DM Nagging: It's pretty much my job

[Iron Dragoon]

Weekly Roundup
Alyssa

The xag-ya swarm was wrapped up after they got chased up and now it's into the dungeon. Like last week, I really dig the way these three bounce off each other. It's great, it's fun and I enjoy it a ton. I don't want to be brief here since I'm enjoying it, but I feel like not a lot happened IC due to what you were doing. Next week should hopefully see this quest wrapped up and onto meatier things.

A good week overall, but definitely want to see some plot movement somewhere. I'm trying to keep at least one node directly on the plot ball.

Yeah, IC's basically been pure interaction and little advancement for a while, but that'sa bit needed to establish the characters, roles, and personalities. But I agree, need to get stuff done.

[Nephrite]

I'm crossing my fingers that we can get back into good shape so our team can at least rip that efreet's armor off of him, if absolutely nothing else.

We shall see!

[Anastasia]

I've enjoyed touching base with people. I do want to advance things more, and I hope something does happen on that front. You'll notice me trying to get things going here and there in between catching up and getting status updates, but the answers tend to be 'check in with us later'.

Pretty much. What I want is a slight timeskip so things that happen can need to happen. It's a catch-22 like that. People need time to get things done and make choices.

I do wonder whether I'm approaching my side of the investigation wrong. Alicia looking into Eblis lead to story options, whereas I've only learned a few tidbits and got some confirmations on things I thought before, but I don't feel I really have any options of my own to pursue. Marianne might lead somewhere, if and when she makes her choice. I might get more clues to the Calley ritual at some point, although there as well I don't really have anything actionable just yet. Outright Sending to Io or checking with the astral dragons about him might work, although in the case of the latter I doubt they'd know more than Ajan. Once I do that, however, I'm out of my investigative options, and I dislike putting all my hopes on a Sending.

So if I'm just not seeing something here, or if my plot is on a timer and I need to be patient, please let me know.

Will do. Without spoilering things - you opened up something Oberuth there. You have same day syndrome more than anything else. IC not much time is passing when it needs to pass IC, when OOC more time is passing. I think it's a structural issue more than anything else - you're doing a lot back to back to back. Lemme fiddle with this a bit.

[Anastasia]

Marie's putting in a pretty good showing so far, even if it's against mooks. Still fun to play her as having stuff to show off now that she's on the same footing as everyone else. There were some amusing moments discussing Jessica's findings with Syala as well, yes. Alicia's kinda staid but she has a dry sense of humour and she's hardly innocent, while Syala's a Sharessian, so it leads to amusing reactions to succubus stuff.

Marie's showing off was fun and felt about right. That first wave wasn't designed for that - it's just the realities of using disposable minions for patrolling - but it was a nice chance for Marie nonetheless.

Alicia's dry humor is a joy, especially compared to Antenora (who I like but let's be honest, she's not put a ton of ranks into humor) and Syala, who is more open in her amusements.

I actually felt a bit bad when Malcanthet asked what we were doing and all I could really say was 'wrecking your stuff'. It just feels so rude, y'know? But as Alicia thought to herself IC, we're not here to make friends with demons. I'm sure there'll be reprisals, but Malcanthet's meant to be one of our main enemies, plus we're helping Sulia against Malcanthet's pal Demogorgon, so it all weaves together.

It does weave together.

It was rude and it hits home since Alicia noted why Malcanthet would be peeved over Antenora's ascension. Y'all have had some good observations and connections lately, been making a point of mentioning them.

[Anastasia]

Weekly Roundup
Alyssa

The xag-ya swarm was wrapped up after they got chased up and now it's into the dungeon. Like last week, I really dig the way these three bounce off each other. It's great, it's fun and I enjoy it a ton. I don't want to be brief here since I'm enjoying it, but I feel like not a lot happened IC due to what you were doing. Next week should hopefully see this quest wrapped up and onto meatier things.

A good week overall, but definitely want to see some plot movement somewhere. I'm trying to keep at least one node directly on the plot ball.

Yeah, IC's basically been pure interaction and little advancement for a while, but that'sa bit needed to establish the characters, roles, and personalities. But I agree, need to get stuff done.

That should be this week once this is done. We'll see.

