Dragon Magazine #318 not your typical April issue

[Kobold Avenger]

What were the kind of things they updated in the OA article? Revised spell-lists? Any particular monster changes?

And how do psionic monsters work differently from characters, other than the fact that they get powers that they can use per day or at will?

 

[Gez]

Ninjas ought to have d12 HD, fighter BAB, all good saves, 8+Int skill points, etc. in order to be historically accurate.

For example:

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special

1 +1 +2 +2 +2 Sneak attack +1d6, Unarmed damage +1d6, flurry of blows, bonus feat

2 +2 +3 +3 +3 Sneak attack +2d6, first combat style, bonus feat, evasion

3 +3 +3 +3 +3 Sneak attack +3d6, second combat style, unarmed speed bonus +10 ft.

4 +4 +4 +4 +4 Sneak attack +4d6, unarmed damage +1d8, ki strike (magic), bonus feat, uncanny dodge

5 +5 +4 +4 +4 Sneak attack +5d6, AC bonus +1, hide in plain sight

6 +6 +5 +5 +5 Sneak attack +6d6, improved first combat style, unarmed speed bonus +20 ft., bonus feat

7 +7 +5 +5 +5 Sneak attack +7d6, improved second combat style

8 +8 +6 +6 +6 Sneak attack +8d6, unarmed damage +1d10, slow fall 40 ft., bonus feat, improved uncanny dodge

9 +9 +6 +6 +6 Sneak attack +9d6, unarmed speed bonus +30 ft.

10 +10 +7 +7 +7 AC bonus +2, sneak attack +10d6, ki strike (silver), bonus feat

11 +11 +7 +7 +7 Sneak attack +11d6, invisibility 10 minutes/day

12 +12 +8 +8 +8 Sneak attack +12d6, unarmed speed bonus +40 ft., unarmed damage +2d6, bonus feat

13 +13 +8 +8 +8 Sneak attack +13d6, invisibility 20 minutes/day

14 +14 +9 +9 +9 Sneak attack +14d6, shadow jump 50 ft., bonus feat

15 +15 +9 +9 +9 Sneak attack +15d6, AC bonus +3, unarmed speed bonus +50 ft., invisibility 30 minutes/day

16 +16 +10 +10 +10 Sneak attack +16d6, unarmed damage +2d8, ki strike (adamantine), bonus feat

17 +17 +10 +10 +10 Sneak attack +17d6, shadow jump 200 ft., invisibility 40 minutes/day

18 +18 +11 +11 +11 Sneak attack +18d6, unarmed speed bonus +60 ft., bonus feat

19 +19 +11 +11 +11 Sneak attack +19d6, invisibility 50 minutes/day

20 +20 +12 +12 +12 AC bonus +4, sneak attack +20d6, unarmed damage +2d10, shadow jump 800 ft., bonus feat

Fixed it for you!

 

[thalmin]

Okay, explain nothing else about the issue until first giving the details on this.

The Warforged of Eberron started out as constructs built for battle. In trying to create the ultimate fighting machine, they gained sentience. They are now a free "race" available as PC's.
Traits are +2 CON, -2 WIS, -2 CHA; Living Construct; Medium; Spd 30; Composite Plating built-in armor bonus +2 (cannot wear any other armor or robes).
There are also a number of feats for warforged: Adantine-laced Body; Improved Damage Reduction; Improved Fortification; Mithril-laced Body; and Mithril Fluidity.
One sidebar covers Crafting the Warforged, a second notes the first mini will be in Giants of Legends in June.

 

[hong]

Hey Thalmin, can you give us a rundown on the OA updates?

 

[thalmin]

What were the kind of things they updated in the OA article? Revised spell-lists? Any particular monster changes?

A few minor adjustments to 3 races, a number of changes for some classes, expected 3.5 changes to PrC's. tweaks to a couple of skills, lots of changes to ancestral feats (they are better than regular feats), changes to spell domains and lists, revised spells, revised magic items, 5 pages of monster revisions.

 

[thalmin]

And how do psionic monsters work differently from characters, other than the fact that they get powers that they can use per day or at will?

I misread the paragraph (hey, gimme a break. I was doing a very quick skim). They were looking at having monsters use power points, decided against it.
There is a new Psionic Subtype for monsters as well as characters. This is to identify who can be targetted by certain psionic powers and effects.
The article also has 2 new monsters, the tiny aberration Larval Flayer, and the large outside Shadow Eft.

 

[D'arc DeWinter]

The Warforged of Eberron started out as constructs built for battle. In trying to create the ultimate fighting machine, they gained sentience. They are now a free "race" available as PC's.
Traits are +2 CON, -2 WIS, -2 CHA; Living Construct; Medium; Spd 30; Composite Plating built-in armor bonus +2 (cannot wear any other armor or robes).
There are also a number of feats for warforged: Adantine-laced Body; Improved Damage Reduction; Improved Fortification; Mithril-laced Body; and Mithril Fluidity.
One sidebar covers Crafting the Warforged, a second notes the first mini will be in Giants of Legends in June.

An "ultimate fighting machine" that can't wear armor? Then nerf his wisdom and charisma so he can't be an effective Monk or Paladin. I guess the only choice is to play a Barbarian (or Ninja ).

Sounds like the AC can be improved through feats. I'm not sure that's a good idea, but I'll reserve final judgement until I see the complete article.

 

[ghoti69]

The Warforged of Eberron started out as constructs built for battle. In trying to create the ultimate fighting machine, they gained sentience. They are now a free "race" available as PC's.

Huh, sounds like the perfect addition to a campaign I started designing. Whew! That's one less thing for me to do!

 

[Gez]

Shadow Eft? What's an eft?

 

[hong]

Shadow Eft? What's an eft?

I think it's French.