Garthalla: Customized/Homebrewed 3.5 DnD Recruitment

[ZameRagues]

Name: Ovan, Sheet still needs Equipment, Spells, and notes based on potential characters being accepted.
Race: Human
Class: Bard
Description: Standing at 5'7", The Mechborn for the most part appears no different than a human man until you look closer. His skin is of a soft leather texture similar to a slightly tan individual. His vibrant blue eyes are mechanical in appearance using an iris shutter to imitate a biological eye. Starting at his shoulders and hips, his limbs display more mechanical features, slim gaps in the skin to allow for improved range of motion while the torse, neck, and head are completely covered. Unlike most Mechborn however he sports a full head of long brown hair, a modification of his own choice primarily for style and to stand out anytime he chooses to return home to Mechatork, taken from a horse's mane it requires mending any time it gets damaged.

Biography

Due to an encounter between his mother and a human bard from Zandarian, Ovan was born without a father and given only a name to remember him by. As the only child of an aide, mixed with a fairly lax personality, he had a rather simple life. Was able to attend a school to receive an education and at the start of his adolescence served as a translator thanks to a gifted tongue.

After a few years of seeing the world atop the moving city and meeting many nobles from nearly everywhere in the world, the spark of independence came to life. He was seeing the world but not touching it. Each passing season the spark grew into an ember, the ember into a flame, flame into a roaring fire. Bidding his home farewell he stepped off of Mechatork and into the City of Coin. His first goal was registration with the Local Adventurer's Guild, next was the closest chapter of The Brotherhood of the Burning Heart. It was only then did he truly feel he could start to call himself an Adventurer which would later evolve into Bard.

His life in the guilds started as a fantasy, strutting around as a lone wolf attempting to prove himself and show that he could hold his own. As he rose in rank he grew more and more co-operative and willing to work with other individuals rather they be from the guilds or village militia or even just random strangers.

Bronze rank, single handedly defeated a Black Bear within his first year. Later that month found a pair of Bugbears and convinced one to attack the other with his aid, defeated the one Bugbear promptly when the second was dead (Level 2).

Iron, Accepted any request of aid from towns, villages, or other small settlements over the next few years. One of the larger skirmishes being an undead horde raised by an archeologist in possession of a necromantic trinket that held their mind. With both a cleric and a handful of other adventurers and sell-swords later took down the possessed individual once the horde had been dealt with (Level 4).

Silver, For the next couple decades, Ovan walked the land in search of tourneys of any kind. Sword, bow, dance, even knowledge. If a competition was held his feet took him there, the size didn't matter. Due to his natural talent and his Bardic skill set as he called it, he quite often won the lesser tournaments he attended (Level 7).

Gold, Now with a wide array of practical experience on his belt along with plenty of practical combat experience, the next two decades were after prestige. An Annis Hag along the borders of the Frostward. An aboleth that threatened the Throatcutter Isles. A juvenile Black Dragon amassing an army in the Bandit Kingdom. A Chimera that appeared in the forests of Caor'rinthiir. While aided by others of varying numbers, he worked as both a member and leader to the teams that slew such creatures taking up whatever role was needed to accomplish the quest (Level 9).

Rolls

At 2019-03-21 15:01:13, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 10
At 2019-03-21 15:01:11, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 15
At 2019-03-21 15:01:09, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 16
At 2019-03-21 15:01:02, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 15
At 2019-03-21 15:00:59, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 14
At 2019-03-21 15:00:57, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 12
At 2019-03-21 15:00:55, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 17
At 2019-03-21 15:00:54, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 15
At 2019-03-21 15:00:52, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 12
At 2019-03-21 15:00:50, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 14
At 2019-03-21 15:00:48, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 10
At 2019-03-21 15:00:40, ZameRagues (uid: 18627) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 11

