DM Nagging: It's pretty much my job

Started by Anastasia, April 12, 2018, 12:35:58 PM

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Corwin

<Steph> I might have made a terrible mistake

Anastasia

Quick note: Syllen's Switch is a new spell in the Spell Collection. It may see a bit of tweaking for language issues and possibly a spell level adjustment. Just heads up.
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Anastasia

Quote from: Iron Dragoon on October 05, 2018, 11:20:03 PM
Visions of the Past

Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 12
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Area: 60ft radius, centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The caster can revisit their personal past, allowing them to review an event in time that they have personally experienced. If familiar enough with a location, the spell will allow them to view events that transpired in that location.

The caster can share this view with one other individual per four caster levels. If the target of the spell is a specific event that the caster lived through, then no check is required. However, if the event attempting to be viewed is based on a location, then a CL check vs a DC of the DM's discresion is called for.

Material Component: An hourglass-shaped diamond worth at least 10,000 gp.

Okay, lemme try rewriting this a bit since I think the entire thing is a little vague. Like I get what you're going for here, but it could use stronger definition of what's allowable and what isn't.

Visions of the Past
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 12
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: No

When you cast this spell, you are able to relive your past or the past of a touched creature. An unwilling creature requires a successful melee touch attack and is allowed a Will save to negate.

This spell allows you to relieve up to one hour per caster level of the target's life. This may be any time you see fit, but must be one unbroken block of time. You may also share this spell with up to one creature per four caster levels, all creatures affected must within 30ft of you. Those who relieve the past do so instantly, experiencing everything the target did in all of the target's senses (including senses those who relieve the past do not normally possess). For all purposes, it is as if the creatures lived the experiences themselves.

While the memories are completely lifelike, those who relieve the past do not suffer any ill effects from it (except for any trauma the memories would cause naturally, such as viewing the memories of a creature being tortured).

Material Component

An hourglass filled with tiny diamonds worth at least 1,000 gold.
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Iron Dragoon

This is not the greatest post in the world, no... this is just a tribute.

Anastasia

A bunch of spells are in the SC now, including Imix spells, a few odds and ends and two new Donald spells.
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Anastasia

IRC crossposting time, since I think the chat here was interesting and worth saving.

1. Mind Theater vs Visions of the Past

> Since Alyssa and Naeys were on the same rough track for epic divinations, pasting this for consideration along with Alyssa's spell.
> Naeys' Mind Theater
> Divination
> Level: Sor/Wiz 12
> Components: V, S, M
> Casting Time: 1 round
> Range: Touch
> Target: Creature touched
> Duration: 10 min/level
> Saving Throw: Will negates
> Spell Resistance: Yes
> You touch a creature, granting you a telepathic connection to the creature and access to all of its memories. This is done by asking the creature telepathic questions, which call up relevant memories to answer. These memories manifest above the creature as lifelike, moving images, any creature within sight can see these images. There is no limit to the number of questions you may ask for the duration of this spell, but you may only ask one question a round. The creature is allowed a Will save to negate this spell when cast, but if this is failed, they have no save against the telepathic questions.
> This spell does not restrain the creature affected in any way. If the creatures affected and the spell caster move more than 30ft away from one another, the spell ends. The creature does not need to be awake or aware to respond to the telepathic questions, this happens automatically.
> Material Component
> Silver and platinum dust used to form a circle around the creature, worth no less than 1,000 gold.
> Visions of the Past
> Divination
> Level: Sor/Wiz 12
> Components: V, S, M
> Casting Time: 1 round
> Range: Touch
> Target: Creature touched
> Duration: Instantaneous
> Saving Throw: Will negates
> Spell Resistance: No
> When you cast this spell, you are able to relive your past or the past of a touched creature. An unwilling creature requires a successful melee touch attack and is allowed a Will save to negate.
> This spell allows you to relieve up to one hour per caster level of the target's life. This may be any time you see fit, but must be one unbroken block of time. You may also share this spell with up to one creature per four caster levels, all creatures affected must within 30ft of you. Those who relieve the past do so instantly, experiencing everything the target did in all of the target's senses (including senses those who relieve the past do not normally possess). For all purposes, it is as if the creatures lived the experiences themselves.
> While the memories are completely lifelike, those who relieve the past do not suffer any ill effects from it (except for any trauma the memories would cause naturally, such as viewing the memories of a creature being tortured).
> Material Component
> An hourglass filled with tiny diamonds worth at least 1,000 gold.
<Iddy> Huh, yeah. I just don't have access to learn those spells.
> They're really different takes on the same idea. Naeys' is more about long interrogations while yours is one quick flush of memories.
> They share a lot of traits as it is and I lined up a few more to acknowledge the two of you were on the same track.
> Well, I just finished writing this out tonight. I had the basics hashed out since this spell showed up in Alicia's thread a few days ago.
> Convergent evolution on divinations, really.
<Nephrite> I admit I'm a bit surprised at the high level on the visions of the past one
<Nephrite> But that may be more of the "sharing the memories" part than the "Seeing the memories part"
> Yeah.
> It's the sharing that really pumps it up.
<Iddy> Well, I just kind of tossed a level out.
> It's pretty unique for that, since you can get that with really nasty spells like mindrape, but not sharing it on demand.
<Iddy> I usually let you decide that stuff.
> Both spells are specialist's tools.
> Sec, dinner.
> but yeah.
> But yeah, even. Both are very much downtime spells for information gathering with luxurious extras. Probe mind's the basic entry in that level of mind reading and that's level 5/6. Naeys' pays for the super long duration and image projection. Visions pays for letting others relive the memories like they lived it.

