DM Nagging: It's pretty much my job

[Anastasia]

The war was actually really fun for the intensity and frenetic pace. It let me flex some skills I don't normally have any reason to use.

Which skills do you mean by that?

[Nephrite]

Mostly the Carrying Voice line of things -- of course, that's primarily what they're used for, but the last time he used them was back in B3.

[Corwin]

What did Imix hope to achieve? Me bringing all my Cauldron pals with me, adventurer style? Flooding the Prime with armies of elementals?

[Anastasia]

IRC discussion worth saving.

Re: Sanzha's alignment and ideology.

<CC> You know, I think it's a flawed argument on her part but going into it IC feels too meta for me
<CC> She says she's Water the same way I'm Good, so it has to encompass all of it
<CC> That's... true enough, for the subtypes
<CC> But you can have other subtypes without harming the main one, and your alignment isn't exactly married to an elemental subtype
<CC> Ie you can be good-aligned without being Good-subtyped
> I wouldn't say it's flawed per se as much as the philosophies there are radically different.
<CC> The latter would mean Good is a part of you to the exclusion of Evil, and make for an unbalanced and thus incomplete Water, the former would just say you're a fairly nice person
> Without getting into why is right and the morals of it a sec, both of you are coming from far different starting points and bases.
<CC> Mmm
<CC> But she's saying she has to be all of Water so she has to, what, maintain a neutral alignment?
<CC> That doesn't make much sense
> Other way around.
> She's neutral because she's all of water, and in her view, that's where water places her. An elemental wouldn't quite agree with her ultimate conclusions for example.
> Well, one wise and intelligent enough to care about it, which isn't common, but the point is.
<CC> But she's also chaotic
> Nor would Olhydra or Ben-Hadar (nor would a marid Padisha generally agree with either of them).
<CC> You could make an argument for water being neutral there too
<CC> It just feels a bit arbitrary
<CC> I'm sure she's chaotic because she has a good argument for why all of water must be chaotic?
<CC> I'm equally sure stale pond water is very sad
<CC> But it's probably used to being excluded  :)
> Water's always fluid, always moving unless flowing. It moves, it drips, it evaporates. It has no set form unless imposed on. There's a strong dualogy of water being a life giving need an da destructive force.
<CC> Except when it doesn't  :)
> *always moving unless frozen, wrong word.
> Exactly. Much like how slaad are chaotic except when they aren't.
<CC> There are lawful slaads?
<CC> Huh
> Well, that's a whole other incredibly complicated subject since slaad are slaad and most are functionally insane.
<CC> The whole analogy is also flawed because water isn't really good or evil inherently, but a tool if anything?
<CC> If it's used properly, it helps
<CC> If it's abused, it harms
> That's exactly her argument. It's both. It's good and evil sided, therefor in totality she is neutral because she is all of water.
<CC> You can be a good person that also uses violent water to tear apart shitty devils
<CC> That doesn't mean you exclude some parts of water at all
> Does that good person also have the water subtype? It's more than just using water, it's about the same subtype that you have, only for good instead.
<CC> I'm still insisting elements don't have morals
> Which is why I said it's about radically different positions - and really highlights some of why the elemental planes can be alien at times when good or evil isn't muddying with it.
> A typical elemental is neutral for a reason - they just don't care, their value set is one that isn't really entirely compatible with good or evil.
<CC> Mmm, but elemental is not element
> Oh, you mean water itself.
> Of course it doesn't.
<CC> Yep
> Not in a mechanical sense. In a philosophical sense is another thing, like she's talking about.
<CC> Thus my claim that you can be of an elemental subtype, have a moral alignment, and not have the two conflict
<CC> I'll see if I can fit the IC argument IC
* Kotono nods.
<CC> Philosophy might be fun
> Feel free to drop it in if you want to. It's interesting.
<CC> Yeah, after her diversion
> Mechanically? It's theoretically possible to have a CG or CE Padisha. If the Water Lord would allow it to stand is anyone's guess.
> It's worth noting this since it's generally alluded to in processes and background, but the elemental lords all have specific agendas and balancings they do in their realms.  Playing kingmaker or toppling someone isn't impossible - the genie lords are build to change and turn over for reasons.
> Fire tilts evil, Earth and Water basically end up untilted in the end (though Earth is ab it more towards evil and Water a bit more towards good) and Air is tilted good.

[Anastasia]

More IRC logs.

Dead deities.

