Scarred Lands: Ask the Sage [Version 3.65729 with Upgrades!]

[Trickstergod]

Hey Nightfall,

The discussion on Eberron's cosmology had me intrigued in other worlds. Can you detail quickly the planes of the Scarred Lands? From CC3 I know the name of a few of them (Madriel's Paradise, Iron Hells, etc.), but not the others.

From what little's been leaked, it seems that the planes of Scarn will be fairly mercurial, shaped in part by belief - thus the planar structure for, say, the elves, may differ from that of the charduni.

With a little luck, Divine and the Defeated won't be neglected and we'll see a few of the planes mentioned in there in Edge of Infinity. I express some worry simply based off the fact that at least Hedrada's plane devoted to the dead goes by the name of Aureon, and I'd rather assumed that was his home plane, whereas Savage Bestiary seems to indicate it's goes by some Vault name (school computer - no books to peek into). Enkili's realm is also described as Limbo, from what I recall - beyond that, I don't remember anything else, godly-plane-wise.

Figure there's the elemental planes, though I'd be curious to see how they differ.

Everything currently out, though, implies a Great Wheel-like set-up. However, presuming that the planes will be of a more mercurial, belief-based nature, I'm not sure how well that will hold up once Edge of Infinity hits the shelves.

 

[enrious]

Not sure I understand the question...are you looking at specific books or just in general?

Div&Def each details one Page (and one Herald) for each of the main deities. Do some (all) dieties have more than just one Page?

 

[Nightfall]

En,

Perhaps. I don't know off hand but I'm reasonable sure there might be an instance of having maybe or two pages. If you're looking for specific examples, I don't know of any off hand.

Trick,

I'm reasonable sure there will be wheel like aspects in terms of each of the planes some how connects back to Scarn. I don't think that it will connect to each other. Just have to wait and see though.

 

[Gez]

If the deities' realms are arranged in a wheel-like structures, but not connected to each other while still connected to Scarn, they make a Great Star.

Or a chaos symbol. The smiley head is Scarn, and each arrowhead is an Outer Plane.

 

[Fevil]

If the deities' realms are arranged in a wheel-like structures, but not connected to each other while still connected to Scarn, they make a Great Star.

Or a chaos symbol. The smiley head is Scarn, and each arrowhead is an Outer Plane.

Well the one good thing to come out of all this posturing is that I now know the address for that cool chaos symbol.

On topic though, I'm willing to just wait for Edge of Infinity to come out before I decide not to use it and use Planescape instead. You never know, it might surprise me and be what I hope it will be. Good.

 

[Nightfall]

Fevil,

Yeah well I don't think though there's going to be a blood war. Mostly because each "race" involved is more concerned with placating one of the Dark Gods. But the star cosmology is how I'm veiwing it at the moment. The Chaos one has possibilities as well. Just have to see when May rolls around.

 

[Nightfall]

For your edification (and because I just found out Edge of Infinity won't have it), the 3.0 version of the Ignan template that everyone has been yearning for.

Ignan Creatures
Ignan creatures are summoned from a plane of elemental fire sometimes referred to as the Great Inferno, and appear as flaming versions of the base creature.

Creating An Ignan

"Ignan" is a template that can be added to any aberration, animal, beast, magical beast, plant or vermin (hereafter referred to as the "base creature"). The creature’s type changes to "elemental (fire)." An ignan uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: The creature’s base hit dice changes to d8.
Speed: Normal speed or 50 ft., whichever is greater. Ignan creatures keep any other previous forms of movement.
Special Attacks: An ignan creature retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following.
Burn (Ex): Those hit by an ignan creature’s attack must succeed at a Reflex save or catch fire. This flame burns for 1d4 rounds (see Catching on Fire in the DMG, Chapter Three, The Environment"). The save DC varies with the ignan’s hit dice (DC 10 + 1/2 the ignan’s hit dice + Charisma modifier). A burning creature can take a move-equivalent action to put out the flame.
Fire Subtype (Ex): Fire immunity, double damage from cold, except on a successful save.
Special Qualities: An ignan retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following.
Darkvision: Ignan creatures gain darkvision of 60 ft.
Damage Resistance: Ignan creatures gain damage resistance based on their Hit Dice:

Hit Dice Damage Resistance
up to 7 nil
8 – 15 10/+1
16 – 23 10/+2
24 + 15/+3

Elemental: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. Not subject to critical hits.
Saves: Same as base creature.
Abilities: Same as base creature.
Skills: Same as base creature. If the creature has an Intelligence of 4 or higher, it gains the Ignan language.
Feats: Same as base creature.
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground.
Organization: Same as base creature.
Challenge Rating: Up to 3 HD, same as the base creature. 4 HD to 15 HD, same as the base creature +1. 16 HD+, same as the base creature +2.
Treasure: Same as base creature.
Alignment: Usually neutral.
Advancement Range: Same as base creature.