2. Antimagic Sound and Deities

<Iddy> Antimagic Sound is an awesome army support killer. Drop that from range, then dump a wide area attack.
<Iddy> Alyssa wants Antimagic Sound, honestly.
> That one's pretty good. It doesn't stop ongoing magic, just prevents anyone from casting in it. It miiight need a CL check or something, but it's hardly any different than dropping antimagic, so that boat may have sailed anyway.
> If it came up, I'd probably rule a deity ignores it the same way they ignore antimagic, even though it's not explicity said in the spell.
<Iddy> Throw that on Shifting Steel, then AAA.
<Iddy> Wall of death right there.
> But that comes down to a flavor thing about deities having deeper access to the Weave than even the strongest mortal.
<Nephrite> I figured the weakness of it is someone can just walk out of it.
> That too, yeah.

3. Perfection Domain's themes

> Perfection Domain's spells follow a theme. Corrupt weapon allows automatic crit confirms, thus perfect crit confirms. Spell Immunity grants perfect defense against a handful of spells - unbeatable SR vs them. Globe of Invulnerability automatically blocks spells below a certain level, thus a perfect defense against them.
> It's not 100% since there were only so many ways I could play to that with SRD spells, but that's the logic.
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Anastasia

I'm working up an article on how epic magic and artifacts work together. Here's a small preview. ETA on it isn't known yet, as it'll need cross checking and polishing. So consider this a non canon preview rather than anything authoritative. Phrasing, exact details and a lot of presentation will need work.

Epic Magic And Artifacts

This article will discuss how epic magic and artifacts interact. This article is written from an OOC perspective and is aimed at players, not PCs. As such, I'll include a notes at the end explaining how much of this each character knows IC. I'm not worrying too much about spoilers here, as this is the sort of thing Mystra would tell Alicia if nothing else, so there's reason for it to be public knowledge.

What is an artifact?0

The DMG discusses the origins of artifacts briefly (pg 277), as well as discerns between minor (pg 277) and major artifacts (pg 280). Review those before continuing. Balmuria uses a slightly different take on artifacts, tying them into the greater campaign world.

An artifact is a divine or quasi divine magic item beyond the means of mortals to create in normal circumstances. It is not a matter of lost lore as a matter of purpose. In Creation, every artifact has some purpose, some meaning towards the greater search for the Answer. Minor artifacts are relatively trivial things, minor points of minimal importance. Many do not have any obvious connection to such matters, as they may address small questions or points rather than great matters of good and evil. Major artifacts always have a history and a clear purpose, something that works towards the Answer in some way - perhaps obliquely or perhaps obviously, but always towards that. Many artifacts, especially major artifacts, are aligned towards law, chaos, good or evil due to this.

What properties does an artifact possess?

The powers of artifacts vary. Some are essentially powerful magical items while others do things beyond the greatest magic item to accomplish. Not all artifacts would be considered epic magic items nor are epic magic items automatically artifacts. Regardless, all artifacts are have the following properties unless their description says otherwise.

Artifacts ignore antimagic, dead magic areas or similar things. This is identical to a deity's only ability to ignore such things. An artifact sword retains its full powers in antimagic, an artifact ring that raises ability scores continues to do so in antimagic and so forth. Exception: Artifacts that grant spell casting (such as the Shield of Prator/Shield of the Sun in the SRD) directly do not grant that spellcasting the ability to ignore antimagic.

