Requesting Assistance

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Hi. This is my first time posting here, so I'm sorry if I say something offensive. I am also a member of the Cafe du Nuit, a Ravenloft forum, and have been working with a member there on creating a Steampunk Ravenloft Domain. The problem is that, of the two of us, he's the only one who can actually "rulesmith"- that is, create custom rules.

I stand before you to ask for assistance: I am requesting ideas for suitable creatures with which to populate this Domain of ours- I can't think of anything that would be both Gothic and Steampunk. You don't need to provide rules (though that would be greatly appreciated), just ideas.

We are also creating a custom variant of the Wizard class, one which draws its power from the five "Technological Spheres"; Metal, Oil/Chemicals, Electricity, Steam and Crystal/Energy. Could you suggest possible spells that could fit under such a system? Again, rules are not essentially- simply ideas are all I ask for.

I thank you and apologise in advance.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

Hmm... Off the top of my head:

Undead machines: clockwork thing with level drain
Some CR 20 steam-powered leviathan comparable to the Tarrasque
Creeping gears: Tiny-sized construct swarms that drain blood for raw materials and lubricant
Gear-spitter: self-contained self-replenishing clockwork construct that leaves a trail of shattered, sharpened, and twisted metal, which is also its primary means of combat.
Scalpel-maw: device intended for remote surgery gone horribly wrong

Custom wizards? Well, I was never a fan of Vancian casting in the first place...

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Those are some good ideas, though the "Clockwork Tarrasque" is a bit too high-fantasy in my opinion. Any mroe ideas? These are a few of mine:

"Techno-Undead"; undead created by weird science and thus immune to turning, rebuking and spells specifically designed to affect undead.

"Mucklings"; ala Swamp Thing, these are humans (intelligent humanoids?) who die from Fire damage whilst within a swamp/moor/mere/bog that has been tainted with super-fuel runoff or super-fuel-based alchemical concoctions.

"Mutate"; a template to reflect creatures that have been mutated by exposure to super-fuel runoff.

[SilveryCord]

For one, you're going to want to change the technological spheres. Why? It cheats on the cardinal law of elements: Either it should be matter, or it should be a type of energy. Yes, the greek system cheats on this. I loath the greek elemental system. (Fire, water, air, earth, blech.)

Metal and Electricity will overlap too much, I'd suggest taking out electricity. Most of your other "Spheres" are physical objects, and you're cheating on the cardinal law of elements. Also, it'll take a LOT of time to figure out the exact barrier between metal and electricity. Where would this spell go? This one? etc.
Crystal, I would keep. You're going to need to shove mind-affecting spells like Charm X or Suggestion somewhere. (Also, cold damage could go here, as ice = crystal.)
Chemicals are good. Acid and fire get pushed under here, nice.
Steam is a good all around thing, keep it.
I would add some kind of more abstract. Some kind of biological element (COUGH USE RIPTIDE COUGH), or something else to add would be nice. Perhaps some pro-nature druidic force? Maybe not a technological sphere, perhaps, but still.
That'd leave you with Metal, Chemical, Steam, Crystal as a decent core. 4 is quite enough to have decent rules/spells. (And if you like, add Nature or whatever.)

[pyrefiend]

Wow, a technology wizard sounds like an awsome class. Here are some basic spell ideas:

Crystal Sentinal: A huge crystal grows out of the ground and strikes all who come near with ranged attacks.(Crystal)
Searing Skin: Transforms sweat on a body to harmful, flamable chemicals.(Chemicals)
Construct Limb: Turns one arm into any of a few unique mechanical appendages, each capable of different attacks and skill bonuses.(Metal)
Husk: Attempts to evaporate the bodily fluids of a target. (Steam)
Synaptic Overload: You push high amounts of voltage into the brain so that it works too quickly, causing your opponent to take severe penalties to attacks and movement. (Electricity)

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Some nice spell ideas pyrefiend, though the Construct Limb spell does kinda conflict with the fact we're putting together a class that can make steampunk cybernetic augmentations. Still, I think it fits- thanks. You have any more?

