Seeking players and a GM for an unusual D&D 3.5 game... [Update: GM found!]

Started by Kunoichi, April 24, 2015, 12:03:06 AM

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Kunoichi

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Alright, Prime Mantis Shrimp has agreed to run a game like this one, so I'm updating this opening post now to contain the character creation guidelines for it.  It's going to be a fairly high-leveled D&D game (16 HD, specifically), and the actual character creation process is going to be a bit different from the norm, so if you're into doing unusual things with the D&D 3.5 rules, feel free to sign up. ^^

Lords and Ladies of the Abyss

Character Creation Guidelines:

1) The characters in this game are not the usual adventurers of a typical D&D campaign.  Instead, they are monsters, unique chaotic evil outsiders, Demon Lords who live in the infinite layers of the Abyss.  To better reflect that fact, characters will be built along CR guidelines rather than ECL guidelines, which should allow for a large variety of different monster characters to be brought to the table, should a player wish to go looking through the various Monster Manuals for character ideas.

2) The game will make use of the Demon Lord template provided below, and starting characters will be required to be CR 14 and have 16 HD before applying that template (which, as a CR +2 template on its own, will then bring the characters up to CR 16).  Due to the way the template works, both class levels and bonus HD added on to advance the base creature will wind up counting as Outsider hit dice in the end, so every two class levels or HD of advancement added onto the base creature chosen will be worth a +1 CR increase.  If you get up to 16 HD and still have extra points of CR left over, you can make up the difference with templates.

3) Speaking of templates, you can add on any templates that you have room for in your build without having to worry about whether you would normally be able to qualify for them.  Want to be an evil character with the half-celestial template?  No problem!  An aberration with the lycanthrope template?  Go for it!  The Abyss is filled with all sorts of strange, improbable, and downright horrific creatures that have never seen the light of day before, and this rule is intended to help reflect that fact.

4) At CR 16, the characters in this game will still fall well short of the power of even the weakest of published Demon Lords, who all have challenge ratings that start in the mid-20s and only go up from there.  This is intentional.  The PCs in this game are intended to be characters who were raised to the title of Demon Lord through luck, accident, or the plotting of rivals, and who are now finding themselves in the unenviable position of having a title that many around them covet, and that they don't have the personal power to hold onto for long.  When the upper echelons of the normal demonic hierarchy are still capable of posing a threat to you, your only chance for survival is working together with other weak Demon Lords in similar positions to yourself.

5) For the other small details of character creation, attributes are to be generated using the Elite Array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8), and starting wealth is 130,000 gp.  The characters are powerful and exceptional monsters, to be sure, but they're neither the heroes destined to save the world, nor the big villains threatening to destroy it.  That said, given the grand history of such items as the Wand of Orcus, Malcanthet's Lover's Lash, or Fraz-Urbluu's Rod of Chaos, players are allowed (and indeed, heavily encouraged) to spend up to 100,000 gp of their starting wealth on an 'item of power' for themselves, an item that doesn't quite measure up to the mighty artifacts held by other demon lords, but that are nonetheless powerful items in their own right, and that might grow to become proper artifacts with time.

6) On a final note, rules are also given below for generating Fiendish Aspects for demon lord characters.  While aspects are too weak to be of any use in combat, they can often serve well when used for utility purposes, and demon lords who have had bad experiences being bound and imprisoned on the material plane have learned the hard way that it's usually better to send an aspect when faced with a situation that requires their personal presence in some way.

