Need Suggestions

Knightfall · 5th July 2007, 09:35 PM

Okay, the Shackled City Adventure Path, in my campaign, is about to conclude, and my players really want some significant downtime. [Note that the SCAP (partially) ends at the end of Thirteen Cages. The players are tired of the plot and want to try something new. And so am I.]

Anyway, one of the players sent me an e-mail and this is the groups plan...

Quote:

Most players average between 165,000 and 173,000 exp and most are expecting to sink 10-18K into item creation; this will require a total of about 3 years to accomplish. Thus if you wish to preserve elements of your world timeline (since some of us will be on other planes during this time) I suggest you find a way to magically dilate time to keep things together.

So, now I have a bit of a dilemma. I need to find a way to give them the time they need without having to stall the current events of the campaign world. Plus, I don't want them to simply have 3 free years. They do deserve some significant downtime but 3 years is too much, IMO.

The main option they have is that they can do their item creation on a inner plane that I call the Plane of Twilight. I'd already decided that time spent on that plane is divided in half. So, if they spend 3 years there in isolation then only a year and a half passes on the Material Plane.

Another option that came to mind is the spell known as Genesis, which I believe is a 9th-level spell. But I'm not sure how that spell functions, other than it creates pocket demiplane on the Ethereal. Can they create their own demiplane that allows them to be "out of the main timestream?"

Temporal magic is a big deal in my cosmology, so they should have the opportunity to have some time dilation. But how much is too much?

I need opinions and any suggestions you all might have.

Cheers!

KF72

Nifft · 5th July 2007, 09:48 PM

The representative of a demon-prince offers them access to a delayed-time demiplane. For a price to be disclosed later.

Cheers, -- N

Aholibamah · 5th July 2007, 09:58 PM

Perhaps I'm missing your actual point but it seems to me that it might make sense for you to just have some downtime take place within the timeline anyway if they're actually tired of the plot. I'll check your other thread but personally I dislike adding cosmology to an existing game since that always seems to have consequences.

roguerouge · 5th July 2007, 10:18 PM

Can't they direct their minions to resolve side quests while they craft away? That way you can have the time line continue, they can get time off from the AP, and narrative continuity is retained. Everyone wins.

Knightfall · 5th July 2007, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nifft

The representative of a demon-prince offers them access to a delayed-time demiplane. For a price to be disclosed later.

Cheers, -- N

Heh. Heh.

Good, but not practical.

Quartz · 6th July 2007, 12:03 AM

How about allowing them to take the Epic feat Efficient Item Creation? 1 day per 10000 gp value for one Item Creation feat.

Knightfall · 6th July 2007, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quartz

How about allowing them to take the Epic feat Efficient Item Creation? 1 day per 10000 gp value for one Item Creation feat.

That's brilliant! Thanks for the great idea, Quartz!

Knightfall · 6th July 2007, 10:03 AM

Okay, here's the next thing I need. The PCs just stopped the Tree of Shackled Souls from opening the portal to Carceri. Howeve,r when they came up out of the Fiery Sanctum, I had them encounter a group of 50 soldiers and spellcasters working for the Matriarch of Mor's End.

Now, they had a deal with the Matriarch, but she never intended to keep her word. (I've decided to make her really evil in my campaign.) She had a powerful duergar psion alter the mind of one of the Order's allies. A frost giant named Shötte.

This domination effect made him completely forget who the PCs were, until the cleric cast miracle and freed his friend. They then plane shifted away to Celestia. (Note that in my campaign, magic and psionics are COMPLETELY different. Oil and water. They do not mix.) Psionics are very rare in my campaign.

Now, what I need is a 20-level duergar psion with the ability to completely dominate multiple opponents, permanently. I don't know the psionics rules as well as I'd like so I need some guidance on this one. I believe the best discipline to use in this case would be the Telepath concept, but I'm not sure. Plus, any prestige class suggestions would be good too.

39 of the soldiers are humans (75%) and half-duergars (25%) that will basically be Purple Dragon Knights, as per the FRCS, but completely EVIL. 4 of the spellcasters are warmages, and the other 6 are clerics of war. The PDKs should all be, at least, 15th-level. The warmages and clerics should be anywhere from 10th to 15th-level, but I'm thinking one of the clerics should be 20th-level.

