Class and Level Geekery XVI - These Characters May Now Drive the Plot

[Resileaf]

Huh, I did not know forcecage was so expensive.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Most upper-grade spells have expensive components.

[Bilbo Baggins]

I'm sure this was all discussed a long time ago, but I'm a little late to the party and had trouble finding it searching the archives so -

How was Xykon able to cast maximized energy drain in the fight with V? As far as I can tell he'd need at least 34 CHA according to this chart, so what am I missing?


edit: wait never mind, I'm an idiot. This is literally one of the frequently asked questions in the first post *facepalm*

[CriticalFailure]

Couldn't he have a metamagic rod or whatever and have it not shown as artistic license?

[danielxcutter]

Each forcecage casting costs me 1,500 gp in ruby dust, and one does not keep Miss Starshine's company for long before growing a sense of frugality.

Plus you need it for eyeshadow.

I told you that in confidence, you dolt!

*claps*

Okay, that was a good one. Permission to sig?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Couldn't he have a metamagic rod or whatever and have it not shown as artistic license?

Q: How does Xykon cast Maximized Energy Drain in comic 652?
We don't know for sure. The most popular theories involve the feat Sudden Maximize, the feat Improved Spell Capacity, or a Rod of Metamagic. Each theory has its pros and cons.

GW c

[zimmerwald1915]

*claps*

Okay, that was a good one. Permission to sig?

Permission granted.

[D.One]

Ok, Summon Monster VII, TVFKAG (The Vampire Formely Known As Gontor) is at least a 13th level Cleric.

[understatement]

Yes, he finally has a level hahahahahahhahahahahhahahah

feels good

[Peelee]

Yes, he finally has a level hahahahahahhahahahahhahahah

feels good

At least until I figure out a way to cheese it up so much that I can knock him back down to Cleric 1+.Spoiler alert, I can't.

[Reboot]

At least until I figure out a way to cheese it up so much that I can knock him back down to Cleric 1+.Spoiler alert, I can't.

But, wait, I thought prestige classes were only for munchkins and cler---. Ah.

[Jasdoif]

At least until I figure out a way to cheese it up so much that I can knock him back down to Cleric 1+.

Somewhere on the Plane of Shadow, a cleric discovered the secret of darkvisibility, paper and pigments that are transparent to normal vision but opaque to darkvision. Some darkvisible scrolls made their way into the Exarch's possession. The Exarch has been using darkvisible scrolls ever since he was vampirized, and we haven't seen it because the comic doesn't convey the darkvisible spectrum.

...there's got to be a setting where that would actually make sense.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Ghostwalk, maybe.

[Aveline]

Somewhere on the Plane of Shadow, a cleric discovered the secret of darkvisibility, paper and pigments that are transparent to normal vision but opaque to darkvision. Some darkvisible scrolls made their way into the Exarch's possession. The Exarch has been using darkvisible scrolls ever since he was vampirized, and we haven't seen it because the comic doesn't convey the darkvisible spectrum.

...there's got to be a setting where that would actually make sense.

Metroid Prime II: Echoes.

[D.One]

Somewhere on the Plane of Shadow, a cleric discovered the secret of darkvisibility, paper and pigments that are transparent to normal vision but opaque to darkvision. Some darkvisible scrolls made their way into the Exarch's possession. The Exarch has been using darkvisible scrolls ever since he was vampirized, and we haven't seen it because the comic doesn't convey the darkvisible spectrum.

...there's got to be a setting where that would actually make sense.

Well, if we are really doing that...

The Exarch was never a cleric. He was always an Expert, of high level, specialized in protocol, languages, diplomacy, cultures and rules. (kind of a Dwarven C3P0)

That was his role in the Creed of Stone. However, what he had as an astronomical number of ranks in Use Magic Device, allowing him to use scrolls with ease.

What scrolls?, you ask. Well, I remember having read somewhere that spellbooks take many different forms, not only of a book as we see it. The same could apply to scrools: stone tablets, jewels and precious stones inscribed with the spell text, sewed leaves inscribed with druidic runes, runestones... or tattoos. What if the Exarch has lots of scrolls inscribed in his very skin, making himself his own set of scrolls. And each time he casts a spell, he is, in fact, activating a specific scroll, whose writings will disappear from his skin.

That's another theory for you.

[knag]

Well, if we are really doing that...

The Exarch was never a cleric. He was always an Expert, of high level, specialized in protocol, languages, diplomacy, cultures and rules. (kind of a Dwarven C3P0)

That was his role in the Creed of Stone. However, what he had as an astronomical number of ranks in Use Magic Device, allowing him to use scrolls with ease.

What scrolls?, you ask. Well, I remember having read somewhere that spellbooks take many different forms, not only of a book as we see it. The same could apply to scrools: stone tablets, jewels and precious stones inscribed with the spell text, sewed leaves inscribed with druidic runes, runestones... or tattoos. What if the Exarch has lots of scrolls inscribed in his very skin, making himself his own set of scrolls. And each time he casts a spell, he is, in fact, activating a specific scroll, whose writings will disappear from his skin.

That's another theory for you.

That is, of course, absurd. I am absolutely using this in my D&D campaign.

[D.One]

That is, of course, absurd. I am absolutely using this in my D&D campaign.

