It allows you to search the
messageboards, send and receive private messages, give yourself a
custom usertitle, turn ads on or off, create a custom style for your
profile, get a nifty badge under your username, and gives you a special
warm glowy feeling! Oh, and it gets rid of this annoying message, too!
You see before you a being that can only be described as an anthropomorphic sheep. With fangs, claws, and a mischeivous (or is that wicked?) grin.
Hi-ii-i. Welcome to the BAA clubhouse, or as we like to call it, the Shearing Pen. Come on in, the party's just starting. My name is Ga-aalhalsaf-aa-t, where would you like to be seated?
Quote:
The clubhouse is centered around a raised circular lounging area. The lounging area is divided into 9 distinct groupings, each centered around a large floating crystal ball, depicting one of the Battle Arenas. Floating above the exact center is a large crystal ball 5 times the size of any other. Each of the groups is completely separate from any of the others, and the groups aren't mingling (for the most part).
The club entrance is in the "sunken" area around the outside with a ramp leading up into the lounge. The "sunken" area contains a number of tables and booths (or the equivalent for the non-humanoid types). All are currently empty.
From the doorway, you can see the bar directly opposite, on the far side of the central lounge. Glasses, mugs, and other (what must be) containers are floating around in no apparent order, being variously cleaned and filled by an invisible bartender. Stools (and stool equivalents) line the 2/3 of the bar, but the central one third is kept clear for the invisible servers.
The group nearest the doorway includes such Axiomatic notables as Primus and the Formian Hive Queen, and the small globe shows the Mechanus Arena.
The group nearest the bar (directly at the bar's ramp) contains some Slaadi - as well as indeterminate other monsters. The Anarchic crowd's globe shows the Limbo Arena, but they seem to spend as much time ignoring it as they do yelling trash-talk to the other groups.
The group to the immediate left of the doorway includes Tome Archons, and other similar Celestial Beings. The small globe shows the Celestia arena.
The group to the immediate right of the doorway is composed of high-ranking Infernal beings, including a few Archdevils, Archdukes, and Dukes of Hell. The small globe shows the Hellish arena.
The group to the immediate left of the bar contains members of the Starry Courts. The graceful (and sometimes dignified) beings' globe shows the Arborea arena. The graceful rowdies return their Anarchic cousins' trash-talk with gusto.
The group to the immediate right of the bar contains some truly violent Abyssal Drunks, who spend as much time fighting each other as they do watching the fights in their own arena.
In the center of the left arc, a group of powerful Exalted beings pays relatively close attention to their globe, which shows the Elysium arena.
In the center of the right arc, a group of powerful Fiends are plotting and betting around their globe, which shows the Hades arena.
The grouping under the main globe contains a wide assortment of beings. They spend most of their time watching the central main globe, which shows highlights of each of the arena's matches.
On the left wall hangs a large glowing plaque which is titled "The Battle Hall of Fame".
On the right wall hangs another large glowing plaque which is titled "Scoreboard".
Located between the Axiomatic and central groups is a large billboard titled "Anouncements".
Galhalsafat continues: "If you'd like to join those in the central lounge, you have to Sign-Up to sponsor combatants for one or more groups. Lounging in the Outer Realms is free. Don't disturb the serving staff. The bartender can provide you with any refreshments you need. If you wish to make formal anouncements, please post them to the board. Feel free to mingle, or not, as you choose."
==
Out-of-Character.
Hi. Welcome to the Battle of All Alignments Clubhouse. Gansk has been kind enough to let me start/build it, so I guess I should give it's two purposes.
1) As an Out-of-Character (OOC) forum/thread, this is intended for open, meta-game discussion of things related to the Battle Arenas, like getting someone to cover you if don't have a book ("tagging out"), or need to go on vacation/away-from-keyboard for extended periods ("substitution"), or want to swap arenas, etc.
2) As an In-Character forum/thread, this is intended to support and encourage a complete side ecology. After all, how many places will give you the opportunity to hear Tiamat singing 5-part drunken filk, or watch Bahamut place side bets with the arch-modron Primus? Those haven't happened yet, but the Clubhouse is intended to be place where they could - a place similar to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, and the Draco Tavern, all rolled up into one, D&D style. A place where people can post and participate in the Battle of All Alignments without having to make any comittment at all.
3) Feel free to post IC or OOC, but mark which you're doing. IC posts can add as much detailed frill as you like to the Clubhouse, even expanding it. Please don't detail a faction area that isn't your own (to avoid a complete mess). But never contradict a previous description. Each group is populated by it's high-ranking (CR 21+) monsters and deities.
4) Gansk is the ultimate moderator, but let's make his job easy by keeping this thread civil, hmm? Don't get our clubhouse privileges yanked.
