(3.X D&D/d20) Recruiting: The First (Now OOC)

Arkhandus · 30th September 2009, 09:41 AM

(Edit: Recruiting is now more or less closed, but I may accept one more player. The IC thread has opened and this is now the OOC thread.)

Okay, so, in between all the massive preparations I've had to do for my planned and not yet ready play-by-post campaigns, I got this idea that I wanna run with (though my Greyhawk gestalt and Final Fantasy PbPs will be starting up sometime in the next month or two, fates willing).

The First:

You are the First Generation. The very first people in the world. It's yours to discover and shape through your exploits. There are others in the First Generation, many others, but you are the First of your individual races.

Several deities started a little experiment....for some, it is a challenge. For others, a game. Some, a competition. A distraction for a few. And a duty to those few who feel obligated to participate only to ensure that the new world has order and goodness in it. You and the rest of the First Generation were created with only a rudimentary understanding of the world around you, yourselves, and various bits and pieces of lore left for you by the gods and goddesses, though the rules of their divine experiment prevents them from interfering much with the new world, and from giving you too much information or power.

And there are monsters. You've seen a handful of them roaming about in the wilderness, as well as animals and vermin and plants, but you've barely had the chance to produce basic shelters and equipment, let alone true civilization. Dangerous things are afoot, and several of the deities involved in the new world's creation and that of the First Generation are not content to just watch and play by the rules they supposedly agreed to with the rest of the involved deities.

The First Generation are all young adults, at the very beginning of young adulthood, created with a reasonable understanding of their own anatomy (including reproduction and the basics of child-rearing), basic necessities (food, water, shelter, clothing, some degree of cleanliness, recognition that somethings are poisonous, recognition of the concept of diseases, etc.), how and why to interact with others (at least in basic terms), and basic understanding of crafting, building, fire-starting, and a vague idea of basic principles like the wheel and the lever, with a basic understanding of math.

You know your race's own language and Common, a gift from the deities to allow communication between yourselves and other races in the First Generation (bonus languages are also gained from classes or high starting Intelligence). You have some unique talents and skills that you were created with, so you have some useful abilities to start with (your starting class, feats, spells, etc.), and a basic idea of how to advance those abilities. You have somc basic gear, either left for you by a deity or crafted by you and other members of the First Generation in the short time you've been around. You're not primitive, necessarily, just possessed of very limited knowledge and no worldly experience yet.

I'm looking for at least 4 to 6 players, but will probably accept 8 to 10 at most.

Character Creation Guidelines:

1. Game Materials. I'll be using 3.5 D&D as the base ruleset, but the allowed materials are more mixed. The 3.5 System Reference Document is the first approved source for this game. I'll be using my 3.0 D&D Dungeon Master's Guide for some things, like XP rewards, since I still don't have a 3.5 DMG. The 3.5 books Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords and Player's Handbook II will be allowed. I'll allow a few other things from 3.5 materials and the old 3.5 D&D website content that's still on Wizards of the Coast's site. Examples include the Marshal and other things previewed on that site before they were printed. Many issues of Dragon Magazine from the 3.0 and 3.5 D&D runs will be useable (this includes the Ninja class and some other things previewed or copied in Dragon Magazine from 3.x books, such as warforged and shifters, but they're limited by the material in the magazine since I don't have any Eberron books).

The 3.0 supplements Savage Species, Deities & Demigods, Manual of the Planes, Oriental Adventures, Rokugan (from AEG), Sword & Fist, Tome & Blood, Defenders of the Faith, Song & Silence, Masters of the Wild, Arms & Equipment Guide, Stronghold Builder's Guidebook, Monster Manual II, Fiend Folio, Monsters of Faerun, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Magic of Faerun, Lords of Darkness, Dragons (from AEG), Seafarer's Handbook (from Fantasy Flight Games), and Traps & Treachery (from Fantasy Flight Games) will be useable. I might have to houserule something here or there, but only if it seems necessary.

Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed/Evolved (I have both), The Diamond Throne, Transcendance, Legacy of the Dragons, Mystic Secrets, Book of Iron Might, and Book of Roguish Luck will be useable (sorry, I don't have any of his other books to use as references for approving other Malhavoc Press material). The Advanced Player's Manual (Green Ronin) is useable (I still have to decide on which Luck rules to use, either from there or the Book of Roguish Luck, but probably the latter if any; there will be no mass combat rules used in this game though, given its scope). The Everquest d20 Player's Handbook and Monsters of Norrath supplement will be useable. The Iconic Bestiary from Lion's Den Press will be used to replace those iconic critters not found in the 3.5 SRD (mind flayer etc.). The Priest of the Celestial Spheres from Lion's Den Press will also be useable.

Githyanki and Githzerai can still be played, though, as statted up in Dragon or Dungeon Magazine's articles on the Githyanki Incursion (I forget the issue #) since they're no in the SRD either IIRC. You can use the Commander class from EN Publishing's War of the Burning Sky Player's Guide (a free PDF from RPGNow) if you like, and maybe a bit else from that PDF. EN Publishing or Natural 20 Press' Animal Monks, Secrets of Theurgy, Wild Spellcraft, Librum Equitis 1, Librum Equitis 2, and Librum Equitis 4 will be useable to some extent at least (I don't have LE#3). Dreamscarred Press' Untapped Potential, Complete Society Mind, Complete Marksman, Races of the Mind (Elans, Maenads, Half-Giants, and Xeph, the ones I've bought), Third Dawn Campaitn Setting, High Psionics: Feats, High Psionics: Sequestral Feats, and Mind Unveiled materials (I'm a subscriber, so I get all the Mind Unveiled PDFs) are useable. Also, Creamsteak's Final Fantasy Tactics PDF for d20 (if you can find a copy; I got one years ago or whatever; it has the FFT classes put into d20 form). If Creamsteak doesn't mind, I may be able to e-mail copies to folks who want one (it's a fanwork, obviously, not a product).

I'll work out any kinks or other details on how to integrate third-party materials. If you use something from them, note the book's initials next to it so I know what to reference (for instance, if you play an EverQuest wood elf, note EQ next to it so I know it's not a Monster Manual/SRD wood elf).

2. Races. There is only one male and one female of each race in the first generation (or two androgynous members of any given genderless race). So there cannot be more than one PC of any given race/gender combination. Other than that, almost any intelligent race (Int 8+ after your ability adjustments) from the allowed materials will be playable. Any race with a listed alignment of "always X" will have to start with that alignment, however, as it is their basic nature and your PCs haven't had any life experiences yet to change their natural behavior much. Any race with racial HD or a Level Adjustment/ECL adjustment will either need to start with just one racial level from Savage Species, Dragon Magazine, or similar, or will be unavailable at start, depending on their ECL and availability of a racial progression. Templates are iffy; I may or may not allow any given template at start (Half-Dragon? Not this early in the setting's history. Etc.).

3. Classes. Pretty much any class from the approved materials is allowed. However, there cannot be more than one person with each class among the First Generation. As you advance in level, however, you will be able to multiclass (mostly be meeting other folks with the appropriate class and learning from them, but that's not the only way).

4. Feats, Skills, Spells, and Powers. Use those from the approved sources. Some might be limited to characters with a race or class from the appropriate book (for instance, EverQuest mystic feats are only available to EverQuest spellcasting classes due to their game mechanics). If your character has a race or class from a book with its own skill list or feat list, that book's material takes precedent for that particular character. Likewise for proficiencies and equipment stats and such.

5. Starting Level. You start at 1st-level, but I may allow a +1 or +2 ECL to begin with. 0 XP.

6. Ability Scores. I'm thinking a pretty high ability score set, as you're the original members of your respective races, directly created by the gods. You have two scores of 18 to assign, two scores of 15 to assign, and two scores of 12 to assign. Then you get 5 points to allocate amongst these on a 1-for-1 basis, but can't raise a score beyond 18 that way. Racial ability score adjustments come afterward. Your Intelligence score must start at 8 or higher after racial adjustments, so put a high enough score into Intelligence to at least manage that.