Name: Ovan, The Perfect  Race: Mechborn Human  Class/Level: Bard/9
Str: 15/+2  Dex: 16/+3  Con: 18/+4  Int: 16/+3  Wis: 16/+3  Cha: 18/+4 (20/+5)
Hp: 65  AC: #, ^tch#, ^ff# Init: +3  Fort: +7  Will: +9  Ref: +9  Melee: +8/+3  Ranged: +9/+4
Weapons:
-
Armor:
-
Shield/Protective Item:
-
Feats/Special Abilities:
- Racial, Human. One feat at creation.
- Racial, Human. 4 extra skill points at creation.
- Racial, Human. 1 additional skill point per level.
- Racial, Mech Life. +2 Con, +2 Wis
- Racial, Mech Life. Clarity: +2 racial bonus to saving throws against any emotion spells and effects.
- Racial, Mech Life. Pre-Programmed Perfection(Ex): You have innate talent for group of skills. You gain +2 competence bonus to two skills of your choice (Swim and Climb)
- Racial, Mech Life. Linguistic Protocols (Sp): You gain comprehend language as constant at-will spell-alike ability and gain +1 competence bonus to charisma checks.
This count as 1 gift. If taken as 2 gifts you gain tongues as constant spell-alike ability and competence bonus increases to +2.
- Character Flaw, Fool. You lose the inspire courage, inspire competence, inspire greatness, and inspire heroics bardic music abilities.
- Feat, Human. Obtain Familiar (Sasha, Pending character approval)
- Feat, Flaw. Versatile Performer
- Feat, 1st Level. Versatile Spellcaster
- Feat, 3rd Level. Combat Expertise
- Feat, 5th Level. Snowflake Wardance
- Feat, 7th Level. Knowledge Devotion
- Feat, 9th Level. Jack of All Trades
- Level 4 ASI. +1 Cha
- Level 8 ASI. +1 Dex
- Class, Bardic Music. Countersong, Fascinate, Suggestion, Song of Freedom, Mass Suggestion
- Alt Class, Bardic Knack. Half Bard level (Rounded Up) in place of ranks for any skill check. PHB II
Skills: Bardic Knack - (k)
Appraise: +8 k, Balance: +10 k, Climb: +9 k, Concentration: +10 k, Decipher Script: +8 k, Diplomacy: +25, Disable Device: +8 k, Disguise: +12 k, Escape Artist: +8 k, Forgery: +8 k, Gather Information: +14 k, Handle Animal: +12 k Heal: +8 k, Intimidate: +14 k, Jump: +12, Knowledge (Arcana): +8, Knowledge (Architecture): +8 k, Knowledge (Dungeoneering): +8 k, Knowledge (Geography): +8 k, Knowledge (History): +8 k, Knowledge (Local) +8, Knowledge (Nature): +8 k, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty): +8, Knowledge (Religion): +8 k, Knowledge (Planes): +8 k, Listen: +15, Move Silently: +8 k, Open Lock: +8 k, Perform (Dance, Sing, String Instruments, Sexual Technique): 12 Ranks, Perform (All Others): 5 "Ranks", Ride: +8 k, Search : +8 k, Sense Motive: +15, Sleight of Hand: +17, Spellcraft: +11 k, Spot: +8 k, Survival: +8 k, Swim: +9 k, Tumble: +12, Use Magic Device: +19, Use Rope: +8 k.

- Tricks: Collector of Stories, Conceal Spellcasting
Other Possessions:
Languages: All
Spells:
Level 0: Prestigitation, Summon Instrument, Mending, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mage Hand
Level 1: Improvisation, Share Talents, Immediate Assistance, Disguise Self
Level 2: Summon Weapon, Gitterdust, Cat's Grace, Whirling Blade
Level 3: Listening Coin, Dispel Magic, Glibness

[Re Z L]

Name: Dask
Race: Changeling
Class: Changeling Wizard 5/Prestige Class X
Description: Appearance is highly mutable.
Biography: WIP

Feats will include Extra Familiar and Improved Familiar, and in fact the character might even be entirely familiar-focused, taking advantage of the Morphic Familiar ability from Races of Eberron's Changeling Wizard substitution levels to enable all sorts of interesting transformations. ^^ Though, if this looks like a fun build to anyone else, feel free to steal it for yourself, as well.

Could work pretty well hand-in-hand with what I had in mind for a changeling as well--one focuses on real changes (yours) while the other is more focused on illusory ones (mine).

