DM Nagging: It's pretty much my job

[Corwin]

If we're picking adjectives, Seira is earnest. That's the driving force, there. Power-wise, I'm not sure who's 'the strongest' and I try to avoid thinking about it. Measuring up against your enemies should be enough.

Interesting point on the time it takes to loot people. We can probably cheat with wish-based emulation but yeah. I don't think Dune takes that under account, though. Do you, Dune?

Re: kill squads in general, I really had no choice in hitting mine given I intended to make a statement and had to assault their place openly. That said, it does affirm my belief that armies are pointless at our level and things are decided by elite teams!

[Iron Dragoon]

Responding mostly to say I read it. As you said, nothing much on Alyssa since so much for her is building, well... Everything. As the only PC that's completely brand new, without any contacts, there's just so much more I have to get done before I get anywhere close to having an effect on the actual storyline of B6 that there's never really anything to say there.

[Anastasia]

Responding mostly to say I read it. As you said, nothing much on Alyssa since so much for her is building, well... Everything. As the only PC that's completely brand new, without any contacts, there's just so much more I have to get done before I get anywhere close to having an effect on the actual storyline of B6 that there's never really anything to say there.

Fair enough.

[Anastasia]

If we're picking adjectives, Seira is earnest. That's the driving force, there. Power-wise, I'm not sure who's 'the strongest' and I try to avoid thinking about it. Measuring up against your enemies should be enough.

Earnest is a great word for Seira, 100% agree.

Power-wise I agree with your sentiment there, though I did make that as an off the cuff comment without really thinking about it too much.

Interesting point on the time it takes to loot people. We can probably cheat with wish-based emulation but yeah. I don't think Dune takes that under account, though. Do you, Dune?

I do take note of it. Moore ran into that in his most recent adventure with looting a library, I believe. I also don't comment on it usually unless it's going to take more time than can be reasonably anticipated or something happens during it.

Re: kill squads in general, I really had no choice in hitting mine given I intended to make a statement and had to assault their place openly. That said, it does affirm my belief that armies are pointless at our level and things are decided by elite teams!

As always, context is important. An army of Nessian Pit Fiends or advanced solars is going to wreck things regardless, but that's the sort of thing that gets filed under 'apocalyptic' or 'End of Days'. But the way I run large forces tends to reinforce that, yes. I want that sort of feel, where the heroes are larger than life enough to face down those sort of odds and triumph. I think a more realistic take is, 'Armies don't matter at this level as long as the component members aren't too powerful'.

Plus if between an army and a party of level 30 characters vs a party of level 30 characters, I'd take the first one any day. Even if the army may not beat you, it saps resources, causes injuries and otherwise wears down the enemy. For example, PCs on a level where they can assault Nessus and challenge the Serpent Throne probably aren't that worried by facing down who knows how many Nessian Pit Fiends, but nonetheless, they will take a toll. (Let alone whatever else Asmodeus has, of course.)

[Anastasia]

Gravitas is a good way of putting forward Alicia's general attitude, she takes the situations she ends up in and the people she confronts seriously. Even when she trash talks someone in a fight she still tries to keep up a serious image behind it all. It's like being a professional wrestler or something, if you have a gimmick/personality then you want to stick with it for people to easily grasp what you're about! Brand recognition's important for deities after all, your worshippers know what they're getting in for when they follow you, and your peers know what kind of person they'll be dealing with so they can lower their guard a bit. You only ever really see her telling jokes with her friends, and even then she sticks to subtler ones.

Yes, it works for her. Honestly I feel that it resonates with the intended tone of this game exceptionally well and leads to strong moments. The expansion of Sylica comes to mind here as well as what you did with the Warrior's Spelltome. Don't get me wrong, Balmuria has places of great happiness and humor. Balmuria is also a serious setting where countless souls and realities vie for dominance, all under the shadow of everything coming to an end.

That aside you and Seira both have strong images like that. It's done a good job at presenting that. Like I'd imagine a follower of Seira dressed in rich and eye catching golden clothing, while someone who serves Alicia might wear functional gray and brown.

As far as not running into elite kill squads, I hope part of Alicia's success in that regard is in how she doesn't hang around in places long enough for any such squads to buff/gear up and teleport over and hunt her down. Like most battle encounters she has are over within two rounds, but actually stripping and looting a defeated foe is going to take at least ten times that long. In that yugoloth pit I'd actually planned on going back and looting the boss daemon and that tiefling who wanted to duel only after we'd gotten the tome, and then use the antimagic field/gate trick to go home without running into the kill squad or avatar of Shar I was expecting to be lingering up on the surface. If we'd stopped to loot we may have gotten away with extra treasure plus the tome when we left, but we also might've had a kill squad hit our flank while we were fighting boss daemon or sorting through all those fake tomes.