Anyway, opinions and suggestions definitely needed!

Cheers!

KF72

Knightfall · 8th July 2007, 02:20 AM

Bump?

Knightfall · 10th July 2007, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roguerouge

Can't they direct their minions to resolve side quests while they craft away? That way you can have the time line continue, they can get time off from the AP, and narrative continuity is retained. Everyone wins.

That's an idea, although they don't really have any minions. Only one of them has chosen to take the Leadership feat, and he only has a cohort. His followers are few, but that might be something to flesh out more, so they can help with some of the plot lines.

They do have many allies, but those allies have their own issues to deal with, and aren't at the beck and call of the PCs. The AP is basically over, but some of the other Cagewrights might pop up from time to time. Adimarchus is going to take what they've done very personally, if he gains his freedom from Asylum.

We've managed to pare down the downtime to 1.5 years, through the use of special locales on the Planes and some divine intervention. I'm going to try to get that down under 1 year, but that might be pushing it.

Aholibamah · 10th July 2007, 10:11 AM

How about using dominate as per an aboleth for the duergar?

Knightfall · 10th July 2007, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aholibamah

How about using dominate as per an aboleth for the duergar?

Actually, the best solution I have found is some alternate options for psionic dominate in Hyperconscious: Explorations in Psionics from Malhavoc Press. It has rules for expending extra power points to make psionic dominate's duration permanent.

Bwah-ha-ha!

Knightfall · 8th August 2007, 04:14 AM

Another issue: One of the PCs allies is a dwarf with giantish blood in his (recent) family history. Thus, my plan is to make him a half-giant, but I don't want to use the half-troll template. Also, I don't want him to be a half-giant like in the Expanded Psionics Handbook.

Now, I seem to remember that Savage Species has a half-giant race option in it that isn't tied to psionics, but I'd rather have a half-giant template that can be added on to the dwarf NPC.

Does anyone know of a d20 sourcebook with a half-giant template in it? Even a giant blooded template would be useful. Or does anyone have a half-giant template they've created?

Any help would be appreciated.

justinsluder · 8th August 2007, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knightfall1972

Okay, here's the next thing I need. The PCs just stopped the Tree of Shackled Souls from opening the portal to Carceri. Howeve,r when they came up out of the Fiery Sanctum, I had them encounter a group of 50 soldiers and spellcasters working for the Matriarch of Mor's End.

Now, they had a deal with the Matriarch, but she never intended to keep her word. (I've decided to make her really evil in my campaign.) She had a powerful duergar psion alter the mind of one of the Order's allies. A frost giant named Shötte.

This domination effect made him completely forget who the PCs were, until the cleric cast miracle and freed his friend. They then plane shifted away to Celestia. (Note that in my campaign, magic and psionics are COMPLETELY different. Oil and water. They do not mix.) Psionics are very rare in my campaign.

Now, what I need is a 20-level duergar psion with the ability to completely dominate multiple opponents, permanently. I don't know the psionics rules as well as I'd like so I need some guidance on this one. I believe the best discipline to use in this case would be the Telepath concept, but I'm not sure. Plus, any prestige class suggestions would be good too.

39 of the soldiers are humans (75%) and half-duergars (25%) that will basically be Purple Dragon Knights, as per the FRCS, but completely EVIL. 4 of the spellcasters are warmages, and the other 6 are clerics of war. The PDKs should all be, at least, 15th-level. The warmages and clerics should be anywhere from 10th to 15th-level, but I'm thinking one of the clerics should be 20th-level.

Anyway, opinions and suggestions definitely needed!

Cheers!

KF72

Are there any specific variants you use? From Unearthed Arcana in particular?

Knightfall · 8th August 2007, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justinsluder

Are there any specific variants you use? From Unearthed Arcana in particular?

Actually, all of Unearthed Arcana is considered "wide open" for my campaign world.

justinsluder · 8th August 2007, 06:58 PM

Excellent!

I'll get to work on some of them. I'm thinking I'll tackle the Clr 20 you mentioned first, then maybe a couple PDK and a Warmage 12-15.

Gestalt okay?

Knightfall · 9th August 2007, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justinsluder

Excellent!

I'll get to work on some of them. I'm thinking I'll tackle the Clr 20 you mentioned first, then maybe a couple PDK and a Warmage 12-15.