Still piecing through my build at the moment, but thought I'd offer that up if it was something you'd be interested in  ;D

[Kunoichi]

@Kunoichi: If your changeling wizard becomes master of my Alluran healer.. that morphic familiar is insanely twisted.. *big thumbs up*

I'm glad you like the idea. ^^ I was considering Alienist as a fun and flavorful way to add another element to that, since the Alienist PrC gets the Pseudonatural Creature template for free on its familiar, but the main feature of the prestige class locks out a lot of the more fun options on the Summon Monster list, so I'm a bit torn on the idea.  Plus I wasn't sure if you'd like having the ability to transform at-will into a writhing mass of tentacles. :P

Could work pretty well hand-in-hand with what I had in mind for a changeling as well--one focuses on real changes (yours) while the other is more focused on illusory ones (mine).

Still piecing through my build at the moment, but thought I'd offer that up if it was something you'd be interested in  ;D

I was thinking more that it'd be a wizard focusing on getting maximum mileage out of its familiars, but that probably would include a pretty big investment into transmutation spells.

Anyway, time to put together the character sheet for that cat Paladin...

Edit: And now a question for Zaer involving items.  The Eberron book The Forge of War has a number of items called Heraldric Crests listed in it on pages 118-120.  These items are normally only applicable on shields.  The Heraldric Crest of Inspiration would double the effective range of all my auras, but since I need both hands free for archery, I'd have to get an animated shield in order to use it.  Unfortunately, the costs of the Animated property combined with the Heraldric Crest are just enough to put it past the amount I'm allowed to spend on a single item.  11,000 for the Crest, 9,000 for the +1 Animated property, meaning that the cost of the masterwork shield it all goes on just barely pushes it past 20,000 gp.

So instead, I'd like to ask if I could simply get the ability of the Heraldric Crest itself as some sort of Wondrous Item.  Face, Head or Shoulders would probably all be appropriate slots, still keeping the full 11,000 gp cost.  I'd probably call it something like a 'Dancer's Veil of Inspiration' and have it take up the Shoulders slot, if you'd allow me to do so.
Never mind, currently too expensive for my budget.

Edit2: And for one more item-related question, if I take the first-level Harmonious Knight substitution level for Paladin, which should fit with my character since it's a set of substitution levels for Paladins of Milil, I get an extra Inspire Courage class feature.  It's not tied to Bardic Music, just Inspire Courage on its own, and it's capped at +1, but I'm wondering if I might be able to have it count as Bardic Music for the purposes of powering the special abilities of a Bow of Song?  The description on the Harmonious Knight's Inspire Courage specifically describes it as taking the form of an inspiring song, so it should at least fit from a flavor perspective.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Question for Zaer, What would the repercussions of betraying the Order of Sapphire be like? Such as going through the Ritual and then leaving the order.

Very harsh as Sapphire Order is about ultimatum of law and perfection of machines, so they would hunt you down to seek shut you down for good. They have zero tolerance for 'oathbreakers' as it is. But if you want mechanized life template then you just need have born in Mechatork (and likely have mother who is mechanized life creature in there). Mechatork have diverse caste of races living in there already who are not part of the order but likely follow the state religion (Sapphire Order teachings) someway. There can be Mechatork bards, clerics, arcanists and so on.

Kunoichi: I would accept the crest and alternatively you could place them onto buckler (which allows freedom to hands used to other tasks). Buckler was/is fairly common self-defense item for those who dualwield or use bows. But while using off hand to attack with dagger you forsake buckler's protection while archer can always deflect attacks coming at them (so long your not readied a shot to fire a bow you get buckler's bonus to AC).

Anyways Harmonious knight bardic music/inspiration counts for usages on Bow of Song. Or use any bardic special powers which asks bardic music uses.

[Kunoichi]

The description for Heraldic Crests explicitly only allows them on Light, Heavy and Tower shields, actually, but if you'll allow it on a Buckler, then that'll be something to pick up in the future.  And my plan is to stick the Bow of Songs property onto ye olde Hank's Energy Bow, so having Harmonious Knight Inspire Courage count for powering the Bow of Songs should help with getting my attack bonus up to make those power shots. ^^

I've got a partially-completed character sheet edited into my profile post on page 1 of the thread, if anyone wants to take a look.  Zaer, you've allowed players to enchant Psychoactive Skins of Ectoplasmic Armor as though they were masterwork full plate in the past; is that still alright?  I have heavy armor proficiency, so I could just take regular full plate armor if necessary (and it would be much cheaper), but since a Psychoactive Skin doesn't take up the body slot, I'm guessing that it probably won't meld into my character's body whenever she turns into a cat.  Regular armor would do that, as would the 'half-cost, but takes up the Body slot' version of the Skin of Ectoplasmic Armor from Complete Psionic, hence why I'm hoping to spend a little extra for the slotless version.

