A Private Craft for a Gentleman of Means?

[Palanan]

This is a DM-only thread, so my players need to slowly back away, with their hands where I can see them.



So, a gentleman of distinguished family and considerable means, with a taste for racing sail, has decided to outfit a personal yacht for a long sea voyage. Apart from the mundane necessities--fine wine, lobster canapés, light reading in Draconic--what else should he equip his vessel with?

He has the wealth to allow for a variety of enchantments, but he's not especially interested in placing them all onto the ship; he's an expert sailor and prefers to steer and trim for himself. He does, however, value his personal safety quite highly. What could he spend several tens of thousands on, with an eye towards security from uncivilized fellow mariners?
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[Gavinfoxx]

What is the magic level of the area? What are casters able to do? What levels and crafting capability are the casters? Why isn't he going by teleportation circle or teleport or teleport without error? Because there comes a point where, well...

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19857754/Living_in_a_Flying_Box...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14zilT4WGOyHM0AfpG4-GmD2FkgDg1HZ9HC1cTleQHds/edit

Is this an E6 game or similar? Is this person in a decidedly low-spellcaster and low-magic-item part of the world?

[Gildedragon]

Helm of Underwater action or the like to prevent drowning, one or more wind fans / rings of the four winds / everfull sails (the last two from stormwrack) (though this noble may see them as cheating) in case of being becalmed, sextant, rod of the legendary mariner (stormwrack), a living figurehead (stormwrack), ring of feather falling in case of working on the rigging
Extra-dimensional hold spaces
more on his personal safety:
Iounstones that have him not need water or food or air: Shipwreck need not mean death. Scroll of sending tattooed onto his body just in case of that.

Weaponry on the ship in case of pirates

[JaronK]

Everful Sails and Flarnagen's (sp?) lines would make sure the winds are on your side and there's no need for extra people to run the boat. And don't forget a nice Captain's Table so you can feast in style.

A Heward's Fortifying Bedroll ensures you don't have to sleep through too much of the journey.

JaronK

[JeminiZero]

What could he spend several tens of thousands on, with an eye towards security from uncivilized fellow mariners?

If I were going on a long voyage for leisure, and I really wanted to garuntee my return, I would invest in some form of Teleport and/or Greater Teleport. Besides Teleport and Greater Teleport spells, there are also effects like Word of Recall. In particular, Gem Jump [SpC] requires no item on your person, only prior preperation of a target location gem. So that even if stripped of everything else, he could activate it with just a memorized command word.

Its fairly cheap too. He needs to shell out 500 gp for the gem. If he can't cast naturally, another 1,650 for the scroll, and maybe rent a few UMD buffing items/services so that he can activate the scroll (e.g. commission a cleric to cast Guidance of the Avatar (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a) on him for 60 gp).

And just to spite my enemies, I might also install a self-destruct on the ship, so that they wouldn't be able to capture it :smallbiggrin:

[Palanan]

Okay, thanks for the suggestions so far. I should clarify that right now he's most interested in solid defenses, both for himself personally and for his beloved yacht.


Originally Posted by Gavinfoxx
Why isn't he going by teleportation circle or teleport or teleport without error?

Just to briefly address this point--first and foremost, he loves being on the water. The journey itself is worthwhile. And, there are other reasons why he wants to be familiar with the route he's following...all of which add up to weeks or months at sea. He's fine with that.


Originally Posted by JeminiZero
*detailed escape plan*

Thanks for that, definitely worth looking into. Rather than a scroll and all that messy UMD business, he might just go for a nice tattoo. :smallbiggrin:



So, about defenses in particular, I have a couple questions:


1. He'll be sailing through waters notorious for pirates, reavers, and other assorted dregs. What are some good defenses, magical or otherwise? He's not out to win a war, just keep them off his ship.

2. In particular...adventurers, the bane of civilized folk. He's expecting to deal with them at some point, and he'd like to be prepared. How would a gentleman successfully keep these homicidal riffraff at arm's length? And rendered safely unconscious, should the need arise?

[Shred-Bot]

Well, step 1 of staying safe from pirates and murder hobos would be seeing them before they see you. So... a 2 or 3/day item of prying eyes to keep watch in all directions from a mile away would be helpful (and if he wants to shell out for greater prying eyes, even better).

