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Aron Times
2009-10-22, 10:00 PM
Page 10 of the Manual of the Planes lists the rules for influencing an unstable plane, e.g. the Elemental Chaos. Basically, it involves an intelligence check that anyone can perform: from DC 5 for moving a tiny object to.DC 40 to alter a gargantuan object.

I can't list the entire table here, but it's basically much, much easier to stabilize something than to alter it. A level 12 wizard who started with 18 intelligence can alter 1 square per minute by taking 10 on the intelligence check (DC 21).

But we do not have to wait that long. The PHB3 has a level 2 skill power that let's you roll History in place of Intelligence. This adds +5 to our modifier. If he's a deva, he gets another +2. His background grants another +2. And Skill Focus adds another +3.

That's a total +17 modifier at level 2. The DC to alter an area is 20 + 1 per square, so if he takes 10, he can alter six 5-foot cubes per minute. He can basically turn this area into anything. And I mean anything.

Oh, the DC to alter a gargantuan object (think a single object the size of the Tarrasque) is 25, which our deva mage can accomplish by taking 10. He can turn ice into fire, boulders into oxygen, etc.

He could create a stereotypical ivory tower out of thin air, turn fire into gold, etc. It's like Mage: The Ascension/Awakening without paradox, all at level 1. All our deva wizard needs is a portal to the Elemental Chaos to begin building his very own paradise.

Now, why haven't all wizards done this already? Well, the Elemental Chaos is not exactly the safest place in the multiverse. From efreeti slavers to slaadi marauders to wandering demons, our level 2 wizard basically stands no chance.

What do you think?

R. Shackleford
2009-10-22, 10:05 PM
Does he really not stand a chance if he's at the point of warping reality at level 2?

Sir_Elderberry
2009-10-22, 10:18 PM
Anything the PCs can do, the NPCs can throw right back at them. If you go to the Elemental Chaos and start trying to alter too much reality, someone smarter than you is going to come along eventually.

Tiki Snakes
2009-10-22, 10:39 PM
yeah, pretty much the mortality thing. Congrats, bookboy. That's a pretty tower. Me and my mates here are beings of living fire, and you look awful purty flammable...

KIDS
2009-10-23, 01:29 AM
If only the caster were immortal, the idea would strongly resemble Dr. Manhattan and his base on Mars...

Kurald Galain
2009-10-23, 03:52 AM
Now, why haven't all wizards done this already?
Well, for starters, a level-2 wizard has no way to get to the elemental chaos.

Also, I'm not convinced you can take 10 on this particular check, considering the stress involved (to which the word "chaos" should be a clue :smallbiggrin: )

Nightson
2009-10-23, 04:08 AM
"You change an unattended natural object into a different element or energy of the same size.
For example, change a boulder into a ball of fire."

^ A success on alter object. Which constrains what you can transform things into.

It's DC 25 to move a gargantuan object, not to alter it. Altering it takes a DC 40 check.

bosssmiley
2009-10-23, 08:46 AM
I wonder what the mechanics would be for:

1) Manipulating a single 5' cube to create a black hole ("Uhh, that'd be a DC 17 Knowledge: cat-girl slaying," or rather, 'knowledge: the history of cat girl slaying").

GM: "Are you sure you want to do that?" :smallamused:

@Jo Silver: biggest will wins in Limbo the Elemental Chaos. Your tower is nice, until some griefer ambles along and brings it down around you.

Oracle_Hunter
2009-10-23, 01:23 PM
Oh, and don't forget the random Primordials and such wandering about. I'm sure they'll be plenty happy to have some upstart wizardling messing around with their plane :smalltongue:

And, while I don't have PHB 3, is that "skill power" an at-will? Otherwise, have fun waiting 5 minutes between checks. I mean, it's nice that you turned that column of flame into a giant diamond, but it'll take some time to turn that diamond shard into a kickass tower :smallcool: