Make a flying Super-Carrier with Magic(Tech)

[Zancloufer]

While I think my player don't frequent this forum they should turn around in case they do find this.


So it's been done in Sci-fi and some odd Steampunk settings but in all honesty a flying super carrier is this insanely ridiculous thing that the laws of physics and engineers look at as a disaster waiting to happen. So the question is: How do you make a flying super carrier base/lair with gratuitous amounts of magic to help?

Things I am looking at:

1) Propulsion: Quite simply how does it stay in the air, let alone fly? I was thinking of maybe 6-8 rotate-able arms of sorts sticking out all with reverse gravity on them but there might be a better way to make it move around.

2) Defences: (Greater) Anticipate Teleport is a must, makes it pretty much impossible to board with magic and we need some non-detection ability so it can't be easily scyed. I would prefer a cost efficient defence over a perfect one. This flying fortress had a backer (with insane effective wealth) but a backer non the less and it can't be totally unapproachable by the party, that would be no fun.

3) Environmental Hazards: I'm thinking this thing will by flying at high altitude, miles above sea level. The entire thing will be manned by stuff like Warforged and Awakened Constructs (many with Ex flight abilities) so things like oxygen, heating and food supplies are a non-issue. What kind of issues would normal squishy humans have fighting at 30,000+ feet with no pressurization and heat (from a mechanical perspective) and what would be a solid counter to that?

[Swaoeaeieu]

pathfinder? ships of skybourne has you covered.
3.5? stronghold builders handbook i think

[Gildedragon]

Eberron has flying ships. Extra hold space can be had via Enveloping Pits

[ExLibrisMortis]

Flying teleporting planeshifting one-stronghold space fortress with a portal to a private hangar demiplane? Runs you 15 000 gp for the flying, 25 000 gp for for a 100' speed, 25 000 gp per plane shift per day, 50 000 gp per teleport without error per day, 150 000 gp for the portal, and, oh, 250 gp for the room. Call it 340 250 gp?


Rooms with breathable air, antimagic, camouflage, SR, adamantine walls, and hurricane-strength protective winds available at an additional fee.

[Jowgen]

I made a similar thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?450810-Pimp-my-Airship-The-Damocles) some time ago. It's a bit wordy, but I think a good portion of the interestshould be of interest of you.

[Vogie]

I just pictured a tank that has the ability effectively fly, albeit slowly, by having Immovable Rods in the treads.

On a secondary note, I don't think Anticipate Teleport is any boon. Since the carrier is going to be so large, it would be more of a hampering of the PCs trying to blink around, if able, than stopping BBEG minions from jumping aboard.

However, a Hallow effect can be effected on the craft for 1 year per cast, and you may be able to tie in Life Bubble to the Hallow spell, which would remove breathing issue.

[Menzath]

You could do something similar to

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?86964-Space-Ship

There was a psion version where the character was the ship.
You might be able to do something like that with shrink object, shape metal and stone shape to make it all one "object" after shrinking it, then either poly it or animate it to make it a creature that you can then augment. Or even have had the crazy wizard that made it give it a natural fly, and then true mind switch with it.

[Zancloufer]

First while many good responses here they seemed aimed more at a PC perspective. I should note as the DM here I have a slightly different PoV here. Money is less of an issue and I want the thing to be really impressive but with a weakness or two that can be exploited.


I made a similar thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?450810-Pimp-my-Airship-The-Damocles) some time ago. It's a bit wordy, but I think a good portion of the interestshould be of interest of you.

Hmm, and many of the rules for airships you used came from the Ebbereon books? Not sure if one elemental will be enough as I imagine more of a Super Carrier sized airship than the destroyer sized on I am imagining from what I have read of the thread. Still many good ideas there.


I just pictured a tank that has the ability effectively fly, albeit slowly, by having Immovable Rods in the treads.

On a secondary note, I don't think Anticipate Teleport is any boon. Since the carrier is going to be so large, it would be more of a hampering of the PCs trying to blink around, if able, than stopping BBEG minions from jumping aboard.

However, a Hallow effect can be effected on the craft for 1 year per cast, and you may be able to tie in Life Bubble to the Hallow spell, which would remove breathing issue.

(Un)Hallow has an issue: Both the BBEG and the PCs are Evil and neither are particularly dedicated to a specific faith/pantheon. So any Unhallow esque protection will be equally beneficial to both the PCs and the BBEG. Also do you always have to delay the target's arrival with anticipate teleport or is there a way to "white list" people.



You could do something similar to

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?86964-Space-Ship

There was a psion version where the character was the ship.
You might be able to do something like that with shrink object, shape metal and stone shape to make it all one "object" after shrinking it, then either poly it or animate it to make it a creature that you can then augment. Or even have had the crazy wizard that made it give it a natural fly, and then true mind switch with it.

Maximized (Empowered?) Awakened Construct is actually pure genius. Would fit the fluff of the entire crew being some sort of Awakened Constructs/Modified Warforged. Also the ship having an AI of sorts sounds hilarious and awesome.

[Prime32]

Animate a Colossal whale skeleton and give it a magic item that grants a fly speed. Should be pretty roomy.

Desecrate + Animate Dead (19 HD) costs only 500gp and can be done from lv5 if you already have the corpse. Getting a continuous fly speed is harder though - it looks like the cheapest thing the whale can use is a phoenix cloak for 50,000gp.

[Vogie]

(Un)Hallow has an issue: Both the BBEG and the PCs are Evil and neither are particularly dedicated to a specific faith/pantheon. So any Unhallow esque protection will be equally beneficial to both the PCs and the BBEG. Also do you always have to delay the target's arrival with anticipate teleport or is there a way to "white list" people.

Maximized (Empowered?) Awakened Construct is actually pure genius. Would fit the fluff of the entire crew being some sort of Awakened Constructs/Modified Warforged. Also the ship having an AI of sorts sounds hilarious and awesome.

While it may not stop the BBEG, that doesn't stop you from using unHallow - It will slow down any Good attackers that try to jump on the carrier in random encounters, and gives the Evil PCs a bit of a boon whilst at home. The main reason to use it would be twofold:
1) You tie in Life Bubble or Endure elements to the unhallow spell, for an entire year, which is an advantage by itself
2) You may designate whether the effect applies to all creatures, creatures that share your faith or alignment, or creatures that adhere to another faith or alignment. While your players currently don't have much of a faith element, if you add one, you can lock the life bubble or other persistent effect to only to those with that faith. This adds an additional security element.


AFAIK, Anticipate Teleport is universal for the area. However, since the carrier is going to be quite large, you could certainly have zones with Anticipate Teleport, and zones without - therefore, those who know the carrier well can zip around to the open places. This is a fairly common trope - even ye olde castles were frequently made with 'errors' like confusing steps on the staircases, that would cause invaders to stumble and trip all over themselves, while defenders would be able to navigate easily with muscle memory.

You could use similar styles of not-quite-traps throughout the ship - rooms with reverse gravity runes at the end of a cylindrical hallway, et cetera.


I really enjoyed the 3.5 spaceship thread - I think the idea of the carrier being a wizard/bard character itself, with Telekinesis powers and commanding an unseen servant crew, is absolutely fantastic. If I was making this, instead of Tippy's golem as a manner for the ship to accompany on the rest of the PCs, I would make the ship powered by an ancient spirit, who can join the party by channeling into a medium character.