Now here's my modified version (made for both 3.5 AND because I felt it could use a little spicing up.)

Ignan Creatures
Ignan creatures are summoned from a plane of elemental fire sometimes referred to as the Great Inferno, and appear as flaming versions of the base creature.

Creating An Ignan

"Ignan" is a template that can be added to any aberration, animal, magical
beast, plant or vermin (hereafter referred to as the "base creature"). The creature’s type changes to "elemental (fire)." An ignan uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: The creature’s base hit dice changes to d8.
Speed: Normal speed or 50 ft., whichever is greater. Ignan creatures keep any other previous forms of movement.
Special Attacks: An ignan creature retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following.
Burn (Ex): Those hit by an ignan creature’s attack must succeed at a Reflex save or catch fire. This flame burns for 1d4 rounds (see Catching on Fire in the DMG, Chapter Three, "The Environment"). The save DC varies with the ignan’s hit dice (DC 10 + 1/2 the ignan’s hit dice + Charisma modifier). A burning creature can take a move-equivalent action to put out the flame.
Flaming (Ex): An ignan creature that has between 8 to 15 HD wielding natural weapons is considered to have flaming property to those weapons. Those ignan creatures with 16 or more HD are considered to have flaming burst.
Fire Subtype (Ex): An ignan creature has the fire subtype, granting it immunity to fire. It has vulnerability to cold. It takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from cold, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.
Special Qualities: An ignan retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following.
Darkvision: Ignan creatures gain darkvision of 60 ft.
Damage Resistance: Ignan creatures gain damage resistance based on their Hit Dice:

Hit Dice Damage Resistance
up to 7 nil
8 – 15 5/+magic
16 – 23 10/+magic
24 + 15/+magic

Elemental: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. Not subject to
critical hits.
Saves: Same as base creature.
Abilities: +2 Dex, +2 Int, +2 Cha
Skills: Same as base creature. If the creature has an Intelligence of 4 or higher, it gains the Ignan language.
Feats: Same as base creature.
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground.
Organization: Same as base creature.
Challenge Rating: Up to 3 HD, same as the base creature +1. 4 HD to 15 HD, same as the base creature +2. 16 HD+, same as the base creature +3.
Treasure: Same as base creature.
Alignment: Usually neutral.
Advancement Range: Same as base creature.

Let me know what you think folks.

 

[eryndel]

I'd change the CR's at the low end to base creature +1 because of the ability adjustments (and the burn ability and immunities) Sure the old version had those but I feel that adding ability bonuses tip it over to CR+1 IMO.

I'm also not sure I like the flaming/flaming strike ability that you've added, especially because elementals don't even have that, but whatever floats your boat.

Werner

 

[Nightfall]

Thanks for the input Werner. I guess I liked the fire damage aspect from the old MotP and I figured it would make sense to do flaming and flaming burst. If you'd like I could alter that so they only do a smaller amount of actual fire damage. I will however change the CR rating on the very low end.

 

[Trickstergod]

Ahh...eh.

The new additions don't seem necessary by any means. The flaming/flaming-burst properties are already covered in part by the burn ability, and they're not terribly unique - ergo, nothing that that original writer couldn't have put up in the first place, so presumably deliberately didn't add them on.

Furthermore, though the Dexterity increase isn't too off base, fire being a flickering, mercurial thing that looks like it should be dextrous, the Intelligence and Charisma increases don't particularly make any sense - it seems that you're adding them arbitrarily just to increase the power of a 10th level Adept of Flame.

You also seem to be neglecting that fact that 3.5 made it a point to lower, not raise, the Damage Reduction of monsters. Yes, Damage Reduction X/Magic is fairly easy to puncture through, but for those who can't pierce it, it shouldn't be so high. The range should be more like DR 5/Magic, 10/Magic, and possibly 15/Magic or 10/Magic and some other appropriate method of schwack.