New afternoons game: Dungeons and Dragons 3.5

[Anastasia]

Do you have any idea what days you could make,Yuth? If you do post 'em so I can make a tentative judgment.

[Yuthirin]

Well, my schedule is all over the place.

Monday: Have to be done by 6pm EST
Tuesday: Can't start until 1:30pm EST
Wednesday: No.
Thursday: Can't start until 1:30pm EST
Friday: Open
Saturday: Not until after 1pm EST
Sunday: Open

This is all subject to change, as I may or may not be picking up more hours at work.

[Anastasia]

When would you know about more hours at work, Yuth?

[Yuthirin]

Probably this weekend.

[Anastasia]

Right, post when you know. Thanks!

[Yuthirin]

As of right now, I have confirmation that my schedule will not change on a permanent basis. However, it may be subject to occasional off days where I have to go work a fundraiser or secure my inheritance(visit paternal family).

[Anastasia]

I'm posting the character generation info here. Bear this in mind as you begin to think up PCs, or if this turns you off to this game. It also doesn't mention available races, which is an obvious hole. This isn't an invitation to make characters, saying that anyone's in yet or that these rules will be final. Posting these is to give you guys a heads up, that's all.

Let's talk character generation. For ability scores roll 5d6 and drop the lowest 2 results for all six scores, and arrange to taste. Hatbot automates this with "!rollchar 6x 3d6/5d6". You can roll two separate sets and pick the one you like most. Sets with a total value of +0 or lower do not count and are rerolled. I may give a third set if someone is completely behind the curve but this will be a judgment call.

The starting level is 2 and we will be using the gestalt rules. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/gestaltcharacters.htm Let me know how familiar each of you are with these. If you aren't, those of us who are will be glad to help you out. Particular notes:

- For the sake of my sanity, please don't combine too many classes together. You can have a stupefying number of classes with gestalt, please keep your builds at least semi-coherent. This isn't a hard and fast number, but seeing a fighter 1/knight 1/monk 1/cleric 1//paladin 1/rogue 1/wizard 1/duskblade 1 is gonna make me reach for the Excedrin and the smiting hammer.

- The lowest level to enter a PrC is 6.  This is to prevent qualifying for PrCs early due to gestalt. If a PrC is designed to be entered earlier I may allow it on a case by case basis. Cute tricks and charopping does not count as designed.

- Classes such as eldritch knight, mystic theurge and other combination classes are banned. There's no point to them in gestalt. This also extends to feats that combine two class growths, such as Swift Hunter or Ascetic Knight. If a class or feat has redeeming features beyond being a fusion, talk to me and we'll work something out.  

Most 3.5 non-campaign setting related books are allowed.  Banned books:

Magic of Incarnum (Nothing against it, don't know it's material.)
Book of Nine Swords (Don't like it, don't want to deal with it. Not negotiable.)
Psionics (Nothing against them, don't know the material.)

I'm flexible on MoI and Psionics if you really want to use the material there. BoNS is a hard ban, don't bother asking. Yes, I'm a terrible grognard and it makes my little DMing heart smile.  As for setting books? Forgotten Realms material is generally allowed and altered to fit the campaign world. Material from other campaigns(Eberron, Dragonlance, ect) requires DM approval, as does homebrew material.  

Starting wealth is standard for level 2 characters: 900 GP.

---

This is important enough to get it's own section, so listen up. Game balance in 3.5 is always a precarious thing. If you visit the charop boards you can smash most campaigns apart into itty-bitty pieces. An experienced player can do some truly awe-inspiring things with the system. There's nothing wrong with that, but that's not what I'm aiming for with this campaign. So I ask you players to keep things on the low/mid end of optimization. It's gestalt so you have a lot of freedom to work with. Don't bring in the hard, strong cheese.  We're all mature adults here so let's act like it. If I feel any of you exceed this I'll let you know.

[Anastasia]

I'm going to be firming this up within a week, assuming all my prepwork gets done by then. Topic's still open for interested parties to speak up if they want to play.

[Anastasia]

I'm going to put out a few previews to show you what's going on in the campaign world. None of this information is final - it generally won't change, but I may revise or expand parts of it for the final writeup.  The first preview covers the divinities that have changed from their Forgotten Realms incarnation.

