Tome of Magic

[Mouseferatu]

But question: When a PC is protected by Stoneskin, Protection from Energy or similiar wounds (hp) absorbing spell AND with the Bolster, which hp the PC looses first? How it works by the rules?

Any spell that protects a PC from damage, such as stoneskin or protection from energy, is applied first. If any damage gets past those spells, it is then deducted from the temporary hit points before it reaches "real" hit points.

As far as combining two magical effects that both grant temporary hit points, I'm actually not sure. My guess would be that you should keep track of which one was applied last, and that's the one that loses HP first, but again, I'm just guessing.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Thanks Ari!

You're quite welcome.

Incidentally, I'm still very interested in hearing from people who have tested these proposed modifications in play, as I've not had the chance to do so. If you wind up using them, I'd love to hear how it turns out.

 

[Nifft]

Pact Magic is the most flexible, on a strategic (day-to-day) basis, and not too shabby on a tactical (round-by-round) basis. It's about as strong as a Warlock, but with some ability to go into melee as a secondary tank.

The Pact Augmentations mean you can further customize your daily role.

It's powerful, but not overpowered -- certainly not compared to a Druid or Cleric. The rules on influence are especially cool -- there's a mechanic to let me change my PC's personality on a day-to-day basis. That's cool (if you like it) and optional (if you don't).

- - -

Shadow Magic, as written (not as Ari has re-written), reminds me of 1e Magic Users. At 1st level, you can do one VERY limited thing ONCE per day. The other things you can do as you level up are kinda cool, but again, VERY limited in application, and ZERO flexibililty in strategic role or tactical choices. You just learned a spell? Great, you get exactly that spell, exactly once per day. The worst parts of a Sorcerer (fixed "known" list) and a Wizard (fixed "prepared" list).

The re-write adds some power and tactical flexibility, and I haven't looked into it enough to comment more than that.

- - -

Truename Magic is growing on me. After trying out some builds at various levels, it looks like you should be able to hit a critter of your CR about 10 times per Utterance -- which seems fair, since each Utterance is about half the power of an equivalent spell.

Using the Truename skill requires that you pay attention to skill-enhancers, from Skill Focus (Truespeak) to an Amulet of the Silvered Tongue, and that you invest in a Luckstone, Ioun Stone of similar bent, and maybe get a Bard or other Arcanist to cast heroism on you for super-tough encounters. Also, you should be putting your gold into Intelligence enhancers (headbands and Tomes), just like any Int-based spellcaster would.

The thing that may break / ruin Truenamers is the campaign. If you like to throw critters above-CR at the party, the Truenamer will be screwed. If you like to throw lots of low-CR minions at the party, the Truenamer will shine and look super-powerful. This may be true of spellcasters in general -- SR is a level check -- but it applies to the Truenamer in all encounters, not just those with SR.


Anyway. It's a great book, full of inspiration. I hope Tome of Battle is this good.

-- N

 

[Hjorimir]

You're quite welcome.

Incidentally, I'm still very interested in hearing from people who have tested these proposed modifications in play, as I've not had the chance to do so. If you wind up using them, I'd love to hear how it turns out.

Maybe I'm confused, but I thought he was asking about proposed changes to the Truenamer and the link you provided is concerning the Shadowcaster.

 

[GQuail]

Maybe I'm confused, but I thought he was asking about proposed changes to the Truenamer and the link you provided is concerning the Shadowcaster.

In his defence, he has offered fixes for both, and since the Shadowcaster was his baby I think he's assumed the former. :>

I'm trying to use search to find the old big-ass thread on the subject of the Truenamer: alas, the big subscription wipe lately took it off my list, and search ain't turning it up. We can but hope it'll turn up: the short version was just that a not-stacking-with-magic-items Truename bonus should be given per truenamer level.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Maybe I'm confused, but I thought he was asking about proposed changes to the Truenamer and the link you provided is concerning the Shadowcaster.

D'oh! You're right.

People had been talking about the shadowcaster upthread, and I guess my brain got a little scrambled.

Unfortunately, the thread in which I proposed some tweaks to the truenamer does, indeed, seem to have been lost in the big crash. I should point out, however, that unlike the shadowcaster, my changes to the truenamer were more flavor-based than balance. I'll give it some thought, and see if I can recreate 'em.

 

[Infernal Teddy]

You're quite welcome.

Incidentally, I'm still very interested in hearing from people who have tested these proposed modifications in play, as I've not had the chance to do so. If you wind up using them, I'd love to hear how it turns out.

Well, I dunno. I've got a player running the Shadowcaster RAW, and so far, we've had no complaints...

 

[Hjorimir]

I'll give it some thought, and see if I can recreate 'em.

Thank you, Ari.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Unfortunately, the thread in which I proposed some tweaks to the truenamer does, indeed, seem to have been lost in the big crash. I should point out, however, that unlike the shadowcaster, my changes to the truenamer were more flavor-based than balance. I'll give it some thought, and see if I can recreate 'em.

The reason I didn't notice the mistake was that I had googled Mouseferatu and truenamer and found this cached record:

Hmm...

Having given this further thought, I've come up with a trio of very simple house modifications that I think solve the problems for everyone who feels the truenamer shouldn't need to augment his ability with magic items. Consider:

1) When making a Truespeak check to cast an utterance, the truenamer gains a class-based bonus equal to his truename-based BAB*. This means that the formula stays close to as-is for low levels, and that higher-level creatures get harder--as they should--but not nearly as much harder as they do now. This is the equivalent, by 20th level, of having an amulet of the silver tongue +10 and another minor stat-boosting ability, but it's innate rather than requiring the items.

* This bonus doesn't actually have anything to do with attacking. But +15 over the span of 20 levels seems appropriate, so it's easiest just to bump it as BAB increases.

2) When dealing with a willing target, the truenamer's bonus equals his truenamer level, rather than BAB. Thus, it's a lot easier to buff the companions.

3) The DC to use an area-effect utterance is either 25 (the DC to affect a non-magical item), or the same DC as if you were affecting the highest CR-creature in that area, whichever is higher. This eliminates the discrepency, for people who were wondering why it's easier to cause an earthquake than to buff an ally.

I have not playtested any of these. They're simply what came to mind, when I was thinking of ways to use a truenamer in a low-magic setting. Thoughts?

Oh, and if you're going to impliment these, I suggest removing the amulet of the silver tongue from the game. The point is to eliminate the need for it, not to overpower the class.

 

[Mouseferatu]

That was it! Thank you much.

Obviously, point 3 is no longer valid, since the errata has clarified the DC to affect an area with the Lexicon of the Perfected Map since I wrote this. I think points 1 and 2 still work, as long as you remove the amulet from the game.

Now, I'll say again, those suggestions weren't meant to fix any perceived mechanical problem with the rules as written. It's purely for those who don't like the flavor of a class that essentially requires a specific magic item to function.

I've been trying to come up with a flat formula for the other two lexicons that mirrors the Perfected Map, for people who dislike the flavor of using CR as the basis for these mechanics, but I haven't yet found one I'm happy with.