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Admiral Squish
2010-11-20, 02:54 AM
A druid wielding an Animal Totem
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/071/a/b/The_Totem_by_galajo.jpg
Basic Totem Rules:
{table=head]Cost|Damage (S)|Damage (M)|Damage (L)|Critical|Weight|Type
2000 GP|1d6|2d6|3d6|x3|50|Bludgeoning[/table]

A Totem is a Two-handed Exotic weapon, a massively thick staff made of blessed materials, lovingly carved and sculpted to depict the holy ideals it stands for. A totem is never of less than masterwork quality. A totem may be used by anyone with the appropriate exotic weapon proficiency, but it's true power only comes out when wielded by one with divine spell slots or the true believer feat. When preparing spells for the day, a character with divine spell slots may sacrifice a spell slot for the day to attune his totem, granting him a divine bonus to attack and damage rolls made with the totem. This attunement does not require spell slots if the character has the true believer feat (See table). Most totems have additional effects based on the specific ideal the totem is devoted to and the level of the spell slot so sacrificed or the HD of the true believer. By sacrificing a spell slot, you gain all the abilities up to and including the level of the spell slot sacrificed. A character sacrificing spell slots to activate a totem must have access to the domain of totem he's trying to use, unless otherwise noted. A character with the true believer feat must worship a diety that possesses that domain.

{table=head]Spell Level|HD|Divine Bonus
1st|1|+1
2nd|3|+2
3rd|5|+3
4th|7|+4
5th|9|+5
6th|11|+6
7th|13|+7
8th|15|+8
9th|17|+9
[/table]

Air:
This totem is usually stylized with jagged lightning bolts and swirling depictions of wind and clouds along it length. The wielder of this totem harnesses the fury of the wind into armor and strikes with the power of a thunderbolt.

Druids can sacrifice spell slots to activate this totem.

{table=head]Spell Level|HD|Effect
1st|1|Cloudy Cloak
2nd|3|+1d6 Electricity damage
3rd|5|Soar
4th|7|+2d6 Electricity damage
5th|9|Mighty Gust
6th|11|+3d6 Electricity damage
7th|13|Chain Shock
8th|15|+4d6 Electricity damage
9th|17|Whirlwind Armor
[/table]
Cloudy Cloak: The totem's wielder gains concealment. (20% miss chance)
Electricity Damage: Any creature struck by the totem takes an additional amount of electricity damage equal to the number given on the table.
Soar: The totem's wielder gains a fly speed equal to his base land speed with good maneuverability.
Mighty Gust: Once/round, the totem's wielder can declare an attack as a gust blow. If the attack hit, the opponent must make a reflex save (DC = 10+spell level sacrificed+wis) or be thrown back 1d6x5 feet by a gust of wind. This cannot be used against creatures larger than the totem's wielder.
Chain Shock: Whenever the totem deals electricity damage, the totem's wielder can have the extra energy arc to any opponents adjacent to the initial target. These arcs deal 1/2 the damage of the initial strike.
Whirlwind Armor: The totem's wielder is surrounded by a roaring tornado that moves with him. This tornado effects all squares the totem's wielder threatens. The tornado protects him as though it were a wind wall effect, and the scouring winds deal 2d6 damage to all creatures in the tornado's area of effect. The totem's wielder is constantly in the eye of this effect, and it does not impede or interfere with either his vision or his mobility.

Animal:
This totem usually bears stylized depictions of various animals along it's length. The wielder of this totem harnesses the beast within and strikes his foes with terrible savagery.

Druids and Rangers can sacrifice spell slots to activate this totem.