Control water could be a nice defense for when he is actually spotted, either trap them in a whirlpool for a while or just push them away. Control weather would also be great, he can make storms and fog for when there are villains about or good weather for tanning if there are no threats.

[docnessuno]

Useful stuff:

Bulky command word item of (druid) control weather 1 / day, CL 13 [26.210 GP]
Bulky command word item of Prying Eyes, 2 / day, CL 12 [34.560 gp]
Command word item of (cleric) word of recall, 1 / 5 days, CL 11 [4.750 gp]

Permanent alarm (both at CL 20), [3.700 gp]
Single casting of forbiddance, leaving a small area iside of the ship out (CL 20) [4.200 gp]
Multiple casting of Hardening (CL 20) [1.200 gp each]

Notes:
Bulky means the item is too heavy for being carried or worn, and gives an ad-hoc 20% discount in the item price.

[Gildedragon]

Living figure-heads have nifty offense capacities (fiery breath-weapons and the like)
Wands set up as "canons"
Anything that can controll winds + everfull sails means stopping your enemies in their tracks while you sail away
A something of Summon Monster VIII to call forth a fiendish giant squid
Ship made out of livewood to repair itself in case of attack (add something that gives fast healing to it) strengthen it by castings of ironwood
Animated ropes on the ship, in case of attack the ship protects itself
Barrels full of monkeys to act as bodyguards (barrels of infinite monkeys: every 1d4 rounds summon 1d6 monkeys with a suitable template (aquatic? Pseudonatural? Ooze?))
Lantern if The Captain to alarm and awaken you

[Hirax]

Have you considered Mordenkainen's Capable Caravel, from Stormwrack? Hard to get more opulent than a mage's mansion on a boat.

[nedz]

Ring of Water Walking and Ring of Sustenance so that even in the event of a shipwreck he'll be fine.

[Gavinfoxx]

Why don't you spend some time looking in:

Stormwrack
Arms & Equipment Guide
and
Stronghold Builder's Guide

there's lots of good stuff in those!

[Palanan]

Thanks for the continuing suggestions--the everfull sails have come up several times now, and prying eyes is something I wouldn't have thought of.

I'm thinking that for personal security, he'll have two nimblewrights he's hired as bodyguards to always stay close. (With rings of floating to avoid that embarrassing construct-on-the-seafloor situation.)

I have no idea how much a nimblewright would charge for its services, nor what else it might require, but they feel right for the situation. And I do like the idea of nimblewrights with class levels--three levels of duskblade is obvious fun, but it might kick the CR way too high for my fifth-level party.

Speaking of whom, I'd also like the gentleman to be decently prepared in case some random pack of lunatics (read: typical adventurers) try to take his ship, his lobster and his head. Apart from the nimblewrights, how does one stop a charging adventurer? Especially adventurers with disturbingly high Fort saves?

[Alabenson]

If you have money to burn and really want to discourage anyone from harassing your ship? Hire a dragon.

Bronze, gold, and silver dragons all have the ability to polymorph themselves, all happen to be lawful good (a useful trait for a prospective bodyguard) and bronze dragons at least have an established association with the open water. They also happen to be highly intelligent (a gentleman of leisure should never want for a conversasion partner), and anyone in their right mind, as well as most adventurers, are going to think twice about tangling with a ship guarded by a dragon.

[turkishproverb]

A giant defense Turtle!

Or combine it with Alabenson's suggestion and hire a Dragon Turtle! It could pull the boat when the wind is being disagreeable!

[Gildedragon]

Will and reflex saves.
Or gale force winds, balance checks, grappling, buying the pcs off

[nedz]

Disguise your yacht as an Elephant — well OK not an actual Elephant, just something uninteresting: a Blue Whale perhaps ?

[docnessuno]

Speaking of whom, I'd also like the gentleman to be decently prepared in case some random pack of lunatics (read: typical adventurers) try to take his ship, his lobster and his head. Apart from the nimblewrights, how does one stop a charging adventurer? Especially adventurers with disturbingly high Fort saves?

He doesn't. He Words of recall / teleports into a safe haven and hires another adventuring party to reclaim his belongings and exact revenge.

Why would he risk his valuable life in a fight?