[Anastasia]

I'm crossing my fingers that we can get back into good shape so our team can at least rip that efreet's armor off of him, if absolutely nothing else.

We shall see!

I'm betting you want that armor, huh?

[Nephrite]

Not so much want it as want to get it off that giant douchebag.

[Anastasia]

Any other suggestions, Iddy?



   
   
   
   

Task	DC
Zoom Map	45
Animated Map	65
Treasure Map	80

Zoom Map

You can make a map that zooms in and shows fine detail. A map made zooms in up to 300%, allowing you to see sections of the map in higher detail. The details are roughly accurate as to when the map was made, the map does not update. This map does not reveal things that are hidden from sight through mundane means or magic, though you may be able to see such details with a Spot check (if applicable as normal).

Animated Map

Your next step is to make maps that both zoom in and show things as they happen. An animated map can zoom in as a zoom map, plus the map is animated to show current conditions. It shows the weather, movement within the map (as much as the zoom allows seeing such details) and other such things. The map updates over time, showing changes. Creatures or locations protected against divinations (such as a creature under a mind blank spell) do not show on the map. In the case of a creature, the creature is simply not seen. In the case of a location, is a blank space within the map.

Treasure Map

You can design maps that show treasures hidden within the area shown, even if you don't know about them. A treasure map functions as a zoom map, except that any treasure of more than 100 gold in value is shown by an X on the map. The X covers the general area it is in and does not provide further details. Treasures on a creature or in a location protected against divinations do not show on this map.

[Anastasia]

Something like having mages at the order set up in spell circles, with a leader of the circle connected to whoever (let's call them a spotter for simplicity's sake). The circle leader lets the spotter know when they're ready to cast the spell and the spotter opens a portal for them to fire the spell through. Spotter then closes the portal and moves to find a new target or new angle.

Things like that. Since spell circles can, with enough people, dramatically increase the CL and DCs of spells that would otherwise simply bounce off of higher level creatures, it can be super useful. Same with buffs. If there's a minute/level spell, like say, Dolorous Blow, then with enough people I can make it last hours and hours, or having a group of mages casting a Dispel and maxing out the CL, so it's more of a pinning down the mechanics of it before I really sit down and come up with ideas.

Okay, whip up some mechanical examples - assumptions are fine here for this sake, don't worry about getting it perfect there - and let me see how they'd work.

So, have something like an item of gate or whatever set to open near a circle of say 10 mages. Those 10 mages are in a circle casting Disintegrate. For simplicity's sake, we'll say they're all minimum CL, 11. Now, by the RAW of Cooperative spell, the first additional mage in the circle gives +2 to the DC, and each following mage gives +1, so that's +10 to the DC and then +9 to the CL of the spell. So it'd be cast at CL 20, and then get +10 DC. The leader of the circle has planar telepathy with whoever on the other side. Once the spell is ready to go off, they open the gate and the mage's circle fires the spell through the gate to hit whatever target.

So basically portal shenanigans with supporting wizards ready to fire on through?

[Anastasia]

Well like the one that turns you into a salt statue. Normally that's more or less a death effect spell and you don't allow those, so I was thinking of something more like turning a limb into salt (or whatever else). See if my DCs are reasonably reliable or not, and how balanced a spell like that is.

Sure. Whip up some spell ideas - bare bones are fine here for the sake of example - and test it out.

Since you said bare-bones was okay, I just C/P'd this and modified it for an example's sake.

Limb to Salt
Transmutation
Level: Dru 5, Wiz/Sorc 5
Components: V, S, M,
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

You call the essence of salt forth in the target, dealing 1d6 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 10d6).
If the target takes more than half of its current hit points in damage from the spell, select a limb to target and the creature must make a Fortitude saving throw or that limb completely crystallizes.
The limb, but not its carried gear, turns into a inert statue. The creature's limb and gear is locked into position and cannot be used normally. If an arm holding a weapon is turned to salt, then the creature loses the ability to use that limb to attack, and thus loses the ability to use the weapon unless transferred to a different limb.
If a transformed limb resulting from this spell is broken or damaged, the subject has similar damage or deformities if ever returned to its original state.
The transformed limb takes on the consistency of rock salt (hardness 2, 5 hp per inch of thickness).
Limbs turned to salt this way are extremely susceptible to dissolution by water—if exposed to flooding or heavy rain, they take damage that is not reduced by hardness.
A constant blast of water (for example, a geyser from a decanter of endless water) deals 10 points of damage per minute.
A steady rain deals 1 point of damage per minute.
A stone to flesh spell affects salt as if it were stone, returning an affected creature to its original state.
Material Component: A lump of rock salt.