[Laughing Hyena]

Speaking of cat paladins... Kunoichi (God Im dumb when Im tired), I'm now leaning towards having a mage of the arcane order that works within field research. So it is quite possible that the two of them could be working together to further each others goals. A singing paladin with a inquisitive mage sounds like a fun time for adventures.

Zaer, Im currently looking over Silverlake County for the humble beginnings of my mage as you have stated since it is a simplistic beginning. A spell caster born from a fishing community sounds like a very modest way to start and the exploits he can get up to on the field can have him go deeper into the rabbit hole of this rather vast variety of cultures. Learning how to channel his magic by means of a retired adventurer, and thus seeking further understanding his mentor told him that the best kind of learning is from personal experience. Thus when my PC joins the Order of the Arcane or Guild he might be already established as a mage but seeks them as a means to further his education and becomes a field researcher.

Basically I wanted it to keep it simple without any huge plot twists or such at the beginning. Basically a nobody gains power and now has many a test of character.

PPS - Im also curious and PM me if thats sensitive knowledge but whats the custom spells or such regarding Incarum as this is where I wish to take my PC towards. I've read up but it seems like its in mid creation from a world building standpoint.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Kunoichi: I allow crests on bucklers as well. On psychoactive skins I do allow further enchant them and you can have body slot taking one or slotless one (later one costing lot more).

Laughing Hyena: Ok, you can join mage of arcane order PrC with such beginning and have joined as means expand your knowlegde. However doing so your part of inner functions of Arcane Order (after all it's in PrC name after all :P). So you may not have studied under a mage who was part of arcane order (gained experience on field work alone). But either paths of studies are accepted in the order. In regards incarnum spells they are work in progress but concept is that there is likely metamagic feat which you spend some incarnum points in to help making spells stronger and influenced by incarnum. Then there would be few spells which interact with incarnum but they are 5th level and lower ones.

I would allow your char has already developed a spell or two which interact or work with incarnum. Besides ones I work with. One common one is Soul Armor, which functions as weaker version of mage armour (giving AC bonus +2), but investing on incarnum point to the spell (bound for duration of the spell) it grows better; increase AC bonus per invested essentia and then have options where spend investia (increase on energy resistance, miss chance or reactive/immediate action 'shield' effect).

[indarkestknight]

Ability scores: 13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 11... Oof.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Ability scores: 13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 11... Oof.

Ouch, pretty average there :P.

[indarkestknight]

Ouch, pretty average there :P.

Painfully so.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Can boost with items or template or two. Or pick race with nice stat array.

[Kunoichi]

Ability scores: 13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 11... Oof.

Did you make the full 12 rolls, or just 6?  Either way, I'll note that the right invocation choice on Warlocks can make them pretty stat-independent.  Or you could stick the Dragonborn template onto some other high-Constitution race and make a decent Dragonfire Adept, for that matter.  Using the Lesser Planetouched option on a Maeluth (Fiend Folio) would get you a LA+0 base race with +4 Con and -2 Dex, for example, letting you pump one of those 13s up to a 19 after adding on the Dragonborn stat adjustments.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, indarkestknight is interested on making a warmind and needs to be able qualify for elf only stuff (elf or half-elf). But if he does not mind eating some LA for some additional templates which give stat bonuses then those stats can work. High elf has bonus to wisdom stat example and it's fairly important to warmind.

[Laughing Hyena]

Laughing Hyena: Ok, you can join mage of arcane order PrC with such beginning and have joined as means expand your knowlegde. However doing so your part of inner functions of Arcane Order (after all it's in PrC name after all :P). So you may not have studied under a mage who was part of arcane order (gained experience on field work alone). But either paths of studies are accepted in the order. In regards incarnum spells they are work in progress but concept is that there is likely metamagic feat which you spend some incarnum points in to help making spells stronger and influenced by incarnum. Then there would be few spells which interact with incarnum but they are 5th level and lower ones.

