Grand Arbiter
2016-09-01, 10:43 AM
There is a strong likelihood that I will be running a Beguiler in a mid-low optimization PBP game. I’m looking for ideas for race, feats and a spell for advanced learning.
I’m building for 5th level, and a feat for when I get to 6th would be appreciated.
The rest of the group is using homebrew. Their roles are: a dedicated healer, a blaster, and 2 melee characters.
1. What game system are you running (D&D, Call of Cthulu, Palladium, GURPS, etc.), and if applicable what edition (Original, Classic, Revised, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, etc.)?
3.5
2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be (i.e. "Shadow Chasers" or "Agents of Psi" for d20 Modern)? What is the setting for the game (eg. historic period, published or homebrewed campaign setting, alternate reality, modern world, etc.)?
4 different ones. Specifically a Red Hand of Doom game, an Expedition to Castle Ravenloft game (with small mini-module before hand to level up to 6), and one of each module with a focus on heavy use of (my) homebrew.
3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many?
10-20. As mentioned above I am looking to run 4 games, 2 Homebrew Test (consisting of 4 homebrew characters and and 1 Control character) and 2 Control Groups (consisting of 4 or 5 Control characters and 1 homebrew character), one Homebrew Test and one Control Group will have to deal with the Red Hand of Doom while the other pair will be on an Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.
A player may sign up either with 2 characters (preferably a homebrew and a control if they do so) and/or to be in both RHoD and EtCR. A player will not be in both the test group and control group of the same module. However they could be in both homebrew test groups, both control groups, or one of each for different modules.
4. What's the gaming medium (OOTS, chat, e-mail etc.)?
These Forums
5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)?
5th level. If you end up in Expedition to Castle Ravenloft I will be running a mini-module before it and at the end of that you will be upped to Lv 6.
6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?
7000 GP, with an additional 2000 GP earmarked as 'down payment'; unless only applying for Red Hand of Doom earmark an additional 3,000 GP (on top of the 2000 already mentioned) as down payment. You will begin with 1 encounter before the actual module (or the 5th level mini-module I am running before EtCR) and after it you will get the down payment gold.
No single item can be worth more than 4,500. If you want another item worth more than 2,500 GP you can choose to earmark more of your gear as part of your down payment (for example your 2650 GP +1 Red Dragoncraft Greatsword).
7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?
Druid is banned because it's minimum power level is too high to make a good control test.
Dread Necromancer is not quite banned; it will not be considered for Ravenloft and Summon Undead spells will not be allowed to summon incorporeal undead.
Tier 2 or lower is preferred.
Non-Core PrCs are ask first. Homebrew characters are restricted from PrCs unless they are specifically designed with that homebrew in mind, or they are testing fjolkir or a racial paragon class.
8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?
Non-PHB races are ask first. For those races designed as PC races the answer is usually yes, but no LA above +1, no goblinoids/orcs, and no necropolitans.
9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?
28 point buy, but no ability may be bought above 16 (Lv 4 bonus and racial modifiers may increase it further). Max HP at 1st level and half at each level thereafter.
10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?
Alignment is in place, and PCs are not allowed to be Evil.
11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?
Control characters may multi-class as normal with no XP penalty in effect.
Homebrew-Test characters may not multiclass (exception if the homebrew they are testing is the Fjolkir Race, or a 3 level racial paragon class).
12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them?
DM will make creature rolls and reactive PC rolls (Initiative, Spot/Listen when walking into room, saving throws) so as to speed up game flow, Players will make the rest of their rolls using the forum dice rollers.
13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules.
Many
House Rules:
Immediate Actions/Out of Turn Actions:
Because this is a PbP and therefore slow enough as is, you must list under what situations you will use your immediate actions. For example if you had Wings of Cover (which is banned) you might say 'If I'm attacked' in which case it would just be assumed to be cast if you were attacked, or if you have an ability to re-roll Will saves you might say 'if I have to make a Will save and roll less than 6' and if you rolled less than 6 on your will save it would be re-rolled. You can be more specific and update at any time, but this is just so it does not devolve into 'the troll attacks' wait 24 hours 'I use maneuver for +4 AC' 'the next troll attacks' wait... etc.
Attack of opportunities will be assumed to be taken at the earliest opportunity unless you specify cases you will hold back.
Specifying can be done in the OoC or if it is for a single round/combat in the IC (preferably as part of your action post)
Skills:
Permanent Int increases retroactively increase skill points (but +X Int items don’t).
Each rank in Hide grants 1 rank in Move Silently (or vice versa). These skills are not compiled so that things like "I am small" don't add to Move Silently, and 'I have a silence spell' doesn't add to hide.
Same is true for Spot and Listen.
Open Locks is now part of Disable Device.
Gather Information is now part of Diplomacy and Knowledge (Local); either type of check may be used to perform its function.