{table=head]Spell Level|HD|Effect
1st|1|Animal Friend
2nd|3|Beast Within (+2)
3rd|5|Beast Helper
4th|7|Beast Within (+4)
5th|9|Aspect of the Beast
6th|11|Beast Within (+6)
7th|13|Awaken the Beast
8th|15|Beast Within (+8)
9th|17|Pack Lord
[/table]
Animal Friend: You gain the effects of a speak with animals spell.
Beast Within: You gain a enhancement bonus to strength, dexterity, and constitution equal to the number given on the table.
Beast Helper: While under the effects of this totem, you gain the service an animal as though it were summoned by the summon nature's ally spell. The level of the summon nature's ally effect is equal to the spell level sacrificed -1.
Aspect of the Beast: You gain one of the following aspects. Natural weapon damage is given assuming medium size.
Wing: You grow wings and gain a fly speed equal to twice your base land speed with good maneuverability.
Horn: You gain a gore attack that deals 1d8 damage and the powerful charge ability, dealing an additional 1d6 points of damage for each level of the spell sacrificed if you hit an opponent with your gore attack at the end of a charge.
Fang: You gain a bite attack that deals 1d6 damage. In addition, you gain the improved grab ability, allowing you to make a free grapple check if you hit an opponent with your bite.
Fin: You gain a swim speed equal to twice your base land speed and can breathe underwater.
Claw: You gain two rake attacks that deal 1d4 damage. In addition, if you make a charge attack you can make a full attack at the end of it, including two rakes.
Scales: You gain a +1 bonus to natural armor for each level of the spell sacrificed.
Awaken the Beast: All allies within 20 feet gain a +4 enhancement bonus to strength, dexterity and constitution.
Pack Lord: All allies within 20 feet gain the benefits of the Aspect of the Beast you have active.

Chaos:
This totem is almost always covered in abstract, eye-catching designs that seem to change when not observed. The wielder of this totem becomes one with chaos and warps the world around him with his very presence.

{table=head]Spell Level|HD|Effect
1st|1|Sense Chaos
2nd|3|Chaos Strike (1d8/2d6)
3rd|5| Magic Circle against Law
4th|7|Chaos Strike (2d8/4d6)
5th|9|Dispel Law
6th|11|Chaos Strike (3d8/6d6)
7th|13|Warp Space
8th|15|Chaos Strike (4d8/8d6)
9th|17|Chaos Armor
[/table]
Sense Chaos: The wielder can detect Chaos and Detect Law at will.
Chaos Strike: Each strike with the totem deals an additional 1d8 damage to lawful creatures. Against, lawful outsiders, this damage increases to 2d6. This damage increases as shown on the table.
Magic Circle Against Law: The wielder is constantly under the effect of Magic Circle Against Law.
Dispel Law:The wielder is constantly under the effects of Dispel Law.
Warp Space: Once/round, the wielder may warp the space around him as a standard action. He may use this ability to duplicate the effect of a dimension door spell, or he may select any two creatures within 60 feet of himself and within 30 feet of each other and switch their positions. He may use himself as one of these creatures if he chooses.
Chaos Armor: The wielder is constantly under the effects of the Cloak of Chaos spell.


Death:
This totem is usually black and patterned to bear the resemblance of bones, capped with an exotic skull on the end. The wielder of this becomes a terrible reaper, a bringer of death.

{table=head]Spell Level|HD|Effect
1st|1|Cloak of Fear
2nd|3|Soulreaving Aura
3rd|5|Reaper's Eyes
4th|7|Lord of the Dead
5th|9|Black Blood
6th|11|Walking Desecration
7th|13|King of the Dead
8th|15|Death Blow
9th|17|God of the Dead
[/table]
Cloak of Fear: All creatures within the wielders reach is shaken as long as they remain within the area.
Soulreaving Aura: As a swift action, the wielder may deal 1 damage to all creatures within 10 feet at 0 hit points or lower. In addition, if a creature dies from this, the wielder gains temporary HP equal to their HD for 1 round.
Reaper's Eyes: The wielder is constantly under the effects of a deathwatch spell, but he can identify if a creature is Dead, dying (between 0 and -9 HP), Fragile (Less than 1 HP/HD), Wounded (at less than half maximum health), Healthy (At more than half health), Undead, or neither Alive or Dead (Such as a construct).
Lord of the Dead: The wielder may raise any creature slain with his totem as though with the animate dead spell. These undead are automatically under the control of the wielder. These undead remain in your service for 24 hours before collapsing to a powder. Undead raised by your totem do not count against you limit of controlled undead.
Black Blood: The wielder is constantly under the effects of a death ward spell. In addition, he gains some of the traits of undead, becoming immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease.
Walking Desecration: The totem becomes the center of a permanent desecrate effect, and the totem is treated as it's own altar or shrine and thus doubles the usual effects of desecrate, as described by the spell.
King of the Dead: The wielder may raise any creature slain with his totem as though with the create undead spell. These undead are automatically under the control of the wielder. These undead remain in your service for 24 hours before collapsing to a powder. Undead raised by your totem do not count against your limit of controlled undead.
Death Blow:Once/round, the wielder of the death totem can declare an attack to be a death blow. If the attack connects, he rolls 2d6 for each effective spell level sacrificed. If the result is greater than the target's current HP, the target dies instantly with no save.
God of the Dead: The wielder may raise any creature slain with his totem as though with the create greater undead spell. These undead are automatically under the control of the wielder. These undead remain in your service for 24 hours before collapsing to a powder. Undead raised by your totem do not count against your limit of controlled undead.