The Demon Lord template
CREATING A DEMON LORD
"Demon Lord" is an acquired template that may be added to any creature that has taken the Dark Speech feat.  The creature's type changes to Outsider and it gains the Chaotic and Evil subtypes.  All demon lords are of one of the three known demonic races, and thus the creature also gains the loumara, obyrith, or tanar'ri subtype as well, along with all the abilities and traits for that subtype.  For obyriths, this means the demon lord gains a Form of Madness - use the forms of madness of existing obyriths and obyrith demon lords as a guide for making your own.
   Creatures that possess the Good or Lawful subtypes lose those subtypes upon becoming a demon lord, though they still retain any other subtypes they may possess.
   Hit Dice: The creature's Hit Dice from race and any class levels become d8.  The demon lord retains all special abilities granted by any former class levels (including spellcasting), but calculates its base attack and base saving throws using its new Hit Dice totals as an outsider.
   Armor Class: A demon lord's Armor Class can vary, but in order to remain a challenge for a creature of its CR score, you should add natural armor bonuses to the base creature's AC so that its final Armor Class is close (within a few points) to its CR + 20.
   Base Attack: A demon lord's base attack bonus equals its number of Hit Dice.
   Special Attacks: Feel free to give your new demon lord a unique and powerful special attack.  Additionally, if the demon lord already possessed the form of madness or summon demon special attacks, these abilities should be upgraded to make them consistent with the abilities of pre-existing demon lords.
   Spell-Like Abilities: All demon lords have the following spell-like abilities in addition to any the base creature possesses:
   At-will - astral projection, blasphemy (or word of chaos for obyriths), desecrate, detect good, detect law, greater dispel magic, greater teleport, plane shift, polymorph (self only), telekinesis, unhallow, unholy aura (or cloak of chaos for obyriths), unholy blight (or chaos hammer for obyriths).
   3/day - any one symbol.
   Each demon lord also possesses two additional at-will spell-like abilities of no higher than 3rd level, two additional 3/day abilities of no higher than 5th level, and two additional 1/day abilities of no higher than 7th level.  These additional spell-like abilities should be chosen to match the demon lord's "theme."
   A demon lord has a base caster level for all spell-like abilities equal to their hit dice (to a maximum of 20th level).
   Special Qualities: A demon lord gains all the special qualities granted by his demonic race subtype.  In addition, all demon lords possess the following special qualities in addition to any the base creature possesses:
   Damage Reduction: All demon lords possess DR 20/cold iron, epic, and good.
   Spell Resistance: A demon lord's spell resistance is equal to its CR +13.
   Telepathy: All demon lords possess telepathy to range of 300 feet (or 100 feet for obyrith lords).
   Additional Qualities: Most demon lords possess two additional special qualities as well.
   Special Weaknesses: While the basic concept behind flaws is solid, the majority of listed flaws are too weak and ineffectual to be dramatically appropriate for player character demon lords.  Instead, the demon lords may take up to two thematically-appropriate special weaknesses in exchange for the same number of bonus feats.  These special weaknesses are typically things like having one's special defenses bypassed by attacks with certain properties or items made of a certain material, or taking double damage from certain energy types, or perhaps being treated as a certain creature type for the purposes of harmful spells, supernatural effects, and/or class features (such as a fallen angel demon lord who is still treated as having the good subtype whenever it would be harmful to him to do so, even though he no longer has that subtype).
   Saves: All of a demon lord's saving throws are good saves, based on its total Hit Dice.
   Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Con +6, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +6.
   Skills: Demon lords gain skill points according to their Hit Dice as if they were outsiders.  Their class skills are those the base creature possessed from its race and any class levels it has, but the actual number of skill ranks should be recalculated using the demon lord's outsider Hit Dice.
   Feats: Demon lords always have Dark Speech as one of their feats.  Upon becoming a demon lord, the creature may retrain any feats that it finds itself no longer needing (such as if the creature's new class skill list and recalculated skill ranks make qualifying for a prestige class easier, for example).  The newly-chosen feats must be ones the demon lord would have qualified for at the time that it originally selected the feat, as normal for retraining.
   Challenge Rating: +2

Guidelines for creating Demon Lord Aspects
NOTES ON CREATING ASPECTS
For aspects for player character demon lords styled after those in the Fiendish Codex web enhancements, a few simple rules seem to hold true.  The aspects are to be CR 7 creatures with 8 HD, of the same size, type, and subtypes as the demon lords from whom they are generated.  A demon lord can create an aspect as a full-round action, and can have a total of 4 aspects active at any one time.
   Armor Class: Between dexterity, bonuses from items, and other enhancements, the aspect's AC should be equal to its CR+17.
   Special Abilities: Aspects should have all the special abilities granted by their various subtypes (but with their innate summon tanar'ri or form of madness special attacks weakened accordingly to fit the aspect's CR), and should have an additional one or two special abilities to reflect the specific aspect of their base demon lord that they represent, be they special attacks, special qualities, spell-like abilities, or even bonus feats.
   Aspects should also have DR 10/Cold Iron and Good, and Fast Healing 5 (aspects are the result of conscious effort on the part of their base demon lords, and receive a steady stream of sustaining power from them).
   If the base demon lord has taken on any special weaknesses in exchange for bonus feats, the aspect can take on those same weaknesses in exchange for the same number of bonus feats.
   Ability Scores: The aspect's ability scores should be 3/4ths the base ability scores of the base demon lord (round up if the result is a fraction).
   Skills: The aspect's racial skills are any that the base demon lord has ranks in.  The aspect may not have more ranks in a skill than its base demon lord has.
   Feats: The aspect is not required to take the exact same feats in the exact same order as the base demon lord, but feats should be selected carefully in order to give the aspect similar, but weaker abilities to its base demon lord.
   Treasure: The aspect is brought into being possessing equipment of up to 9,400 gp in value (equivalent to the starting wealth of an 8th-level NPC).

And that's it for now.  Extra guidelines and restrictions might be added in as needed, but for now, this game is officially open and taking character submissions.

Edit: And speaking of extra guidelines and restrictions...

1) If the base creature you choose has an odd number of racial hit dice, you can add 1 bonus racial HD without increasing your CR.