Decipher Script, Forgery, and Speak Language are all one skill, Linguistics. Each rank of Linguistics grants a language known, you still do not have speak language checks.
Balance and Tumble are one skill, Acrobatics.
Psicraft is a function of Spellcraft.
Use Psionic Device is a function of UMD.
Spells:
Any non-Core spell is on the “Ask First” list even those on domains (those that are said no to will be replaced); in the case of those on fixed list spellcasters' spell lists it will be a retroactive ban after use if any on their lists are decided to need it (I don't think they have any). For 90% of spells the answer will be yes, but there are exceptions (Assay Spell Resistance, Draconic Polymorph, any spell in Frostburn not because they're all broken but just because it has the highest proportion of broken spells)
Conjuration (Creation): Is now Evocation (Creation); Evocation traditionally had many of these spells in earlier editions with most being added to Conjuration in 2e to make Conjurer a possibility (before hand there were some levels Conjuration didn’t get spells) with the addition of Teleportation and all the spells in non-core sources there are enough to do so, and it serves to give Evocation a use while curbing one of the most powerful schools.
Conjuration (Healing): Is now Necromancy (Healing); this always struck me as a weird change, and this way “manipulate life force magic” is all one school.
Conjuration (Calling): Called creatures cannot be compelled to use SLAs that copy spells with XP costs. All forms of genie (and potentially certain other creatures) are immune to being called.
Enchantment (Charm) and (Compulsion): A creature remembers what happened during these effects and will recognize an odd feeling of compulsion afterwards.
Nerfed Spells (Core):
1st:
Color Spray: Creatures count as having 1 more HD.
Entangle: Duration 1 round/caster level.
2nd:
Alter Self: Duration is reduced to 1 minute/caster level; note that human bonus feat and skill points are Ex special qualities by RAW and lost when shapeshifting.
Glitterdust: Blindness lasts 1d3+1 rounds on failed save, illumination remains for full duration.
Rope Trick: Lasts 10 minutes/caster level.
Web: Strength check to break free is 15 (escape artist is 20). Later checks allow you to move 5-ft + 5-ft per 5 points the check exceeds 10. A DC 25 Strength check allows you to move at half speed or 20-ft whichever is greater (assuming 20-ft is no more than your normal maximum speed).
3rd:
Glibness: Grants +10 +1/2 caster level bonus instead of +30, bonus may only apply to counteract penalty for outlandish bluff.
Plant Growth: Overgrowth option simply renders it Difficult Terrain.
Spike Growth: Is affected by DR (counts as magic and piercing). Natural Armor +10 or greater, or heavy armor also offers protection.
4th:
Divine Power: Removed from the cleric list, still available as a domain spell.
Giant Vermin: Banned.
Polymorph: Duration 1 round/caster level.
Solid Fog: Limits speed to 5-ft as a move action, 10-ft as a double move action.
5th:
Commune: Gods may not know everything.
Contact Other Plane: Odds will be modified based upon basic chance of the god knowing what is being asked, whether you knowing would be in the god's best interest (i.e. Nerull isn't going to give you info to kill undead), and whether the god is a compulsive liar (gods of trickery are more likely to lie).
Shadow Evocation: Can’t emulate Evocations with a range of Personal or targeting yourself.
6th:
Acid Fog: See Solid Fog.
Banned Spells:
The Planar Binding line.
Feats:
Ask about non-core feats.
Divine Metamagic: Don’t even ask for it. It’s a no.
Power Attack: Treat Light weapons as One-Handed Weapons. One-Handed Weapons get +2 to damage per -1 to hit like 2 handed weapons.
Metamagic Reducers (general note): Anything which just flat reduces the metamagic cost of each metamagic applied to an effect such as Incanatrix or Arcane Thesis is banned. No metamagic can be reduced by more than ½ its level increase.
Magic Items:
Defending does not stack with other defending items. Same with the Init boosting weapon.
Hat of Disguise costs 9000 GP.
Tome of Battle:
You can’t target yourself with White Raven Tactics.
Any Divine Spirit maneuver which heals a creature or cares about your target’s alignment is Supernatural.
Any maneuver tagged [Teleport] is also Supernatural.
I may add Su tag to other maneuvers. I may have to tweak more. This book needed a real errata.
Pounce:
Bonus damage on a charge only applies to the first attack of the charge. This is true of other charge specific bonus damage.
14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)?
No. While all characters must be willing to work for an insane seer who pays them as long as that is included it's a playtesting run so no background is necessary, though feel free to provide one (just don't make it too long).
15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?
One of two modules Red Hand of Doom or Expedition to Castle Ravenloft. Both have their share of hack and slash, but are noted as providing RP opportunities and being more than just that.
16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?
All 3.5 books are in theory allowed, but if not Core ask for specific feat/ability/item/etc first, answer is almost always yes, but I'm not going to pretend to know every feat/spell/item/etc off the top of my head.
