JollyDoc's Shackled City
sithramir
First Post
Lela said:Yes, because variety is what this group lacks.
Just like to mention that I am enjoyying this story as always. I'm putting entropy as the head of my little cult of the revenancer that one of my players is a member of.
Questions: Entropy went into Alienist and has Knowledge Planes at 27ish equal to his knowledge arcane. But this skill for a sorcerer is cross class. You shouldnt' have been able to go alienist until lvl 12. Obviously this was changed but i was wondering how you guys did it? Did the DM just let you take knowledge planes as class skill and drop another? I saw no feats to gain it.
JollyDoc
Explorer
INTERLUDE:
This was ridiculous, Rusty thought to himself as he stalked down Magma Avenue, away from the church of Tyr. His friends were once again risking their lives for this town, and no one was lifting a finger to help them. Jenya had said that she had approached the other churches and been met with indifference. Most believed that the annual Flood Festival was just another celebration, with no actual danger being posed by the rains anymore. Even the other churches had fallen into complacency. Well, he was just going to see about that. He’d made up his mind to visit the temples of Tempus and Kelemvor and get his own answers.
At the temple of Tempus, he was met by Asfelkir Hranleurt, a burly half-orc who was currently serving as the high priest. It was plain to Rusty that Asfelkir was not overly excited to have to speak with him. Even after Rusty had explained the situation with Sarcem’s murder and the theft of the wands, as well as what his companions had discovered in the ruins below the city, the high priest, while outwardly sympathetic, was not very forthcoming with any assistance. He told Rusty that the church was extremely busy preparing for the Festival. They had many competitions and sporting events to plan, and could spare no one. He wished the dwarf the best of luck, and turned away without another word, except to say that maybe the Kelemvorites might know more about his dilemma.
If anything, the priest of Kelemvor that he spoke with was even less enthusiastic. Ike Iverson was a sour looking human with a perpetual scowl on his face. He was not even the high priest. Rusty assumed he was not important enough to meet with that august personage. Ike listened impatiently to his story, then informed him that he thought the entire Flood Festival was a waste of time and resources, and his church had much more important matters to attend to. Rusty was summarily dismissed.
He wandered angrily through town, cursing under his breath every time he witnessed some citizen decorating or otherwise preparing for the festivities. The fools didn’t even realize that their town might not exist in a week’s time. They were oblivious to the fact that others were, at this moment, battling for their continued well-being. It was at that moment, as he was passing through a particularly busy market, that he spied a familiar, though often overlooked, face. Raphael Jurgensen, the keeper of the local small shrine to Lathander, was at his usual spot on the corner, proselytizing to all who would listen, and handing out religious tracts to passersby. The shrine itself was a small affair; in fact, Raphael was its only attendant. The worship of Lathander was not especially popular in these parts. Peace, joy and loving thy neighbor were all well and good in the big cities, but out here on the frontier, justice, battle, and death were what most people were familiar with, hence the strong presence of the churches of Tyr, Tempus and Kelemvor. Rusty felt sorry for the man. His faith must surely be strong, because he was never absent from this spot during the day, despite the scorn of many of those he sought to minister to. What the Hell? Rusty shrugged. It couldn’t hurt to talk to him.
“Afternoon, Padre,” the dwarf said as he approached, cordially accepting one of the tracts from Raphael.
“Well, it’s actually Holy Brother,” Raphael replied, not unkindly, “I am not truly a priest, but a paladin in the service of the Lord of Light.”
“I suppose that’ll have to do,” Rusty said, and then he told his tale for the third time that day. When he finished, Raphael had a look of sincere distress, “Why, that’s terrible! And you say none of the other churches will assist? How can they not?”
“Easy,” Rusty answered, “They just said no. Now I know you’re order is not exactly wealthy, but even if you could offer up a few healing elixirs, it would be appreciated.”
“Alas,” Raphael shook his head, “I have none, and have not the skill to brew them. If patrons need healing, I provide it with my own ability. I have nothing to offer you but my services. I will accompany you to find your friends.”
