsco
Akula: build ideas present. Concept pending.
Pan-Fried Hamster - concept approved. Build present. Oddball so far. (Neutral alignment.)
JanusJones - er... pre-concepts! present, but as of yet undecided; Villain, likely as not.
Avalon: build ideas present, concept pending. Too late for now.
This post will be updated with a concept, alignment and hero/villain side when this information becomes available.
What can I add: GET TO IT. I absolutely do want CHARACTER concepts, not just builds.
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Reserved
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I'll stick my head in and say I'm interested. Do you have a full listing of house rules?
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Well.... aside from the XP bonus from the age, what's the starting level?
Oh yeah, I wanna join your game :)
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sounds interesting :)
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Expressing interest as well.
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Really interested. :D
Still havent found a DM willing to adopt a Blue Mage (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=137596), might you be it? Other than that I want to try out a burrower or archivist---> Malconvoker. :smirk
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I've always wanted to play a FR game, but no one's ever be able to run one well. Note that my interest is expressed greatly here. I'm thinking of a strongheart halfling scout/ranger from Luiren who once patrolled the Lluirwood
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Would a lesser tiefling enchanter anima mage fit in with the FR world?
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Interested as well.
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Heh, lots of interest already. I'll still be updating the campaign information and house-rules for a while (a few days, probably). I want to make sure you know what to expect. I recommend everyone interested to keep an eye out for changes, and to be honest enough to withdraw or at least complain when something comes up you will really dislike. I want to make this rewarding, but can't refrain from being unconventional.
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I would love to play An RP based Adventure.
Something like a Whisper Gnome Bard or Rogue
Like a Spy or something.
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Prospective players so far:
Stratovarius
Risada
Ieniemienie
Straw_Man
AlisAtAn
Smudgyhandsman
Snizor
DetectiveJabsco
What I'd like to see from any serious entry is a short character concept, like an overview, without going into details about classes and feats.
What I'd also like is a writing sample. Write a short atmospheric bar/tavern scene (it doesn't need to be about the character you want to play), a scene of your prospective character doing his schtick, whatever, including some insight into the presented character's reasonings, his inner workings. Since this will be a roleplaying and prose heavy campaign I don't want people who can't do basic creative and descriptive writing, and I'm going to be pretty adamant about this. Write this as if you were writing a very short story, in past tense.
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Since I am not a good roleplayer and have a kick-in-the-door type of playstyle, I will withdraw myself from this adventure
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After some consideration I dont think I should commit myself to another campaign, seeing as I`m already in 2. My chars tend to be more direct approach, anyway. Breaking things is fun. Good luck to the rest of you. =)
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Due to some RL stuff I will not be able to post frequently, so I'm withdrawing from this game. Sorry Brainpiercing.
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Due to the nature of this campaing it will be possible to join later without too many problems. Anybody withdrawing now can still enter at a later time.
I am also not putting up a player limit. People can still enter later.
Posting frequency should be around 1 post per day.
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Due to the nature of this campaing it will be possible to join later without too many problems. Anybody withdrawing now can still enter at a later time.
I am also not putting up a player limit. People can still enter later.
Posting frequency should be around 1 post per day.
I will try to kill these problems ASAP so I can play this game, but until then keep me out. (besides, I still need to think what I'm gonna play.... most certain it's a Duskblade....)
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concerning the campaign (Im not in, but still show interest;))
1; how do manage combat when a person can be level 1, but also level 10? will the lvl 1 guy not be smacked down with 1 stroke?
2; how do you handle LA or races with racial HD?
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concerning the campaign (Im not in, but still show interest;))
1; how do manage combat when a person can be level 1, but also level 10? will the lvl 1 guy not be smacked down with 1 stroke?
2; how do you handle LA or races with racial HD?
1) I'm seeing inhomogenous combat groups meeting each other. The small fry will take care of the small fry, while the more powerful combatants will duke it out among each other.
This is a problem of the D&D system, where the power progression is probably exponential. In a realistic game world there must be all kinds of people at all times. A lvl 1 character ideally runs away most of the time, or deals with really weak enemies. Life is dangerous at Lvl 1.
2)LA and RHD can be covered with age XP without any problems. Except you'll probably be younger.
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I think what he meant was if you would allow for LA buyoff, per the SRD\UA. :)
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1) I'm seeing inhomogenous combat groups meeting each other. The small fry will take care of the small fry, while the more powerful combatants will duke it out among each other.
