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RandomNPC
2007-12-08, 06:18 PM
title says it all. kinda.

so my friend who i've been DMing for about three years now has a DMG he plans on putting to use. of course never getting to 20th level and that being the "normal" power cap he decided thats where he wants to start. there are a few conditions.

being told any book printed by WotC and being 3.5 can be used, we have a few oddities. Heres everyone else i know of.
cleric 20
sorc 20
druid 20 w/leadership and a monk 15 cohort.

then theres me, i told him half dragons a +3ECL and he said go to 20 anyway. so heres what i've got. He also let me have wings at medium size, his idea not mine. so it's a:

1/2 dragon, Pally 10 / Vassal of Bahamut 10.
with 23rd level starting gold i've got a lot. stat boost items, crazy weapons and armor, a dancing shield so i can go nuts with a lawfull good +5 Axe.


so the game is going to be somewhat costal, we're going to be on land for a good chunk, but there are also boats to get us where we're going and to have somewhat more challenging encounters on.



what i want to know is in this game what are we in for? what kind of things can i expect to happen? this guy DMed two encounters before, did good with combat, but in our group we don't do the aquatic thing so i'm a bit concerned. what would you guys expect?

ocato
2007-12-08, 06:19 PM
This is his first shot at DMing?

Tell him to make a SAN check.

DraPrime
2007-12-08, 07:37 PM
Expect the DM to eventually realize just how ridiculously powerful your character is. If this doesn't happen grab a frying pan and hit him in the head. Then continue the campaign in his stead.

Riffington
2007-12-08, 07:44 PM
At the very least, could you just start with the 20th level gold instead of the 23rd?

tyckspoon
2007-12-08, 07:58 PM
Let's see.. expect your friend to realize that the mere existence of level 20 is not necessarily a good reason to play at level 20. Expect the Druid's pet monk to die.

With the access to magic your party has, it probably won't make very much difference whether you fight on land or at sea- you'll all be flying anyway. Between flight and teleportation effects, your party probably doesn't really have any reason to set foot on a boat. It could get interesting if the adventure goes entirely underwater, in which case everybody should have Freedom of Movement and some means to either breath water or not need to breath at all (ie, Necklaces of Adaptation and Rings of Freedom of Movement all 'round.)

Stereotypically, first DMing outings are a lot like first sex. It could be great, but it's probably going to be kind of awkward and not as much fun as it will be later.

Korias
2007-12-08, 08:43 PM
Stereotypically, first DMing outings are a lot like first sex. It could be great, but it's probably going to be kind of awkward and not as much fun as it will be later.


One of the best analogies I've heared in some time. And Oh So TRUE!

Anyway, Heres a few tips:

If your DM Has any skills, he's going to be using monsters with class levels. Be prepared, cause level 20 is a rarity. Youre going to be heading up with some strong creatures. Namely, Titans.

You're the meat sheild. Be prepared to take some hits. Get some GOOD ARMOR, or your going to be hurting.

Since you can fly by your own abilities, be preapred for aerial encounters. Rocs, Flying Harpie armies, even the occasional giant black dragon. As a paladin, you better be ready to go toe to toe.

You have a cleric, sorceror, AND Druid in the same party? Thats a combo for EPIC WIN. Actualy, a wizard would help, but still. Just make sure THEY DONT DIE, and your fine.

Jack_Simth
2007-12-08, 08:44 PM
RandomNPC:

Couple of things:
1) Level 23 wealth = bad idea, unless everyone else gets it, too. Better suggestion: Assume you went through the UA LA buyoff variant rule (http://www.rpgoracle.com/srd/unearthedRaces.html) - which you could have done by 20th for the +3 LA of the Half-Dragon.
2) You're playing meatshield (and a half-caster, but still, a meatshield) in a group of Full Casters. You know your party's level of powergaming better than I do - but it is unlikely that you'll shine overly much unless the DM is skilled at making it happen, or you're the strongest powergamer in the group.
3) Expect the Monk to die. A Bard (or a Rogue-15, or a Rogue-1/Bard-14) would make a much better cohort for this party, as you're missing the skillmonkey (if the Cleric, Druid, and Sorcerer know how, the Full Casters can deal with this pretty easily, though). The Monk's only real chance of survival is to be a non-target.
Edit: 4) Which half-dragon are you using? Be Warned: Fire Vulnerability is built in to Cold Immunity (http://www.rpgoracle.com/srd/abilitiesAndConditions.html#cold-immunity), and Cold Vulnerability is built into Fire Immunity (http://www.rpgoracle.com/srd/abilitiesAndConditions.html#fire-immunity).

RandomNPC
2007-12-10, 06:13 PM
dragon type: good shocky, i think bronze.

the wealth level and everything is all his ideas, he's giving as many bonus types as he can to the party. I think there's another meat shield type, drow fighter i think, for ECL 22.

Anyway, If the Pally/VoB is to beefy he's going to pull an "I got this fight, everyone else run!" and go out swinging, smite evil and full power attack on a two hander. I only hope it happens against an evil dragon. It'd be a shame if i did that and survived.

As for the San Check, we talked him down to 10th level for a few minuets and he jumped right back into level 20 mode a few minuets later.

my suspicions are that he's got a sorc/cleric 20/20 and a fighter/barb 20/20 team for the BBEG. but i have nothing to go on, this is just what i would do.