“No offense, Brother,” Rusty said skeptically, “but you don’t exactly strike me as the adventurous sort.”
“Perhaps,” the paladin said simply, “but I give you my word that I will stand by you and yours under all circumstances.”
“That’s more than anyone else’s offered,” the dwarf laughed, “Come on then. Our flight leaves in about fifteen minutes.”
LIKE RATS TO THE CHEESE
“I see him…and he’s not alone,” Pez said, peering across the lake towards the far cliff. He spread his wings and soared out over the dark water, climbing towards the winch housing. “It’s good to see you again, Rusty,” he said in greeting as he alighted near the dwarf. “Who is this?”
“Pez, meet Raphael Jurgensen,” Rusty said, “Holy Brother of Lathander.”
Pez’ eyes narrowed briefly, “Yes…I’ve seen you before in the market. Why are you here?”
“Your companion told me of your plight,” the paladin said, “I felt it was my holy duty to lend whatever aid I could.”
“It is appreciated,” the archon smiled, “We need any allies that we can find.”
Pez ferried the pair back to the beach, where introductions were made, and the current situation was explained. “So,” Pez concluded, “we still have three wands to find, and one of Triel’s accomplices still unaccounted for. Let’s move.”
__________________________________________________________
They made their way towards the far entrance to the ruins, the only section they had not explored yet. Beyond an entry chamber, that appeared to have been hastily abandoned, they entered a long, twisting hall with many doors. The first one they tried was locked, which was interesting in and of itself, since most of the other doors they had found so far were unsecured, with the exception of Triel’s. The group took up defensive positions around the portal, while Tilly pulled out his lock picks, and set to work on the mechanism. However, after several attempts, the halfling had to admit that this particular lock was beyond him.
“Here,” Gardrid said, stepping up, “let me have a try.” The battlerager then proceeded to hammer at the door with his axe, splintering the wood and finally battering it down completely. “After you,” he said, bowing to Pez. Pez shook his head, and then stepped into the room, only to find himself face to face with what appeared to be a whirling cyclone, about seven feet tall, with two, glowing, red eyes in the center of it.
Pez immediately recognized the guardian as an elemental, a creature native to the plane of Air. It was not uncommon for sorcerers and wizards to bind such beings as servants or watchdogs. This one appeared to be the latter, and it appeared to be quite displeased at this intrusion. Roaring with a sound like rushing wind, the elemental whirled towards Pez. The archon threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding being pummeled by the raging vortex. He thrust his sword deep into the swirling mass, expecting it to pass harmlessly through the apparently insubstantial creature. However, he definitely felt resistance, and the creature reacted as if in pain.
“If it can feel pain, it can die!” Gardrid shouted, and in he came, hacking into the elemental repeatedly. It cried out in mournful wails and slowly dissipated into nothingness, returning to its home plane.
The room itself was like a breath of fresh air. While still a little warm, it was dry and nowhere near as foul as elsewhere in the ruins. Against the wall opposite the door sat a well-made desk. A bookshelf, overflowing with tomes, stood near another wall. “I would say we’ve found something interesting,” Pez said, sifting through the various parchments and scrolls strewn across the desktop. “Indeed,” said Wathros, examining the book titles, “and unless I miss my guess, I would say Triel’s other conspirator is a wizard of some sort. Most of these grimoires deal with the study of mysteries.” “There definitely be magic about,” Rusty said, stepping into the room and letting his eyes roam from corner to corner. He had empowered his vision with the ability to detect magical emanations, and what immediately drew his attention was a door in the far wall with an elaborate lock.
Pez moved to the door and tried the handle. Instantly, a snake-like tendril of brownish energy erupted from the wood, striking at the archon like a serpent. He quickly hopped back and to the side, narrowly avoiding the spell, which exploded with a loud ‘pop’ and a puff of tan smoke. “I would say there’s something in there that someone doesn’t want anyone else to see,” Pez stated, “Tilly, try your hand at this lock. I seem to have already disabled to trap for you.”