This is a problem of the D&D system, where the power progression is probably exponential. In a realistic game world there must be all kinds of people at all times. A lvl 1 character ideally runs away most of the time, or deals with really weak enemies. Life is dangerous at Lvl 1.
A realistic level 1 hero aids another, does ranged, rescues the injured, in short they stay out of the way while remaining useful. In this way they contribute to the battle, and if the party suceeds, they level fast.
True fact, I once ran a warforged 3rd level monk in a 12th level game. Died twice, but despite that was only 3 levels below the rest of the players by the time the campaign climaxed at level 20. Admitedlly, I was getting a hefty chunk of roleplaying XP for chutzpah alone :D
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Brainpiecing: Would it be OK if I used the Escalation Mage PRC from Faiths of Eberron (adapted to worship Shar) for a warlock character?
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Straw_Man: YES, this is a very good example. Better than mine, in fact. Running away is so boring if you could be AIDING.
AlisAtAn: I have one gripe with LA buyoff: It's clearly biased towards low LA. A LA of +1 is practically non-existant, +4 is practically IMPOSSIBLE to buy off pre-epic. I'd much rather just REDUCE the LA of a certain monster race or template from the get-go than use buyoff. Fact is, you DO get an advantage from some abilities. Even at higher levels. For some races I'd probably be willing to exchange a LA against monstrous HD 1:1, since you at least get HP, skills and feats from monstrous HD.
Snizor: I don't own Faith's of Eberron. I don't have a problem with the class (as long as the writers were not on crack writing it), but I simply don't know what it does. So basically, tell me what it does. Approximately is ample. I won't count your use of class abilities, or double check your use of rules, anyway. It's clearly within your responsibility to make a fun game of it. I might pick up the book, I might not. I'll just trust you on it.
I'm not concerned about losing control of my campaign, because it's a non-standard campaign. It won't get out of hand, because I can just change it.
I'd like to add one more thing, about optimisation: There is the matter of CONFIDENCE. If you want to play a character confident of his abilities... well... he better be good at what he does. This is a very clear roleplaying requirement. It's one of the best examples of why optimisation doesn't hinder roleplaying in the least. However, I'll also say you won't have to be optimised. Roleplaying in descriptive prose is NOTHING like roleplaying at a table. You can do things you could NEVER do at a table. So if you are so inclined, playing an intentionally non-optimised character can be equally rewarding.
This is also the reason why I don't see a problem with allowing lvl 1 and lvl 10 in the same campaign. If someone LIKES playing from lvl 1, why should I stop him? If someone dislikes playing low levels, why should I force him to?
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Brainpiercing,
Are you still accepting players?
Also, where's the latest list for the gods of Faerun? I want to know who to send my prayers to.
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Brainpiercing,
Are you still accepting players?
Also, where's the latest list for the gods of Faerun? I want to know who to send my prayers to.
Yeah, I'm still accepting.
As for gods, I'll probably be pretty flexible about the pantheon. The FRCS should contain a listing of the Faerunian pantheon, but if you have a favourite god from the D&D pantheon you can probably just integrate it without problems. Since I will be using other characters of mine as NPCs I'm quite certain Wee Jas will be added to the Faerunian pantheon as a Lawful Neutral greater goddess. I'll add this to the main post, too.
I'm a little skeptical about allowing mythical (greek, egyptian) pantheons. They don't seem to fit very well. If you find an obscure non-mythical deity somewhere I think you could add it. If even devils can have clerics then it won't be a problem for an obscure deity to have the odd cleric.
I'm also skeptical about allowing devotion clerics (the FRCS apparently doesn't). I would prefer you found a deity to match your flavour. I'm open to adding domains to deities if the domain fits the deity's portfolio.
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About your rule for Age-based xp, how would you rule the xp bonus gained by slow-aging or immortal beings?
Also, since the max starting age is 50 years, the max starting level for humans is 8. Is that right?
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About your rule for Age-based xp, how would you rule the xp bonus gained by slow-aging or immortal beings?
Also, since the max starting age is 50 years, the max starting level for humans is 8. Is that right?
Humans are max lvl 8, but you COULD get a template to a max of ECL 10.
Slow-aging races ARE a problem. Basically you'll have to be young members of such a race, again with a max ECL of 10.