---Religion in the world---

This campaign uses the Forgotten Realms deities for it's pantheon. The various Gods are taken on their base nature without FR specific details added in. For example, Mystra is Mystra but there wasn't a previous Mystra who died at Helm's hands and which lead to a new Mystra rising. In essence it uses the basic tenets of the church without porting over the direct FR related history.

Also, several Gods have changed due to the specifics of the campaign. Further there are a handful of new Gods as well as alternate things to worship. This may raise questions, feel free to ask them! This covers over-arching divine matters, things such as churches within the city of Balmuria and other details are discussed below. (Not in this preview.)

Some Gods have changed from the FR canon. Changes are listed below:

Chauntea

Chauntea often favors a more wild doctrine and is known as Jannath as much as Chauntea. Chauntea is worshiped by farmers and civilized folks, Jannath is a much more wild, down to earth religion with a druidic flavor. How this ties into Silvanus is not clear. Sages speculate much, from that Chauntea has subsumed Silvanus, to that the two Gods are combining, to even a fierce divine rivalry over all of nature is growing.

Mechanical changes: None.

Helm

In recent times the Helmite faith has expanded and adopted a modified doctrine. Helm's path is one of the vigilant paladin, closer to what Torm used to embody. Bards sing that Helm has taken on the burdens of his fallen friend, for that it is his ultimate duty to his friend's memory. His alignment has shifted to lawful good; he has forged stronger ties with the archons of Mount Celestia. Helm no longer accepts evil worshipers, though evil worshipers from before the change are tolerated. Evil petitioners are likewise grandfathered in, allowed to stay with Helm. Evil worshipers are subject to visions and mortal guidance to change, though it isn't forced.

Further, Helm has made an attempt to expand into the portfolio of Death with the creation of the Well of Souls. This is covered in more depth below, though it should be noted that his relations with Kelemvor are icy bordering on open warfare.

Mechanical changes: Helm now offers the Good Domain to clerics. Clerics of Helm may be lawful good, lawful neutral or neutral good.

Kelemvor

Kelemvor's recent positions have become more martial and taken a focus on eternal vigilance in duty. This is said to be in retort to the actions of Helm, the two powers a step away from once again plunging into war.

Mechanical changes: None.

Mystra

This Mystra is not Midnight nor is she Mystra the first or Mystryl. She is neutral good and resides in Dweomerheart like Midnight-Mystra, though she is far more mature and primal. For the sake of mortal affairs this matters relatively little, though at least she isn't known to die every time magic feels the urge to change. Again.

Mechanical changes: None.

Shar

The darkest whispers say that Shar's power has waxed. Indeed, she was able to subvert the flow of souls and weaken Kelemvor at his own game, whilst avoiding direct warfare. Her cults are a constant concern, springing up in the shadows like crawling cockroaches. Many other faiths, including neutral faiths and even some evil faiths, have emphasized opposing Shar at every corner.

The Shadow Weave does not exist in this campaign world as it does in Forgotten Realms.

Mechanical changes: Shar now offers the Entropy Domain to clerics.

Talos

When loyal Torm plummeted into the Abyss, Creation itself shook in the aftermath. Great were the changes wrought, the Abyss twisting as a new God joined it's insanity. Dreadful were the battles that came, demon lords and dark gods coming to bear against Torm and his horde of fallen celestials. In the end Torm held his own and the violence in the Abyss continued as always.

What happened to Talos during this turmoil is not clear, though some lore from the jungles of the far west speak that Helm reached out to Talos. When the smoke cleared Talos had fled the Abyss, abandoning much of his domain over pure, furious destruction and having taken a more balanced tack. He now represents the eternal cycle of destruction and regrowth and has made a new domain in Limbo. His alignment has shifted to chaotic neutral. As a result of this the deities of fury have broken apart.

Talos' faith is one in flux, changing as their master has changed. They have uncommonly good relations with the church of Helm despite many other differences; both powers have instructed their worshipers to co-exist with one another. Relations with the churches of Auril, Malar and especially Umberlee are poor, with conflict and competition occurring regularly.

Mechanical changes: Talos now offers the following domains: Chaos, Destruction, Renewal, Weather, Life. Clerics of Talos may be chaotic good, chaotic neutral or chaotic evil.