Tilly looked skeptically at Pez, and then shrugging, set to work on the barrier. After a minute or two, he stood up and turned the knob, stepping cautiously back from whatever might be waiting beyond. The chamber appeared unoccupied. It seemed to be a comfortable bedchamber, with a rather small bed and thick carpeting covering the floor. More bookshelves line the walls, sagging with books, tomes and scrolls of all shapes and sizes. Rusty entered first, again scanning the area, his eyes finally settling on one of the shelves. “There,” he said, pointing to an area which glowed dimly to his enhanced vision.
This time Tilly investigated, reminding Pez that he did have some skill in dealing with booby traps. He examined the shelf and its contents with a critical eye, before finally satisfying himself that there were no unexpected surprises. He began removing the books one by one. To his shock and dismay, yet another of the magical tentacles appeared and snapped out at him. Unfortunately, the little rogue was not quite as quick as Pez. The tendril struck him, and then wrapped around his body, encasing him in a translucent bubble of energy. The others rushed to him, but could not touch him through the barrier. To them, he appeared to be in some sort of trance.
“It’s a Snake Sigil,” Wathros pronounced, “They are used as magical traps.” “Really?” Gardrid sneered, “Yer just full o’ useful information, aren’t ya? Why don’t ya tell us how to get rid of it?”
“Well,” the druid said, ignoring the dwarf’s sarcasm, or oblivious to it, “It can be magically dispelled, but I don’t have that particular counter memorized.” He turned questioningly to the others. Pez unshouldered his pack and fished around until he found a leather scroll tube. Unrolling the parchment within, he began reading an incantation. When he had finished, the bubble popped and Tilly blinked in surprise. “What are you all looking at?” he asked, “Hey, what’s this?” he reached up onto the shelf he had been clearing and pulled down a crystalline wand…the sixth of the wands of Controlling Water.
Pez sighed, “Two more. It would seem our wizard friend knows we are coming, and has decided to retreat to a more defensible position. I think he left this wand here as bait. We are definitely expected.
This was ridiculous, Rusty thought to himself as he stalked down Magma Avenue, away from the church of Tyr. His friends were once again risking their lives for this town, and no one was lifting a finger to help them. Jenya had said that she had approached the other churches and been met with indifference. Most believed that the annual Flood Festival was just another celebration, with no actual danger being posed by the rains anymore. Even the other churches had fallen into complacency. Well, he was just going to see about that. He’d made up his mind to visit the temples of Tempus and Kelemvor and get his own answers.
At the temple of Tempus, he was met by Asfelkir Hranleurt, a burly half-orc who was currently serving as the high priest. It was plain to Rusty that Asfelkir was not overly excited to have to speak with him. Even after Rusty had explained the situation with Sarcem’s murder and the theft of the wands, as well as what his companions had discovered in the ruins below the city, the high priest, while outwardly sympathetic, was not very forthcoming with any assistance. He told Rusty that the church was extremely busy preparing for the Festival. They had many competitions and sporting events to plan, and could spare no one. He wished the dwarf the best of luck, and turned away without another word, except to say that maybe the Kelemvorites might know more about his dilemma.
If anything, the priest of Kelemvor that he spoke with was even less enthusiastic. Ike Iverson was a sour looking human with a perpetual scowl on his face. He was not even the high priest. Rusty assumed he was not important enough to meet with that august personage. Ike listened impatiently to his story, then informed him that he thought the entire Flood Festival was a waste of time and resources, and his church had much more important matters to attend to. Rusty was summarily dismissed.
He wandered angrily through town, cursing under his breath every time he witnessed some citizen decorating or otherwise preparing for the festivities. The fools didn’t even realize that their town might not exist in a week’s time. They were oblivious to the fact that others were, at this moment, battling for their continued well-being. It was at that moment, as he was passing through a particularly busy market, that he spied a familiar, though often overlooked, face. Raphael Jurgensen, the keeper of the local small shrine to Lathander, was at his usual spot on the corner, proselytizing to all who would listen, and handing out religious tracts to passersby. The shrine itself was a small affair; in fact, Raphael was its only attendant. The worship of Lathander was not especially popular in these parts. Peace, joy and loving thy neighbor were all well and good in the big cities, but out here on the frontier, justice, battle, and death were what most people were familiar with, hence the strong presence of the churches of Tyr, Tempus and Kelemvor. Rusty felt sorry for the man. His faith must surely be strong, because he was never absent from this spot during the day, despite the scorn of many of those he sought to minister to. What the Hell? Rusty shrugged. It couldn’t hurt to talk to him.