Thank you.
I’m building for 5th level, and a feat for when I get to 6th would be appreciated.
The rest of the group is using homebrew. Their roles are: a dedicated healer, a blaster, and 2 melee characters.
1. What game system are you running (D&D, Call of Cthulu, Palladium, GURPS, etc.), and if applicable what edition (Original, Classic, Revised, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, etc.)?
3.5
2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be (i.e. "Shadow Chasers" or "Agents of Psi" for d20 Modern)? What is the setting for the game (eg. historic period, published or homebrewed campaign setting, alternate reality, modern world, etc.)?
4 different ones. Specifically a Red Hand of Doom game, an Expedition to Castle Ravenloft game (with small mini-module before hand to level up to 6), and one of each module with a focus on heavy use of (my) homebrew.
3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many?
10-20. As mentioned above I am looking to run 4 games, 2 Homebrew Test (consisting of 4 homebrew characters and and 1 Control character) and 2 Control Groups (consisting of 4 or 5 Control characters and 1 homebrew character), one Homebrew Test and one Control Group will have to deal with the Red Hand of Doom while the other pair will be on an Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.
A player may sign up either with 2 characters (preferably a homebrew and a control if they do so) and/or to be in both RHoD and EtCR. A player will not be in both the test group and control group of the same module. However they could be in both homebrew test groups, both control groups, or one of each for different modules.
4. What's the gaming medium (OOTS, chat, e-mail etc.)?
These Forums
5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)?
5th level. If you end up in Expedition to Castle Ravenloft I will be running a mini-module before it and at the end of that you will be upped to Lv 6.
6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?
7000 GP, with an additional 2000 GP earmarked as 'down payment'; unless only applying for Red Hand of Doom earmark an additional 3,000 GP (on top of the 2000 already mentioned) as down payment. You will begin with 1 encounter before the actual module (or the 5th level mini-module I am running before EtCR) and after it you will get the down payment gold.
No single item can be worth more than 4,500. If you want another item worth more than 2,500 GP you can choose to earmark more of your gear as part of your down payment (for example your 2650 GP +1 Red Dragoncraft Greatsword).
7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?
Druid is banned because it's minimum power level is too high to make a good control test.
Dread Necromancer is not quite banned; it will not be considered for Ravenloft and Summon Undead spells will not be allowed to summon incorporeal undead.
Tier 2 or lower is preferred.
Non-Core PrCs are ask first. Homebrew characters are restricted from PrCs unless they are specifically designed with that homebrew in mind, or they are testing fjolkir or a racial paragon class.
8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?
Non-PHB races are ask first. For those races designed as PC races the answer is usually yes, but no LA above +1, no goblinoids/orcs, and no necropolitans.
9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?
28 point buy, but no ability may be bought above 16 (Lv 4 bonus and racial modifiers may increase it further). Max HP at 1st level and half at each level thereafter.
10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?
Alignment is in place, and PCs are not allowed to be Evil.
11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?
Control characters may multi-class as normal with no XP penalty in effect.
Homebrew-Test characters may not multiclass (exception if the homebrew they are testing is the Fjolkir Race, or a 3 level racial paragon class).
12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them?
DM will make creature rolls and reactive PC rolls (Initiative, Spot/Listen when walking into room, saving throws) so as to speed up game flow, Players will make the rest of their rolls using the forum dice rollers.
13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules.
Many
House Rules:
Immediate Actions/Out of Turn Actions:
Because this is a PbP and therefore slow enough as is, you must list under what situations you will use your immediate actions. For example if you had Wings of Cover (which is banned) you might say 'If I'm attacked' in which case it would just be assumed to be cast if you were attacked, or if you have an ability to re-roll Will saves you might say 'if I have to make a Will save and roll less than 6' and if you rolled less than 6 on your will save it would be re-rolled. You can be more specific and update at any time, but this is just so it does not devolve into 'the troll attacks' wait 24 hours 'I use maneuver for +4 AC' 'the next troll attacks' wait... etc.
Attack of opportunities will be assumed to be taken at the earliest opportunity unless you specify cases you will hold back.
Specifying can be done in the OoC or if it is for a single round/combat in the IC (preferably as part of your action post)
Skills:
Permanent Int increases retroactively increase skill points (but +X Int items don’t).
Each rank in Hide grants 1 rank in Move Silently (or vice versa). These skills are not compiled so that things like "I am small" don't add to Move Silently, and 'I have a silence spell' doesn't add to hide.
Same is true for Spot and Listen.
Open Locks is now part of Disable Device.
Gather Information is now part of Diplomacy and Knowledge (Local); either type of check may be used to perform its function.
Decipher Script, Forgery, and Speak Language are all one skill, Linguistics. Each rank of Linguistics grants a language known, you still do not have speak language checks.