You have avoided things with that approach, yes. It's a different approach and it changes your risk and reward. I won't say it changes everything, but you can see the difference in difficulties versus loot gotten. Either approach is perfectly respectable. All it takes is one encounter going wrong and it's wise to consider that with your enemies. It's also wise to consider the treasures you may get if you're confident enough of victory and have a plan if it goes wrong.

There's really no one right way to play that.

[Nephrite]

The thing I appreciate the most about Moore's node and story is that he is having an actual impact on the people around him. It may not be in quite the same way that Alicia and Seira are, but that's entirely to be expected. He isn't a divinity and, realistically speaking, I don't know that I'd ever see him as willingly becoming one, I mean, unless he had to.

But I enjoy the fact that he's able to soften things up from the traditional Archon way of doing things, even if just a little bit. Yeah, he rubs people the wrong way -- and that's okay! He has his own way of doing things which may not always be 100% in line with Celestia's way. But they also value freedom of thought (to a point, I realize) and he takes advantage of that fully.

[Anastasia]

The thing I appreciate the most about Moore's node and story is that he is having an actual impact on the people around him. It may not be in quite the same way that Alicia and Seira are, but that's entirely to be expected. He isn't a divinity and, realistically speaking, I don't know that I'd ever see him as willingly becoming one, I mean, unless he had to.

But I enjoy the fact that he's able to soften things up from the traditional Archon way of doing things, even if just a little bit. Yeah, he rubs people the wrong way -- and that's okay! He has his own way of doing things which may not always be 100% in line with Celestia's way. But they also value freedom of thought (to a point, I realize) and he takes advantage of that fully.

The thing about Celestia is that it plays the long game. No one, save those who are already in Chronias, is perfected yet. Reaching Chronias is all about the journey and learning on the way. Someone who is loyal but has some beliefs that don't perfectly line up is fine. There's always chances to learn and grasp towards the truth of Chronias. That's the point of entire affair, after all.

[Anastasia]

I could say a lot about this spell, but at heart, it's about Syala being simple. No great invocation, no meaningful backstory. She wants a spell like this that's from Aura of Vitality. It trades multitarget for better bonuses and also affecting Dexterity.

Syala's Blessing
Transmutation
Level: Drd 14
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25ft + 5ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The target of this spell gains a +10 morale bonus to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution.

[Anastasia]

Worthwhile IRC paste.

<Nephrite> I'm quite curious what Humble Words actually does, I admit!
> I didn't have it where I thought I did, so I need to rewrite it anyway.
> Very short version: Save or you lose any bonuses to Charisma based checks. You automatically are affected.
<Nephrite> Ahhhhh.
> It has some language about what exactly it applies to that makes it a bit wordy, but nothing too terrible.
> Something like...
> Humble voice negates all bonuses to Charisma based checks except for those from skill ranks and the target's Charisma score.
> It's useful (moreso by powerful entities against lesser ones) but niche for a few reasons.
> 1. Saving throw limits how good it is.
> 2. Most sides at high level either can match each other at that game so it cancels out, or they agree to certain bounds. Not always but often enough that brute forcing it falls into a weird position for it.
> Like if Graz'zt's diplomats and, I don't know, the Whirlwind Throne are in a diplomatic meeting for whatever reason, they'd probably agree to some sort of tentative bounds. Not to say they  may not try and cheat them, but both sides at that level of power know how the game is played and how to play it.
> 3. The highest levels (deities, extremely high hit dice creatures) are usually set enough in their ways that really blitzing them simply isn't possible without some levers. Like you could roll DC 500 against Taelfagn and if you just walked up to him, trying to convince him to betray Hell? Wouldn't work. It's not that your words aren't powerful, but there's generally limits to diplomacy. See also how Asmodeus manipulated Zariel. He didn't go all in and blow her away out of the blue with a super high check, he used levers intelligently to beguile and tempt her into the position he wanted her in.
> Since RAW some Charisma based skills have a certain degree of no limits fallacy to them.
> Simply speaking, Asmodeus has a shot at the check because he struck in the right way at exactly the right time.
> Weaker creatures are conversely easier to deal with in general - a typical human can be swayed pretty easily into most things by a sufficiently charismatic speaker.
> But when you start getting into heroic willpowers, creatures who have lived for millions or billions of years and so on and so forth, you can only do so much to sway them with words. You need the right words at the right place at the right time.
> So if say the Grand Sultan is going over his gameplay to deal with Moore, 'Diplo check him into serving me' isn't really on the table unless he has one hell of a set of reasons to think he can.
> He knows it and accepts that.
> The sort of hero Moore is isn't the kind you batter down with words and drag along.
> Not without really preforming to the utmost. You'll also notice in B3 that a lot of Diplo checks are DM initiated with the DM sees something that makes it reasonable.
> You gotta deal with the people, set up situations to work. Strike when you have a possibly once in eternity chance. Like with Eblis, Alicia and Antenora made some headway because they had a weak point to exploit and Antenora was a direct, personal challenge and way to shake his beliefs. Instant lever that made it more than screaming rage.
<Nephrite> Right, yeah
<Nephrite> The "roll a natural 20 to convince the king you're the rightful heir and not him" thing doesn't really happen
<Nephrite> I've always viewed diplomacy checks as "how effective your words are" rather than "do they believe you y/n"
* Kotono nods.
> There's time and places for the latter - usually bluff checks but occasionally something falls into Diplo for that.
> But by and large you're right.
<Nephrite> And this was more of an effort to see if there were some neat spells that Barachiel had cooked up to help aid with diplomatic endeavors that aren't just "adds a sacred bonus to the skill check" or whatever
* Kotono nods.
> That's the biggest one offhand.  The thing is at the highest levels there isn't as much boosting as you'd expect - either a lot or little to none, depending on who is meeting and why. So there's not a lot of shades of gray territory, understanding the personalities involved is viewed as more important.