I would allow your char has already developed a spell or two which interact or work with incarnum. Besides ones I work with. One common one is Soul Armor, which functions as weaker version of mage armour (giving AC bonus +2), but investing on incarnum point to the spell (bound for duration of the spell) it grows better; increase AC bonus per invested essentia and then have options where spend investia (increase on energy resistance, miss chance or reactive/immediate action 'shield' effect).

As a side note: Let me know if you intend to make a prestige class of incarnum sorcery or such later on. I'll have to pull out my books again. ^_^

[Zaer Darkwail]

I have plans for one, haven't got time to work on it. But I can prioritize to get something written up in weekend (along with healer class changes, Kunoichi gave good pointers).

[Kunoichi]

When it comes to Incarnum and arcane magic, doesn't the Soulcaster prestige class already exist?  I'm pretty sure there's a Soul Manifester prestige class, as well.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Did not know soulmanifester excisted, but it looks good PrC for psion mixed with incarnum. Soulcaster is similar. I would adjust both classes slightly to have something extra in them (but good know there already excist feat and spells which have incarnum keyword, I may had skipped that part of incarnum book).

[Miroque]

IF and When the Healer mods's come, I'l make the changes to my healer application.


EDIT: When would you Zaer think to start this game ?

[Zaer Darkwail]

I posted ETA for player picks and start to be week minimum, max 2 weeks depending RL scheludes. Soon as picks are done I make OOC thread and then IC thread same day.

[indarkestknight]

Given my painfully average rolls I may have to scrap my warbladr/psychic warrior/eternal blade build in favor of a transmuter or sorcerer with either swiftblade or master transmogrifist with the main intent of running around polymorphed in combat. Druid with wild shape and an animal companion is another consideration...

[Zaer Darkwail]

Transmutation/Shapeshifting wizard/sorcerer concept is interesting (and there is PrC for it). You get your racials + 2 attribute points from levels 4 and 8. Another interesting approach is dragon disciple (take sorcerer levels and enter PrC and get stat boosts). I noticed I haven't in homebrew PrC section posted my changes for it (mostly that spellcasting progresses on said PrC half of normal rate and close or at pinnacle you get ability polymorph into dragon as there are spells for it, as a spell-alike ability).

[PaleEnchantress]

This looks like it's taking on a very classic adventuring party dynamic I'm not sure if I'm a good fit or not for that sort of thing. For those of you that know me I would like some opinions

[Zaer Darkwail]

This looks like it's taking on a very classic adventuring party dynamic I'm not sure if I'm a good fit or not for that sort of thing. For those of you that know me I would like some opinions

Indeed this is taking on classic dynamic of a party, in regards your chars it depends how you play your chars specific kinks. Your char could be a traveling/adventuring prince/princess who runs lots followers who answer all his/her needs, mundane and bedroom sort. But in normal social setting you could hold back displaying the full carnal depraved/dark nature, keep social mask to keep up appearances as a hero. Working with others if it just happens align with your own goals.

So in short your char concepts work if they can work in team (not always demand spotlight) and can keep full depravity/darkness/carnal interests behind private setting and have social mask hide such desires.

But then again is up to other players are they okay even reading what you do behind scenes which can be quite extreme from usual menu. But overall it would be best if your open about them so fellow players can voice are they okay with them or not. As it also plays on my decision making when I make parties up which would be okay with your char (if I pick it up).

[Kunoichi]

Given my painfully average rolls I may have to scrap my warbladr/psychic warrior/eternal blade build in favor of a transmuter or sorcerer with either swiftblade or master transmogrifist with the main intent of running around polymorphed in combat. Druid with wild shape and an animal companion is another consideration...

A Half Giant with the Primordial Giant template from Secrets of Xen’drik would get +4 to Int and Cha for only +1 LA, if that might help.  Wizard or Sorcerer would both be good options that way, or you could take the Educated Wilder ACF to pick up Metamorphosis (psionic Polymorph) at level 9 while getting to benefit from the Wilder’s 3/4 BAB.  You could even pick up Metamorphic Transfer one or more times to get one or more supernatural abilities from whatever you turn into if you go the psionic route.

[Phaia]

total
17, 15,15,15, 14, 12

well okay i guess from 12 rolls let me see what I can come up with!