7. Maximum HP from racial and class hit dice.

8. Maximum starting wealth for your 1st-level class (as noted in the book it appears in). For those I don't have a suitable reference for, I'll just use the most appropriate 3.0 class starting gold for them (since I have a 3.0 PHB, not 3.5; I use the SRD for 3.5 core rules material). You cannot start with magical or psionic items, but may begin with special items like masterwork, alchemical, or special-material items.

9. Your character must have a name (they naturally know their race's own language, and were given some small understanding of names by a deity, even if they don't necessarily have any naming conventions to follow), and a few sentences total of background/general description for his or her appearance, attitude, and basic beginnings. They've been alive for only a week so far (7 days), so they haven't been through much, but they've met the other members of the group and formed at least a basic mutual-aid agreement for now. Your PC has met a few other members of the First Generation as well. Feel free to name things and such as you see fit. You'll probably be doing a fair bit of that as you explore and find, create, or do things in the campaign. :P

Arkhandus · 30th September 2009, 10:45 AM

Finally finished updating the details. If I forgot to address something, remind me, or maybe I'll just notice it later.....

Edit: Added a few more allowed sources last night, and now tweaked the ability score generation to have 5 extra points for allocation, instead of 3.

Bihlbo · 30th September 2009, 11:49 PM

This is super intriguing, but I'm bewildered by all the options, and fairly certain you're going to run into serious cross-setting conflicts. That said, I would enjoy playing one of EQrpg's iksar monks, probably single-classed.

GlassEye · 1st October 2009, 10:21 AM

This is an odd set of sources but I'm not complaining, especially since I haven't yet been able to use my Arcana Evolved and this'll give me that chance. So, I'm interested and thinking about Arcana Evolved. Not exactly sure what, yet, since there is so much in that book that piques my interest... Possibly a Giant Witch, but don't hold me to that please.

Arkhandus · 1st October 2009, 12:34 PM

The allowed source materials are an odd collection, but then, that's because it's just most of the d20 fantasy materials I own. :P Excepting a few that I haven't read much of yet, like Elements of Magic, Mechamancy, The Fantastic Science, and a few others (The Mind Divine just doesn't fit into the context of this game idea, since godminds are more nebulous and strange).

And integrating this kind of variety is in large part what's been delaying my two main planned PbPs, but that just means that I've already spent months going over this stuff and figuring out what to do about some of the rules-differences between the products. I'm going to take a simpler approach with this game, but still a wierd mix of stuff, so it should be interesting!

Go ahead and think on your character concepts. A giant witch is fine, as is any other combo from AE (even one that wouldn't make sense in the context of the Diamond Throne setting, since this isn't Dor-Erthenos). The iksar monk would use EQRPG's training point rules in place of standard d20 feat and ability score additions by level. Faction rules won't matter much to start with, but certainly the softskin hairy apes (i.e. most humanoids) will consider the iksar strange, and vice versa. But then, everything's kinda strange to everyone in the new world, so there's not much difference.

As far as deities go, pretty much any deity in the listed materials (such as Zeus, Loki, Osiris, Elashar, Bahamut, Tempus, Skerrit, Glaciarus Magnum, Bertoxxulous, Quetzacoatl (in an issue of Dragon Magazine), the Oversoul (likewise), and so on), as well as those in the Living Greyhawk Gazeteer (such as Tharizdun) could be involved in this to some extent. Though relatively isolated ones like Iuz probably wouldn't be.

Bihlbo · 1st October 2009, 08:32 PM

(Withdrawn)

old post

Arkhandus · 4th October 2009, 08:20 AM

Bump! Still looking for more players! Don't want this to fall to page 3 or something; out of sight, out of mind, they say.