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Is it ok if I join for combat instead of RPing? the campaign looks cool, but I am no RPer...
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Is it ok if I join for combat instead of RPing? the campaign looks cool, but I am no RPer...
How about playing enemies of the other PCs (i.e. monsters, intermediate antagonists, etc.)? Or do you want to have a character?
The thing is, chances are it will take a while before the first combat happens, since EVERYTHING takes long in PbP. Another option is to play the anti-social sidekick of another PC. He can drag your character through the roleplaying, and you get to lay the smack down once combat starts. You would only be playing now and then, but if you're willing, I'm game.
And finally, I know this may sound lame, but how about learning something new? Roleplaying isn't that hard. And it's actually easier if you don't have to see the faces of your co-players. Anybody with decent grasp of english, and many without, can successfully write good posts. I'm sure you can, too.
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So how does LA interact with the age-based XP? How do you make a human with templates ECL 10 when 36000 XP is the required amount for lvl 9 and we have at most 34000 XP starting?
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Is it ok if I join for combat instead of RPing? the campaign looks cool, but I am no RPer...
How about playing enemies of the other PCs (i.e. monsters, intermediate antagonists, etc.)? Or do you want to have a character?
The thing is, chances are it will take a while before the first combat happens, since EVERYTHING takes long in PbP. Another option is to play the anti-social sidekick of another PC. He can drag your character through the roleplaying, and you get to lay the smack down once combat starts. You would only be playing now and then, but if you're willing, I'm game.
And finally, I know this may sound lame, but how about learning something new? Roleplaying isn't that hard. And it's actually easier if you don't have to see the faces of your co-players. Anybody with decent grasp of english, and many without, can successfully write good posts. I'm sure you can, too.
It's not about my inability to roleplay, but I find combat way more attractive than roleplaying... Roleplaying is for me a way to get from one plothook or adventure to the other, or to progress into an adventure, which always ultimately leads to combat.
Thanks for hte offer to play a bbeg, but then I'll pass. I am in 2 PbP's already, so I'll be fine :)
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So how does LA interact with the age-based XP? How do you make a human with templates ECL 10 when 36000 XP is the required amount for lvl 9 and we have at most 34000 XP starting?
Uh... major muck up. I slept three hours last night. Must have been that.
Well... I had meant for people to get the 34000XP and then take a template, which gets them to ECL 10, but they don't have the XP for it. That's sort of sub-optimal, though.
Ok, so basically I'm just going to lift the age limit to give XP for ECL 10, which means 61 years for humans. There used to be all those builds for venerable characters (ok, all of them were dragonwrought kobolds).
I'd still like to remind everyone that the downside for starting with high ECL is you're missing out on lots of cash. I'm quite certain now starting wealth will be finalized at half the recommended wealth by level, with a max of half of that in items, the other half in either gold or valuables.
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How soon do you want an application?
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Well, how about the concept and sample scene about a week from today? That should give you enough time to see if you can either make your concept fit your build or vice versa. The build doesn't need to be complete.
PM me or post it at your discretion. Once I have a certain amount of entries I can then ask for the sub-forum so I can start posting some back-story. You'll then have at least another week to finalize your builds, maybe even a bit more.
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So, if I wanted to be a level 10 character, would I have 24,500 gold, or would I have 12,250 gold? Because the latter seems kind of low. What are considered valuables?
edit#1: This is my character so far. (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=59739)
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Damn, I forgot to say: I'm not a friend of Flaws. Generally they seem to be not meaningful enough. So no flaws, sorry. I'll be updating the main post.
About the money: At ECL10 you would have 24500gp. I'm retracting my previous statement of only getting half of that in items, you can spend everything for items as long as you have a small cash reserve to pay for accomodation, travel, etc.
And Smudgyhdansman, generally I would consider a swift hunter to have more levels of ranger. (This is from an optimisation perspective, rather than a roleplaying perspective.) Scout has 3/4 BAB and class features that can't compete with Ranger. As soon as Ranger gets more skirmish damage (from Swift Hunter) there is no reason not to take Ranger. Scout 3 I think was the main breakpoint, IIRC.
Now without knowing the age categories for Strongheart halfling by heart (and it's really late here, so I won't look them up right now) I believe your character should be far older to reach ECL 10.
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Crap, no flaws? Ah well, I'll have to trim it down then.
That's good about the money though, 12,250 sounded a tad low for level 10.
