Surtur Preview

Ta da!

Thanks very much Frobojoe mate!

Okay I just wanted to get some feedback on the preview before I screen capture the pages and put them directly on the website.

I have also noticed a few things when constructing the stat blocks.

Firstly I think I am wasting space (and inadvertantly distracting people) by outlining those divine (cosmic or whatever) powers that are merely prerequisites for other powers.

Secondly, I think the competence bonuses attributed to portfolios is much too ambiguous and probably far too powerful. So I am likely going to change it to a single bonus to a pertinent action/ability.

Lastly, I wonder if there is a quicker way of describing one of the Effect abilities (such as Surtur's Uncanny Cosmic Mastery) - they take up a dreadful amount of room.

Also chances are I made some mistakes somewhere - so let me know where. Thanks.

Upper_Krust said:

Thanks very much Frobojoe mate!

Okay I just wanted to get some feedback on the preview before I screen capture the pages and put them directly on the website.

I have also noticed a few things when constructing the stat blocks.

Firstly I think I am wasting space (and inadvertantly distracting people) by outlining those divine (cosmic or whatever) powers that are merely prerequisites for other powers.

Secondly, I think the competence bonuses attributed to portfolios is much too ambiguous and probably far too powerful. So I am likely going to change it to a single bonus to a pertinent action/ability.

Lastly, I wonder if there is a quicker way of describing one of the Effect abilities (such as Surtur's Uncanny Cosmic Mastery) - they take up a dreadful amount of room.

Also chances are I made some mistakes somewhere - so let me know where. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Well, I guess if you have Ultimate Power Attack, it could be assumed you had all the versions that are prerequisites, but it is also good to list these things incase there is a discrepency, or one of the powers offers a benifit not listed in the stat block. (Ex, if there was a power called uncanny disarm that let you disarm a foe and all foes are disarmed. )

The competence bonus could be the key factor in deciding who wins in a fight between two evenly matched foes. If one gets his bonus against the other (Such as surtur fighting a foe foolish enough to weild a molten sword) the one gaining the bonus is likely to win.
You could reduce the bonus, or restrict it to portfolio related actions - Ex: The fire portfolio might give Surtur +24, but only when he deals fire damage or such. (This is hard to word without taking up a paragraph)

Yea, the Effect Mastery abilities do take up space. When I threw Ltheb together, I found that a small table worked well. It's less verbose, but probably takes up less space if you use a slightly smaller font.
Oh! Here's an idea - List the base ammount of HD/Damage Die if applicable, and then say "See Page XXX (Begining of Divine Powers Section where you describe effects) for details" Or list the page the effect appears on if it has a Non-HD based effect. (Like for Gravitic, Thelemic, and Astro-type effects) This takes up less space, but a bit of referencing is needed to run said deity. "What is the damaga on Cosmic Storm? Grr page XXX, Shoulda written it down" Then again, if you didn't plan ahead of time that the PCs were going to fight a God, then perhaps the DM needs to take a bit of a break and make sure he or she knows exactly what that entails. (Ex - "Abraxas can nullify what!?! Permenent Hit Die Loss?!? Geez, the players are doomed!")

No major issues jumped out at me, though I haven't made much review of the statblocks themselves.

Surtur still has the proper attitude to gladiatorial arenas.

I see you are continuing your 'band of freaks' approach to creating adventuring parties.

High Epic: Surtur is freed by the chance shifting of dimensional tectonics caused by an exploding galaxy. Already the clarion call of Heimdall's horn has sounded and battle is iminent.

Click to expand...

I'd be more scared of whatever blew up the galaxy, myself.

Curses! I can't download it for some reason - whenever I try, it says I don't have permission. I'll have to wait until it shows up on the website.

Wow, avesome ! Now I can see Surtur being able to burn the world ... and even recover from avatar form, if some crafty PC's defeat him.

Very nice, and very scary. What intrigued me most was the domains... I can't wait to see all of them in final form, with abilities like those (hint, hint)!

attack and full attack have different plus to damage on the manifestation

Hiya mate!

Ltheb Silverfrond said:

Well, I guess if you have Ultimate Power Attack, it could be assumed you had all the versions that are prerequisites, but it is also good to list these things incase there is a discrepency, or one of the powers offers a benifit not listed in the stat block. (Ex, if there was a power called uncanny disarm that let you disarm a foe and all foes are disarmed. )

Click to expand...

Yes, but I could list those that are prereqs and outline those that are not.

So there is no point having Exoskeleton and Squamous explained, they just distract from Carapace.

Ltheb Silverfrond said:

The competence bonus could be the key factor in deciding who wins in a fight between two evenly matched foes. If one gets his bonus against the other (Such as surtur fighting a foe foolish enough to weild a molten sword) the one gaining the bonus is likely to win.

Click to expand...

You could reduce the bonus, or restrict it to portfolio related actions - Ex: The fire portfolio might give Surtur +24, but only when he deals fire damage or such. (This is hard to word without taking up a paragraph)

Its just too complicated and (potentially) too powerful.

A single relevant bonus would be a lot easier to implement I think.

Ltheb Silverfrond said:

Yea, the Effect Mastery abilities do take up space. When I threw Ltheb together, I found that a small table worked well. It's less verbose, but probably takes up less space if you use a slightly smaller font.

Click to expand...

I may try that, although it probably means explaining the ability after the Combat text.

Ltheb Silverfrond said:

Oh! Here's an idea - List the base ammount of HD/Damage Die if applicable, and then say "See Page XXX (Begining of Divine Powers Section where you describe effects) for details" Or list the page the effect appears on if it has a Non-HD based effect. (Like for Gravitic, Thelemic, and Astro-type effects) This takes up less space, but a bit of referencing is needed to run said deity. "What is the damaga on Cosmic Storm? Grr page XXX, Shoulda written it down" Then again, if you didn't plan ahead of time that the PCs were going to fight a God, then perhaps the DM needs to take a bit of a break and make sure he or she knows exactly what that entails. (Ex - "Abraxas can nullify what!?! Permenent Hit Die Loss?!? Geez, the players are doomed!")

Click to expand...

I like the previous 'table' idea.

Hi Phantom Llama mate!

Phantom Llama said:

No major issues jumped out at me, though I haven't made much review of the statblocks themselves.

Click to expand...

Surtur still has the proper attitude to gladiatorial arenas.

Once I start brainstorming I usually come up with more ideas than the space allows. I was a bit annoyed with Surtur's realm since I could have fleshed out things a bit more and added another 3 or 4 features.

Phantom Llama said:

I see you are continuing your 'band of freaks' approach to creating adventuring parties.

Click to expand...

Is it so terrible of me?

Does it detract or add to things when I wander of the path beaten by the mythology?

I try to look at things from the perspective of what would I do if I were roleplaying them, what kind of servants would I keep, how would I defend myself.

Phantom Llama said:

I'd be more scared of whatever blew up the galaxy, myself.

Click to expand...

...of course it may just have been a natural event.