Artifacts cannot be damaged or destroyed by mortal means. Note that mage's disjunction is not used in this campaign in favor of a houseruled equivalent called magic disjunction. Any non epic ability or spell that says it can affect artifacts can be assumed to be houseruled to be compliant with this. In the case of an unusual situation, bring it up with the DM. Physical force of all kinds are ineffective. Only specific circumstances unique to the artifact can destroy it. Generally, minor artifacts are easier to destroy than major artifacts.

Artifacts are tied to the force or deity that created them. The strength of this tie varies. Minor artifacts have a faint connection, but major artifacts are always overseen by what they are tied to. How this manifests depends on a variety of factors.

----

A related quote to keep in mind for this, from when Seira and Mystra talked as well as IRC comments.

> Seira: "Can any deity make artifacts, though?"
> Mystra: "Those gifted in magical creation can, and others can in time with practice, though on a much more limited scale, save for their personal equipment," Mystra says, "Are you talented there?"
> CRAFT ARTIFACT
> The deity can make magic items that exceed mortal limits.
> Prerequisites: Any two item creation feats.
> Benefit: The deity gains epic crafting as a bonus feat. In addition, all magic items she creates gain the special properties unique to artifacts if she desires.
> Suggested Portfolio Elements: Crafts, knowledge, magic.
> What she's referring to there about being gifted.
> Requires an SDA and a few feats, but lets you go hog wild with them.
> She didn't go into personal gear deeply, but simply being used by a deity long enough usually does the trick.
> It's not fast, per se, as deities and the Incarnations work on timescales we would consider impossibly vast, but they can.
> Like this:
> Staff of Idun: Quarterstaff +2 Impacting/+2 Impacting. Functions only for Alicia.
> Alicia doesn't use it often, but made it with her own hands as a mortal and still has it. If she handed it out, she'd find it's become a minor artifact. Not a huge deal, it's honestly not terribly powerful but it is a thing.
> That one would be fast since it's so strongly tied to Alicia and she made it herself.
> For reference, Alicia has owned it over 20 years.
> Personal gear on hand during an apotheosis might advance along much faster, and I might handwave a signature weapon or armor to make the leap at the same time. But honestly, artifacts aren't that important to deities in the mechanical sense of their abilities from being an artifact.
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Anastasia

I'm going to start releasing spell booster spells, one spell per day.

Despite the name, this spell was not made by Kascha. It was made by someone in Aurora's Crusade or directly connected to it (and not a PC for the sake of clarity). Points if anyone can guess who.

Kascha's Curse
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 13
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

The creature affected by this spell has their Dexterity reduced to 1. The target's Dexterity score cannot drop below 1. Any time the target attempts to move in combat, they have a 50% chance of tripping and falling, suffering 1d6 points of damage and going prone. Any item held in hand, including a weapon or shield, has a 25% chance per round of being dropped. Finally, the target suffers a -20 penalty to Acrobatics checks.

This spell is difficult to remove, requiring a wish or miracle that succeeds on an opposed caster level check against the caster of this spell.
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Iron Dragoon

Battlemage's Touch
Transmutation/Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minute/level

You gain supernatural accuracy with your spells. For the duration of the spell, you can use your Caster Level plus your primary casting stat in place of the normal Ranged Touch Attack.

Power of the Spellpool
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, Special
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

You temporarily alter your connection with the Spellpool. For the duration of the spell instead of drawing on the Spellpool for spells, you draw power to directly empower your spell. For the duration of the spell, you gain a bonus to the Caster Level of any spell you cast. You gain a bonus as below:

Every time you cast this spell, it consumes 2 level of spells from your Spellpool levels. You gain a CL bonus equal to your remaining Spellpool levels.

Special: You must already possess a connection to a Spellpool to gain any benefit of this spell.

Spellpool Enhancer
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, Special
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

When you cast this spell, you temporarily enhance your connection to the Spellpool. For the duration of this spell, you may freely swap out any spell below 6th level for any other spell of equivalent level.

Special: You must already possess a connection to a Spellpool to gain any benefit of this spell.
This is not the greatest post in the world, no... this is just a tribute.

Iron Dragoon

#1359
Charsheet changes:
Drop Survival to 15, drop appraise to 15, increase Craft: Blacksmith to 30

Swap Arcane: Thesis for Empower Spell
Swap Font of Inspiration for Item Familiar
This is not the greatest post in the world, no... this is just a tribute.

Anastasia

Today's addition to the Spell Collection from the Spell Booster.