Yeah, I've seen a lot of swift hunter builds, and how they have more levels in ranger to get the spells and the more attacks and whatnot. But I was looking more for a kind of sniper/scout sorta thing, not really intending to fire off bundles of arrows to stack up all sorts of skirmish. I only really took flaws because the build I needed was very feat intensive to get it to be what I needed. The plan was to grab up as many sniping feats as I could, Woodland archer, able sniper, there were some others, but they were in magazines, so that's a no go. But anyways, the plan was to go from cover to cover, using swift and silent, shot on the run, and the like to move, take a shot, and run into cover again. Not the most optimal way of approaching a swift hunter, but I wanted mine to focus more on stealth than damage. Taking some shots, then retreating when things got hot, you know?
But, I'll just work around it if need be. I've got some other concepts rolling around in my head anyways, and you said we had till next week was it? So if I can't get this guy to work out, I've got other things planned.
Oh, and as for age, yeah, I think I misread what you had said about the 1000xp per year. My guy should be like, 65 I think, which is middle age, which stinks, but again, I've got other ideas.(That was a lot of commas huh?) Anyways, I'm tired and I have ACTs in the morning, so bedtime pour moi. I'll think my guy over tonight, see if I can come up with anything new for him.
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Still excepting aplicants? If so I'd love to play.
If you wan't to talk about LA I would urge using the system presented here (http://www.tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?t=33294) under the section "converting monsters into characters" the first method give an example succubus (or incubus if you want to get termy) which is convenient because I'd like to play one. If you don't like that I'm open to suggestions for the LA on such a creature (I'd probably start with just racial HD).
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Well, how about the concept and sample scene about a week from today? That should give you enough time to see if you can either make your concept fit your build or vice versa. The build doesn't need to be complete.
PM me or post it at your discretion. Once I have a certain amount of entries I can then ask for the sub-forum so I can start posting some back-story. You'll then have at least another week to finalize your builds, maybe even a bit more.
Works for me.
Also, I reconsidered and decided not to go with a Warlock/Escalation Mage build and will probably go with a sneaky arcane caster (Beguiler) instead.
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Still excepting aplicants? If so I'd love to play.
If you wan't to talk about LA I would urge using the system presented here (http://www.tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?t=33294) under the section "converting monsters into characters" the first method give an example succubus (or incubus if you want to get termy) which is convenient because I'd like to play one. If you don't like that I'm open to suggestions for the LA on such a creature (I'd probably start with just racial HD).
You can still join, and thanks, I think I'll use some of that:
I like monsters to keep their characteristics. They should be neither over the top, nor suddenly be average down to look like humans. So what I'm going to do if someone wants to play a monster is this (modified if necessary on a case by case basis):
Take the monster's CR, add 1, or 2 if it's an extraordinarily awesome monster (like an Erinyes, which puts them out of range as starting characters right now): That's your starting monstrous HD and ECL. If this produces a very sub-standard monster because the monster gets really low CR for it's HD, then use Method 2 from the suggested system: Look at HD, CR and BAB and adjust the HD properties to give about the same BAB as the monster entry.
Take the Monster's stats, and either keep them as they are, or modify them by a NONELITE-array to more suit your desired class you'll add. Pay in mind that the lowest allowed stat is a 6. Int should ideally be at least 8, or I want to see the effects of stupidity in your roleplaying.
If your monster is chaotic evil, change that alignment to something that allows cooperative play.
Examples:
Succubus: ECL 9, 9 Outsider HD. (Might be cut down to 8, depending on how a final character looks.)
Troll: ECL 7, 7 Giant HD. I'm going with the giant HD here due to regeneration, which is really powerful in PC hands. But watch that int, ideally use Nonelite-array to increase Int.
Imp: ECL 3, 3 Outsider HD.
Quasit: ECL 3, 3 Outsider HD.
Ethergaunts are unfortunately out of reach at ECL 11 even for a red Ethergaunt.
Medusa: ECL 8, 8 Monstrous humanoid HD.
Young Red Dragon: ECL 9, 9 dragon HD. YES, I know dragons get iffy this way. Take the abilities of a young dragon, but modify numeric values as per the lower HD.
Juvenile Green Dragon: ECL 10.
Orthon Devil: ECL 10, 10 outsider HD.
I guess you know the drill by now. In all cases show me your stats with and without equipment.
