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weenie
2009-10-14, 02:59 PM
Today I was playing around a bit with the idea of a build that plays around with time. Things like multiple standard actions per turn, making time stand still, always going first.. What I came up with so far is a wizard that uses celerity combined with time stop to always go first and bypass the daze thing. I also know that the factotum can get extra standard actions, but I'm not really familiar with the mechanics..

So, any suggestions on how to build a character that focuses on making time his bitch? Any spells I missed? Any obscure PrCs? Any other classes that can do it better than a wizard?

Pika...
2009-10-14, 03:01 PM
I'd say hit up the psion class.

Melamoto
2009-10-14, 03:02 PM
Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327)

Muad'dib
2009-10-14, 03:03 PM
Today I was playing around a bit with the idea of a build that plays around with time. Things like multiple standard actions per turn, making time stand still, always going first.. What I came up with so far is a wizard that uses celerity combined with time stop to always go first and bypass the daze thing. I also know that the factotum can get extra standard actions, but I'm not really familiar with the mechanics..

So, any suggestions on how to build a character that focuses on making time his bitch? Any spells I missed? Any obscure PrCs? Any other classes that can do it better than a wizard?

Looking at it, the Doctor is definitely a factotum...

Indon
2009-10-14, 03:06 PM
Looking at it, the Doctor is definitely a factotum...

And, using their Inspiration points, the Factotum can grant people extra actions, if I'm not mistaken.

mostlyharmful
2009-10-14, 03:09 PM
Looking at it, the Doctor is definitely a factotum...

Nah, DMPC with a very shifty sheet.

Muad'dib
2009-10-14, 03:10 PM
And, using their Inspiration points, the Factotum can grant people extra actions, if I'm not mistaken.

or easily know everything about everything like any proper time traveler would.

Muad'dib
2009-10-14, 03:11 PM
Nah, DMPC with a very shifty sheet.

Nah still factotum, we don't know exactly what bonuses his race confers onto him.

Myou
2009-10-14, 03:16 PM
Nah still factotum, we don't know exactly what bonuses his race confers onto him.

He's clearly a DMPC factotum whose sheet is never seen and who has a +10 screwdriver while everyone else is using +1 flaming longswords. :3

Muad'dib
2009-10-14, 03:24 PM
He's clearly a DMPC factotum whose sheet is never seen and who has a +10 screwdriver while everyone else is using +1 flaming longswords. :3

It's preposterous to try and place finite bonuses on something as powerful as a sonic screwdriver. And let's not even get started on laser screwdrivers.

Prime32
2009-10-14, 03:26 PM
Find some way to grab the abilities of the chronotyryn from Fiend Folio (eg. shapechange into one). They get a few time-related abilities, including double turns. They can also fire feathers at people, in case you decide you want to be a Time Diver (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svM1G6tQHWs) instead.

Mooch
2009-10-14, 05:11 PM
I am doing something similar to this in a gestalt game that allows duel progression casting classes
Conjurer 1/Egoist 3/ Cerebremancer 2/Mind Mage 10/Cerebremancer +4
//Hatchling LA2/Master Specialist 2/Factorum 2/Master Specialist+1/Anarchic Initiate 1/Master Specialist +1/Anarchic Initiate +1/Master Specialist +1/Factorum +10

Gives all the fun of celerity, time stop, temporal acceleration, schism, shapechange/metamorphosis (for chronotyryn) and cunning surge from factorum
(using precocious apprentice for early entry to master specialist

at lvl 20 you can then celerity>time stop>daze>schism>greater metamorphosis
which gives you 2 full round actions plus a standard mental action plus anything from factorum

casting as a lvl 19 wizard, lvl 19 psion, lvl 20 sorc and lvl 12 factorum

if you can't lock something down with that many moves you were screwed before you even started

For a normal game the wizard/psion/cerebremancer gives alot of options
entry at lvl 5 to cerebremancer with precocious apprentice (plus you are crazy SAD)

Olo Demonsbane
2009-10-14, 08:18 PM
As a Psion, you can always quicken synechtity...it gives you an extra standard action in exchange for a swift action and 7pp...and you can use it any time before your next turn for 2 extra pp.

Gralamin
2009-10-14, 08:28 PM
No Planar Shepherd yet? What, don't want 10 turns for each of the enemies.

jiriku
2009-10-14, 09:16 PM
The fatespinner and divine oracle prestige classes are thematically appropriate for this.

Darrin
2009-10-14, 10:00 PM
You may want to look up Dirty Trick #5 on one of the Campaign Smashers thread, Tleilaxu_Ghola's 'Save' Game Mechanic. Uses some fancy psionic tricks to stop time and generate an alternate reality, which you can then go back to whenever you like.

I'm having trouble finding the thread in the new community forum thingy.

Eldariel
2009-10-14, 10:12 PM
You may want to look up Dirty Trick #5 on one of the Campaign Smashers thread, Tleilaxu_Ghola's 'Save' Game Mechanic. Uses some fancy psionic tricks to stop time and generate an alternate reality, which you can then go back to whenever you like.

I'm having trouble finding the thread in the new community forum thingy.