Zaer Darkwail

Well, as I run already epic game and also other games I cannot really GM this one. However I voice interest to be a player in this one :).

PaleEnchantress

Im interested in some part of it, ill say more sometime later.
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PaleEnchantress

If its sandbox style we can do much like what Zaer is doing with different GM's for different threads.
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Kunoichi

That could certainly be a possibility.  It would certainly be easier on prospective GMs if they'd get to share the workload like that.  It would ultimately be up to whoever agrees to run the game, though. ^^;

PaleEnchantress

I'd really like to play a "Mother of Monsters" Agrat but focusing even more on spawning horrors. Check this Pathfinder creature out.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/aberrations/drakainia
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Kunoichi

Monster Manual III has a monster called the Summoning Ooze that might work for your purposes.  Specifically, you could take the ooze's Summon Monster special attack for your demon lord template-granted special attack and work in levels in some appropriate summoning-based prestige class.  That could certainly be an entertaining build. ^^

vatovie

I would highly recommend this instead. It was made in response to that template and the difficulties to play as fiends in D&D 3.5. It has every rule you would need for your idea and it has a variety of classes for the fiends to take so they can all be different, powerful, and equal. I might be interested in running this but I more thought you should see this because it's almost exactly what you're looking for.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Fiends_%283.5e_Sourcebook%29

Kunoichi

The Tome of Fiends does look like it has some interesting material in it, but I'm pretty specifically craving the chance to play with the template, I'm afraid. ^^; That said, thank you for the link.

PaleEnchantress

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Kimmy

Dark twisted nightmares wrapped in a bundle of rules & powers. An interesting and alluring concept, if only a GM can be found. I don't have the time for Epic GMing, but my interest is to be noted.
Posting rate: Moderate       Currently Chasing: Playful, Romance & Something Rough.
A&A           RL Issues: Some Insomnia.
Offsite RP's: 2 online + 1 RL. Currently Craving: Romance and just a touch of something darker...

Kunoichi

Oh, I'm definitely not looking to make this into an Epic game.  I understand how difficult and time-consuming something like that can be.  I was actually thinking that it might even be a part of the plot that the players would be much weaker than the official canon stats listed for other demon lords out there.  They'd be characters who managed to come by their titles through luck, accident, or the plotting of rivals, and as a result, they would find themselves in the unenviable position of having a title that many around them coveted and that they didn't have the personal power to hold onto for long.

Which would be a neat little excuse for why they would all come together as a party, as well as make the game much easier to run for a prospective GM...

VonDoom

The premise sounds interesting (not a big surprise, since you've posted in my own request thread that contains a similar premise  ;D) and I'd be up for playing if you find someone to run it. It's been ages since I tried anything in 3.5. and it may be a bit difficult going back from Pathfinder, but if a good game comes out of it....
Now this is the Law of the Jungle-
as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may  prosper,
but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

-Rudyard Kipling, "The Law of the Jungle"
O&O

Mantis Shrimp Prime

Right, so, I have offered to DM this one for our fair Kunoichi.
She should be putting the character creation guidelines in the OP.


Kunoichi

Alright, the first post has been rewritten and the character creation guidelines entered into it. ^^ I've also already finished the character I'm planning to play as, so I'll be able to help other people with creating their characters if anyone winds up needing assistance.