__________________ GuardianLurker
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" -No. 6
I'm creating an AE/psionics, no magic item campaign world. I'm doing it on the web, in public. Come and comment at my world-building blog.
Last edited by GuardianLurker; 10th May 2005 at 09:00 PM..
A psionic brachiosaurus squeezes through the doorway and sits at the bar.
After being greeted by the anthropomorphic sheep, he mutters to himself, "You'd think after refereeing the original Battle of Good and Evil, they would reward you by giving you a gig in a place a like this. But nooooooo, instead they hire a sheep, and non-psionic at that! I could have regaled the patrons with all the stories from the good old days. But I guess everybody forgets about you when you get old, even the old timers like Bahamut and Demogorgon. They must have gone senile."
So, much like a basketball game, the early fights are fun to watch but won't really influence who wins. (not that this is a serious endeavor, I know)
I only wish the dominated penguin of evil had lasted longer...
__________________ "The DM will do a lot of talking, but if he’s not rolling the dice then what he’s saying is probably not important."
- DM of the Rings
There is a disturbance at the door. The host is speaking to a dim shadowy presence that you can't quite make out. You can hear it just fine however, as it speaks (almost declaims) in a voice that makes some of the Infernal presences snap their heads around in worry. But when they "see" the presence, they appear briefly confused.
The presence migrates over to the Celestial group, and grabs a chair, pulling it next to the globe. The presence greets his new companions, who greet him amiably. As soon as he sits, one of the servers takes his drink order - rather pedestrian choices, given the snobbish glances coming his way from the Eladrin Courtiers.
"Yah. That's it. If he's going to back away from us, let's herd him so he backs right out of the arena. Oh, good blow, so who's next? $@#% I'm really starting to hate those missile weapons."
Given the presence's obvious involvement with the arena battles, he must be one of the combat sponsors.
__________________ GuardianLurker
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" -No. 6
I'm creating an AE/psionics, no magic item campaign world. I'm doing it on the web, in public. Come and comment at my world-building blog.
Hey, Gansk - I like the CR announcements, but wouldn't it be better just to add a new post and change the title? 160 different threads is going to be a little awkard to deal with. 8 different announcement is bad enough.
Maybe another column on the scoreboard detailing highest CR encountered for that arena?
Or fold them into here?
__________________ GuardianLurker
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" -No. 6
I'm creating an AE/psionics, no magic item campaign world. I'm doing it on the web, in public. Come and comment at my world-building blog.
Hey, Gansk - I like the CR announcements, but wouldn't it be better just to add a new post and change the title? 160 different threads is going to be a little awkard to deal with. 8 different announcement is bad enough.
Maybe another column on the scoreboard detailing highest CR encountered for that arena?
Or fold them into here?
I like the announcements because it can serve as a kind of summary for lurkers who are just coming in. I'm not sure what you are referring to with the 160 threads number, is that just an exaggeration?
I don't think RobotRobotI is going to play anymore (I think I scared him off when my baboon got lucky and plowed through everything), so I am opening the arena back up.
Komodo expressed a desire to play the yugoloths, which are NE, so I am switching him to the Hades arena.
The end result is that the Limbo arena is available if anybody wants it.
I like the announcements because it can serve as a kind of summary for lurkers who are just coming in. I'm not sure what you are referring to with the 160 threads number, is that just an exaggeration?
Well, you announced CR 1 as it entered two different arenas in two different threads, plus you announced CR 2 as it entered on of the previous two. IOW, you seem to be announcing each CR bump in each arena as a separate announcement.
8 arenas * 20 CRs = 160 different announcements. In practical terms, it'll probably be a little less, since some alignments don't have monsters at certain CRs, but it's probably still going to be overwhelming.
I understand why you did it, but it's going to escalate quick. Right now, on my default browser settings, only the most recently active arena is visible at the bottom of the screen, and the arena threads are about 1/3 (eyeball estimate) of the threads (including anouncements) in the forum.
Oh - and that's just the first round; repeat over the next 3 tourney rounds for the full answer.
__________________ GuardianLurker
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" -No. 6
I'm creating an AE/psionics, no magic item campaign world. I'm doing it on the web, in public. Come and comment at my world-building blog.
The lurking presence notices that the Limbo globe seems to be frozen in time; the Limbo faction doesn't notice as they're too busy taking advantage of the bar. The presence wanders down to the host's podium, and a brief discussion ensues. Eventually, the presence makes another mark in the sponsor's log, and returns to his seat with the other Celestials.
The other Celestials, in their turn, have another, much hotter, discussion with the presence. Whatever he communicates with them seems to mollify them to some degree. In the background, the Limbo globe resumes playing.
__________________ GuardianLurker
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" -No. 6
I'm creating an AE/psionics, no magic item campaign world. I'm doing it on the web, in public. Come and comment at my world-building blog.