Balance and Tumble are one skill, Acrobatics.
Psicraft is a function of Spellcraft.
Use Psionic Device is a function of UMD.
Spells:
Any non-Core spell is on the “Ask First” list even those on domains (those that are said no to will be replaced); in the case of those on fixed list spellcasters' spell lists it will be a retroactive ban after use if any on their lists are decided to need it (I don't think they have any). For 90% of spells the answer will be yes, but there are exceptions (Assay Spell Resistance, Draconic Polymorph, any spell in Frostburn not because they're all broken but just because it has the highest proportion of broken spells)
Conjuration (Creation): Is now Evocation (Creation); Evocation traditionally had many of these spells in earlier editions with most being added to Conjuration in 2e to make Conjurer a possibility (before hand there were some levels Conjuration didn’t get spells) with the addition of Teleportation and all the spells in non-core sources there are enough to do so, and it serves to give Evocation a use while curbing one of the most powerful schools.
Conjuration (Healing): Is now Necromancy (Healing); this always struck me as a weird change, and this way “manipulate life force magic” is all one school.
Conjuration (Calling): Called creatures cannot be compelled to use SLAs that copy spells with XP costs. All forms of genie (and potentially certain other creatures) are immune to being called.
Enchantment (Charm) and (Compulsion): A creature remembers what happened during these effects and will recognize an odd feeling of compulsion afterwards.
Nerfed Spells (Core):
1st:
Color Spray: Creatures count as having 1 more HD.
Entangle: Duration 1 round/caster level.
2nd:
Alter Self: Duration is reduced to 1 minute/caster level; note that human bonus feat and skill points are Ex special qualities by RAW and lost when shapeshifting.
Glitterdust: Blindness lasts 1d3+1 rounds on failed save, illumination remains for full duration.
Rope Trick: Lasts 10 minutes/caster level.
Web: Strength check to break free is 15 (escape artist is 20). Later checks allow you to move 5-ft + 5-ft per 5 points the check exceeds 10. A DC 25 Strength check allows you to move at half speed or 20-ft whichever is greater (assuming 20-ft is no more than your normal maximum speed).
3rd:
Glibness: Grants +10 +1/2 caster level bonus instead of +30, bonus may only apply to counteract penalty for outlandish bluff.
Plant Growth: Overgrowth option simply renders it Difficult Terrain.
Spike Growth: Is affected by DR (counts as magic and piercing). Natural Armor +10 or greater, or heavy armor also offers protection.
4th:
Divine Power: Removed from the cleric list, still available as a domain spell.
Giant Vermin: Banned.
Polymorph: Duration 1 round/caster level.
Solid Fog: Limits speed to 5-ft as a move action, 10-ft as a double move action.
5th:
Commune: Gods may not know everything.
Contact Other Plane: Odds will be modified based upon basic chance of the god knowing what is being asked, whether you knowing would be in the god's best interest (i.e. Nerull isn't going to give you info to kill undead), and whether the god is a compulsive liar (gods of trickery are more likely to lie).
Shadow Evocation: Can’t emulate Evocations with a range of Personal or targeting yourself.
6th:
Acid Fog: See Solid Fog.
Banned Spells:
The Planar Binding line.
Feats:
Ask about non-core feats.
Divine Metamagic: Don’t even ask for it. It’s a no.
Power Attack: Treat Light weapons as One-Handed Weapons. One-Handed Weapons get +2 to damage per -1 to hit like 2 handed weapons.
Metamagic Reducers (general note): Anything which just flat reduces the metamagic cost of each metamagic applied to an effect such as Incanatrix or Arcane Thesis is banned. No metamagic can be reduced by more than ½ its level increase.
Magic Items:
Defending does not stack with other defending items. Same with the Init boosting weapon.
Hat of Disguise costs 9000 GP.
Tome of Battle:
You can’t target yourself with White Raven Tactics.
Any Divine Spirit maneuver which heals a creature or cares about your target’s alignment is Supernatural.
Any maneuver tagged [Teleport] is also Supernatural.
I may add Su tag to other maneuvers. I may have to tweak more. This book needed a real errata.
Pounce:
Bonus damage on a charge only applies to the first attack of the charge. This is true of other charge specific bonus damage.
14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)?
No. While all characters must be willing to work for an insane seer who pays them as long as that is included it's a playtesting run so no background is necessary, though feel free to provide one (just don't make it too long).
15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?
One of two modules Red Hand of Doom or Expedition to Castle Ravenloft. Both have their share of hack and slash, but are noted as providing RP opportunities and being more than just that.
16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?
All 3.5 books are in theory allowed, but if not Core ask for specific feat/ability/item/etc first, answer is almost always yes, but I'm not going to pretend to know every feat/spell/item/etc off the top of my head.
Thank you.