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Alabenson
Hire a dragon.

My first thought: no way, totally not gonna work.

My second thought: frack me, that's awesome. I will be using that. :smallbiggrin:



So, a youngish silver dragon is now part of the scene, but keep the ideas coming on defenses. The dragon's not always around. (So many fish!)

In particular, I notice dragons don't have much in the way of dominate, command, etc., so suggestions along those lines would be especially welcome. Privateers, port officials and brawny adventurers all tend to have terrible Will saves, so that's what he'll be focusing on.

[Shred-Bot]

In particular, I notice dragons don't have much in the way of dominate, command, etc., so suggestions along those lines would be especially welcome. Privateers, port officials and brawny adventurers all tend to have terrible Will saves, so that's what he'll be focusing on.

I'm not sure how you'd justify this fluff-wise, but... perhaps an aboleth friend? 60 ft. swim speed should be able to keep pace with the boat, or maybe he can put a tank/pool below deck (for when those pesky customs officials try to search).

[Palanan]

Heh. An aboleth and a silver dragon. They should definitely do lunch.



This aside, it's been a reeeeaaaaalllly long time since I've even looked at dragons. Couple of questions here:


1. The example silver dragon, on pp. 87-88 of the Monster Manual, is casting as a fifth-level sorcerer. The spells listed are core-only. What would be some other useful spells to consider, drawn from the whole mad sweep of 3.5 sourcebooks?

2. If a dragon in human form, wearing a magic item, returns to its natural draconic shape...what happens to the magic item? (This involves interpreting Polymorph, which my life experience has simply not prepared me for.)
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[Slipperychicken]

He doesn't. He Words of recall / teleports into a safe haven and hires another adventuring party to reclaim his belongings and exact revenge.

Why would he risk his valuable life in a fight?

Seconded. Gentlemen need not scuffle with pirates; that's work for the lowborn lunatic mercenaries who trade their lives for coin and fancy themselves "adventurers".

On a somewhat-related note, replace the word "adventurer" with "mercenary" or "bandit", and you answer many questions about Adventurer morality.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Slipperychicken
Gentlemen need not scuffle with pirates....

Agreed. Dragon. :smalltongue:



So...what spells beyond core would work for this dragon?

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[Chilingsworth]

Scintilating scales (draconomicon) to turn his natural armor bonus into a deflection bonus? Help against touch attacks. Anything that increases his con score will also increase the save dc's of his breath weapons. (I know, the main ways to do that are core, but still worth mentioning.) Kelore's gravemist is always handy (PHB2) fatigue with no SR, no save? Yes. (it also deals 1d6 points of cold damage per round to those in it, but that's icing at most. close wounds (cleric spell, SpC) for an immediate action heal might come in handy (it doesn't heal much, though.) Phantasmal Assailants (SpC) is an auto hit (Fear, Mind Affecting, Phantasm) effect that deals 8 wis and dex damage on a failed will save (and 4 of each type of damage on a successful save.)

Are those a good start?

[Palanan]

Once again Chill delivers the goods. Don't stop now.

:smalltongue:

[Chilingsworth]

Once again Chill delivers the goods. Don't stop now.

:smalltongue:

I hadn't realised I had achieved competence in advice giving. How did that development slip by me? :smalltongue:

In any case, here's a suggested spell list (for a 5th level sorcerer capable to learning cleric spells):

0-th level spells:

Caltrops (SpC) produces multiple squares of caltrops (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#caltrops), but with a bonus to their attack rolls
Prestidigitation (Core) because... it's prestidigitation!
Cure Minor Wounds (Core) good for stabalizing downed allies.
Detect Magic (Core) useful and basic for prettymuch any magic user
Read Magic (Core) similiarly basic for most magic users
Mending (Core) because I have an extra 0th level spell known left, and a dragon might find it useful in restoring valuables before adding them to his/her hoard.

1st level:

Benign Transposition (SpC) useful for tactical adjustments in battle
Nerveskitter (SpC) +5 to initiative is always useful
Omen of Peril (SpC) having a chance to know danger is coming an hour in advance is nice. (has a 25gp focus.)
Ray of Enfeeblement (Core) Because it's always funny to see the BFS's muscles shrivel.