The maximum number of announcements would be 9 (8 arenas plus the 'welcome' announcement). The announcements can be edited and deleted. I have already edited an existing announcement about the Mechanus arena and changed it from CR 1 to CR 2.
Any talk about CR's in the threads is part of the OOC banter between the player and I - it is not meant to be any 'official proclamation' or 'announcement'.
Ah. That's better then. I just didn't have enough data points to distinguish between the two scenarios. 9 announcements + the overhead is still a lot, but its better than 160.
__________________ GuardianLurker
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" -No. 6
I'm creating an AE/psionics, no magic item campaign world. I'm doing it on the web, in public. Come and comment at my world-building blog.
I've looked over the Fire Falcon stats, now. It doesn't look too bad, except for the auto-hit/no-save feature of the Flame Spheres. The damage itself isn't the issue, it's the no-save that puts it over. I've put in some errata to the CreatureCatalog folks suggesting it probably needs a Reflex save on the initial hit.
As it stands now, I'd benchmark it at CR2.
__________________ GuardianLurker
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" -No. 6
I'm creating an AE/psionics, no magic item campaign world. I'm doing it on the web, in public. Come and comment at my world-building blog.
I've looked over the Fire Falcon stats, now. It doesn't look too bad, except for the auto-hit/no-save feature of the Flame Spheres. The damage itself isn't the issue, it's the no-save that puts it over. I've put in some errata to the CreatureCatalog folks suggesting it probably needs a Reflex save on the initial hit.
As it stands now, I'd benchmark it at CR2.
I agree with you, it is poorly written and forced me to bend over backwards to make it even close to CR 1. If you add the Ref save to the spheres, I think CR 1 is appropriate.
The CR2 phase wasp had no-save magic missiles at double the range, double the damage, and unlimited use (with a delay between uses).
Eh. 2d4+2 (possibly split between two targets) every third round on average, vs. 1d6+1d6(Ref DC 15)+1d3(Ref DC 15) that's Area-of-Effect, and can be done once/round for four rounds, is pretty close to even I think. And the Fire Falcon can actually do melee damage.
As written, it's seeming more and more like CR 2.
__________________ GuardianLurker
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" -No. 6
I'm creating an AE/psionics, no magic item campaign world. I'm doing it on the web, in public. Come and comment at my world-building blog.
Gansk - been skimming the creature catalog. Do you know the builders of said document? The FAQ says no submissions, but I couldn't resist doing a 3.5 version of the Quickling, an old favorite. Do you know if they just junk submissions?
Gansk - been skimming the creature catalog. Do you know the builders of said document? The FAQ says no submissions, but I couldn't resist doing a 3.5 version of the Quickling, an old favorite. Do you know if they just junk submissions?
I think the way it works is you request a monster you want converted, then all the interested ENWorlders debate how it should be converted. Check the Monster Conversion forum and you'll see a couple of threads where the work is done.
Here's a creative exercise that players can participate in while they are waiting for my moves!
Design your own general!
As I have stated in the rules, each alignment gets exactly one CR 21 general. If the general is defeated, the alignment is eliminated from the Battle of All Alignments.
I have been struggling with finding generals for each alignment. Here is what I have come up with so far:
LG: Old Gold Dragon (MM or Draconomicon)
NG: Battle Dragon Wyrm (Draconomicon) with a template applied (TBA)
CG: Brass Dragon Wyrm (MM or Draconomicon)
LN: Ancient Rust Dragon (Draconomicon) with a template applied (TBA)
N: Thunder Worm (Fiend Folio)
CN: Titan (MM)
LE: Ancient Blue Dragon (MM or Draconomicon)
NE: Frost Linnorm (Creature Catalog)
CE: Very Old Red Dragon (MM or Draconomicon)
If you don't like the general I have chosen, come up with your own! Here are the rules:
1) The monster must come from one of the sources listed in the rules for the Battle of All Alignments. Spells and feats can also come from those sources, but they are subject to my review.
2) The base monster must be at least CR 18, then advanced or have a template applied, or both. More than one template cannot be applied, and the template must be legal for the base creature and cannot change its alignment. Advancement must also be shown as "legal" in the stat block of the monster.
3) The monster must be an "average" specimen. Do not pull out the high cleric for Asmodeus in the Book of Vile Darkness and give him an extra level to make him CR 21. Hit points will be average.
4) The monster cannot receive any more equipment than is specified in the text, even if the monster is advanced by level.
5) You must submit the stat block of your general before a CR 11 monster enters the Battle of All Alignments. If you have not done so, I will use the default monster from the above list.
6) If you do not want to participate or feel that you don't have enough of the texts to design a general, you can tell me to use the default monster.
7) If you want your general to be a surprise to the other players, you can private message me using the ENWorld PM utility.
If there are any questions or concerns, please let me know.
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