[Anastasia]

Not a dreadfully interesting spell, but here because it's a benchmark. A few of the spells here are essentially that, as this serves a useful purpose for design. Being able to pick up any common weapon and suddenly have an epic weapon's worthwhile for emergencies, at least to me.

Avenging Angel's Strike
Transmutation [Good, Fire]
Level: Clr 14, Pal 12
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Melee weapon touched
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The weapon touched becomes capable of vanquishing any evil. It becomes a +7 weapon with the holy and fiery blast special abilities. This temporarily overwrites the properties of the weapon touched. Artifacts cannot be affected by this spell.

This spell is primarily known to a small group of avenging angels, who have slowly spread it to worthy mortals in recent centuries.

Focus

The weapon to be affected by this spell.

[Nephrite]

Okay, I fiddled with it. I'm not sure if the 'hitting multiple creatures' thing makes it too good or not.

Lightbound
Evocation [Good, Light]
Level: Sanctified 12
Components: V, S, Sacrifice
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Target: 1 creature/5 levels
Duration: Instantaneous, 1 minute/level, see text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

Brilliant white light flies from your hand at your opponents. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack to hit your targets. Any creature struck by this ray takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level (max 25d6 damage). Additionally, nongood creatures are affected as if by a dimensional anchor spell.

Sacrifice

1d4 points of Strength damage.

Since you're on a Spell Booster kick, I will remind you of this one.

[Anastasia]

Cresiel makes magic. This is really the sort of thing he'd make - a martyr in a can sort of spell. Of course the goal is to survive all that damage and use the bonus to thump the trouble maker harder in return.

Cresiel's Valiant Stand
Abjuration
Level: Clr 13
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal; see text
Target: You; see text
Duration: Instantaneous

You offer yourself up as a martyr to protect those around you. You may only cast this spell when one more allies within 100ft take damage. When you do, all damage taken by allies within 100ft is taken by you instead. This spell only functions when cast and does not remove damage already taken previously or ward against damage taken in the future.

For each creature you take damage in place of from your casting of this spell, you gain a +2 bonus attack rolls and weapon damage rolls for one round (maximum +20).

[Anastasia]

Okay, I fiddled with it. I'm not sure if the 'hitting multiple creatures' thing makes it too good or not.

Lightbound
Evocation [Good, Light]
Level: Sanctified 12
Components: V, S, Sacrifice
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Target: 1 creature/5 levels
Duration: Instantaneous, 1 minute/level, see text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

Brilliant white light flies from your hand at your opponents. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack to hit your targets. Any creature struck by this ray takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level (max 25d6 damage). Additionally, nongood creatures are affected as if by a dimensional anchor spell.

Sacrifice

1d4 points of Strength damage.

Since you're on a Spell Booster kick, I will remind you of this one.

That's fine, we'll try it and see how it goes.

[Anastasia]

At heart, Emily wants a general damage spell that's good on everything. Force damage fits the bill, especially for shadow slaying. Consider this an investment in her future, she'll grab it in two levels.

Emily's Forceful Strike
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 14
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Area: Cylinder (30ft radius, 100ft high)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

A column of raw force slams down and obliterates your enemies, dealing 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 45d6) and stunning all creatures within for 1d6 rounds. A successful Reflex save halves the damage and negates the stunning.

Material Component

A handful of glass beads, which are thrown to the ground when you cast this spell.

[Anastasia]

FYI the spell doesn't technically exist until Emily can cast such magic, just heads up.