Demon Lady Torahime
Torahime, the Bloody Blade
Succubus Monster of Legend Prodigy Iaijutsu Master 10 (tanar'ri)
Size/Type:    Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Evil)
Hit Dice:    16d8+176 (304 hp)
Initiative:    +36
Speed:    30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. (average)
Armor Class:    37 (+13 Dex, +14 natural), touch 28 (+5 canny defense), flat-footed 24 (immune to being caught flat-footed)
Base Attack/Grapple:    +16/+21
Attack:    Muramasa +34 melee (1d10+11); whirling blade +36 ranged (1d10+18)
Full Attack:    Muramasa +34/+29/+24/+19 melee (1d10+11)
Space/Reach:    5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:    Energy drain, one strike two cuts, raging blood, shadow pounce, spell-like abilities, strike from the void, strike with no thought, summon demon
Special Qualities:    Canny defense, damage reduction 20/cold iron, epic and good, darkvision 60 ft., dimension door, enhanced attributes, fast healing 5, immunity to electricity and poison, lightning blade, prodigy, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 29, telepathy 300 ft., tongues, unearthly dodge, vulnerability to keen edges, weapon finesse
Saves:    Fort +24(+26), Ref +26(+30), Will +19(+23) (+4 vs Dark Speech)
Abilities:    Str 26, Dex 32(36), Con 32, Int 20, Wis 22, Cha 40
Skills:    Balance +19(+38), Bluff +19(+34), Concentration +19(+30), Diplomacy +19(+36)(+2 muramasa), Disguise +5(+20)(+2 acting in character), Hide +19(+36), Iaijutsu Focus +19(+40), Intimidate +19(+36)(+2 muramasa), Knowledge (The Planes) +10(+17), Listen +19(+35), Move Silently +19(+36), Sense Motive +19(+25), Sleight of Hand +10(+29), Spot +19(+35), Tumble +8(+25)
Feats:    Alertness(B), Combat Expertise(B), Darkstalker(B), Improved Initiative(B), Multiattack(B), Whirlwind Attack(B), Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Katana), Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (Katana), Item Familiar, Mindsight, Combat Reflexes, Flick of the Wrist, Dark Speech
Environment:    A chaotic evil-aligned plane
Organization:    Solitary
Challenge Rating:    16
Alignment:    Lawful evil
Treasure:    815 gp in assorted gemstones
Vest of Resistance +4 -16,000
Vestment of Many Styles -500
   -Inner pockets as a Handy Haversack -2,000
Greatreach Bracers -2,000
Masterwork Iaijutsu Focus Gloves (+2 Iaijutsu focus) -50
Boots of Dexterity +4 -16,000
Masterwork Wakizashi -310
Little Black Book of Planar References (+2 Knowledge [the planes]) -50
Muramasa
A cursed katana forged by the brilliant demonic craftsman of the same name, this -1 cursed aptitude bloodfeeding bloodthirsty focus masterslaying metalline acid-washed ornate serrated katana, paired with its companion scabbard of keen edges, is the only weapon Torahime is capable of using.  The soul of a quasit was bound into the weapon during its creation, making the sword an intelligent item with Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 14, the ability to see and hear in a 60 foot radius around itself, the ability to communicate telepathically with its master out to a distance of 120 feet and speak audibly in Common, Abyssal and Infernal, and an ego score of 17.  The sword is Chaotic Evil in alignment, but gets along with its master quite well nonetheless.
   Made from two or more fiendish metals, muramasa has been acid washed in order to bring out the contrast between those metals.  This acid washing has created elaborate and beautiful crimson iridescent patterns on the surface of the weapon, and grants the sword a +4 bonus on saving throws made against rust, acid and disintegration.  Together with the black onyx and golden inlays worked into the fiendish mammoth ivory sheath, the gilded crossguard, and the gold-plated quasit skull set into the pommel, these unique decorations all mark the blade muramasa as the handiwork of the craftsman after whom it is named, granting Torahime a +2 circumstance bonus to both diplomacy and intimidate checks against creatures who recognize the nature of the weapon.  Finally, the blade itself was forged with sharp, serrated edges that deal 1 point of damage each round for 1d4 rounds following a successful critical hit. This repeating damage does not apply to creatures immune to critical hits.
   An adaptable weapon, muramasa allows Torahime to take feats that affect the use of a particular type of weapon, such as Flick of the Wrist, and apply them to the demonic katana instead.  Muramasa grants an additional +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls to wielders who already have feats that are specifically keyed to weapons of its type, such as Torahime's Weapon Focus (Katana) feat.  Additionally, muramasa grants Torahime a +4 insight bonus to her Iaijutsu focus checks while she is carrying the weapon, even if it is sheathed.
   Torahime gains a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls with muramasa, so long as she keeps the weapon's lust for blood sated.  To keep the blade sated, she must use muramasa to kill a creature of at least 4 HD every 24 hours. When this blood price goes unpaid, the bonus on attack rolls is replaced by a -2 penalty. The bonus replaces the penalty again as soon as Torahime has slaked the blade's need to slay.
   As a standard action, Torahime can command muramasa to change its composition, allowing it to strike foes as though it were made of adamantine, alchemical silver, cold iron, or ordinary steel.
   Every time it deals damage to a living creature, muramasa gains 1 'blood point,' which it can store for up to 1 hour.  The weapon can store a maximum of 10 blood points.  This effect is continuous and requires no activation.
   When Torahime deals damage to a creature while wielding muramasa, she can activate the weapon as a free action to spend up to 5 stored blood points.  Each blood point she spends in this way deals an extra 2 points of damage to that creature.  The weapon doesn't gain any blood points from a strike in which she uses this ability.
   Finally, at the standard action command of whomever is wearing the blade's corresponding scabbard of keen edges, muramasa can attack its current wielder with the scabbard wearer's attack bonus, and the wielder will be considered flat-footed against the attack.  If it hits, muramasa deals damage as if it had scored a critical hit, though it cannot also deal any types of bonus damage the scabbard wearer might possess, such as sneak attack, skirmish, or Iaijutsu focus damage.  Torahime often delights in using this ability to catch her foes off guard, leaving the sword itself in some treasure hoard that her enemies are certain to stumble upon and then ambushing them at a later date.
-92,275

Torahime resembles a tall, slender elven woman of exceptional beauty and charm.  Her eyes are golden in color, her skin is pale and flawless, her head is covered in a long, luxurious mane of wild black hair, and the only things that give away her inhuman nature are the black-feathered raven wings at her back and the fact that she has the tail, ears, and gleaming white teeth of a tiger.  She dresses in eastern-style clothing with the pelt of a fiendish dire tiger she once slew worked into the outfit, and always carries two swords at her waist.