I'll look over Raska soon. But for reference, the EQRPG lists starting gold for PCs; a monk's maximum starting gold with that method is 20 gp. So I'm not sure you could afford everything; and if the deity who created Raska made him with the skills of a monk, they'd expect him to rely on his innate combat skills and physical prowess more than any equipment. So they'd still leave him with only minor supplies. Other stuff will become available during play, but the First Generation was left with only minor supplies and gear to start with. Some with the innate knowledge and affinity for craftsmanship have started crafting things with what lore they were 'born' with, but others just have what the gods left them. There will be things to find as the group ranges out from their starting area and explores, though.....

Arkhandus · 4th October 2009, 08:12 PM

A few minor details I hadn't thought to post earlier:
All divine spellcasters will start with a divine patron, and will know a bit about them, but not a lot at first (this includes rangers and such; also dragon shamans, with a draconic patron deity). They haven't existed long enough to develop divine magic through sheer belief and philosophy. Other characters have no divine patron to start with and don't know anything concrete about the gods (names, symbols, dogma, etc.) unless they have knowledge (Religion).

You each start with one free set of clothes as mentioned in the Player's Handbook; pretty much any outfit worth 10 gp or less.

The area you'll be starting in will include just a few other members (NPCs) of the First Generation, and is near both woodlands and fresh water, so some food, water, and raw materials can be found in the natural surroundings. It just won't last forever. Trail rations and waterskins will mostly just serve to help you travel with less searching for food and water supplies along the way. You probably won't need much in the way of rations and waterskins to start with. The game will start with some of the first meetings and interactions between your PCs and the scant few NPCs in their vicinity.

Don't bother keeping any coins or other money on your character; there is no money in the new world, and any trade will be done through bartering items and services with other members of the First Generation. A shiny rock or shiny piece of metal might get you one day's worth of food in trade or one simple tool, just for the novelty of the shiny-shiny, but that's all. So spend all of your starting wealth on supplies and equipment. Don't worry if it's a bit too much to lug around with you everywhere; you can set up camps or hide your stuff in places without much worry that anyone will steal it, since there are so few people around and they're scattered.

Of course, if you need some valuables as material or focus components in spells (even just ones that you expect to use later on at 3rd or 5th level), you might want to include a few such components among your starting gear (won't have a chance to buy powdered silver, platinum rings, darts, pearls, or whatnot after play starts; you'll have to find or trade for materials with other First Generationers later).

I'll be posting an NPC from your starting area soon, to give an example of sorts. It'll be someone your characters might know at the beginning, or will just meet early on in play, and someone ya might want to befriend early on for aid.

rangerjohn · 4th October 2009, 09:22 PM

Would a human duskblade be acceptable? Or would they need to be elven, since its the beginng of the world?

rangerjohn · 4th October 2009, 09:30 PM

Is this only for savage species or do player's handbook races have racial hps?

GlassEye · 4th October 2009, 10:26 PM

I'm fairly certain I'm going to go with an AE Giant Witch. I'll work it up soon-ish and get it posted here.

rangerjohn · 4th October 2009, 10:35 PM

Falryn Male Elf Duskblade
________________________________________
Name: Falryn
Class: Duskblade 1
Race: Elf
Size: Medium
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic good

Str: 18+4(XXp.) Level: 1 XP: 0
Dex: 20 +5(XXp.) BAB: +1 HP: 10
Con: 14 +2 (XXp.) Grapple: +5 Dmg Red:
Int: 18 +4(XXp.) Speed: 30' Spell Res: 0
Wis: 12 +1 (XXp.) Init: +5 Spell Save: +
Cha: 13+1 (XXp.) ACP:-1 Spell Fail: 0%

Base Armor Shld Dex Size Nat Misc Total
Armor: 10 +3 +0 +5 +0 +0 +0 18
Touch: 15 Flatfooted: 13

Base Mod Misc Total
Fort: 2 +2 +4
Ref: 0 +5 +5
Will: 2 +1 +3

Weapon Attack Damage Critical Reach Range
Glaive +6 1-10+6 20x3 10
handaxe +5 1-6+4 19-20x2 5
Javelin +6 1-6+4 20x2 30

Languages: Common, Elf, Draconic, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan

Abilities: Arcane Attunement: any combination of dancing lights, detect magic, flare, ghost sound, and read magic as spell like powers, 7/day.
Armored Mage: ability to cast in light armor and with light shields.

