DT's The Undiscovered Frontier

Shayuri · Aug 25, 2011

Not sure about swapping it...but there are feats that let you use Turn Undead uses to achieve different results. Some of these feats are perhaps a bit powerful in combinations, but the basic idea seems sound.

Blood and Honor · Aug 26, 2011

Thats fine. I'll look into some books and see what I can come up with to help the Turn Undead ability in order to make it useful.

On another note I'm thinking of a catfolk bard archer, although I'm not sure if that translates to 3.5 DnD like it does to PF.

So just to let you guys know I'm not a strong caster. I've played two caster ever and I would like to expand my horizon.

Deuce Traveler · Aug 26, 2011

Well, this will be a good opportunity for you then.

If you can't find a decent derivative for turn undead and do indeed want cleric, you and I can create one and discuss trading turn undead for some greater spellcasting benefit.

A cat-man archer bard will also work. Just focus on dexterity and ranged weapons, and let the bard spells take care of themselves.

Blood and Honor · Aug 26, 2011

After some thought DT I think I'll go with the catfolk archer bard. The catfolk gets a boost to both Dex and Cha and have low-light vision.

Blood and Honor · Aug 26, 2011

I have, what I think to be, a pretty good idea for the beginning of the game. It plays off the fact that we can't remember anything and would affect our spellcasting for a very short period of time.

As PC's we write down our selected spells but we cannot use them just yet. As we begin to explore that world we have these moments where the spell just casts and you get this 'Ahhh' moment. The more time that goes by you remember slowly that you can cast these spells and from that moment on you can use that particular spell. Now for dedicated spellcasters such as wizard, warlock, and sorcerer the first thing they find is a wand and they discover that they can use it by accident.

You won't hurt my feelings if you don't use it, just thought it was a something that could add to the element of RPing or something.

Deuce Traveler · Aug 27, 2011

I like the idea for arcane spellcasters, but most divine spellcasters automatically have the whole range of clerical domain spells right at their fingertips. So it wouldn't be consistent if one type of spellcaster started off not knowing their spells except through exploration, and than have different rules for the divine casters. We could solve that by eliminating clerics, druids, paladins and the like, and making it so that only spellbook type divine casters like the Archivist, but that would be too limiting.

I have a twist on your idea, however. All characters should have skill points in Use Magic Device so that they can use wands and so forth. Arcane spellcasters won't find many books and scrolls since a lot of knowledge has been destroyed. However, they can learn a spell from a wand, rod, or staff if they use the spell effect a few times and then reverse engineer the magical spell in order to put it in their spellbook.

Shayuri · Aug 27, 2011

What about bookless Arcanists like sorcerors and beguilers?

Also, does that mean wizards get Use Magic Device as a class skill?

Deuce Traveler · Aug 28, 2011

I think bookless arcane casters and divine spellcasters just intuitively know what they can cast, and their known spells increase as per the normal 3.5 rules. Book-using spellcasters have the potential to learn more spells than they start with through found scrolls and magical items, but arcane spellcasters can only learn arcane spells and divine book-using spellcasters can only learn divine spells. Again, this would be just like in the 3.5 rules, but with the twist on magic items.

Shayuri, do you think it would it be destabilizing to the game to make all Use Magic Device as a class skill for all spellcasters? It would make for wilder character creation, though it might push people away from non-spellcasters such as fighters, monks and barbarians.

Blood and Honor · Aug 28, 2011

I'm not against making all skills available to all classes but if someone feels it would be too much, just add the Use Magic Device skill.

Deuce Traveler · Aug 28, 2011

Blood and Honor is referring to my post before I edited it. Originally, I went all the way with it and asked "Why Don't We Get Rid of Class Requirements For Skills Entirely and Make All Skills into Class Skills for All Classes". But I thought maybe that might be too much a distortion from 3.5. Still, I can't think why a wizard might not pick up Use Magic Device as a skill so he can attempt to use a to heal a comrade with low level cure light wounds wand. Or why a sorcerer might not learn how to swim as well as a barbarian, or a fighter to move silently. If I'm pushing too hard at the rules, let me know.