Interest Check - D&D Arena

[Ebiris]

This is a poke to see if anyone is interested in a short tournament game of D&D (3.5 ed). The basic concept is that everyone creates a character (probably level 20, allowing stuff from any book) as twinked out and munchkined as they can, and said characters then fight to the death in a one-on-one elimination tournament until one is left.

No plot or anything like that, it's basically a contest of how much you can break the system and hopefully some fun battles assuming everyone is on a similar level of powergaming.

I'll set down exact rules and stuff once I know people are interested - this is just so I can see if it's worth my while going that far. I don't imagine the tournament taking more than a week or two, depending on how many players I get - I'd prefer IRC, but one on one battles can be done over forums without too much pain, assuming no sudden disappearances. Basically just a fun and hopefully educational diversion.

So, any takers?

[Carthrat]

I thought about this a while- can we not be level 20? I think fights will be more... exciting, if we have them around 10th level or so.

Still that's just me. Also insist on a definitive library to draw from. >_>

[Ebiris]

Yeah, thinking about it, I probably will limit the books to keep a modicum of sanity.

However, I'm stuck on level 20 as that'll allow far more prestige class/ECL race combinations - I'd almost be tempted to make it epic except I don't have that book.

[Dracos]

Heh, I suppose.  I had some levell 12-20 char builds that were twinked one round victory types.

Dracos

[Merc]

Can't say I exactly know about twinking for an arena sort of thing, but why not? Let's give Drac and Rat some meat to slaughter...unless the dice bots somehow shine their fickle luck on me anyhow. ^_^

[Ebiris]

Okay! With 3 prospective players, I'll probably do three battles so everyone fights everyone, rather than a tournament. Unless anyone else shows interest.

Anyway, here's the rules and such. Any questions, give me a poke - hopefully we can get the ball rolling on this next week.

The Arena
Several Arenas will be made available (I'll post their details in a day or so), with a random roll before the fight determining which will be used.
Players cannot enter the Arena with any continual magical effects (including those made permanent via the Permanancy spell) on themselves.
There will be one round prior to combat for players to prepare themselves.
No planar shifting/dimensional travel by the players. Teleporting within the arena and gating in monsters is allowed.
Battle will be to the death or yield.
Don't bother with leadership or anything similar. Familiars and animal companions are allowed, but no cohorts.


Chargen
32 Standard point buy
195,000 starting XP (allows ECL 20 with 5,000 extra XP for spellcasting)
200,000 starting gold
Max HP at first level, 75% after.
No XP penalty for multiclassing outside favoured class.


House Rules
No death by massive damage.
No custom Wondrous Items.
No artifacts.
No intelligent weapons.
1 is not an automatic miss (counts as -10 to your check)
20 is not an automatic hit (counts as a check result of 30)
No Time Stop.
Mordenkainen's Disjunction works as Greater Dispel Magic with no caster level cap and an additional +20 to your dispel check.
Don't worry about spell components worth less than 1000 gold.


The following books are allowed for choosing classes/races/feats/spells/items/summoned monsters:
Player's Handbook
Dungeon Masters Guide
Complete Adventurer
Complete Arcane
Complete Divine
Complete Warrior
Savage Species
Monster Manual

(Rat's FServ is most helpful for these, btw)

[Carthrat]

What's allowed in terms of preparing ourselves?

[Ebiris]

What's allowed in terms of preparing ourselves?

Drinking potions or casting spells/using magic items with area of effect = caster.

So no starting up a Storm of Vengeance or gating in a Pit Fiend in the preperation round, but you can cast buffs or whatever on yourself.

[Ranmilia]

I may be moderately interested.  What of monster races, though, and what are the exact victory/loss conditions?  Does everyone get the same amount of GP no matter what sort of race/ECL they take?  What about Maze?

[Dracos]

Notably, while it'd be cool and all, we really shouldn't show whatever we're making.  Too much chance of sword of holy slaying or something being picked not just because it's a good item, but because someone revealed they're playing chaotic evil demon guy.  Or a ranger taking a +5/+5 versus some savage race char.

Dracos

[Dracos]

Ability points for levels already included  in the pont buy or do we get 5 (or 4 if we're a 19th level char) ability points after that?

Dracos

[Dracos]

Pre-emptive poke for class books, not having read complete warrior yet as it's not yet downloaded =P

*shrugs randomly and keeps reading8

Dracos

[Ebiris]

I may be moderately interested. What of monster races, though, and what are the exact victory/loss conditions? Does everyone get the same amount of GP no matter what sort of race/ECL they take? What about Maze?

Monster races means pretty much anything in the allowed books. If you're not sure, ask me! Victory is determined by death or surrender.

Gold is standard unless you're taking some crappy prestige class like that Bahamut Knight one where they get bonus gold rather than a feat. Then you get your bonus gold on top of the starting amount.

I'd treat Maze (and Imprisonment) as dimensional travel. While the rule I stated kind of says it's forbidden to travel yourself, I suppose the spirit of the law says that the person casting the spell should be the one disqualified.

Notably, while it'd be cool and all, we really shouldn't show whatever we're making. Too much chance of sword of holy slaying or something being picked not just because it's a good item, but because someone revealed they're playing chaotic evil demon guy. Or a ranger taking a +5/+5 versus some savage race char.

Ability points for levels already included in the pont buy or do we get 5 (or 4 if we're a 19th level char) ability points after that?

Yes on the first point. I'd prefer if people didn't advertise what kind of characters they're playing until I've accepted all sheets. And definitely no posting of the sheets themselves until after the tournament (they should go up afterwards for everyone to view, since this is meant to be educational!)

Second point - The 32 points are for your stats at level 1. You get a bonus point to add every fourth level as normal.

[Dracos]

Yeah, sorry, dropping here.  Just lack the heart for an arena game at the moment.

Dracos