Gestalt okay?

Umm, actualy I went ahead and did the deurgar psionicist already. I guess I should have mentioned that. (I'm not a big fan of Gestalt characters, BTW)

The PDKs would be great to get, as soon as you can. I have a game tomorrow and I'll need some bad guys. I'll likely do the leader of the Warmages, myself as a 15th-level character, so if you want to do some lower level ones then go ahead.

justinsluder · 9th August 2007, 05:55 AM

That's cool. I assume you want the PDK to have Evile mounts as well? I hope, because that's how I'm building them.

Knightfall · 9th August 2007, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justinsluder

That's cool. I assume you want the PDK to have Evile mounts as well? I hope, because that's how I'm building them.

Yes.

justinsluder · 9th August 2007, 07:42 AM

I hope you like the following.

Name? CR 15
Male human Fighter 10/Purple Dragon Knight1 5
LE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Listen +3, Spot +3
Languages Common
AC 22 (+1 Dex, +6 +1 mithral breastplate, +3 +1 heavy steel shield, +2 ring of protection) touch 15, flat-footed 21
hp 147 (15d10 + 60)
Fort +17, Ref +7, Will +7
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 keen lance of charging +28 (3d8+42, 19-20/x3, plus 2d6) during a mounted charge or
+1 short sword +27 (2d6+18, 19-20/x2) during a mounted charge or
+1 short sword +25/+20/+15 (1d6+9, 19-20/x2) while mounted or
+1 short sword +24/+19/+14 (1d6+9, 19-20/x2) on foot
Ranged +1 composite (Str 18) longbow +17/+12/+7 (1d8+5, 120 ft., x3)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with lance)
Base Atk +15; Grp +21
Atk Options fear, heroic shield, rallying cry
Special Actions final stand, inspire courage 2/day, oath of wrath
Abilities Str 22, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Feats Cavalry Charger1, Driving Attack2, Improved Initiative, Melee Weapon Mastery (piercing) 2, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Persuasive, Phalanx Fighting1, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample, Weapon Focus (lance), Weapon Specialization (lance)
Skills Bluff +1, Climb +5, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +19, Jump +10, Listen +3, Ride +21, Spot +3, Swim +4
Possessions +1 keen lance of charging3, +1 short sword, +1 composite (Str 18) longbow, 50 Arrows, +1 mithral breastplate, +1 heavy steel shield, amulet of health +4, belt of giant strength +4, ring of protection +2, ring of sustenance, cloak of resistance +2

Nightmare Mount CR 5
Monster Manual 194
NE Large outsider (evil, extraplanar)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +12, Search +10, Spot +12
Languages Common
AC 28 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +13 natural, +4 collar of force armor) touch 15, flat-footed 26
hp 45 (6d8 + 18)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +6
Speed 70 ft., fly 90 ft. (good); astral projection, etherealness
Melee Hoof +10 (1d8+5 plus 1d4 fire) or
2 Hooves +10 (1d8+5 plus 1d4 fire) and
Bite +5 (1d8+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +6; Grp +15
Atk Options Smoke
Abilities Str 20, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 12
SQ flaming hooves
Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Run
Skills Concentration +12, Diplomacy +3, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (the planes) +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +11, Search +10, Sense Motive +10, Spot +12, Survival +10 (+12 on other planes and following tracks).
Possessions Collar of Force Armor +4, Horseshoes of Speed, Military Saddle of Strength +2
Flaming Hooves (Su): A blow from a nightmare’s hooves sets combustible materials alight.
Smoke (Su): During the excitement of battle, a nightmare snorts and neighs with rage. This snorting fills a 15-foot cone with a hot, sulfurous smoke that chokes and blinds opponents. Anyone in the cone must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or take a –2 penalty on all attack and damage rolls until 1d6 minutes after leaving the cone. The cone lasts 1 round, and the nightmare uses it once as a free action during its turn each round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Because of the smoke it gives off, a nightmare has concealment against creatures 5 feet away and total concealment against creatures 10 feet or farther away. The smoke does not obscure the nightmare’s vision at all.
Astral Projection and Etherealness (Su): These abilities function just like the spells of the same names (caster level 20th); a nightmare can use either at will.

1 Complete Warrior
2 Players Handbook 2
3 Magic Item Compendium