Combat
While succubi are not normally warriors, Torahime is something of a rare exception among her kind.  A competent fighter, she prefers to cast unholy aura and cloud of knives (in that order of priority) before every fight when possible.  She especially prefers to attack from surprise when she can, as at the beginning of each fight, she can use her dimension door and greater teleport abilities in conjunction with her shadow pounce ability and the Iaijutsu focus skill to inflict devastating damage upon foes who have not yet acted in the first round.
   Once combat has begun in earnest, she uses dimension door and shadow pounce together with the Flick of the Wrist feat to continue dealing Iaijutsu focus damage to her foes once per round, freeing up her standard action to cast other spells, such as setting up unholy aura and cloud of knives if she wasn't able to before combat, throwing out telekinesis or a whirling blade, or debuffing her foes with blasphemy, charm monster, greater dispel magic, or suggestion.  She is willing to flee if she feels that she is unable to achieve victory, using ethereal jaunt, greater teleport, orplane shift as needed to escape.
   Torahime's cursed sword muramasa, the only weapon she is capable of wielding, is treated as chaotic-aligned and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Energy Drain (Su) Having first come into being as a succubus, Torahime still possesses the ability to drain energy from a mortal she lures into some act of passion, or by simply planting a kiss on her victim.  If the target is not willing to be kissed, Torahime must start a grapple, which provokes an attack of opportunity. Torahime's kiss or embrace bestows one negative level.  The kiss also has the effect of a suggestion spell, asking the victim to accept another kiss from Torahime.  The victim must succeed on a DC 37 Will save to negate the effect of the suggestion. The Fortitude save to remove a negative level is also DC 37. These save DCs are Charisma-based.

One Strike, Two Cuts (Ex) Torahime can make two attacks with a katana as a standard action.  This means she can strike twice and move in the same round, or attack twice in the strike phase of an iaijutsu duel.

Raging Blood (Su) Torahime's blood crackles like lightning through her veins.  Each time damage is dealt to Torahime with a piercing or slashing attack, her blood sprays outward in a 5-foot cone, dealing 1d4 points of electrical damage to all within range (no saving throw).  Torahime is not harmed by her own blood.

Shadow Pounce (Ex) Torahime knows how to attack swiftly from the shadows.  Any time she uses an ability, spell, or effect with the teleportation descriptor (for example, her dimension door and greater teleport abilities), she may execute a full attack upon completion of the teleportation.  Torahime must have line of sight on her intended target from her original location, and the spot to which she teleports must be a place from which she can launch a melee attack at the intended target.

Spell-Like Abilities Caster level 16th, save DCs are Charisma-based.
At-will - astral projection, blasphemy, charm monster (DC 33), cloud of knives (PHBII), desecrate, detect good, detect law, detect thoughts (DC 31), ethereal jaunt (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), greater dispel magic, greater teleport, plane shift, polymorph (self only), suggestion (DC 32), telekinesis, unhallow, unholy aura (DC 37), unholy blight (DC 33), whirling blade (SpC)
3/day - greater magic weapon, phantom battle (DC 33, PHBII), symbol of stunning (DC 36)
1/day - blade barrier (DC 33), body outside body (CArc)

Strike from the Void (Ex) Torahime adds her Charisma modifier to each extra damage die gained from using the Iaijutsu Focus skill.

Strike with No Thought (Ex) If Torahime begins combat (not an iaijutsu duel) within melee range of an opponent, she gains a free surprise round, even though her opponents are aware of her presence.  The only action Torahime can take in this surprise round is an attack action using a katana.
   This ability reflects Torahime's ability to apply the principles of the iaijutsu duel in normal melee combat.  It does not give Torahime any additional benefit within an iaijutsu duel.

Summon Demon (Sp) Once per day, Torahime can automatically summon 1d6+2 succubi or 1d4+1 vrocks. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell.

Canny Defense (Ex) When not wearing armor, Torahime adds her Intelligence bonus to her Dexterity bonus to modify touch AC while wielding a katana.  As with normal Dexterity AC modifications, positive modifiers are lost when Torahime is caught flat-footed.

Change Shape (Su) Torahime can assume the form of any Small or Medium humanoid.

Dimension Door (Su) Torahime can teleport, as dimension door (caster level 16th), once per round as a free action. The ability affects only Torahime, who never appears within a solid object and can act immediately after teleporting.

Enhanced Attributes (Ex) The save DC for each of Torahime's special attacks, spells, and spell-like abilities is increased by +4.

Fast Healing (Ex) Torahime regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round.  Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow Torahime to regrow or reattach lost body parts.

Lightning Blade (Ex) Torahime adds her Charisma modifier to her initiative checks, as well as her Dexterity modifier.

Prodigy (Ex) Torahime is amazingly dexterous.  She gains a +2 bonus to her Dexterity score and an additional +4 bonus on any of her check modifiers that are based on that ability (including ability checks and skill checks), improving those modifiers by a total of 5.

Tongues (Su) Torahime has a permanent tongues ability (as the spell, caster level 12th).  She usually uses verbal communication with mortals.

Unearthly Dodge (Ex) Torahime cannot be caught flat-footed and reacts to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so.  She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC even if blinded or struck by an invisible attacker.  However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
   Additionally, Torahime can no longer be flanked.  This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack Torahime by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than Torahime's hit dice.

Vulnerability to Keen Edges (Ex) Weapons with the keen property, as well as weapons that count as having the keen property for any reason (such as having been drawn from a scabbard of keen edges), automatically bypass Torahime's damage reduction.

Weapon Finesse (Ex) Torahime may use her Dexterity modifier instead of her Strength modifier on attack rolls with her katana.  This works like the Weapon Finesse feat, except that it applies to the katana, a weapon to which the feat cannot normally be applied.

Skills
Torahime has a +8 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

Fiendish Aspect of Torahime
Aspect of Torahime
Size/Type:    Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Evil)
Hit Dice:    8d8+40 (104 hp)
Initiative:    +10
Speed:    30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. (average)
Armor Class:    24 (+8 Dex, +6 natural), touch 18, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple:    +8/+10
Attack:    wakizashi +16 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack:    wakizashi +16/+11 melee (1d6+4)
Space/Reach:    5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:    One strike two cuts, summon demon
Special Qualities:    Damage reduction 10/cold iron and good, darkvision 60 ft., dimension door, fast healing 5, immunity to electricity and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, telepathy 100 ft., vulnerability to keen edges
Saves:    Fort +13(+14), Ref +14(+15), Will +9(+10)
Abilities:    Str 20, Dex 24(26), Con 24, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 30
Skills:    Balance +5(+15), Bluff +10(+20), Diplomacy +10(+22), Hide +10(+18), Iaijutsu Focus +10(+22), Intimidate +10(+22), Listen +11(+14), Move Silently +10(+18), Sense Motive +10(+13), Sleight of Hand +5(+15), Spot +11(+14), Tumble +8(+16)
Feats:    Improved Initiative(B), Weapon Finesse, Quick Draw, Mindsight, Flick of the Wrist
Environment:    A chaotic evil-aligned plane
Organization:    Solitary
Challenge Rating:    7
Alignment:    Lawful evil
Treasure:    40 gp in assorted gemstones
-1 cursed wakizashi -3,500
Quick-draw sheath (masterwork Iaijutsu focus item) -50
Masterwork wakizashi -310
Vest of Resistance +1 -1,000
Vestment of Many Styles -500
Boots of Dexterity +2 -4,000

Combat

One Strike, Two Cuts (Ex) The Aspect of Torahime can make two attacks with a weapon as a standard action.  This means she can strike twice and move in the same round, or attack twice in the strike phase of an iaijutsu duel.

Summon Demon (Sp) Once per day, the Aspect of Torahime can attempt to summon 1 vrock with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.

Dimension Door (Su) The Aspect of Torahime can teleport, as dimension door (caster level 8th), once per round as a move action. The ability affects only the Aspect, who never appears within a solid object and can act immediately after teleporting.

Vulnerability to Keen Edges (Ex) Weapons with the keen property, as well as weapons that count as having the keen property for any reason (such as having been drawn from a scabbard of keen edges), automatically bypass the Aspect of Torahime's damage reduction.

TheGlyphstone

Staking an interest flag here.

To not overlap thematically too much with the other characters suggested so far, I'm going to go with a theme of darkness/shadow and fear for my character - a demon lord of the terror of the unknown, what lurks in the darkness outside the firelight. Lots of Illusions, Darkness spells, and Fear effects.


What unique abilities/qualities did you come up with, K? And should we send prospective characters to Mantis, or post them here?

Kunoichi

I posted my character in my post above, but if you'd like a list of what I specifically chose for the Demon Lord template...