Feats: Weapon focus (Glaive)

Skill Points: 24 Max Ranks: 4/2
Skills Ranks Mod Misc Total
Climb 4 +4 +2 /-1 +9
Craft Weapon 4 +4 +2 +10
Craft Armor 2 +4 +2 +8
Craft Blacksmith 1 +4 +2 +7
Jump 4 +4 -1 +7
Listen 0 +1 +2 +3
Search 0 +4 +2 +6
Spellcraft 4 +4 +8
Spot (cc) 1 +1 +2 +4
Knowledge(arcana) 3 +4 +7

Equipment: cost acp wieght
Studded leather 25 -1 20lbs
Clothing (monk's) n/a
mw artisan's tools 55 +2 circumstance craft checks 5lbs
Climber's kit 80 +2 circumstance climb checks 5lbs
Glaive 8 10lbs
Backpack 2 2lbs
Sacks x2 2 2lbs
Spell componenent pouch x2 10 4lbs
10 days trail rations 5 10lbs
Flint and steel 1
Bedroll .1 5lbs
tent 10 20lbs
waterskin x4 4 16lbs
whetstone .02 1lb
9 sunrods 18 9llbs
handaxe 6 2lbs
quiver
10 Javelins 10 20lbs
Money:

Encumbrance: current weight 131lbs 100/200/300
Spell DC: 14 (Int) + Spell Level

Spells: 0 acid splash, disrupt undead, ray of frost, ray of fatigue
1 blade of blood, Kelgore’s fire bolt
Spells per day: 3/3

Age: 110
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 115 lbs
Eyes: Violet
Hair: Black
Skin: Tanned
As long as Falryn can remember, whenever brute strength was needed around the village, he would be called upon. This lead to a close relationship with the dwarven smith Theris Black Hammer and he became her apprentice.

Although Falryn is an apprentice smith, he did not make his arms and armor, these were gifts from Theris.

Arkhandus · 5th October 2009, 10:08 AM

Just because the Duskblade has an elvish background in the PHB2 doesn't mean it needs one in the new world..... Although presumably they may have existed in some other Material Plane before the First Generation of this world was created, there's no need for the first duskblade to be an elf in this game.

My example NPC is a female bamboo spirit folk sha'ir.......and I'm pretty sure Zakhara/Al-Qadim doesn't have that 3E Oriental Adventures race.

I figured sha'ir would be a good NPC pick since the only official 3e version AFAIK is from an issue of Dragon Magazine, and bamboo spirit folk only appear in the 3.0e Oriental Adventures book.

And I dunno what you mean about racial HPs.....could you clarify the question?

Bihlbo · 5th October 2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkhandus

I'll look over Raska soon. But for reference, the EQRPG lists starting gold for PCs; a monk's maximum starting gold with that method is 20 gp. So I'm not sure you could afford everything; and if the deity who created Raska made him with the skills of a monk, they'd expect him to rely on his innate combat skills and physical prowess more than any equipment.

Great points. I pared him down some. To be honest, I didn't pay any attention to starting gold when I first made him, so it should be closer now. I imagined the winter blanket is something he uses nightly, and took that in place of clothes. Since lizards (and iksar) have internal reproductive organs, it's not that strange that he doesn't wear clothes, though I expect the fleshy pinkskins are going to say otherwise once he meets up with them.

Arkhandus · 6th October 2009, 03:36 AM

That's fine if you want to have the winter blanket simply replace the starting clothes he'd normally get. I'll be going over various stuff on Tuesday.

Voda Vosa · 6th October 2009, 04:22 AM

I'm interested in this. Will let you know what thing I'm up to run this time. Still haven't read the whole thing.