[pyrefiend]

Sure, here's a few more spells:

Metal:
Metalic Skin: Increases armor class and makes it so some spells have a chance to reflect off harmlesly, but reduces speed.
Liquify: Turns weak or moderately strong metal objects into mercury-like liquid.
Increase Density: Increases hardness of metal object.
Refine: Purifies ore into solid, finly made metal.
Iron Shreading Uses the iron in a creature's blood as a weapon, attackng from the inside.
Substance Switch: Turns one type of metal into another, temporarily. Ex: cold iron to alchemical silver.
Transmute Flesh to Steel: Turns a body to a finely crafted sculpture buily of smooth steel.
Reforge: Temporarily changes what a weapon is, as long as no more metal is added in the changing and the weapon starts out made of metal. Ex: sword to mace.

Chemical
Transmute Water to Oil: Turns pure water into sticky, flamable oil.
Slick: Slippery oil causes charging characters to slip and reduces the speed of all creatures within the area.
Napalm Shot: Fires a line of sticky, burning liquid.
Gaseous Flood: Pushes waves of invisible, oderles gas into a room. The gas type can differ between poisonus, flamable or asidic.
Cornea Sting Deposits harmful chemicals on the cornea of the eyes, causing pain and temporary blindness.
Acid Torrent: Brings forth a huge geyser of acid, harming many creatures in a large area.
Poison Life: Summons a harmful, acidic elemental.

Electricity
Enervating Field: Designates an area as filled with electric charge, possibly harming anyone who enters.
Static Charge: Filles a single creature's body with electric charge, making him a threat to all nearby allies.
Power Sink: Draws power from all nearby creatures, exhausting them and enhancing youre attack and movement capabilities.
Animate: Charges a construct with power, bringing it back to full power temporarily.
Magnetic Field: Summons a magnetic field that can repel or draw in magnetic material.

Steam
Wall of Steam: Summons a giant cloud of hot vapor to harm those who travel through.
Evaporate: Boils, than evaporates liquid.
Boling Earth: Summons a wide crack to open up and fill a wide area with superheated water vapor.
Humid Shriek: Grants you a breath weapon of steamy vapor.
Searing Rain: Creates a cloud that rains supernaturaly-hot water.
Humidify: Fatigues several creatures in an area, and greatly harms fire cratures.

Crystal
Envelop: Creates a fast-growing crystal to encase foes.
Reflecting Stone: Summons a shield of crystal that defends against some magical attacks.
Energy Shower: You toss a handful of crystals into the air which fill themselves with energy, then come racing toward the ground.
Gemstone Life: Turns gemstones and crystal into crysmals.
Pulse: Creates a huge, pulsing crystal with an aura that can have many different effects.
Razor Field: Creates a wide area of razor-sharp spinning crystals to shread those that come through.
Crystal Defence: Grows you a suit of armor directly onto the skin that grants a huge AC bonus but also a 60% chance of arcane spell failure.

[Halcyon_Dax]

Not really sure, but heres a quick suggestion.

Look at the Wu-Jen in complete arcane, they have some specific domain casting optinons, one of which is metal i think. May be good to check out.

[pyrefiend]

For one, you're going to want to change the technological spheres. Why? It cheats on the cardinal law of elements: Either it should be matter, or it should be a type of energy. Yes, the greek system cheats on this. I loath the greek elemental system. (Fire, water, air, earth, blech.)

I disagree. By definition, elements make up everything. I like it when elements cover a broader range, transcending the material/energy barrier. Good for you, shadow in the mist, to make some material elements and some energy. ;D

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Thanks Pyrefiend, I appreciate it. And I love the spells you're coming up with too. When you have the Energy/Crystal spells done, would you care to suggest some possible creature concepts?

[pyrefiend]

O.K., just finished with those crystal spells, so sure, I'll help make some monsters. Just one thing though, are these monsters coming from all the technology spheres, or just metal/chemical?

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Actually, the critters wouldn't really have anything to do with the variant wizard class at all; they're just things suitable for a Gothic Steampunk setting. Possible critters that I can think of.

"Techno-Undead" brought to unlife by bizarre alchemical concoctions and thus immune to magic designed to affect the undead and imbued with feral intelligence and a toxic bite that causes those who succumb to arise as more TUs.

Golem-like creature- aka steampunk robots.

The embodiment of certain types of death- such as starvation, drug overdose and industrial accidents.

Natural creatures warped into twisted mutant abominations by toxic chemicals.

I'm sure you can think of other things as well.

[smartdumkid]

Here are a few creature ideas:

Scalded Dead- These are the angry spirits of people who died when steam engines exploded. They are often technologists that wish to repair the engine that killed them.

Manglers- Animated machines that crave human flesh. Think huge steam preses that are angry.

Gremlins- foul minded creatures that wish to destroy machines and inventors.