Destruction:


Earth:


Evil:


Fire:


Good:


Healing:


Knowledge:


Law:


Luck:


Magic:


Plant:


Protection:


Strength:


Sun:


Travel:


Trickery:


War:


Water:

Admiral Squish
2010-11-20, 03:01 AM
Okay, so, this idea sorta developed out of monkman's Totem Cleric (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176478) class. The General idea is that the totem is sort of a portable shrine, and that, by sacrificing divine spell slots, you can imbue it with divine power to smite the foes of your deity.

I'm not even properly started yet, but I'm going to bed and I wanted to post what I have so far up for review. No point in putting all the effort into it if the basic concept is flawed. So, tell me what you think!

Admiral Squish
2010-11-20, 05:06 PM
Added Animal totem.

Really, what I'm most concerned about is A) Without a full-casting class, these will be utterly useless, and B) that the higher level abilities aren't worth the spell slots it costs to power them.

ForzaFiori
2010-11-20, 05:47 PM
The two tables that you have, do you only gain the ability for the spell level you sacrificed, or do you gain all the abilities of the spell level and below?

If its just the specific level, you should change the Scales ability to just +5 ac as opposed to 1/spell level, since you can only get it with a 5th level spell.

Admiral Squish
2010-11-20, 05:56 PM
The two tables that you have, do you only gain the ability for the spell level you sacrificed, or do you gain all the abilities of the spell level and below?

If its just the specific level, you should change the Scales ability to just +5 ac as opposed to 1/spell level, since you can only get it with a 5th level spell.
You gain all the abilities. I should probably put a clause about that in there.

Proven_Paradox
2010-11-20, 06:14 PM
These are too cheap as-is. I suggest going a route similar to metamagic rods, with lesser, standard, and greater versions, each grade incrementally more expensive than the last. Lesser can get up to level 3, standard up to 6, greater can do them all. 2,000 seems reasonable for the lesser version. I'm thinking maybe... 15,000 for the standard, 35,000 for the greater? Just off the top of my head with minimal analysis.

Glimbur
2010-11-20, 06:17 PM
I'd consider making the effect last all day if you expend the correct spell slot. Air is balanced ok for this, Animal is a little shady but it could be ok. You might replace the +8 enhancement with something else just to keep to the expected +6 cap on enhancement pre-epic. No big deal.

There's also a feat in Complete Divine called True Believer which might be repurposed here: between the EWP, the True Believer feat, and the 2000 gp it might be ok just letting people of the the right hitdice have these effects.

Admiral Squish
2010-11-20, 07:23 PM
These are too cheap as-is. I suggest going a route similar to metamagic rods, with lesser, standard, and greater versions, each grade incrementally more expensive than the last. Lesser can get up to level 3, standard up to 6, greater can do them all. 2,000 seems reasonable for the lesser version. I'm thinking maybe... 15,000 for the standard, 35,000 for the greater? Just off the top of my head with minimal analysis.

That might work. I'm not sure, though. This is a normal weapon in most respects, so you would still be paying for special materials, enhancement bonuses, etc.


I'd consider making the effect last all day if you expend the correct spell slot. Air is balanced ok for this, Animal is a little shady but it could be ok. You might replace the +8 enhancement with something else just to keep to the expected +6 cap on enhancement pre-epic. No big deal.

There's also a feat in Complete Divine called True Believer which might be repurposed here: between the EWP, the True Believer feat, and the 2000 gp it might be ok just letting people of the the right hitdice have these effects.

