Words of Creation

[Ellenthir]

Hi.
I've a little problem in my current compaign with the Words of Creation from Exalted Deeds. I've asked to my players if one of them can take this feat, which will be very usefull in my campaign. Before exposing my problem, I think it's a good idea to explain the context of my campaign.

One century ago (in our previous campaign in fact), adventurers failed to save the world from Zatra, a powerful Necromancer that unleash the Evil from the Necronomicron in the world. After that, Zatra became a Lich and reign over this world of Evil and Chaos. But today, Zatra's powers are weaker and a new generation of adventurers will fight for Order and Good, attempting to take back the Necronomicon from Zatra's hands and sealing his Evil again.

In this context, I've imagine using the Words of Creation as a sign for defenders of Good to reconize each other. So adventurers need someone that know it to access to secret safe places and find ally in a totally hostile world. At the start, I was thinking that it wasn't an handicap because one of my players plays as a bard but they will start at 7th level. After seeing the bard's character sheet, I find that Words of Creation is weaker than I thought because he takes alternative class features and Words of Creation is only usefull for Inspire Courage and he plans to start a prestige class on the next level.

I've search in my books but I didn't find any improvement for the Words of Creation for bardic alternative class features and prestige class. Is there something else than what is in Exalted Deeds about Words of Creation or should I think to modify my campaign?

[Bronk]

Sorry, Words of Creation is purely in BoED. Still, you could either give them the feat for free, or switch to the regular celestial language, which they could gain access to for, at most, one skill point.

[Ellenthir]

Thanks for the answer. The bard already knows regular celestial language because he is a Celadrin but I think it's the easier way to not penalise them with a weak feat.

[Crake]

Thanks for the answer. The bard already knows regular celestial language because he is a Celadrin but I think it's the easier way to not penalise them with a weak feat.

Honestly, just take bronk's advice, if you want them to have the feat, but none of them want to take it, just give it to them all as a free bonus feat. If you want to justify it for them so they don't feel bad for getting free stuff, make them take an obligatory flaw to "balance" it, though i somehow doubt they will feel badly about a free feat. Honestly, for most of them they aren't even going to use it mechanically at all, the bard is probably the only one who will use it to any real effect, but it's not like bards cant use the buff :smalltongue:

[Divide by Zero]

If it's needed for plot reasons, just give it to them as a bonus feat.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Rather than just giving it to them as a bonus feat, make acquiring the knowledge part of the adventure. There's plenty of prescedent in touchstones, planar touchstones, and magical locations for getting a feat after completing some adventure arc. Brew something up and make it an early plot-point in the adventure.

[Honest Tiefling]

Rather than just giving it to them as a bonus feat, make acquiring the knowledge part of the adventure. There's plenty of prescedent in touchstones, planar touchstones, and magical locations for getting a feat after completing some adventure arc. Brew something up and make it an early plot-point in the adventure.

Welp, I got Swordsaged, but consider this another vote for this idea. I think working it into the plot will make it feel more like a reward, and less like railroading. Also, it decreases the chances that the characters will not pay attention to the feat and forget it is there. Making it a reward means they feel more connected to it, and get to learn about the world to boot!

Also, I would prepare an elderly male healer who has access to the feat, in case something goes wrong. If they don't happen to pick it up, make a way for them to bring convince and bring him along as a back up because plots never survive the first, second or any encounter with the PCs. Make it clear that they only get to keep him as a heal bot pet if they treat him as a human being (or whatever) and respect his views and beliefs after he's opened the thingymajiggy or done the whatsit.

Heck, make him a unicorn, that somehow feels fitting in this campaign. The unicorn gets free Detect Evil, so that could possibly explain why the forces of good are willing to accept the Unicorn quite easily (even with or without the Words of Creation), and explain why he's willing to give the group a chance to see what sort of people they're like.

[Treblain]

Does the bard not intend to use Inspire Courage at all? If it's just a matter of not getting more than +1 by level, there are other ways to increase the bonus to make doubling it more useful. Inspirational Boost, Song of the Heart, Badge of Valor, and Vest of Legend gets you up to +10. You can point the player toward getting them, though you should avoid telling the player how to play their character if they don't seem interested.