PDA

View Full Version : Fire King Question [Villian Workshop]



Zeophlite
2007-02-04, 02:08 PM
Howdy,

I may just be a d&d newb, but here's one for clarification.
In Villain Workshop, under "Step 13: What are the villain's visual quirks?", you mention that the Fire King "always used fire-based evocations when attacking. Because he was immune to fire himself, he enjoyed casting fireball as a melee spell. He also wore black adamantine full plate armor while doing so". My question is how is he able to cast arcane spells while wearing full plate?

Cheers,

Daniel

Nazzo, the 102nd
2007-02-04, 03:53 PM
I can think of two things.

First, there was a house rule feat, called Armored Casting, that eliminates the chance of Arcane Spell Failure while using armor. Or some ability like Armored Mage like the one Beguiler has (core class from PHB II).

But I find that it's most likely that he's an NPC, a recurring villain, and this was one thing that could keep him alive in the mind of the players even when he was not being played by the DM. The Giant states this himself:


He also wore black adamantine full plate armor while doing so, which terrified the more metagaming-prone players. They spent a lot of energy figuring out how he was able to cast arcane spells in armor, which kept him alive in their thoughts even when he was not "on-screen".

Just like the speed of plot. He just can do it. No explanations needed.

Of course, this is not to be overused (like saying that he could cast a fireball with a 300-foot radius), because it spoils the fun if it's too much out of the rules. But one thing and other do no harm to the game, I think.

PirateMonk
2007-02-05, 07:16 PM
Can't arcane casters do something about that problem multiclassing to fighter? He has 6 levels in fighter.

Zherog
2007-02-06, 09:57 PM
Still Spell allows a wizard to cast in full plate without any chance of arcane spell failure.

onasuma
2007-02-08, 06:05 AM
Or possibaly magical plate armour
not for the eyes of those playing in "a black dawn". Please don't look it would pretty much ruin half the fun of the campain
In my campain theres a suit of magical full plate that allows the wearer to cast as if wearing no armour.

Cobra_Ikari
2007-02-12, 08:09 PM
I have a question about the Fire King as well. It's said that he has to exterminate his base race in order to become "unique". Wouldn't his half devil half elf sister be much closer genetically than any of the elves?

Also, since one of his stated principles is intense loyalty to friends, and it is implied this sister is at least considered a friend, would this stop him from being able to complete the ritual? Is his sister considered exempt from the genocide, or will he have to betray her and slay her in order to achieve his goal? If the latter is the case, which wins out- his desire to controll Hell, or his refusal to betray friends?

Grey Watcher
2007-02-12, 11:05 PM
I have a question about the Fire King as well. It's said that he has to exterminate his base race in order to become "unique". Wouldn't his half devil half elf sister be much closer genetically than any of the elves?

Also, since one of his stated principles is intense loyalty to friends, and it is implied this sister is at least considered a friend, would this stop him from being able to complete the ritual? Is his sister considered exempt from the genocide, or will he have to betray her and slay her in order to achieve his goal? If the latter is the case, which wins out- his desire to controll Hell, or his refusal to betray friends?

You know, I was wondering that myself. Maybe she's not a half-elf. Maybe she's half human or something. Of course, how they'd let a HUMAN be a consort for an Elf Prince in a land with such friction between the two races is odd, but maybe she has some kind of shapechanging spell or power. :smallconfused:

Jazzvader
2007-02-13, 12:19 AM
I believe that she would just have gone away to another plane so that she would be exempt from it i.e. If she went away to Acheron or somewhere she might not count.

Cobra_Ikari
2007-02-13, 12:16 PM
It specifically states she is a half devil elf. I'm also going to assum that since it says she is his sister, both of their parents are the same. This may not be the case, because he could consider their devil father to be their only true parent or something, but I'm going off simple definitions right now.

I guess I'll just have to accept Jazz's idea for now, unless someone else has any suggestions...

Garreth Solaria
2007-02-15, 12:02 AM
In response to the first question in this article, about casting in armor, there is a feat in Complete Arcane called Battle Caster that solves this problem. It requires the ability to ignore spell failure chance in light (or medium) armor, such as from levels of Bard, Warmage, Warlock, Beguiler, etc. It allows the caster to ignore failure chance of the next category up. So, assuming the Fire King had picked up the Armored Mage ability from somewhere (presumably from another feat or class levels) he could take this feat twice to cast in full plate. Or it could just be a house rule.

hewhosaysfish
2007-02-15, 08:52 AM
In response to the first question in this article, about casting in armor, there is a feat in Complete Arcane called Battle Caster that solves this problem. It requires the ability to ignore spell failure chance in light (or medium) armor, such as from levels of Bard, Warmage, Warlock, Beguiler, etc. It allows the caster to ignore failure chance of the next category up. So, assuming the Fire King had picked up the Armored Mage ability from somewhere (presumably from another feat or class levels) he could take this feat twice to cast in full plate. Or it could just be a house rule.

But that would only apply to his Bard/Warlock/Beguiler spells, not the sorceror ones. (I don't have the book but I think that Warmage ignores spell failure of a certain percent not an armour category)

Phoenix Talion
2007-02-16, 05:48 PM
Nope. You start with Armored Mage(light) and get Armored Mage(Medium) later on.