2nd level:

Phantasmal Assailants (SpC): Because it's also always funny to see the BFS claw at his face in terror as his sanity slips away and his body siezes up from fear.
Scintilating Scales (SpC): Because it sucks to have horrible touch AC, now your touch AC benefits from your thick hide, too!

I'd also equip the dragon with a wand of lesser vigor (SpC under Vigor, Lesser) which is one of the most cost-efficent sources of out of combat healing around (1st level spell, heals 11 points of damage per charge (over 11 rounds, but that's why it's out of combat:smallwink:)),
and Web (another great way to say "screw you" to anything that doesn't have freedom of movement. Great for seperating your foes and defeating them in detail. Not needed often enough (not to mention, needs walls to support the webs) to take up one of the dragon's two 2nd level spells known slots), and Kelore's Gravemist (PHB2) (because, no save/no SR fatigue is nice, if the dragon had a third 2nd level spells known slot, I'd probably use it for this.)

Lastly, I'd give it a charisma boosting item to improve its spells per day (a +2 item will net it an extra 1st level spell, a +4 item will net it an extra 2nd level spell as well.) Such an item would also improve its save DC's but only one of its spells has a save, and that one (Phantasmal Assailants) still has an effect even if the target makes it. I'd also consider giving it a dex item (or just a wand or potions of Cat's Grace) to improve its touch ac and its ranged touch attacks.

Also note that I didn't bother with any damaging spells. This was intentional. 1. A dragon's spellcasting isn't particularly impressive for it's CR , so is better for debuffing and battlefield prep than direct damage, and 2. It's a fracking DRAGON! It can deal its own damage!

[Palanan]

Whew. Thank you. That there is a whole lotta goods. :smalltongue:



Originally Posted by Chilingsworth
It's a fracking DRAGON! It can deal its own damage!

True, so true.



Also, if you're interested, here's the type of ship he'll be using: a chebec or xebec (http://www.modelships.de/Schebecke/fg34.jpg), a fine sailer with a piratical flair. (A much finer-quality model can be seen here (http://www.bestscalemodels.com/LeRequin_shipmodel.html), although the photos aren't as comprehensive.)

Much of my prep time recently has gone into researching the types of pleasure-boat a nobleman might have used (the statenjacht (http://www.flickr.com/photos/albertoffermans/3930414353/lightbox/) is one I decided against) and, having settled on the xebec, in hunting down historically accurate deckplans. That was a challenge.

[Chilingsworth]

Glad to help :smallbiggrin:

In any case, remember that silver dragons have alternate form. Make sure if you use one, the PC's first see it as something completely harmless.

Also, just curious: do you actually expect your 5th level PC's to win a fight against (at minimum) a young adult silver dragon and a well equiped aristocrat?

[Gildedragon]

Lantern at the back: Captain's Lantern
Figurehead:

Golden Dragon: Immunity to fire and fire breath weapon
or
Golden Shedu: Flight and etherealness
Sails of Displacement: 20% miss chance if attacked
Orb of Pleasant Breezes (stronghold builder's guide): to control the wind in a 2 mile radius. (Reducing the radius may be a good idea)
A banner of the storm's eye (MIC): modified to fly from the mast to aid against mind control
Glyph Seals (MIC): to set some boobytraps

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Chilingsworth
Glad to help :smallbiggrin:

In any case, remember that silver dragons have alternate form. Make sure if you use one, the PC's first see it as something completely harmless.

Also, just curious: do you actually expect your 5th level PC's to win a fight against (at minimum) a young adult silver dragon and a well equiped aristocrat?

It's a great help, and I do appreciate it.

As for the silver dragon, well, I'd been thinking the gentleman would need a lady along for the voyage. As Alabenson pointed out, a dragon would make an excellent conversationalist, so the silver can pose as a stylish, sophisticated companion. The PCs will see her in this guise, and leap to all the wrong assumptions.

(And one of the PCs fancies himself a ladies' man, so it'll be doubly hilarious when he starts hitting on her.)

And as far the PCs actually winning against the gentleman--the very well-equipped gentleman, with his lady-dragon at his side, and his two nimblewright bodyguards close behind...no, the PCs won't be winning anything, except possibly a desperately needed lesson in humility.

:smalltongue: