House of Ravens (was Want to run D&D)

Started by greenknight, November 08, 2013, 07:22:31 AM

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ulthakptah

I was thinking about making something horribly under powered since that seems to be the theme here; a ranger who specializes with crossbows. However my knowledge of Greyhawk setting is pretty nonexistent. Would that be a problem?

Miroque

@Ulthakptah: Why ranger, if crossbow? Why not rogue or fighter? you cant still manage to get multiple shots with it.. unless you have Van Helsing automatic rapid fire crossbow-thingy .)

Ranger would be great addition me thinks..

ulthakptah

Quote from: Miroque on November 10, 2013, 03:47:17 PM
@Ulthakptah: Why ranger, if crossbow? Why not rogue or fighter? you cant still manage to get multiple shots with it.. unless you have Van Helsing automatic rapid fire crossbow-thingy .)

Ranger would be great addition me thinks..
Why a crossbow? because a composite longbow outclasses the crossbow in every way. Still the rapid reload feat lets you reload light and hand crossbows as a free action making them able to fire with a full attack. There are repeating crossbows, but those only have clips of five, and require a feat anyway since they are exotic. The benefit would be I could use a heavy crossbow with a full attack oppose to a light one, but that is only a difference of a 1d10 to a 1d8, and isn't worth the only shooting five times before a full round to reload.

I understand your confusion though. Really the only class that excels with crossbows is rogues. However that is the point, making something that's a challenge. Also like you said a ranger would fit well.

Zaer Darkwail

Crossbow ranger would work and ranger would be very good overall. Just be careful with favored enemy and check can you approve some PHB II feats which improve crossbow use.

If you want to be wilderness guy but not ranger, scout is viable choice and it works also well with crossbow guy thanks skirmish feature.

ulthakptah

Quote from: Zaer Darkwail on November 10, 2013, 05:44:24 PM
Crossbow ranger would work and ranger would be very good overall. Just be careful with favored enemy and check can you approve some PHB II feats which improve crossbow use.

If you want to be wilderness guy but not ranger, scout is viable choice and it works also well with crossbow guy thanks skirmish feature.
Yes I know about the scout class, and even better the Swift Hunter feat which adds the best parts of both classes together. However scout is not one of the core classes. Also crossbow sniper is not all it's cracked up to be. at least not at lower levels. Since we are only level 4 my feats would be: rapid reload, point blank shot, and precision shot. Also the feats for being 4th level ranger.

greenknight

Not so much underpowered as limiting sources for DM sanity. No issues with rangers with crossbows at all. If you plan to use the archery style, I have no problem with nocking extra quarrels at 6th level and beyond.

Background items: The duchess of Woodwych is a ranger, and the county itself extends well into the Celadon Forest. The neighboring, friendly nation, the (palatinate) Duchy of Urnst is also ruled by a ranger (who did so quite poorly for much of his reign due to his habit of leaving court on long hunts for giants and such) and sponsors the only ranger academy in the Flanaess in their side of the Celadon. So, no, rangers are quite in appropriate.

Game design thoughts: Bows outclass crossbows because D&D isn't really simulationist. Besides William Tell, who are the archetypal crossbowmen? Archers? That's right, we have heroic archetypes to feed the archers, even if longbows are ridiculously cumbersome tools in real life. Is the conclusion then that crossbows aren't heroic? Take this for what you will.
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greenknight

Is anyone else having trouble getting to www.ghmaps.net that Miroque linked earlier?
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Zaer Darkwail

I get to site just fine. Anyways waiting on approval of these stuff from you greenknight;

Quote from: Zaer Darkwail on November 10, 2013, 09:50:01 AM
Anyways PrC's which I thought would fit; Sanctified One, Pious Templar and Legendary Leader (with later case the commander aura and double commander aura could be replaced simply continue marshal aura progression and allow have two minor or two major auras active in 5th level). Also if ignore racial requirement (replaced with; exiled from homeland or other feat), Outcaste Champion.

Also can I through my background get access to Dreadful Wrath feat? As marshals overall are not power houses in melee combat anyways, so I thought it could be cool make 'frightening shout while charging in' to shake foes up.

Another idea is that I multiclass later as barbarian, but then I would prefer use alternative class feature; spirit totems, from Complete Champion supplement (thinking mostly get a Lion spirit totem).

Edit; Forgot mention Dragonlord (choose mimic other mythical beast considering Kord is known also as wyrmslayer), and devotion line of feats. Mostly thought pick one following; Strenght, Good, Luck or Chaos

Which get thumbs up and which get down thumbs?

Tagan

#83
I have a concept.  Female Monk/Bodyguard playing the main PC's escort/harlet person.

Just one question.  Is the Psychic Warrior Class (as listed in the SRD) alright?

Here's a basic sheet.  (I'll modify to fit level and ability scores if you like it.)
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=173189

Second concept, Sorceress/Protector of the Count, most helpful on long Journey's because of her bond with a Pair of Giant Eagles, has been with the Count's family for years, as Scout and Protector and long time friend of the heir.

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=347822

Tagan

And third, a quirky concept.

Each heir of the line has been given a pet as soon as they grew old enough to be out of nappies.  An Elven Cat of the same line.

Few know that these Cat's are the last line of defense for this noble Line. 

Dora loves her charge dearly... perhaps more thanks wise for her.
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=112494

greenknight

Sanctified One: We'll have to work on this one. If you're going for Kord, remember you'll have to have a pretty radical alignment change. I'm also not happy with his chaos ability. I'm also not using affiliations.

Pious Templar: See above. Also, this PrC ties you to a specific location; if your loyalty is truly to Victoriana, you might pine for it but not join it. Also, I'm not using faith feats/points, either. I have no desire to start tacking on extra systems.

Legendary Leader: Not in the focus of the campaign. I think you'll be disappointed at the lack of opportunity to use your abilities.

Outcast Champion: yes, but the racial component stays. Half-elves and half-orcs aren't separate societies, they are more appropriate as growing up among humans. Remember that half-orcs aren't green Klingons, they readily pass as (ugly?) humans.

Dragonlord: No. The altered campaign model doesn't apply, so the whole of Dragon Magic is out.

Dreadful Wrath: No. I haven't considered any regions that would be analogous to Rashemen to expand their regional feat set.

Devotion feats: Not as written.
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greenknight

Tagan, the first has potential, except for the psych(ot)ic warrior part. Check out the devoted defender from Sword and Fist (I don't know if it's been updated to 3.5)

The second relies heavily on extra feats from taking flaws. You can take the flaws but you don't get anything from them. Also, the count is much higher level than the party.

For the third, are suggesting you'd play someone's sentient "pet" or improved familiar? That's not a bad concept.

Character rules: see this post https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=189512.msg9167730#msg9167730. Short form: 40 stat points, 6000 xp (you can spend them on level advancement or crafting as you see fit), 5400gp.  Anything outside the core requires approval.
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Tagan

#87
Well, does the third character work for you then?  Because I've got a soft spot in my heart for her.

I can fit her to your rules in under an hour.

The only thing out of the ordinary is allowing the Elven Cat as a PC race, so it's the GM's call.

Elven Cat

greenknight

I'm game to see how the cat works out, but this is one where the rest of the players have to be on board.

Corrected skill bonuses: +4 racial Climb, Hide, and Move Silently and +8 racial to Jump and Balance. Use Dex for Climb and Jump and increase Hide bonus to +8 in tall grass.

Changes: remove the Int bonus and add Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. With the level adjustment, reduce funds to 2700gp. Lose armor/robe, hat/helm, rings, belt, and glove body slots.

Do any other players have an issue with a magical cat as part of the party?
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Tagan

Ok!  I'll change the character as described.

Almost done.

greenknight

Put the "lady-in-waiting" on standby, too.
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Tagan

Quote from: greenknight on November 11, 2013, 01:31:02 AM
Put the "lady-in-waiting" on standby, too.

I have a Monk/Wizard Sheet since the Psychic Warrior doesn't work.

I'll finish it up at post it.  (I'm not as fond of that character, but I do like her.)

ulthakptah


Miroque

#93
I think that elven cat character should use Awakened creature template. As its WotC made, so its more inline with rest of the rules, and not home brew. Only problem with it, is randomized Intelligence (3d6) and increased Charisma (+1d3) over the base creature. And then add the charcter levels (in cats case, it would be base HD 1 (+2 from template) +1 character level (of choosen class)

Awakened Cat would be:
Size/Type:   Tiny magical beast
Hit Dice:   3 (d8)
Initiative:   +2
Speed:   30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:   14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple:   +2/-10
Attack:   Claw +6 melee (1d2-4)
Full Attack:   2 claws +6 melee (1d2-4) and bite +1 melee (1d3-4)
Space/Reach:   2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks:   —
Special Qualities:   Low-light vision, scent
Saves:   Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities:   Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int (3d6), Wis 12, Cha 7+1d3
Skills:   Balance +10, Climb +6, Hide +16*, Jump +10,Listen +3, Move Silently +8, Spot +3
Feats:   Stealthy, Weapon Finesse

+ additional skillpoints form intellicenge (2+Int per HD)
+ 1 level of character class.

Solid super pet. And I dont have anything against awakened creature character, as long as its animal, not an animorph...
(and if your set on Monk, that cat rally would lay some whoop ass with 1 monk level... increased saves, flurry of blows and 1st lv feat (Pounce, allowing full attack on charge, availlable for feline beasts), monk bonus feat to stunning Fist ..and voila.. super cat/monk protector


Tagan

#94
Yes, but I really don't want 3 levels of Animal HD.

Elven Cat was a Race in the 2.0 handbook.... So it's not so much Homebrewed as brought back?

Let's be clear, this is not a power character, though I play intelligently.  With nearly no item slots, no hands, -8 Str, and Tiny Sized, if a regular 0 lvl Kobold decides to grapple the Spellcasting Cat...

Well, that's that.

To have to pay a lvl to have the character, and -4 Stat points beyond the template I used before? 

I must really want to try this.

But 3 character levels?  No, that's too much to ask.

Miroque

really? in which book? I meen, I know where to find elven cat (Compleate elven HB) but its not race there, just an familiar.

Tagan

... I don't have my old 2.0 books any more.  Faerun Campaign guide maybe?

greenknight

Using the awaken spell as the background or rules basis would add a -2 Cha modifier and remove the LA so you would have 2 animal HD (d8) and be a Wiz2. Does that work or were dead set on having 2nd level spells?
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Miroque

and if any-cat, remember to take Natural Spell feat.. otherwise no casting at all.

Tagan

Really?  Hmmm..

No.

2 character levels and another -2 stat and another lost feat is too much to pay to play a Cat.

An Elven Cat doesn't need Natural Spell.  They use their own gestures, though they often get Eschew Materials.

I guess this wasn't meant to be?