Danger in Kielo Caverns(DnD 3.5 Group game, Extreme, full for now)

[ExisD]

Setting:
Kielo caverns used to be infested by the worst monsters imaginable, groups of adventurers regularly entered their depths never to return. Then, 50 years ago the dwarven hero Kielo went on a one man slaying spree, clearing out the caverns and allowing trade with the kingdom of Derist to flourish. Merchant caravans traveled her winding passages on a daily basis.

However, three years ago the monsters returned, but this time they were different. Rather than simply killing anyone in their territory they started abducting intruders. The caravans continued, but now time they were under heavy guard. Each group typically has 10 wagons and close to 50 guards.

The most recent human group, lead by the wizard Ignus, had most unfortunate luck so far. They had lost nearly 15 people to the monsters so far, and had fallen prey to numerous traps. However the worst came at Reteger bridge. The thick stone bridge was the only method of crossing the raging river beneath, and as the group crossed the bridge suddenly collapsed.

Separated from the others will our intrepid heroes find their way out, save the remainder of their caravan, or succumb to the monsters of the depths?

General:
The game will be exploration focused and most of the social interaction will be between players at first.
5 spots
DnD 3.5- level 8
32 point buy
40,000 gp. No more than 10,000 on a single item
Core+Complete+Spell Compendium, if you want anything else or something custom then ask please.
I'd prefer to have at least 2 female characters.
PCs don't need to know each other at the beginning, however you all were part of the caravan.

I'm putting extreme to be safe, I'm still not familiar with what falls in each category and if enough people want something/don't object to it I'll try to fit it in
Expect the following to show up at some point: rape, mind control, monsters(tentacle, ooze, etc)
I'll run based on the O/O of the players, but if you have a request I'm all ears.

Out of Character Thread
In Character Thread.

[NicciKotor]

Woo, here is Miya, the catgirl favored soul:

http://plothook.net/RPG/profiler/view.php?id=8311



She was cursed into being a kittygirl, so there is buffs and nerfs to her character and personality.

[ExisD]

Looks good, but upgrade your magic items. You've got a bit more money to spend on them

[NicciKotor]

Ooohhh... excellent.

[TheGlyphstone]

Level 8's enough to tweak my interest button. What level of power/optimization are you comfortable with? Basically, what is your definition of 'broken', and what subsystems/rulesets will you flat-out disallow based on them being totally overpowered munchkin fodder?

(also, since I'm bored and curious -Nikki, is that a LA+0 version of the Catfolk race, or something homebrewed?)

[NicciKotor]

Level 8's enough to tweak my interest button. What level of power/optimization are you comfortable with? Basically, what is your definition of 'broken', and what subsystems/rulesets will you flat-out disallow based on them being totally overpowered munchkin fodder?

(also, since I'm bored and curious -Nikki, is that a LA+0 version of the Catfolk race, or something homebrewed?)

We talked it over and home brewed it. Here are the stats for her curse, for curiorsity:

Cursed collar
-Turns her into a kitty.
-+4 cha and cha to saves.
-10 to sense motive.
- 5 to will saves.
- sensitive skin.
- unable to wear panties.
- Super sensitive to ear rubbing and spanks.
- Purring
- Saying -nyaa out of habit.
- wiggle butt when excited.
-Submissive nature when subdual naughty damage is dealt.

[TheGlyphstone]

-+4 cha and cha to saves.
-10 to sense motive.
- 5 to will saves.
and fluff stuff

Hm. The Cha-to-saves is potent, but that -5 Will save penalty basically makes you a sucker-punch for any sort of enchantment magic, so I'd say it balances out pretty well.

[ExisD]

Level 8's enough to tweak my interest button. What level of power/optimization are you comfortable with? Basically, what is your definition of 'broken', and what subsystems/rulesets will you flat-out disallow based on them being totally overpowered munchkin fodder?

(also, since I'm bored and curious -Nikki, is that a LA+0 version of the Catfolk race, or something homebrewed?)

I'd prefer characters to be optimized in a few areas because it allows me to run enemies as intelligent and dangerous. The big problems I have are when someone overrides another player's usefulness. A good example would be divine meta magic and persistant spell combined with divine power making the cleric simply better than most melee classes. It's less about how good your character is personally and more about how they relate to the party.

[NicciKotor]

Yeah I made my character to be only moderately good at combat, especially at level 8. Using only javelins means that she is vulnerable at melee, since javelins give a -4 to attack in melee.

At which point I take a five foot step and freeze your face off with hypothermia, -nya.

[TheGlyphstone]

Moderate-op then. That's helpful to start...the fact that you're aware of DMM CoDzilla as a standard of high-op play is also promising.

Tome of Battle: The fix that makes melee combat fun, or overpowered weaboo cheese in a can?
Psionics: The most broken munchkinbait in existence, or how magic should have been written to start?

I'm not actually planning on either of those (right now, my thoughts are wandering toward a debuffer/summoner caster, on a Dread Necromancer chassis if I can get it), but those are two of the best barometers for what a prospective GM is both likely to use and wants to see used. And yeah, they're a bit polarized/exaggerated, but I've seen the arguments so many times that only the extremes stand out to my mind anymore.

[NicciKotor]

Tome of battle!? EEK!