<CC> Tell me stuff about dead gods
> Which is the mechanics quietly saying something about how the Incarnations chose to create deities.
<CC> Heh
<CC> Oh!
> They're dead. If they have any afterlife, only the Incarnations know. They don't leave corpses on the Astral like in 2nd edition/Planescape.
<CC> Aww, Eb will be so disappointed
> (Behind the screen note: I concede deific corpses make an amazing set piece and thematic backdrop for adventures, but at the same time I never liked them overall. One of those things Planescape did that I always felt undercut the mystique.)
<CC> I'm more interested in their final stands
> (That one I can at least understand why since there's upsides to it, but like a lot of Planescape, it does more harm than good.)
<CC> How did they die, what happened, what did they do wrong?
<CC> Who killed them and why?
> Well, for a deity to die, barring the Incarnations going 'fuck you' and simply unmaking them on the spot or other highly anomalous happenings?
> You have to kill them on their home plane, their divine realm.
<CC> That's the very specific, yes
<CC> But I meant like
> It's mentioned in her flavor block that the Red Knight crusaded against Balum, a Demon Lord and slew him on his home plane.
> And presumably won the rank check.
<CC> There's a difference between saying 'Seira was killed on her realm' and 'Seira lost a planar war against shitty slavers and while her friends put a valiant defense the Cauldron was nuked'
<CC> Eh, demon lords don't count
<CC> There's hundreds of them
> Well, you have to remember: A deity isn't like in Planescape where belief and prayers are required. As Eblis shows, One can endure by themselves, possibly without Creation if what Asmodeus said is true. Even having all of her friends killed and her realm sacked wouldn't put Seira down for good (though doing such would put her at an incredibly disadvantage at best).
> There still has to be that battle where Seira is fought and overcome, then destroyed.
<CC> Yeah, though it does put context to the follow up of 'and then Imix killed Seira there and won a dice roll'
> Yes.
> Considering how the Incarnations designed it, it's really hard to kill deities for good.
<CC> It's interesting, so it'd be cool if you posted about it some time if you don't have some ready story to go
> And the realm with virtually limitless planar lords is set up to be so chaotic and messy that it's a lot more plausible there.
> What about aspect in particular?
<CC> ?
> About deities dying?
<CC> Circumstances, etc, yes
<CC> Demon lords aren't really concepts
<CC> They all might be, taken together
<CC> But for deities it's different, so it's interesting
<CC> We've seen massive changes in the world due to Torm merely falling
<CC> Some nameless deity died in that war, and it feels like it would've made even more of an impact
<CC> But other situations probably existed, too
> Well, demon lords and concepts get into a lot of  what the Abyss is. There's very few deities that have died and been mentioned.  Planar lords see more turnover as designed. There's one completely forgotten from B1 that was mentioned to be utterly obliterated by the God-King.
> But to the point where even the memory of it was removed from Creation, by and large.
> That's also a highly abnormal situation.
<CC> Thing is, very few still means one or two stories exist!
> I'll put it as a todo.
<CC> ~
> I've said this before, and it's worth tracing back to: Creation is designed that if someone finally wins and gets an Answer, it's not because they went to the othe rside and beat all the opposition up. Something like that will happen as needed, but that's a secondary effect to someone winning. There's a section in Queen Morwel's flavor block that discusses what Creation will look like if she wins and thus implies she found an Answer.
> So the deity death rules need to be considered with that in mind.
<CC> It can be like a pruned bonsai!
> To run with that metaphor a bit, it's like one of the branches slowly expanding to become the entire bonsai.
> Though that means all of the bonsai's branches are in mortal combat with each other.
> Which is a thing.

[Anastasia]

Commander Oberuth reaches level 32.

- Fighter 32 and Dwarven Defender 22.
- Max HP per hit die, for a total of 35 hit points and a grand total of 1100 hit points.
- +1 BAB for a total of 32.
- Damage reduction rises by 3 to 15/-.
- Gains Impossible Step.
- All saves rise by 1.
- Constitution rises by 1 to 39.
- Skills go up as normal.
- Selects Superior Initiative(F32) as his new feat.

[Corwin]

I'd like to ask about the following spells, and whether they are valid targets for Permanency.

Bibliotheca Arcana
Energetic Healing (if paid for 50 castings' worth of material components, say)
Amea's Mental Partition
Many Moments of Prescience

[Anastasia]

I'd like to ask about the following spells, and whether they are valid targets for Permanency.

Bibliotheca Arcana

This spell's close to being permanent in practice because of the 24 hour duration. I'll think about it and if I want to establish this one as a thing. It's not really changing anything, because if you can cast this and want it, you probably already are.

Energetic Healing (if paid for 50 castings' worth of material components, say)

No. Costs gold per casting and is limited power, not going to have that as a permanent spell.

Amea's Mental Partition

No. It's a 1/min level spell plus it's balanced around a backlash when the spell ends. Doesn't work well for permanency.

Many Moments of Prescience

No. It has limited charges before it expires.