Before anyone cries foul at this rule: Remember Polymorph is not forbidden (although I haven't gotten around to thinking about how to errata it). Pure physical stats are easily reproduced by polymorph.
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So the stats for a succubus reduce down to Str 11 Dex 11 Con 11 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 10 before racial modifiers. As I understand it I get what is basically a 15 point buy and then add the racial modifiers from the monster. Is that correct? For BAB I would get 9 HD and then make it a 3/4 BAB progression, that would keep BAB at 6 for either 8 or 9 HD. Does that sound good?
Thank you for your time.
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I guess non-elite array is like 15 pt point buy. But I'd like you to keep the distribution.
Also, look in the SRD what properties the monster type HD have.
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How would the Mercantile Background feat (PGtF), specifically the ability to 1/month buy an item at 75% value, be handled in regards to starting equipment (unused, used once, used for some items, used for all items, etc.)?
Edit: Removed character sheet for the moment
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How would the Mercantile Background feat (PGtF), specifically the ability to 1/month buy an item at 75% value, be handled in regards to starting equipment (unused, used once, used for some items, used for all items, etc.)?
BTW, here's my character so far (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=59911) (yes, I realize he doesn't have a name yet. Levels are not listed in order).
Hmmm... not so easy on mercantile background. I'd have to say realistically speaking you COULD have bought all non-consumptible items at 75%. However, there is also good reason to say you bought those items cheaper that won't stay with you (thereby minimising waste). Well, I'd say pick your three most expensive items and buy them at 75%. That seems like a fair compromise.
Other than that, the character looks fine. I can't (as of yet) say how well a beguiler will play out. I don't personally know the class very well (although I guess it depends on the spells you use). I do suppose at some point the number of save-buffs and immunities enemies will have will increase. So make sure to work towards some versatility. (I guess you know this already, just a heads up.)
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How would the Mercantile Background feat (PGtF), specifically the ability to 1/month buy an item at 75% value, be handled in regards to starting equipment (unused, used once, used for some items, used for all items, etc.)?
BTW, here's my character so far (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=59911) (yes, I realize he doesn't have a name yet. Levels are not listed in order).
Hmmm... not so easy on mercantile background. I'd have to say realistically speaking you COULD have bought all non-consumptible items at 75%. However, there is also good reason to say you bought those items cheaper that won't stay with you (thereby minimising waste). Well, I'd say pick your three most expensive items and buy them at 75%. That seems like a fair compromise.
Works for me.
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I've started making my Polymorph errata. I'd like comments on it. I think polymorph is an integral part of D&D, I don't want to miss it. However, I also see the issues with it.
I've decided that perhaps an approach is best where all bonuses are enhancement bonuses. That way they won't stack with anything, especially not with spells that give fat enhancement bonuses like the Bite series. However, there might be other issues with this approach.
Can anyone alert me to aspects that could make this approach particularly broken?
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Still taking applications?
'Cuz if so - I apply! :D
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Sending a PM with my pertinent questions if you're still taking applicants. This looks like a great chance to get some serious plot meatiness going :D
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Pan-Fried Hamster sent me an awesome character concept, even with history, and did everything right in not putting build before concept - because after all the build should be made to fit the concept. (Yeh I do recognize you CAN do it the other way around.) He gets an extra welcome.
Now there are a lot of running apps. I think I said until next friday to get me a concept. I do foresee some more dropouts, so I think it's fine to accept openly until then. (So, JanusJones, if you can make it until then, you'll be in, too.) However, everyone without a concept (and I don't mean a build, I mean a CHARACTER, something with a personality) by friday won't make it in. Remember I intend giving you a lot of freedom to make your character mechanically great so that you can fit the game mechanics around your concept.
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Now that I'm fleshing out a build...
Does 8 +25 pt buy mean you cannot reduce a stat below 8, short of racial stat penalties? That's how I read it, but I wanted to be sure.
I'm also debating what my character's ECL should be. I can take one of two approaches: he's relatively fresh out of soldiering and new to the adventuring scene, about ECL 4-5, or he's had a few adventures and is closer to ECL 8-9. Either one could work, I just don't want him to be a liability to whichever group he ends up hanging with (nor do I want him to overshadow people).
Given he's an elf, it doesn't seem like the age would have a massive impact. He IS supposed to be fairly young, though.