QuoteTorahime, the Bloody Blade            CR 16
Succubus Monster of Legend Iaijutsu Master 10 (tanar'ri)
Additional Spell-Like Abilities
   At-will - cloud of knives (PHBII), whirling blade (SpC)
   3/day - greater magic weapon, phantom battle (PHBII)
   1/day - blade barrier, body outside body (CompArc)
Additional Weaknesses
Vulnerability to Keen Edges (Ex) Weapons with the keen property, as well as weapons that count as having the keen property for any reason (such as having been drawn from a scabbard of keen edges), automatically bypass Torahime's damage reduction.
Shadow Pounce (Ex) Torahime knows how to attack swiftly from the shadows.  Any time she uses an ability, spell, or effect with the teleportation descriptor (for example, her dimension door and greater teleport abilities), she may execute a full attack upon completion of the teleportation.  Torahime must have line of sight on her intended target from her original location, and the spot to which she teleports must be a place from which she can launch a melee attack at the intended target.
Summon Demon (Sp) Once per day, Torahime can automatically summon 1d6 succubi or 1d4 vrocks. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell.
Dimension Door (Su) Torahime can teleport, as dimension door (caster level 16th), once per round as a free action. The ability affects only Torahime, who never appears within a solid object and can act immediately after teleporting.
Unearthly Dodge (Ex) Torahime cannot be caught flat-footed and reacts to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so.  She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC even if blinded or struck by an invisible attacker.  However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
   Additionally, Torahime can no longer be flanked.  This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack Torahime by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than Torahime's hit dice.

Shadow Pounce was the special attack I chose, and was pretty much copied directly from the Telflammar Shadowlord and Crinti Shadow Marauder prestige classes.  Similarly, the Dimension Door special quality was taken from the Blink Dog.  Unearthly Dodge is just Uncanny Dodge + Improved Uncanny Dodge, and the upgraded Summon Demon ability was copied directly from another pre-existing demon lord.

Basically, when it comes to the special abilities from the Demon Lord template, the best option is usually to see if there's are monsters and/or prestige classes with good pre-existing special abilities that work well with your concept.  As for where to send prospective characters to, I'll let Mantis say whether or not he wants them sent to him, but I don't think that posting them here will be a problem.

Mantis Shrimp Prime

Post them here, if you would.


Or rather, post your initial character concepts first.
Kunoichi gets auto-accepted because it was her idea, but I'll only select 3-5 others based on how much they wow me with their profile. Just a couple paragraphs on personality and background would do.
The more you give in terms of possible plot hooks, past enemies, jilted lovers, schemes, ambitions, dreams, fears, etc. will make it more likely you make the cut.

I'll probably be VERY picky depending... in the past, I've tended to be too afraid to say no and often took on WAYYY too many players because of it... so if I say, here's a picture of chocolate syrup as your consolation prize, you're not in the game, sorry and all I'm not meaning to be a prick about it or anything. >.<

Then once all that is decided, I'll make a proper OOC thread, THEN we can worry about stats and such.


For background, can be whatever you want, the basic outline being you *were* a rank-and-file demon who got very strong through... whatever adventures you wish to include... and due to a recent cataclysmic battle the demon lord of a particular Abyssal layer has been vaporized and *you* are one of the figure who has risen to power in this vacuum.

You don't have much of a power base YET and building such will be a major part of the story.



TheGlyphstone

The Demon Lord template turns us into Outsiders - how does that work, background-wise, if we weren't already outsiders to begin with? Specifically, I was going to use a (templated) Gnome as my base race, since I plan on leveling in Shadowcraft Mage.

Mantis Shrimp Prime

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on May 15, 2015, 02:31:52 AM
The Demon Lord template turns us into Outsiders - how does that work, background-wise, if we weren't already outsiders to begin with? Specifically, I was going to use a (templated) Gnome as my base race, since I plan on leveling in Shadowcraft Mage.

The idea is you always were a demon, and whatever 'race' you use as a base is just a mechanical thing, and you can fluff it however you want. Presumably you started out as a lowly dretch and then got beefed up into your current form.

You also don't need to get overly concerned about "qualifying" for stuff based on race or type or alignment or whatever (example, Torahime is a succubus and shouldn't be able to apply the Monster of Legend template, but we're waiving such requirements).
Only rule is at the end of the day, your Type: Outsider (evil, chaotic).

For the record, I'd encourage picking an actual monster to base your character on, rather than just one of the standard PHB races.



TheGlyphstone

Okay, so prerequisites for prestige classes are also waived, not just for templates? That does give me a bit more flexibility than I'd hoped.

How much modification/alterations would you be willing to consider for base creatures, though? One reason I wanted a 1HD creature/PHB base race was that much more freedom in class levels, but most monsters have at least a few racial hit dice built in, and that makes most spellcaster builds distinctly and severely disadvantaged unless they choose one of a tiny handful of monsters with innate casting (a concern since I was going to make a character centered around fear and darkness magic).  For example - the Shadow Demon would be an excellent thematic match for my concept, but mechanically it is awful with 10 non-casting racial Hit Dice and a number of melee-focused abilities (Pounce, Rake, Improved Grab). If I were to draft up a variant Shadow Demon that traded those abilities for sorcerer casting of its hit dice, letting me create the spellcaster character I want while still being a monster, would that be acceptable?