I'm a little worried about making it all day. At higher levels, I wouldn't argue with that, but lower levels wouldn't work quite so well, since a lot of the lower-level bits were designed to have durations. Permanent flight would probably cause problems.

Well, a +8 enhancement bonus was better in my mind than a +8 untyped bonus. Plus, to be honest, I was kinda running out of ideas for animal. I didn't want to make him overload the board with animal allies or anything.

True believer might work pretty well, actually... Looking more closely at relics, that might be exactly what I was looking for.

Perhaps I could create a least, lesser, greater, and (mighty?) version of each totem, making them their own relics? Least requires 1st, Lesser requires 3rd, Greater requires 6th, and (mighty?) requires 9th.

Shyftir
2010-11-20, 07:36 PM
Technically Relics are supposed to be Unique Items, but using some of the concepts and making them "semi-relics" might be a good choice.

Requiring True Believer or making them impossible to enchant on top of their abilities might help keep them balanced.

Admiral Squish
2010-11-20, 09:09 PM
Technically Relics are supposed to be Unique Items, but using some of the concepts and making them "semi-relics" might be a good choice.

Requiring True Believer or making them impossible to enchant on top of their abilities might help keep them balanced.

True, hadn't thought of that. I think a semi-relic idea would work.

True believer keeps coming up, so I shall take it to be the will of the people to get it involved.

Admiral Squish
2010-11-20, 11:29 PM
There. I edited the opening to include true believer, added an HD entry for each table, and clarified some things about who can activate what totems. I also added a chaos totem.

monkman
2010-11-20, 11:39 PM
A Totem is a Two-handed Exotic weapon, a massively thick staff made of blessed materials, lovingly carved and sculpted to depict the holy ideals it stands for. A totem is never of less than masterwork quality. A totem may be used by anyone with the appropriate exotic weapon proficiency, but it's true power only comes out when wielded by one with divine spell slots or the trie believer feat

You would have to put a time limit/Number of times per day you can use it limit(for true beliver).
Also I dont think that some totems should only be for a certain class.

Admiral Squish
2010-11-20, 11:49 PM
You would have to put a time limit/Number of times per day you can use it limit(for true beliver).
Also I dont think that some totems should only be for a certain class.

Not really, since I shifted it to all day, why would I punish a character that spent a whole feat to access totems but not they guy who just loses a spell?

It's not so much by class as it is by deity. A cleric gains access to domains from his diety. It wouldn't make sense for a cleric of, say, the god of magic to use a strength totem. But, since druids, rangers, and other divine casting classes don't have domains, they get special mention as being allowed to use certain totems as though they had access to those domains.

monkman
2010-11-20, 11:54 PM
If someone take the true beliver feat, Does he get all the totems from that god or only one?

Admiral Squish
2010-11-21, 12:06 AM
If someone take the true beliver feat, Does he get all the totems from that god or only one?

He can use any totem that matches a domain the deity provides.

monkman
2010-11-21, 12:32 AM
He can use any totem that matches a domain the deity provides.

How many totems does a person with a true beliver feat get?
(example)A fighter of Pelor take true believer , Can he use the Sun,Healing,Good and Strength totem powers(use them all at the same time)or Is it only one(known and/or used)?

InfiniteNothing
2010-11-21, 12:36 AM
Considering how (if I'm not mistaken) there's only one domain per individual totem, it would depend on how many totems the fighter could wield at once (probably one, given that it's a two-handed weapon).

Admiral Squish
2010-11-21, 12:52 AM
How many totems does a person with a true beliver feat get?
(example)A fighter of Pelor take true believer , Can he use the Sun,Healing,Good and Strength totem powers(use them all at the same time)or Is it only one(known and/or used)?


Considering how (if I'm not mistaken) there's only one domain per individual totem, it would depend on how many totems the fighter could wield at once (probably one, given that it's a two-handed weapon).

Basically, what he said. One weapon, one totem. Each one is specifically attuned to it's individual domain.

Admiral Squish
2010-11-21, 06:36 PM
Put up death totem. I'm not sure about the lord/king/god of the dead abilities. They're knocked up a level apeice and the undead only last 24 hours, but they're automatically controlled, don't cost onyx, and don't count against your limit of controlled undead. Is this fair?