It's simple enough. Basically, you Time Hop your Psi Crystal (turned into something not-mind affecting-immune) into end of the day and then Contingent Anticipatory Strike on the event of returning back to normal time. Use "Imbue with Spell Ability" to give it ability to cast "Status".

Then manifest "Forced Dream" on it and have it use Status (and Sending Stones or some such) to determine whether you need a reload. If you do, it uses Forced Dream to return the world back to the state it was in in the beginning of its round; that is, before the Time Hop.


And yeah, if you wanna screw with time, Psion is the only correct choice. Cerebremancer gets some nice extra tricks, but truly, Psions are masters of temporal manipulation in D&D. Though there's the level 9 Arcane spell "Teleport Through Time (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pg/20030409b)"... An extra argument for Cerebremancer, I suppose.

TelemontTanthul
2009-10-14, 11:35 PM
Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327)


whoa, I have been missing out! A class like that is exactly what I have been looking for!

bosssmiley
2009-10-15, 08:51 AM
Looking at it, the Doctor is definitely a factotum...

Knowledge as the plot requires
Talks the enemy to death
Annoying character tics
No useful combat skills
The Doctor = Bard

Timelord is really just a plot-activated 'nine lives' template.

re: Weenie's character idea. Playing with time is really the stuff of absurd level (near-epic) D&D. That kind of gimmick "I go, you do not" lets you break the action economy, and thus breaks the game as written. That said, see if you can't find the old Chronomancer expansion (a splatbook on time magic).

Caveat emptor

hamishspence
2009-10-15, 09:40 AM
If "Time Lord" as "awesomely powerful NPC" rather than "moderately powerful PC" is the objective, Dragon Magazine has the Time dragon statline in the last print issue.

At Great Wyrm stage, it gains the ability to move through the timestream (backwards as well) though it is not clear what kind of action this is.

It is Challenge Rating 90 at this stage- the time dragon is the most powerful of the epic dragons.

KaganMonk
2009-10-15, 01:19 PM
Whatever you do, just find Krimm Blackleaf's Time Lord Epic Destiny for 3.5.
That should give you all the Doctor mechanics you need and you can flavor from there.

Pika...
2009-10-15, 03:37 PM
Oh!

I have an interesting idea.

For all those familiar with Rexfelis the Cat Lord, and his ring in the ELH, why not craft yourself a ring which has eleven charges of Reincarnate that are triggered upon your death.


That, or threat the 11 reincarnations as all your racial traits period? Perhaps still incur a -2 or so to a stat (I'd recommend -2 to Con, since the guy just LOVES dying...)?

SoD
2009-10-15, 05:02 PM
Knowledge as the plot requires
Talks the enemy to death
Annoying character tics
No useful combat skills
The Doctor = Bard


What (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qb7FqSGVkA)? What (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MyyyMv7ueY) do (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEzt6A6a4fs) you (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQwYpezshCE) mean (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFbQQCO_wsA&feature=related)?

Noble Savant
2009-10-15, 05:41 PM
At Great Wyrm stage, it gains the ability to move through the timestream (backwards as well) though it is not clear what kind of action this is.

It is Challenge Rating 90 at this stage- the time dragon is the most powerful of the epic dragons.

The scary thing is that, because of the way it messes with time, it could become a Great Wyrm in a matter of days from it's birth. *shudder*

Shadow_Elf
2009-10-15, 05:51 PM
I believe Gralamin is correct that Planar Shepherd is the best way to get many activations per round, but I could be wrong, not being a 3.5e expert by any stretch (never played it past level 6, and even then, we started at level 6 and went for one session).

Emperor Tippy
2009-10-15, 06:18 PM
Does anyone have a link to the save game trick? My google skills are failing me.

The Demented One
2009-10-15, 06:22 PM
You could just play...a Time Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4673929).

Eldariel
2009-10-15, 06:23 PM
Does anyone have a link to the save game trick? My google skills are failing me.

It's pretty much exactly as I outlined. That said:
http://web.archive.org/web/20080416123150/http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=737126

Web Archives to the rescue. By the way, been a long time. Glad to see you still around.

Emperor Tippy
2009-10-15, 07:09 PM
It's pretty much exactly as I outlined. That said:
http://web.archive.org/web/20080416123150/http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=737126

Web Archives to the rescue. By the way, been a long time. Glad to see you still around.

Thanks, phuey that only the first page is in the wayback machine.

And yeah, Kallisti posted a thread about running the Tippyverse and that was interesting enough to get me to log in.

Pika...
2009-10-15, 08:27 PM
Thanks for the inspiration folks. It got me itching to make my own take on a Timelord, but instead I figured going the racial route.


If anyone has some extra ideas or would like to critique it to hopefully improve it please check the Homebrew forum.

Emperor Tippy
2009-10-16, 11:45 PM
I think that I have beaten the save game mechanic for versatility and for messing with time.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128601

My trick let's you relive the same day as many times as you want and "reload" your game for a mere 12 PP expended. Granted, you have to be level 20 for my version to work (or pay for a psionic trap) but it is better assuming that you can use it.