EDIT: More or less done, pending fine tuning. He's ECL 6, which seems like a good compromise between survivability/usefulness, and keeping from forcing every player to push for max just to be effective. How do we treat Wizard spells? Assume the standard 100 gp cost per level beyond the basic starting spells, and infinite time to scribe?
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Well, I'd like to have it so that the characters haven't done much adventuring before. I guess in P-F-H's case he can have been wandering for a bit, but maybe he settled down somewhere for a while. And the campaign will start from there. I also think getting the XP for ECL6 from "age" is no problem for an elf.
What I'd also like everyone (that is, the GOOD or neutral PCs) to think about is what kind of place you all want to come from. Not THE place, just what kind of town or other place, and what your role or job was there. You must have some sort of job, or else you can't explain where your starting cash comes from. (Yeh, I guess inherited would work.) I'd also like everyone to create a few minor NPCs whom you know and can interact with in your starting town.
It's sort of important not to just throw everyone into the starting scene together, so everyone will get his own starting scene. Some of you may be in the same place, and then meet, but likely as not it won't be everyone.
The only condition I have on your home-towns is that they should not be too large. I envision smallish towns to largish villages, although a character with high natural mobility (fast flight or teleport) AND good access to information could start in a larger town. And of course some might not wish to start in a town, in which case any sort of settlement or even the empty wilderness will work - except it'll take longer to meet up some other players.
For evil PCs I'd like to confer via PM a bit. If noone wants to be evil that would be a bit sad, but I guess I can cope.
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Brainpiercing, how about a straight binder?
Btw, we're allowed to use stuff from the site right?
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Brainpiercing, how about a straight binder?
Btw, we're allowed to use stuff from the site right?
Site is fine, but please proved links if you have them handy. (I CAN google, too.)
If you can give a personality to the mechanics of the binder, sure, why not? Binders are really not easy to build, but if you can pull it off, more credit to you.
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As a wanderer, my character likely spends a brief period in the smaller towns that he comes to, in order to take the opportunity to have hot food, a bed to sleep in, and other civilized comforts. When necessary, he makes a bit of coin practicing his trade in assisting the town apothecary [Craft: Alchemy] or taking odd jobs around town.
Curious folk find that he doesn't talk much, but when pressed, he seems to know a little about a lot [Knowledge skills]. The persistent may find their efforts rewarded with an odd tale or two. As a whole, though, his comings and goings go largely unremarked.
Tynien is currently assisting Apprentice Quintin Preast, who has been hastily-trained to take over his Master's business as the latter prepares to move to a larger settlement in hopes of better business. Quintin is a former farmboy, but he's quick to learn, easy enough to get along with, and has a knack for sizing up a good deal. Of course, his being named "Preast" has proven slightly confusing to many of the locals...
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I am going to be evil. :smirk
I have a concept I've been dying to try out. It's not uber-awesome-super-dooper-perfect, but it's a fascinating, FUN little concept that I think will improve play. SO looking forward to it!
Have a couple other ideas as well. Debating on them. MANY fun concepts to play with - the rules here are pretty much EXACTLY what I would run, had I the gumption. Very fond of the setup.
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Might I suggest opening up a game-specific subforum for build chatter, OOC discussion, and the like? That way we can keep the recruitment thread to its primary purpose.
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Well there shouldn't be to much more recruiting, we're getting close to the deadline. :-\ Which reminds me that I really have to get on background and build. What kind of creative writing do you want anyway? Should it be DnD like with stats and everything? Should it be fantasy or is something else OK?
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There's an example in the first post. I do it like I'm writing a book, and put rolls and mechanics in square brackets.
"Your father was a hamster and your mother smelled of elderberries!" [Diplomacy 1d20+0 = 2]
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Well yes, but I think that he asked for a writing sample. I was asking how much freedom we have with that. BTW I thought that that example was made of win.
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Sub-forum will come, I'll ask for one today.
I should be closing submissions tonight, but since we're in different time-zones that'll cut time for those further west. So it will be open until I get up tomorrow.
As to the writing sample: In fact your concept can be the writing sample. A bit of history can be the writing sample. I want to see whether you are prepared to make a definite effort to writing your posts in pleasing prose. Basically write your posts as if you never were rolling anything, but then determine the outcome by rolls. That's the idea, at least.
If you have any other ideas you would like to use, put them forward. I'm really very open.
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There's an example in the first post. I do it like I'm writing a book, and put rolls and mechanics in square brackets.