“Afternoon, Padre,” the dwarf said as he approached, cordially accepting one of the tracts from Raphael.
“Well, it’s actually Holy Brother,” Raphael replied, not unkindly, “I am not truly a priest, but a paladin in the service of the Lord of Light.”
“I suppose that’ll have to do,” Rusty said, and then he told his tale for the third time that day. When he finished, Raphael had a look of sincere distress, “Why, that’s terrible! And you say none of the other churches will assist? How can they not?”
“Easy,” Rusty answered, “They just said no. Now I know you’re order is not exactly wealthy, but even if you could offer up a few healing elixirs, it would be appreciated.”
“Alas,” Raphael shook his head, “I have none, and have not the skill to brew them. If patrons need healing, I provide it with my own ability. I have nothing to offer you but my services. I will accompany you to find your friends.”
“No offense, Brother,” Rusty said skeptically, “but you don’t exactly strike me as the adventurous sort.”
“Perhaps,” the paladin said simply, “but I give you my word that I will stand by you and yours under all circumstances.”
“That’s more than anyone else’s offered,” the dwarf laughed, “Come on then. Our flight leaves in about fifteen minutes.”
LIKE RATS TO THE CHEESE
“I see him…and he’s not alone,” Pez said, peering across the lake towards the far cliff. He spread his wings and soared out over the dark water, climbing towards the winch housing. “It’s good to see you again, Rusty,” he said in greeting as he alighted near the dwarf. “Who is this?”
“Pez, meet Raphael Jurgensen,” Rusty said, “Holy Brother of Lathander.”
Pez’ eyes narrowed briefly, “Yes…I’ve seen you before in the market. Why are you here?”
“Your companion told me of your plight,” the paladin said, “I felt it was my holy duty to lend whatever aid I could.”
“It is appreciated,” the archon smiled, “We need any allies that we can find.”
Pez ferried the pair back to the beach, where introductions were made, and the current situation was explained. “So,” Pez concluded, “we still have three wands to find, and one of Triel’s accomplices still unaccounted for. Let’s move.”
__________________________________________________________
They made their way towards the far entrance to the ruins, the only section they had not explored yet. Beyond an entry chamber, that appeared to have been hastily abandoned, they entered a long, twisting hall with many doors. The first one they tried was locked, which was interesting in and of itself, since most of the other doors they had found so far were unsecured, with the exception of Triel’s. The group took up defensive positions around the portal, while Tilly pulled out his lock picks, and set to work on the mechanism. However, after several attempts, the halfling had to admit that this particular lock was beyond him.
“Here,” Gardrid said, stepping up, “let me have a try.” The battlerager then proceeded to hammer at the door with his axe, splintering the wood and finally battering it down completely. “After you,” he said, bowing to Pez. Pez shook his head, and then stepped into the room, only to find himself face to face with what appeared to be a whirling cyclone, about seven feet tall, with two, glowing, red eyes in the center of it.
Pez immediately recognized the guardian as an elemental, a creature native to the plane of Air. It was not uncommon for sorcerers and wizards to bind such beings as servants or watchdogs. This one appeared to be the latter, and it appeared to be quite displeased at this intrusion. Roaring with a sound like rushing wind, the elemental whirled towards Pez. The archon threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding being pummeled by the raging vortex. He thrust his sword deep into the swirling mass, expecting it to pass harmlessly through the apparently insubstantial creature. However, he definitely felt resistance, and the creature reacted as if in pain.
“If it can feel pain, it can die!” Gardrid shouted, and in he came, hacking into the elemental repeatedly. It cried out in mournful wails and slowly dissipated into nothingness, returning to its home plane.
