Wanted: Celestial Campaign Advice

[WinnipegDragon]

It has been a long while since I have posted on the boards here

Anyhow, I am beginning to put together the shell of my first new campaign in a while, and for a change of pace, my party is going to consist of extraplanar creatures and celestials bound to a particular god. Essentially, the concept is that instead of being mortals on the Prime Material Plane that are praying for help, the players get to be the answer to that prayer.

The rules in Savage Species are certainly helpful, but I'd be curious to see if anyone out there can tell me what pitfalls to expect, and how to best tailor challenges to much more powerful characters.

Much obliged!

 

[Voadam]

High ECL characters are very powerful for their HD, often with useful spell like or supernatural abilities that are very useful for an adventurer. They are relatively vulnerable though to appropriate CR encounters because they will have much lower hit points and saves than a straight character with full equivalent levels and the challenges are based around those core HD and saves.

Some things grant levels in classes and if they gain levels they can add to them instead of starting from 0.

Look over the specific powers of the celestial race they can be and become very familiar with those powers for when you are thinking up scenarios and challenges.

Penumbra bestiary has a bunch of celestials (called Saboaths in there) and Green Ronin has the avatar's handbook, which from reviews has good celestial stuff.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Thanks Voadam, good stuff. I'll check out those books.

Fortunately, Savage Species has all of the 'standard' sub-ECL20 celestials broken down so that we can actually play starting at 1st level if so desired, but the low hitpoints, high ability gameplay will be a unique experience, for sure.

I was hoping that I might be able to start out by following in the footsteps of those DMs who have gone before me, but that may not be possible if no one here has tried out these beings as PCs.

 

[Voadam]

One celestial adventure seed is to have the PC become subject to a summon monster or planar binding spell. The summon monster can be interesting because evil wizards can summon good celestials and force them to attack good people.

A less annoying interaction though is the planar binding with bargaining (or am I thinking of planar ally), perhaps as the start of the celestial's quest on the mortal world in return for something grandly good from the summoner.

Sorry no direct experience here with SS and celestials, just some ideas.

 

[Tonguez]

Watch The Prophecy I - III (Christopher Walken as the Angel Gabriel leader of the second rebellion)

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Actually the first chapter is already laid out in my head. The group will arrive as an answer to a prayer just to see the last breaths of a dying cleric. His eyes light up as he recognizes the messengers of his diety, and then close as he falls to the ground. All around are true believers, struck dead but with no visible wounds. Their first task is to sort out what happened...

I guess I am worried about the game mechanics. At 4th level, some of these archons and celestials can detect magic/evil/lies at will. It will be hard to conceal things and make them work at finding solutions, thus my question.

I'll check out the Prophecy flicks too

 

[LightPhoenix]

I guess I am worried about the game mechanics. At 4th level, some of these archons and celestials can detect magic/evil/lies at will. It will be hard to conceal things and make them work at finding solutions, thus my question.

Well, as far as Detect Evil goes, you don't always have to use evil foes all the time - sometimes good people do things that aren't necessarily good too. For instance, agents of another Good god that happent o have a different belief or agenda than the PC'.

Or, you could throw them a red herring - maybe there was a detection of magic, but it's related in a more complex manner than "someone cast an evocation, it must have been evil" or what have you.

In the end though, you don't want to have Detect Evil (or any of the other abilities) be completely useless. If they use them to good end to figure out what's going on, good for them! They are celestials after all.

 

[Reika]

With regards to the various detection abilities, such as detect evil. Remember that spells like "Undetectable Alignment" and items that do the same are your friends.

 

[Tonguez]

Its also quite possible that for a Celestial EVERYONE will detect as evil to some degree (afterall Celestial = Manifestation of Divine Good and earthly good is going to be second rate - All Flesh is Evil type stuff kewl!) detect magic is easy since even mundane magic (eg healing scrolls) is detectable, same with detect lies - all mortals lie when you ask someone "How are you today?" and the answer is "good" it could well be a lie from a Celestials persepctive....

 

[Malicene]

all these detects spell are fairly low level (easily countered by 3rd level spell Non-detection) even detect tought spell DC can't be very hard at higher level .

Your campaign start seems very cool to me (liked to play it...)
some ideas :
* Diplomatic challenge : Lg Celestial have a strong centralised power (yep Lawful guys ....) so coming up into the level can be a hard thing with a lot of political issues.
* Jink (gold) is good for celestial too, the war against Evil Forces has a cost and even Celestial need Jink !
* Celestial vary form a plane to another : Chaotic azuras or Eladrin don't like rigid Planetars
* Celestial can loss part of there power depending on location, being a Celestial into Hell is a HARD TIME.
* Petitioners are tomorow celestial/proxies !!! don't be arrogant with them !!

* two things from Planescape, things goes by Three (as per rule of Three), There's always a place were common rules don't works ! incist on this with your Player to avoid disapointement !

*Last word : yo're never sure to know the Dark of it ! always something Darker you don't know . Even Gods of Knowledge don't know everything !