Razor the gnome was dancing backwards and forwards, his body swaying in seemingly erratic ways. His two punching daggers were clashing the beat to this strange dance. Of course his movements were anything but erratic. All he needed now was an opening, as the gnolls were bunching up at the edge of the wall of fire, and none of them daring to move into the breach. Anyone who charged them now was sure to be caught between hammer and anvil. Razor knew that Oddjob was all cocked and ready to smash them to kingdom come, but as it was he would have to face four of them alone. There was no avoiding it. He needed to somehow goad them into the breach. Piping at the top of his voice he yelled at the foremost gnoll "Your father was a hamster and your mother smelled of elderberries!" [Diplomacy 1d20+0 = 2]. The gnolls didn't look impressed.... but maybe they were dumber than they looked.
I fleshed that out a bit to give another example of what I hope to see. And yeah, the tactics are iffy I guess... :rolleyes
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Ok, third post in a row:
JanusJones: Basically pick a concept. I can't make that decision for you. Your dragons suffer from you being only one player, although if you make the concept I could play the others. You could act as the leader, and play one other as a cohort.
The others are also fine, but you need to make sure they are not just obnoxious freaks, they should have a drive and a goal. I expect any villains to put their mark on the story.
As I said I don't have it all planned out. I basically have a scenario, and a few possible following scenarios. There is a lot of room for change there. This is actually my second attempt at an entirely dynamic campaign. The first one was for a game called "The Lattice", a freeform science fiction roleplaying game. No dice there, for sure. The game suffered from a lack of common denominator, so at some point it died because people couldn't agree on what kind of world they were actually playing. With the D&D system to govern the world this won't happen, so I'm quite sure I can make it work, somehow. However, I can't stress enough that I expect all players to give their own inputs (and hopefully make them work as a group).
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I've been sorta busy with work and celebrating the Celtics win, but I'll have everything in by tonight, so don't count me out, I'm still very interested.
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entirely dynamic campaign.
*droooooooooooooool*
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I should be closing submissions tonight, but since we're in different time-zones that'll cut time for those further west. So it will be open until I get up tomorrow.
So, do we still have to do the writing sample plus char concept?
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Game sub-forum is up! :D
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Should we start a topic to get to know each other's characters, so we don't end up with a party of nothing but Fighter 20s? :D
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Please do not start a topic in the new child-forum until brainpiercing has selected the definitive list of players. Thanks :D
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Brainpiercing, I sent you a PM with a bunch of stuff. If you didn't get it (the inboxes are small) then tell me and I'll send again.
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Think I'll bow out. I should try to focus on only a couple of campaigns. I have to say, your rules and approach are my favorite. I haven't seen a set of ideas that appealed to me more!
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So, do we still have to do the writing sample plus char concept?
Yes, absolutely.
I got a few PMs, it'll take me a short while to respond to all of them - and I'll only begin tomorrow.
JanusJones, sad to see you go. But hey, in case other campaigns stop or finish you can still join later, that should be possible.
Also, I think several players don't wish to have everything about their character publicly known, and I am going to entirely support this. People will only be required to post a limited public sheet in the characters thread, once that is made, with stuff like a description of looks and visible posessions.
I also don't see a need to make a "balanced" party for this campaign. I can pretty much flat-out say that there won't be situations where lack of a certain party role means certain death.
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Alright. A "visibly obvious" intro thread sounds good. Would it start on the premise that we're all in a certain location, and be semi IC, or is it just gonna be a "when you meet me, this is what you see" thread?
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Everyone will get their own starting scene, so you won't all start in the same place. I'll make sure people join together by some nice B-movie plot devices :) - if they wish to follow them.
I also now have fewer players than expected initially, since several didn't make the deadline.
Players who are in:
P-F-H
Snizor
Smudgyhandsman
Straw Man
Akula
The public character sheet thread should contain:
- the name you'll introduce yourself with
- the physical appearance you assume most of the time, including visible items
- your ECL, so that people can make their Aura checks
- Your Cha score, and physical stats if you like (although they will likely as not become apparent through the way you describe your actions)
- Anything you wish to divulge of your own free will
You can use the templates from the PbP boards, or post links to Myth-weaver sheets.
There will be a thread made for those public sheets. I haven't quite decided how to post private sheets, character histories and other things.
And since we're finalised now I'll be moving everything important to the Sub-forum.