DM Nagging: It's pretty much my job

[Anastasia]

Node Goal Hints:

1. Check the thoughts of the NPC in the node topic, this is a hint towards the next goal for them. It usually gives you a hint of varying usefulness and narrows it down a good deal.
2. Node goals take time. Sometimes you start something and get sidetracked, and it turns out it wasn't enough to fulfill the node goal. If you think that might be the case, go back and put more time into it.
3. If all else fails with getting a particular node goal, read the hint again and see if you may have misunderstood it. You never know.
4. Node goals occasionally change without being fulfilled. Sometimes this is because a goal is now impossible, a current event pushes something big for the NPC into the limelight or you've botched a goal enough to where their interests move to something else.
5. Generally, when you clear a node goal in a dungeon, it doesn't resolve until leaving the dungeon or it's neutralized, but this isn't an absolute rule.
6. The power of the reward and the difficulty of it are often linked, but not always. This is particularly true of node goals provoked by extremely difficult tasks completed. In that case, consider that task the gatekeeper ot getting at that new node goal.
7. The emotional states of your NPCs, as noted in the node topics, impacts both node rewards and the node goals they display. So keep that in mind.

[Anastasia]

Power interaction question.

I have the following item:
Armband of the Spark [50,000gp]: This armband, when worn, allows the user to channel life energy. Three times per day, they may activate it's powers as a swift action. For the next minute, they may deal critical hits and precision damage to creatures normally immune to such. [worn]

This allows me to sneak attack and crit undead liches. Does it also allow me to use stunning fist on them?

The stunning fist writeup includes this restriction:
Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned.

So if their immunity to crits can somehow be negated, does it mean they are now eligible while the Armband of the Spark's powers are in effect?

RAW? It's irrelevant, since undead are independently immune to stunning regardless, and stunning fist isn't precision damage or a critical hit so the armband wouldn't apply to it.

My take? No, but it's given me some neat ideas for upgrades to the armband through node goals.

[Anastasia]

These are snippets, but this question came up:

<Seira> Dex-boosting is fairly simple with the Seira spell you yourself invented
<Seira> Protection/deflection is a lvl1 spell
<Kotono> To be fair, that was Surru. Alyssa doesn't automatically know that spell.
<Seira> These alone should boost your ac by at least 10

> And which spells boost int past +4? Fox's Cunning is only +4?
<Seira> You came up with one
<Seira> lvl8, per hour
> I don't know those spells. Those are in the Aurora library. Alyssa isn't there.
<Seira> That's not how it works....
> You get them because you're allied with Aurora and Surraruthru made them in your name.
> <Kotono> To be fair, that was Surru. Alyssa doesn't automatically know that spell.
> Yeah, it is.
<Ebiris> Have Alyssa invent a version that's identical but has her name on it instead?
<Seira> It was Dune defending you not automatically using it first
<Seira> Not Dune saying you cannot know this generic not-epic spell that has no special prereqs
<Seira> Unlike other spells that do
<Seira> He also said you'd know of Seira and the Cauldron due to your knowledge ranks, so....
<Seira> Geez, you're a factotum epic wizard
<Seira> It's not exactly hidden anathemic lore here
> I'll ask and if he says yes, then yeah, I'll get those.
<Seira> In fact, Aurora's very recent and very cool victory likely put it all on the mapo

So the question is, would Alyssa know those spells or would she have to make a new version with a different name?

You wouldn't know Surru's spells offhand, no. Of course, one could find them in time and that's a nice thing to grab in the future. Your spellbook's pretty scanty, so I'll probably throw some things your way with that.

[Corwin]

Thanks. I've got a couple item questions as well.

Is this eligible?
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101784.msg1076551.html#msg1076551

Eligible for what?

For purchase.

[18:49] <Seira> And another item question. I have two luck-based items that give me +3 luck to saves, AC, skill checks and ability checks. Divine Favor is a lvl1 spell that gives +3 luck to attack and damage for one minute. How much would it cost for me to add that functionality to my gear instead?
[18:49] <Seira> Greater Luckstone [80,000gp]: A magical four leaf clover; its possessor gains a +3 luck bonus to saves, skill checks and ability checks. [equipped]
[18:49] <Seira> Krystear Emblem: This emblem is from a faraway world, the symbol of an ancient kingdom there. It channels good fortune around the wearer, granting a +3 luck bonus to armor class. This is a slotless accessory. [equipped]
[18:51] <Seira> I'm considering consolidating my items like you suggested after this plays out

You just want to merge one item onto the other, right?

No. Merging the items as is doesn't really require permission, since they're all slotless as is. I'm asking about adding the Divine Favor functionality of +3 luck to attack and damage to the final item, or essentially what the cost of a slotless item like that would be.

[Corwin]

Mechanically, 9 or 10 is fine, I'll sleep on it and give you an answer tomorrow sometime.