Voda Vosa · 6th October 2009, 04:54 AM

Here's what I've thought: Metliz, human female warlock from PHB2

Code:

Name: Metliz
Class: Warlock
Race: Human
Size: Medium
Gender: Male
Alignment: Caotic good
 

Str: 15 +2 (XXp.)     Level: 1        XP: 0
Dex: 18 +4 (XXp.)     BAB: +0         HP: 10
Con: 18 +4 (XXp.)     Grapple: +2     Dmg Red: 
Int: 14 +2 (XXp.)     Speed: 30'      Spell Res: 0
Wis: 12 +1 (XXp.)     Init: +4        Spell Save: +0
Cha: 18 +4 (XXp.)     ACP:           Spell Fail: 0%

               Base  Armor Shld   Dex  Size   Nat  Misc  Total
Armor:          10    +3    +0    +4    +0    +0    +0    17
Touch: 14              Flatfooted: 13

                            Base   Mod  Misc  Total
Fort:                      0    +4          +4
Ref:                       0    +4          +4
Will:                      2    +1          +3

Weapon                Attack   Damage     Critical
Quarterstaff            +2      1d6+3      20x2


Languages: Common, Fey

Abilities: Endrich blast (1d6)
	
Feats: Weapon focus (Ranged spells), Point black shot.

Skill Points: 16          Max Ranks: 8/4
Skills               Ranks  Mod  Misc  Total
Use Magic Device         4    +4          +8
Spellcraft               4    +2          +6
Bluff                    4    +4          +8
Knowledge(arcana)        4    +2          +6



Equipment:                      Cost  Weight                  
Studded Leather                  25gp   
Clothings                   
Tent                             10gp
Bedroll                           1gp
Blanquet                          5sp
Trail rations                     5sp
Rope hemp
Quarterstaff
      Money: 

Spell DC: 4 (Cha) + Spell Level

 Invocations:
               Least:  Miasmic Could

Age: 19
Height: 1.8 meters
Weight: 60 kg
Eyes: Green
Hair: Blond
Skin: Taned

Metliz is a cheerful person, she loves walking under the sunlight and running in the forests, he uses her hair wild, no quite clean, but any defect she have, vanish when her shiny smile apears in her face.

Willette · 6th October 2009, 03:43 PM

Hey, i've been interested in D&D for some time, playing the rpgs and reading about it etc., but this is my first time posting. I have few sources aside from those which can be easily accessed online but i was wondering if i could play something along the lines of a forest gnome artificer or herbalist/alchemist? i've seen some homebrew and prestige classes for this type of class but was wondering if something coul be adapted to make it a normal starting class. The reason for this is that i imagine in a new world there is a lack of items and this could be a great help to the party to be able to craft potions or minor items/weapons on the fly. Anyway, if you don't tolertaing a new player i'm in :P

rangerjohn · 6th October 2009, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkhandus

Just because the Duskblade has an elvish background in the PHB2 doesn't mean it needs one in the new world..... Although presumably they may have existed in some other Material Plane before the First Generation of this world was created, there's no need for the first duskblade to be an elf in this game.

My example NPC is a female bamboo spirit folk sha'ir.......and I'm pretty sure Zakhara/Al-Qadim doesn't have that 3E Oriental Adventures race.

I figured sha'ir would be a good NPC pick since the only official 3e version AFAIK is from an issue of Dragon Magazine, and bamboo spirit folk only appear in the 3.0e Oriental Adventures book.

And I dunno what you mean about racial HPs.....could you clarify the question?

I decided to go with the male elf anyhow, for the starting dex. As for hps, you posted we start with full racial and class hps.

Dragonwriter · 6th October 2009, 05:31 PM

I'm definitely interested. You say you might allow stuff that was previewed or in an excerpt on the WotC website... Well, one I'd like to try is the Dragonfire Adept. If that's okay with you, I'll start putting something together. I'll probably go with Human or Dwarf for the race, if DFA is acceptable.