Malcanthet's Kiss
Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 11, Sor/Wiz 13
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: One day/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell functions as dominate monster, but with the following addition. The creature gains a +6 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, checks and saving throws whenever it follows your commands.

This spell is difficult to remove, any attempts to dispel it suffer a -5 penalty.
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Anastasia

Quote from: Iron Dragoon on October 11, 2018, 09:15:48 PM
Battlemage's Touch
Transmutation/Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minute/level

You gain supernatural accuracy with your spells. For the duration of the spell, you can use your Caster Level plus your primary casting stat in place of the normal Ranged Touch Attack.

Interesting, let's run some numbers.

Let's say a bog standard 15th level wizard with a Dex of 16 and an Int of 26 casts that spell. They'd normally have a to hit of +10 for ranged touch. With the spell active they'd have +23. Pretty impressive a boost. It's essentially swapping out bad wizard BAB in favor of full BAB through caster level plus their best stat.

On the other hand it's ranged touch which is ranged touch. Anyone else got an opinion here? Could use a second or third opinion.

QuotePower of the Spellpool
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, Special
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

You temporarily alter your connection with the Spellpool. For the duration of the spell instead of drawing on the Spellpool for spells, you draw power to directly empower your spell. For the duration of the spell, you gain a bonus to the Caster Level of any spell you cast. You gain a bonus as below:

Every time you cast this spell, it consumes 2 level of spells from your Spellpool levels. You gain a CL bonus equal to your remaining Spellpool levels.

Special: You must already possess a connection to a Spellpool to gain any benefit of this spell.

Walk me through how this would work mechanically.

QuoteSpellpool Enhancer
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, Special
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

When you cast this spell, you temporarily enhance your connection to the Spellpool. For the duration of this spell, you may freely swap out any spell below 6th level for any other spell of equivalent level.

Special: You must already possess a connection to a Spellpool to gain any benefit of this spell.

Okay, so this spell lets you freely swap spells in and out of the pool ahead of time, rather than doing it on the spot?
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Ebiris

Battlemage's touch feels a bit too good. I mean it is ranged touch so the expectation is that it hits anyway, but that does help avoid any doubt even with dodgy types around and the duration basically lasts for the whole adventuring day.

Anastasia

Quote from: Ebiris on October 12, 2018, 07:00:46 PM
Battlemage's touch feels a bit too good. I mean it is ranged touch so the expectation is that it hits anyway, but that does help avoid any doubt even with dodgy types around and the duration basically lasts for the whole adventuring day.

That's basically where I'm at on it.

Admittedly in gestalt this is less of a concern, since higher to full BAB is more likely.
<Afina> Imagine a tiny pixie boot stamping on a devil's face.
<Afina> Forever.

<Yuthirin> Afina, giant parasitic rainbow space whale.
<IronDragoon> I mean, why not?

Iron Dragoon

Quote from: Anastasia on October 12, 2018, 06:55:36 PM
QuotePower of the Spellpool
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, Special
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

You temporarily alter your connection with the Spellpool. For the duration of the spell instead of drawing on the Spellpool for spells, you draw power to directly empower your spell. For the duration of the spell, you gain a bonus to the Caster Level of any spell you cast. You gain a bonus as below:

Every time you cast this spell, it consumes 2 level of spells from your Spellpool levels. You gain a CL bonus equal to your remaining Spellpool levels.

Special: You must already possess a connection to a Spellpool to gain any benefit of this spell.

Walk me through how this would work mechanically.

Okay, so using Alyssa as an example. She can do 16 spell levels per day via Spellpool.

Cast Power of the Spellpool. -2 levels. 14/16. I have 14 remaining, all spells for the duration get +14 CL. Writing it out makes that too powerful now that I look at it, but we can fiddle with that so it's reasonable, I think.

Maybe it costs half of your total spellpool levels or a quarter?

Quote from: Anastasia on October 12, 2018, 06:55:36 PM
QuoteSpellpool Enhancer
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, Special
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

When you cast this spell, you temporarily enhance your connection to the Spellpool. For the duration of this spell, you may freely swap out any spell below 6th level for any other spell of equivalent level.

Special: You must already possess a connection to a Spellpool to gain any benefit of this spell.

Okay, so this spell lets you freely swap spells in and out of the pool ahead of time, rather than doing it on the spot?

It lets you swap prepared spells as a standard action. So if you prepared a fire spell and run into fire elementals, you cast it, spend a standard action and shuffle your prepared spells around however you want. Maybe just for a single level per casting? Like, you pick level 6 spells and you can swap only level 6 spells around?
This is not the greatest post in the world, no... this is just a tribute.