[Anastasia]

This came up, so quick reminder: No taking the bonus domain epic feat if you're a deity. You get the domains you have from being a deity. If you want more domains, take the extra domain SDA.

It's a fringe case so it's worth mentioning.

[Anastasia]

A new paladin 9 spell is in the Spell Collection courtesy of Jetina. It's for her own personal use and designed to her tastes.

[Anastasia]

Sanzha rebuild. Let me know what you think? Note that she loses two levels of bard casting, this isn't reflected and will be adjusted if this goes forward. She can probably drop Iron Will for another feat if needed, I may do that yet.

Lady Sanzha, former Padisha of the Marid

Marid 32//Bard 24/Madalani 8

Size/Type: Medium Outsider (Water)
Hit Dice: 32d8+256 (512 hp)
Initiative: +20
Speed: 30ft, swim 160ft
Armor Class: 46 (+12 dex, +15 natural, +9 armor)
Base Attack/CMB/CMD: +32/+41/63
Attack: Padisha's Glory+48 (1d8+20 plus 2d6 anarchic x3)
Full Attack: Padisha's Glory+48/+43/+38/+33 (1d8+20 plus 2d6 anarchic x3)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Drench+32, channel water 15/day(16d6; DC 38), spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 20/cold iron and epic, resistance to acid, cold, electricity and fire 30, spell resistance 43, water mastery, regal power, maharaja of the waves, cauldron research, telepathy 200ft, bardic music, bardic knowledge, countersong, fascinate, inspire courage+8, inspire competence, mass suggestion, inspire greatness, song of freedom, inspire heroics.
Saves: Fort +30, Ref +34, Will +31
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 34, Con 26, Int 27, Wis 25, Cha 35
Skills: Appraise+43, Bluff+47, Climb+44, Craft(Alchemy)+63, Diplomacy+47, Knowledge(Arcana)+43, Knowledge(Local:Cauldron)+43, Knowledge(Nature)+43, Knowledge(N&R)+43, Knowledge(Planes)+43, Knowledge(Religion)+43, Perception+42, Perform(Oratory)+47, Perform(Keyboard Instruments)+47, Peform(Song)+47, Sense Motive+42, Spellcraft+43, Swim+52
Feats: Iron Will(1), Improved Initiative(3), Water Devotion(6), Rapid Swimming(9), Swim-by Attack(12), Power Attack(15), Song of the Heart(18)
Epic Feats: Superior Rapid Swimming(21), Music of the Gods(B23), Lasting Inspiration(24), Epic Spell Capacity(27), Inspire Excellence(M4), Superior Initiative(30), Epic Inspiration(M8)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Racial powers:

Spoiler: ShowHide

Spell-Like Abilities

Always active-see invisibility. At will-create water, control water, detect evil, detect good, gaseous form, greater invisibility, plane shift, purify food and drink, solid fog, tsunami, water breathing. 1/day-wish. Caster level 26th. The save DCs are 21 + spell level.

Drench (Ex)

Sanzha's presence puts out torches, campfires, lanterns and other sources of fire that are large sized or smaller. Any nonmagical fire is automatically put out, magical sources of fire are treated as being dispelled (+32 check modifier).

Unlike lesser creatures, Lady Sanzha may choose to suppress this ability as she sees fit. She may be selective with it as she pleases.

Water Mastery (Ex)

Lady Sanzha gains a +4 bonus to attack and damage rolls if both her and her opponent are touching water. If the opponent or Lady Sanzha is touching the ground, she takes a -4 penalty on attack and damage rolls.

Regal Power (Ex)

Lady Sanzha was once the Padisha of the Marid. While the large majority of her power from that time has been lost, she retains a few fragments of it. Lady Sanzha gains maximum hit points per hit die. She is treated as having divine rank zero for the sake of effects, though she has no actual divine rank.

Maharaja of the Waves (Ex)

Lady Sanzha may channel energy that destroys fire and bolsters water. This is identical to a cleric's channel energy, except that it deals damage to creatures with the fire subtype and heals creatures with the aquatic or water subtype. These may be used to fuel her water devotion feat.

Cauldron Research (Ex)

Lady Sanzha has worked with Seira Aryn's Cauldron and its efforts to obtain elemental harmony. He research has granted her a great deal of knowledge as well as several concrete benefits.

Lady Sanzha gains a +10 competence bonus to Knowledge checks relating to elementals and the various elemental planes. She gains resistance to acid, cold, electricity and fire 30. She is capable of using spells with the fire descriptor, something beyond water elementals and most other maridi.

Bard powers:

Spoiler: ShowHide

Lady Sanzha casts as a 26th level bard. The save DCs are 21 + spell level.