The room itself was like a breath of fresh air. While still a little warm, it was dry and nowhere near as foul as elsewhere in the ruins. Against the wall opposite the door sat a well-made desk. A bookshelf, overflowing with tomes, stood near another wall. “I would say we’ve found something interesting,” Pez said, sifting through the various parchments and scrolls strewn across the desktop. “Indeed,” said Wathros, examining the book titles, “and unless I miss my guess, I would say Triel’s other conspirator is a wizard of some sort. Most of these grimoires deal with the study of mysteries.” “There definitely be magic about,” Rusty said, stepping into the room and letting his eyes roam from corner to corner. He had empowered his vision with the ability to detect magical emanations, and what immediately drew his attention was a door in the far wall with an elaborate lock.
Pez moved to the door and tried the handle. Instantly, a snake-like tendril of brownish energy erupted from the wood, striking at the archon like a serpent. He quickly hopped back and to the side, narrowly avoiding the spell, which exploded with a loud ‘pop’ and a puff of tan smoke. “I would say there’s something in there that someone doesn’t want anyone else to see,” Pez stated, “Tilly, try your hand at this lock. I seem to have already disabled to trap for you.”
Tilly looked skeptically at Pez, and then shrugging, set to work on the barrier. After a minute or two, he stood up and turned the knob, stepping cautiously back from whatever might be waiting beyond. The chamber appeared unoccupied. It seemed to be a comfortable bedchamber, with a rather small bed and thick carpeting covering the floor. More bookshelves line the walls, sagging with books, tomes and scrolls of all shapes and sizes. Rusty entered first, again scanning the area, his eyes finally settling on one of the shelves. “There,” he said, pointing to an area which glowed dimly to his enhanced vision.
This time Tilly investigated, reminding Pez that he did have some skill in dealing with booby traps. He examined the shelf and its contents with a critical eye, before finally satisfying himself that there were no unexpected surprises. He began removing the books one by one. To his shock and dismay, yet another of the magical tentacles appeared and snapped out at him. Unfortunately, the little rogue was not quite as quick as Pez. The tendril struck him, and then wrapped around his body, encasing him in a translucent bubble of energy. The others rushed to him, but could not touch him through the barrier. To them, he appeared to be in some sort of trance.
“It’s a Snake Sigil,” Wathros pronounced, “They are used as magical traps.” “Really?” Gardrid sneered, “Yer just full o’ useful information, aren’t ya? Why don’t ya tell us how to get rid of it?”
“Well,” the druid said, ignoring the dwarf’s sarcasm, or oblivious to it, “It can be magically dispelled, but I don’t have that particular counter memorized.” He turned questioningly to the others. Pez unshouldered his pack and fished around until he found a leather scroll tube. Unrolling the parchment within, he began reading an incantation. When he had finished, the bubble popped and Tilly blinked in surprise. “What are you all looking at?” he asked, “Hey, what’s this?” he reached up onto the shelf he had been clearing and pulled down a crystalline wand…the sixth of the wands of Controlling Water.
Pez sighed, “Two more. It would seem our wizard friend knows we are coming, and has decided to retreat to a more defensible position. I think he left this wand here as bait. We are definitely expected.
Neverwinter Knight
First Post
Do you really think a paladin can add some variety to the group?JollyDoc said:
I was kinda hoping for an arcane spellcaster... Still Raphael makes a nice first impression - he doesn't come across as uptight as most paladins (or Pez). Still, we will see how he fares in the upcoming combat! I hate it when I have to face prepared enemies on their own ground. Hopefully those circumstances do not prove fatal for our heros.JollyDoc said:
Nice update, JollyDoc. Getting to know about the background (i.e. what's happening in town) really adds to the story and the dilemma that adventurers sometimes face: Butt-kicking for goodness is not always rewarded.
Lela
First Post
Bah, Tempus, the cowards. The Battle Lord should be furious (not that that's something new but still). There's real battle to be had and his supposed worshipers are planning festival games? The not wanting to help with the wands I can understand but not shirking a fight. That's just plain wrong. Cowards.