[ExisD]

I look at the Tomb of Battle as an excellent books that puts melee classes on par with full casters in combat without requiring incredible magic items, however in a game with it and other non-tome classes it can be nearly as bad as the cleric example from the other player's eyes. On psionics, for how I run tabletop games they're problematic due to nova potential, in tabletop I tend to have 1 or 2 encounters per day. For a game like this they should be ok.

[NicciKotor]

Also I updated my equipment. Got shoes of spider climbing, called armor, frilly cute armband of maximized healing, and a crystal of enduring fire, lesser. So with my favored soul fire resistance, I got 20 fire resistance over all!

MUWHAHAHAHAHA!

I'm going to be 'accidentally' starting fires all over the place. Also got the single best spell for divine casters when you REALLY got to set things on fire. Energy Vortex!

[TheGlyphstone]

I know your feelings on that stuff, I want to hear the DM's. :D You really, really like fire casters, don't you?

EDIT: I like you already, ExisD.

Incidentally - Dread Necromancer is in Heroes of Horror. It's similar to the Warmage from CArcane, but instead of being a superspecialized Evoker, it's a superspecialized...well...necromancer. Is better at animating undead and negative energy attacks, and gradually transforms into a lich over 20 levels. Are you familiar with the class, and if so, can I have it? I'm planning on trying to fulfill the dual role of debuffer/tank substitute with myself and one or two beefed out and well-equipped undead bodyguards.

[NicciKotor]

I know your feelings on that stuff, I want to hear the DM's. :D You really, really like fire casters, don't you?

EDIT: I like you already, ExisD.

Incidentally - Dread Necromancer is in Heroes of Horror. It's similar to the Warmage from CArcane, but instead of being a superspecialized Evoker, it's a superspecialized...well...necromancer. Is better at animating undead and negative energy attacks, and gradually transforms into a lich over 20 levels. Are you familiar with the class, and if so, can I have it? I'm planning on trying to fulfill the dual role of debuffer/tank substitute with myself and one or two beefed out and well-equipped undead bodyguards.

Speaking from experience and dealing with a dedicated necro in the group, it turns into a cluster fucks in little time. Since whatever sort of monster you throw at the party gets turned into a giant monster mount.

Which brings up a fun story. The necromancer in my game a year back turned a Uberhulk into his personal mount. In order to counter that undead monster, I threw at Behir at the party. Which is essentially a giant fuckin caterpillar with lightening breath. The two of them spent the entire combat doing opposed grapple checks while everyone was jumping out of the way in fear of getting crushed.

That was a great combat. The moral of the story is, do NOT throw giant monsters at necromancers.

[TheGlyphstone]

Your necromancers lack style and taste - an Umber Hulk Skeleton isn't even that good, an Umber Hulk Zombie would be even worse...Trolls or Fire Giants are better at the same size category.

Besides, if I have a Fire Giant skeleton guarding us, you can indulge your pyromania to your heart's content. Or your icemania, if you prefer.

[Kunoichi]

Besides, you're going through caves.  Not exactly the best place to either find or fit giant monsters, in my experience. ^^; At least not ones with skeletal structures, anyway.

I might try coming up with a character sheet for this game, but I'd have to give it some thought on what I'd want to play.

[TheGlyphstone]

They could be big caves. Though anywhere that we're not walking single-file, a Large creature will fit; and if we are, Large critters can still Squeeze.

[NicciKotor]

Well I have nothing to worry about with your pansy undead bodyguards. A maximized cure critical can do plenty. Three times.

[TheGlyphstone]

well, if we're going to PvP - how many of those maximized CCW can you throw after I've hit you with a couple of Enervations? :D Death Ward is definitely not on your list of spells known right now (Hypothermia, CCW, Mass Shield of Faith). Better stick to throwing your boom spells, while my chunky bone buddies keep you from being kitty paste on the cavern floor.

[NicciKotor]

well, if we're going to PvP - how many of those maximized CCW can you throw after I've hit you with a couple of Enervations? :D Death Ward is definitely not on your list of spells known right now (Hypothermia, CCW, Mass Shield of Faith). Better stick to throwing your boom spells, while my chunky bone buddies keep you from being kitty paste on the cavern floor.

You are forgetting one important thing. I am far too adorable to maim!

[Kunoichi]

Yeah, PvP strikes me as being a bad idea in a survival-themed game.  Especially one that's basically set in the Underdark.

[ExisD]

I think dread necro would work just fine for this, and no you guys don't need to like each other in character. However, you're going to be in unexplored territory and need every hand possible.

[TheGlyphstone]

Eh, I've never really been into catgirls. Though I do plan to give my guy a sadistic streak, so maybe he will. though the bright side of PvP with a necromancer means that we'll have another disposable minion afterwards, alongside the replacement party member. ;D ;D


Excellent, DNecro is go then. I'll hit you up with a few other small tidbits I'd like considered via PM, then I'm off to bed.

[Kunoichi]

Hmm. ><; The one character concept I've got that I really want to try out is one that I'm not sure would fit this game's general concept and tone...

Oh well.  Maybe I can try something involving Magic of Incarnum.

Hmm.  Totem Rager and that 'Trapkiller' Barbarian variant from Dungeonscape...