I'm a little wary of giving out evasion like that since I've always felt a spell that does that is going to be nabbed hard, due to how common Ref half damage spells are. This isn't really a concern with Seira, but more of just a general design thing I'm noting.

The original Nightstalker's Transformation, which Seira's used in the past, already gives this. It's not something this 'greater' spell variant adds. If you do nix it in a retooling, let's drop the spell's level comparably.

[Anastasia]

Let me say this: I'm impressed. Maybe it was low hanging fruit, but I'm impressed. That all being said, Mirror's Mimicry is banned after this adventure. Using it and time stop together for uh...dozens of effective actions is something I'm going no to pretty hard. It's really just an Afina tactic taken up to 11, but yeah.

Admittedly it's a stress test, but this isn't uncommon conditions for it to be used here and that's simply way out of line. I frown on abusing the action economy at all, and that's like taking a precision air strike to it.

[Anastasia]

For purchase.

You'd know about it from Aurora, so I don't really have any objection to it on those grounds.

No. Merging the items as is doesn't really require permission, since they're all slotless as is. I'm asking about adding the Divine Favor functionality of +3 luck to attack and damage to the final item, or essentially what the cost of a slotless item like that would be.

Adding divine favor to an item as an always active spell would be a good place to start, with the CL elevated to reach the +3. Start from there and post what that would be, we'll see from there.

[Anastasia]

Mechanically, 9 or 10 is fine, I'll sleep on it and give you an answer tomorrow sometime.

I'm a little wary of giving out evasion like that since I've always felt a spell that does that is going to be nabbed hard, due to how common Ref half damage spells are. This isn't really a concern with Seira, but more of just a general design thing I'm noting.

The original Nightstalker's Transformation, which Seira's used in the past, already gives this. It's not something this 'greater' spell variant adds. If you do nix it in a retooling, let's drop the spell's level comparably.

It also has the no spells downside to make it something that isn't fire and forget for evasion. The previous spell makes it so the evasion has a fairly considerable downside.

[Corwin]

So which level would the +spells -evasion version be?

[Yuthirin]

Let me say this: I'm impressed. Maybe it was low hanging fruit, but I'm impressed. That all being said, Mirror's Mimicry is banned after this adventure. Using it and time stop together for uh...dozens of effective actions is something I'm going no to pretty hard. It's really just an Afina tactic taken up to 11, but yeah.

Admittedly it's a stress test, but this isn't uncommon conditions for it to be used here and that's simply way out of line. I frown on abusing the action economy at all, and that's like taking a precision air strike to it.

lol'd

[Corwin]

Two 13th level spells and a 10th level spell cleared a room of 9 liches! I only get the two lvl13 slots.

[Iron Dragoon]

Spell proposal, based off of the Cleric Undead Bane Weapon spell:

Blade of Bane
Transmutation
Level: Sorc/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Weapon touched
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object)

You give a weapon the bane special ability in addition to any other properties it has. Against a creature type selected on casting, your weapon's enhancement bonus (if any) is 2 higher than normal and it deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against foes of that type.

Alternatively, you can affect up to fifty arrows, bolts, or bullets. The projectiles must be of the same kind, and they have to be together, such as in the same quiver. Projectiles (but not thrown weapons) lose their transmutation when fired.

Edit: It's probably too powerful for the level; if so, how about treating it the same way as Circle of Protection? CoP lists itself as Law/Evil/Chaos/Good, so why not the same thing for this?

[Corwin]

Dune, do you by chance have an estimate for the level of Seira's Draconic Visage and the evasion-lacking casting-enabled Nightstalker's Transformation variant?

I'm asking because I want to post other spells, but how I design them depends on how this works out.

[Iron Dragoon]

ANOTHER!

Dancing Blade of the Arcane Duelist
Transmutation
Level: Sorc/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M,
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One sword
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

When you cast this spell, you cause the target sword to hover and attack on its own, aiding a character you designate. The sword must be either unattended (in which case you choose which creature it will fight for, so long as both creature and weapon are within range) or in the possession of a willing ally who benefits from the spell.

A mage's dancing blade attacks using the initiative modifier and caster level of the creature it fights for as it's base attack bonus, though it gains no other attack or damage modifiers the creature might have (including those from Strength) and takes a -4 penalty on its attack rolls if the creature it fights for doesn't have proficiency with a weapon of its kind. The sword moves with the creature it fights for (and so can take the full attack action if that creature does), staying within 5 feet at all times and dropping to the ground if that creature is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points.

Controlling the sword requires no concentration, and the designated creature can fight with another weapon at the same time. A dancing blade prevents two opponents from flanking the creature it fights for (though that creature can be flanked by additional opponents).

Material Component: A tiny stick puppet.

[Anastasia]

Nagging is going to be a morning thing, just FYI.