Just curious, didja base this on something or write it all out yourself?

[Anastasia]

How about their blood?

Sure. There's a Blood to Water spell that deals 2d6 Con damage by transmuting blood into water. (Oddly, it's necromancy rather than transmutation, despite using the word transmute in the spell description. Really that should be transmutation or a dual school spell if you really feel necromancy applies.) There's a ghostblood spell, about 18th level or so, in the spell collection that deals massive damage by transmuting a creature's blood to ghostly vapors.

You don't see a ton of damaging transmutations, but they do exist. Go check the Spell Compendium, I have that open and you can see some damaging transmutations in there.

Yeah, I'd like to see the Blood to Water Spell made into a Transmutation spell. Dual school is more fitting, but Necromancy is banned for me, so that wouldn't help much. It's also a Cleric spell, base. Would you be willing to make it a Wiz/Sorc spell, or would it stay Cleric? If so, I can cast that as Factotum, but only once a day since it's level 7, so that helps, but not like a ton.

It's probably reasonable enough as one, sure.

[Anastasia]

What about their weapons or armor? Can I make their armor cloth or their weapons into pillows? I'm basically looking for some sort of thematic structure to go from.

Sure, you could.

How would this work, mechanically, though? I see spells that target Natural Armor and has a fortitude save, but items don't have a fort save, so what would it target?

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#damagingMagicItems

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/exploration.htm#breakingAndEntering You may also find this helpful.

Unattended objects usually don't get a saving throw. From the following:

Saving Throws

Nonmagical, unattended items never make saving throws. They are considered to have failed their saving throws, so they always are affected by spells. An item attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) makes saving throws as the character (that is, using the character's saving throw bonus).

Magical items do have a save, see the first link I posted.

You've occasionally ran into special exceptions to this in your adventures in Balmuria, but those are deliberate exceptions that are the result of powerful magic or situations.

[Iron Dragoon]

Any other suggestions, Iddy?



   
   
   
   

Task	DC
Zoom Map	45
Animated Map	65
Treasure Map	80

Zoom Map

You can make a map that zooms in and shows fine detail. A map made zooms in up to 300%, allowing you to see sections of the map in higher detail. The details are roughly accurate as to when the map was made, the map does not update. This map does not reveal things that are hidden from sight through mundane means or magic, though you may be able to see such details with a Spot check (if applicable as normal).

Animated Map

Your next step is to make maps that both zoom in and show things as they happen. An animated map can zoom in as a zoom map, plus the map is animated to show current conditions. It shows the weather, movement within the map (as much as the zoom allows seeing such details) and other such things. The map updates over time, showing changes. Creatures or locations protected against divinations (such as a creature under a mind blank spell) do not show on the map. In the case of a creature, the creature is simply not seen. In the case of a location, is a blank space within the map.

Treasure Map

You can design maps that show treasures hidden within the area shown, even if you don't know about them. A treasure map functions as a zoom map, except that any treasure of more than 100 gold in value is shown by an X on the map. The X covers the general area it is in and does not provide further details. Treasures on a creature or in a location protected against divinations do not show on this map.

This seems like it relies on already knowing the terrain. What about something that fills in the map as you explore? Like, some pre-enchanted blank map that you spend time attuning to the area, which then fills in terrain features as you go through the area? Other than that, it seems fine. Animated map will be really, really good for field commanders. Combine it with some sort of long-distance comms item and you have a massive tactical advantage.

[Iron Dragoon]

So basically portal shenanigans with supporting wizards ready to fire on through?

Yep, basically. We'd have to decide what sorts of spells are viable for it, but effectively, yeah, that's it.

[Iron Dragoon]

Just curious, didja base this on something or write it all out yourself?

Just C/P'd the Flesh to Salt spell and changed some stuff up, since you said bare-bones was good enough. I figured since there was a spell for it already, effectively, I might as well just use it as framework.