Kunoichi

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on May 15, 2015, 02:31:52 AM
The Demon Lord template turns us into Outsiders - how does that work, background-wise, if we weren't already outsiders to begin with? Specifically, I was going to use a (templated) Gnome as my base race, since I plan on leveling in Shadowcraft Mage.

I should note that there are a lot of half-fiends, fiend-blooded and fiendish creatures in the Abyss, as well as planar travelers who go to various layers of the Abyss for various reasons.  Some of those characters have risen to become Demon Lords in the past, though not always willingly.  Lascer, Lord of the Shadow Shoals was a skilled planar explorer who was captured by Fraz-Urbluu, for example, and was basically warped and tortured until he became a horribly twisted and disfigured demon.  Now he's grown in power enough that the Prince of Deception basically has his own pet Demon Lord to act as a personal assassin, though it's possible that he might break free and strike out on his own at some point in the future.

I think that characters in this game wouldn't necessarily need to have been rank and file demons in their backstory, so long as they had some sort of ties to the Abyss and a reason to have been in the right place at the right time to become a Demon Lord.

I also think that it would probably not be a good idea to completely waive the requirements for prestige classes, though the Shadowcraft Mage prestige class does have a note in the Adaptation section about replacing the Gnome racial requirement with a membership requirement in some shadowy cabal of illusionists.  Something like that could give some interesting and fun plot hooks in a game like this one. ^^

TheGlyphstone

Quote from: Kunoichi on May 15, 2015, 03:14:24 AM
I should note that there are a lot of half-fiends, fiend-blooded and fiendish creatures in the Abyss, as well as planar travelers who go to various layers of the Abyss for various reasons.  Some of those characters have risen to become Demon Lords in the past, though not always willingly.  Lascer, Lord of the Shadow Shoals was a skilled planar explorer who was captured by Fraz-Urbluu, for example, and was basically warped and tortured until he became a horribly twisted and disfigured demon.  Now he's grown in power enough that the Prince of Deception basically has his own pet Demon Lord to act as a personal assassin, though it's possible that he might break free and strike out on his own at some point in the future.

I think that characters in this game wouldn't necessarily need to have been rank and file demons in their backstory, so long as they had some sort of ties to the Abyss and a reason to have been in the right place at the right time to become a Demon Lord.

I also think that it would probably not be a good idea to completely waive the requirements for prestige classes, though the Shadowcraft Mage prestige class does have a note in the Adaptation section about replacing the Gnome racial requirement with a membership requirement in some shadowy cabal of illusionists.  Something like that could give some interesting and fun plot hooks in a game like this one. ^^

That was sort of where I was originally planning to go, but if there's flexibility in modifying base monsters, that is an option I want to at least explore. If not, I can always go find a different monster who actually has innate spellcasting (such as a Drider or Sylph), but theme > mechanics when possible in a game like this. And being a demon of malevolent living shadow would be a perfect excuse for waiving the racial requirement on Shadowcraft Mage.

Mantis Shrimp Prime

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on May 15, 2015, 02:58:14 AM
Okay, so prerequisites for prestige classes are also waived, not just for templates? That does give me a bit more flexibility than I'd hoped.

Flavor ones,  mind you, not stuff like skills/feats.
I've never been a fan of "only gnomes can use teh illusions"!
Thought we left that attitude back in 2e when only humans could be paladin.
Freakin' speciesists.

I also hate D&D gnomes. Unless they happen to be named Jan Jansen.

Quote
How much modification/alterations would you be willing to consider for base creatures, though? One reason I wanted a 1HD creature/PHB base race was that much more freedom in class levels, but most monsters have at least a few racial hit dice built in, and that makes most spellcaster builds distinctly and severely disadvantaged unless they choose one of a tiny handful of monsters with innate casting (a concern since I was going to make a character centered around fear and darkness magic).  For example - the Shadow Demon would be an excellent thematic match for my concept, but mechanically it is awful with 10 non-casting racial Hit Dice and a number of melee-focused abilities (Pounce, Rake, Improved Grab). If I were to draft up a variant Shadow Demon that traded those abilities for sorcerer casting of its hit dice, letting me create the spellcaster character I want while still being a monster, would that be acceptable?

Well, thematically, the Umbral Creature template from Savage Species would make just about anything fit.
Or take plain old Shadow for something that's just 3 HD. I'd rather not customize stuff *too* much since this is already so flexible, so as to keep things from getting too chaotic.


By the way, if anyone wants a look at a particular book or something, PM and I'll hook you up.
Don't want anyone feeling shafted because they only have the SRD to look through...



edit: Also, if you get accepted and do the Shadowcraft Mage thing, I better not hear the phrase "realer than reality" or I will leer at you so hard

Zaer Darkwail

I voice interest, but do not have now time to post detailed idea yet but I plan use obyrith subtype one way or another.