Torm

Once Torm was known as the Loyal Fury, the utmost exemplar of righteous dedication in all Creation. Through a terrible calamity did his heart darken, until he fell screaming into the Abyss. Torm is now known as the Hateful Fury, an avatar of betrayal, hatred and rage.  His church has been born anew, the old one sundered apart in recent years. Little is known of what caused Torm to fall so hard, but he has renounced everything he stood for before. Now all he cares about is destroying everything and laying waste to every realm and slaughtering his former allies.

Mechanical changes: Torm now offers the following domains: Evil, Destruction, Chaos, Madness and Suffering. Clerics of Torm may be chaotic evil or neutral evil.

[Anastasia]

Okay, the actual fluff and campaign info is going to take longer than I anticipated. It's a lot of work so I'm going to get down to mechanics for now.  You guys can start building your characters while I get that done, then we can all work out fluff. First of all, thanks to everyone who asked about playing. I'm going to go with Eb/Cor/Merc/Yuth. Cy, I'm thrilled to see you again but those times just don't work well. I'll post our gaming schedule in it's own topic on the board a little later. Secondly, I say talk to me a lot during character creation. By all means, talk to me! These are rules and guidelines, not iron bonds to dictate what you absolutely can and can't be. I'll be glad to talk to you and work with you to make a character you want that fits into the game.

Finally, house rules can be found here. In particular notice the +2 SP rule and the class specific house rules: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php?topic=101113.0

Let's talk character generation. For ability scores roll 5d6 and drop the lowest 2 results for all six scores, and arrange to taste. Hatbot automates this with "!rollchar 6x 3d6/5d6". You can roll two separate sets and pick the one you like most. Sets with a total value of +0 or lower do not count and are rerolled. I may give a third set if someone is completely behind the curve but this will be a judgment call. Make sure you roll when I'm around in #elysium, standard procedure. Once done post them in this thread: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php?topic=101111.new#new

Races allowed are as follows:

Human: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm#humans
Dwarves: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm#dwarves
Elves: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm#elves
Half-Elves: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm#halfElves
Sea Elves: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/environmentalRacialVariants.htm#aquaticElves
Aasimar: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/planetouched.htm#aasimar - No level adjustment.
Tiefling: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/planetouched.htm#tiefling - No level adjustment.
Goblins: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/goblin.htm

Gnomes are banned and Halflings don't exist in the world.  Other races are possible, talk to me and I'll be glad to work something out with you. Elemental bloodlines, feytouched creatures or anything else you can imagine can work. The only request is to avoid serious LAs, they don't work very well with gestalt.  Balmuria is a city full of change and a melting pot, lots of creature types come to the city.

The starting level is 2 and we will be using the gestalt rules. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/gestaltcharacters.htm Let me know how familiar each of you are with these. If you aren't, those of us who are will be glad to help you out. Particular notes:

- For the sake of my sanity, please don't combine too many classes together. You can have a stupefying number of classes with gestalt, please keep your builds at least semi-coherent. This isn't a hard and fast number, but seeing a fighter 1/knight 1/monk 1/cleric 1//paladin 1/rogue 1/wizard 1/duskblade 1 is gonna make me reach for the Excedrin and the smiting hammer.

- The lowest level to enter a PrC is 6.  This is to prevent qualifying for PrCs early due to gestalt. If a PrC is designed to be entered earlier I may allow it on a case by case basis. Cute tricks and charopping does not count as designed.

- Classes such as eldritch knight, mystic theurge and other combination classes are banned. There's no point to them in gestalt. This also extends to feats that combine two class growths, such as Swift Hunter or Ascetic Knight. If a class or feat has redeeming features beyond being a fusion, talk to me and we'll work something out.  

Most 3.5 non-campaign setting related books are allowed.  Banned books:

Magic of Incarnum (Nothing against it, don't know it's material.)
Book of Nine Swords (Don't like it, don't want to deal with it. Not negotiable.)
Psionics (Nothing against them, don't know the material.)

I'm flexible on MoI and Psionics if you really want to use the material there. BoNS is a hard ban, don't bother asking. Yes, I'm a terrible grognard and it makes my little DMing heart smile.  As for setting books? Forgotten Realms material is generally allowed and altered to fit the campaign world. Material from other campaigns(Eberron, Dragonlance, ect) requires DM approval, as does homebrew material.  

Starting wealth is standard for level 2 characters: 900 GP.