[4/day]0: Detect Magic, Flare, Mage Hand, Mending, Prestidigitation, Summon Instrument
[7/day]1: Cure Light Wounds, Detect Secret Doors, Grease, Identify, Silent Image
[7/day]2: Alter Self, Blur, Heroism, Shatter, Tongues
[7/day]3: Confusion, Glibness, Haste, Phantom Steed, Slow
[6/day]4: Dimension Door, Hallucinatory Terrain, Rainbow Pattern, Shadow Conjuration, Zone of Silence
[6/day]5: Greater Dispel Magic, Mislead, Persistent Image, Shadow Evocation, Song of Discord
[6/day]6: Analyze Dweomer, Irresistible Dance, Greater Scrying, Veil
[6/day]7: Greater Shadow Conjuration, Heal, Sequester, True Seeing
[6/day]8: Greater Shadow Evocation, Scintillating Pattern, Summon Monster 8, Superior Invisibility
[5/day]9: Dominate Monster, Foresight, Mass Hold Monster, Wish
[1/day]10: Mass Heal

Bardic Knowledge (Ex)

A bard may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to his bard level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the bard has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)

A successful bardic knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A bard may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.

Bardic Music

Once per day per bard level, a bard can use his song or poetics to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). While these abilities fall under the category of bardic music and the descriptions discuss singing or playing instruments, they can all be activated by reciting poetry, chanting, singing lyrical songs, singing melodies, whistling, playing an instrument, or playing an instrument in combination with some spoken performance. Each ability requires both a minimum bard level and a minimum number of ranks in the Perform skill to qualify; if a bard does not have the required number of ranks in at least one Perform skill, he does not gain the bardic music ability until he acquires the needed ranks.

Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using bardic music that doesn't require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic items by magic word (such as wands). Just as for casting a spell with a verbal component, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use bardic music. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.

Countersong (Su)

A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to counter magical effects that depend on sound (but not spells that simply have verbal components). Each round of the countersong, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard's Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don't allow saves. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds.

Fascinate (Sp)

A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.

To use the ability, a bard makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature's Will save against the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per bard level). While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the bard to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.

Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.

Inspire Courage (Su)

A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himselfs), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.

Inspire Competence (Su)

A bard of 3rd level or higher with 6 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally.

The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the bard's music. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. A bard can't inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability.

Suggestion (Sp)

A bard of 6th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not break the bard's concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect.

Making a suggestion doesn't count against a bard's daily limit on bardic music performances. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 bard's level + bard's Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability.

Inspire Greatness (Su)

A bard of 9th level or higher with 12 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting him or her extra fighting capability. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally with a single use of this ability (two at 12th level, three at 15th, four at 18th). To inspire greatness, a bard must sing and an ally must hear him sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependant. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability.

Song of Freedom (Sp)

A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to create an effect equivalent to the break enchantment spell (caster level equals the character's bard level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and music, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A bard can't use song of freedom on himself.

Inspire Heroics (Su)

A bard of 15th level or higher with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, a bard must sing and an ally must hear the bard sing for a full round. A creature so inspired gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for up to 5 rounds thereafter. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability.

Mass Suggestion (Sp)

This ability functions like suggestion, above, except that a bard of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make the suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated (see above). Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.

Gear:

Spoiler: ShowHide

[Weapon]Padisha's Glory: Cold iron trident+7, anarchic. No penalties for wielding it in water. It may be used as a staff of the waves with 10 charges per day, these charges refill each day at dawn. Adds the spells from the staff of the waves to Lady Sanzha's bard spell list. 3/day the weapon can deal an extra 3d6 of acid, cold, electricity or fire damage as a swift action, lasts 1 minute.
[Armor]Aquian: Functions as bracers of armor+9 and a cloak of protection+6. Grants resistance 30 to acid, cold, electricity and fire damage.

[Head]Marid Queen's Earrings: +8 enhancement bonus to Charisma and +4 enhancement bonus to her other ability scores.
[Reserve Head]Diadem of Alchemy: Provides a +20 competence bonus to Craft (Alchemy) checks.

Melody of Water: [spoiler]

+charisma to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, armor class, init.
Fast healing equal to Cha.
Immunity to crits/precision damage.
+30 speed and can use swim as a fly speed.
Don't trigger AoOs by moving.

[Anastasia]

Added that Chan spell to spells collection, in case anyone missed it from the chat paste.

[Anastasia]

Things said during DM work:

"If Xandra has a breath weapon, she has a problem."

It makes sense to me, dang it.

[Anastasia]

Added some more chronomancy spells to retired spells.

As a side note, if the celerity line of spells wasn't banned regardless, they'd be adjusted to being chronomancy spells in this campaign.

[Anastasia]

I have an article ready for PC consumption, it's about how artifacts work in Balmuria. Is anyone interested in giving it a pre read for typos, mistakes and general feedback?