I once devised (but unfortunately never actually played) a short 3.5 campaign inspired in OotS (a "spin-off", if you may). I caled it Stickverse Tales: Little Trouble in Big Cliffport, and it revolved around a series of attacks against adventurers in Cliffport, taking place some time after the last time the Order was there.

The introductory adventure saw the players investigating some thieves, only to discover a group of three Goblin Commoners (all of them level 3, and each one, Uoryor, Witshee and Tiff, mimicking a role/class - Fighter, Wizard and Rogue). Witshee was a female goblin commoner with some ranks in UMD and some wands and scrolls. I dubbed this adventure Common Foes.

[Jasdoif]

What scrolls?, you ask. Well, I remember having read somewhere that spellbooks take many different forms, not only of a book as we see it. The same could apply to scrools: stone tablets, jewels and precious stones inscribed with the spell text, sewed leaves inscribed with druidic runes, runestones... or tattoos. What if the Exarch has lots of scrolls inscribed in his very skin, making himself his own set of scrolls. And each time he casts a spell, he is, in fact, activating a specific scroll, whose writings will disappear from his skin.

If you replace "scrolls inscribed in his very skin" with "spellbook inscribed in his very skin", I'm pretty sure it's Complete Arcane that speaks to most of that (including how many pages of spells can be inscribed on which part of the skin). And while psionic tattoos are rather clearly based on potions rather than scrolls, it could constitute precedent....

But while having an allotment of high-level spells could in fact refer to just how many scrolls he had skinscribed (scrolls still take at least one day to create, after all), it seems like just a tiny bit of a stretch in the comic's wording.


Therefore, I propose a compromise: Archivist 1+.

[Peelee]

Therefore, I propose a compromise: Archivist 1+.

You've got my vote!

[D.One]

If you replace "scrolls inscribed in his very skin" with "spellbook inscribed in his very skin", I'm pretty sure it's Complete Arcane that speaks to most of that (including how many pages of spells can be inscribed on which part of the skin). And while psionic tattoos are rather clearly based on potions rather than scrolls, it could constitute precedent....

But while having an allotment of high-level spells could in fact refer to just how many scrolls he had skinscribed (scrolls still take at least one day to create, after all), it seems like just a tiny bit of a stretch in the comic's wording.


Therefore, I propose a compromise: Archivist 1+.

I thought we were making silly theories...

[Jasdoif]

I thought we were making silly theories...

Silly theories, like all theories, get style points for adhering to the evidence they're meant to explain, as it limits the range of theories and therefore the significance of the theory. It's the converse of "assume anything that refutes the theory is automatically a lie", as every theory is equivalent on that basis and therefore any theory dependent on that basis is insignificant.


Also, an archivist using his own skin as a darkvisible spellbook and using darkvisible scrolls isn't silly?

[D.One]

Silly theories, like all theories, get style points for adhering to the evidence they're meant to explain, as it limits the range of theories and therefore the significance of the theory. It's the converse of "assume anything that refutes the theory is automatically a lie", as every theory is equivalent on that basis and therefore any theory dependent on that basis is insignificant.


Also, an archivist using his own skin as a darkvisible spellbook and using darkvisible scrolls isn't silly?

Why not an Expert pretending to be an archivist using that?

[Jasdoif]

Why not an Expert pretending to be an archivist using that?

Archivist 1 will have two spell levels available (0 and 1st), meaning he could be referring to his 1st-level slots as his "high-level" spells; which is closer to what the comic says. Besides, his other levels being Expert is how he has the UMD modifier for the scrolls.

[Aquillion]

If he has the scrolls written on his body, his "allotment of high-level spells" could refer to the spells written on the upper part of his body, rather than their spell levels. Likewise, when he talks about having "slots left", he means space on his body to scribe scrolls.

[D.One]

If he has the scrolls written on his body, his "allotment of high-level spells" could refer to the spells written on the upper part of his body, rather than their spell levels. Likewise, when he talks about having "slots left", he means space on his body to scribe scrolls.

You see no spell scribed on his bald head, do you?

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Is it possible that the string that Gannji found and gave to Enor is the string that Mr. Scruffy "called dibs" on? Belkar seemed to have been very invested in helping those two escape (released the Allosaur) beforehand the string was supposed to be him fixing the fight between Enor & Roy to have both have a symbol of victory (lizardfolk victory string, halfling courage rock) and when they find out Enor is fighting Gannji, he sees Gannji as himself and Enor as Mr. Scruffy, as seen in the comic where he escapes and feeds Mr. Scruffy a potion, and releases the Allosaur to help them escape. Belkar's arc went deeper than I thought.

[Rogar Demonblud]

You see no spell scribed on his bald head, do you?

How would he read it?

[Peelee]

How would he read it?

If it looks like a Bender's head, then with a mirror.

[Brumagris]

You see no spell scribed on his bald head, do you?

Reserved for level 9 perhaps?

[Sniccups]

1: Where did this whole question of Gontor’s class come from? Isn’t he explicitly a cleric of Hel?

2: Redcloak should probably be listed as “Cleric 17+” rather than “Cleric 17” due to the fact that he’s been fighting the monsters of Kraagor’s Tomb for weeks.