Hey everyone, Pez just leveled (a little bit after JollyDoc's latest update), so I thought you would enjoy his new stats. Hell, I might as well make this a recurring feature of the story hour. Also, I'm sure you can appreciate my min/maxing genius. (Major changes have been underlined)
Pez (Dispenser of Justice)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Medium Outsider (Archon, Good, Lawful, Native)
Hit Dice: 5d8+20 (46 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 90 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 26 (+4 Dex, +6 armor, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9
Attack: +2 silver greatsword +11 melee (2d6+7) or masterwork composite longbow +10 ranged (1d8)
Full Attack: +2 silver greatsword +11 melee (2d6+7) or masterwork composite longbow +10 ranged (1d8)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, spells, trumpet
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/evil, darkvision 60 ft., resistance to electricity 15, tongues
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +9
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 16
Skills: Concentration +12, Escape Artist +12, Hide +12, Knowledge (Local) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +10, Knowledge (The Planes) +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +12, Sense Motive +12, Spot +12
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Power Attack
Environment: Cauldron (Vilhon Reach)
Organization: Solitary or troupe (Pez, Gardrid, Tilly, Wathros, Rusty)
Challenge Rating: 7 (XP: 21,000 + change)
Treasure: Goods
Alignment: Lawful Good
Combat
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day -- detect evil, continual flame, message. Caster level 5th.
Spells: Pez can cast divine spells as a 7th level cleric. He has access to the domains of Air, Destruction, Good, Knowledge, Law, and War. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.
Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (6/5+1/4+1/3+1/2+1; DC 14 + spell level): 0--cure minor wounds (3), detect magic (2); 1st--command (2), cure light wounds, divine favor (2), obscuring mist*; 2nd--aid*, cure moderate wounds, sound burst (3); 3rd--cure serious wounds, dispel magic, gaseous form*, magic circle against evil; 4th--divine power, freedom of movement, holy smite*
Trumpet (Su): Pez's trumpet produces music of utter clarity and, if he wills it, paralyzing awe. All creatures except archons within 20 feet of the blast must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based. The archon can also command his trumpet to become a +2 silver greatsword as a free action.
Major Magic Items
Cloak of resistance +1, gloves of dexterity +2, +2 mithral chain shirt, periapt of wisdom +2, 10 potions of hide
(Major changes have been underlined)Pez (Dispenser of Justice)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Medium Outsider (Archon, Good, Lawful, Native)
Hit Dice: 5d8+20 (46 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 90 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 26 (+4 Dex, +6 armor, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9
Attack: +2 silver greatsword +11 melee (2d6+7) or masterwork composite longbow +10 ranged (1d8)
Full Attack: +2 silver greatsword +11 melee (2d6+7) or masterwork composite longbow +10 ranged (1d8)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, spells, trumpet
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/evil, darkvision 60 ft., resistance to electricity 15, tongues
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +9
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 16
Skills: Concentration +12, Escape Artist +12, Hide +12, Knowledge (Local) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +10, Knowledge (The Planes) +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +12, Sense Motive +12, Spot +12
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Power Attack
Environment: Cauldron (Vilhon Reach)
Organization: Solitary or troupe (Pez, Gardrid, Tilly, Wathros, Rusty)
Challenge Rating: 7 (XP: 21,000 + change)
Treasure: Goods
Alignment: Lawful Good
Combat
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day -- detect evil, continual flame, message. Caster level 5th.
Spells: Pez can cast divine spells as a 7th level cleric. He has access to the domains of Air, Destruction, Good, Knowledge, Law, and War. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.
Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (6/5+1/4+1/3+1/2+1; DC 14 + spell level): 0--cure minor wounds (3), detect magic (2); 1st--command (2), cure light wounds, divine favor (2), obscuring mist*; 2nd--aid*, cure moderate wounds, sound burst (3); 3rd--cure serious wounds, dispel magic, gaseous form*, magic circle against evil; 4th--divine power, freedom of movement, holy smite*
Trumpet (Su): Pez's trumpet produces music of utter clarity and, if he wills it, paralyzing awe. All creatures except archons within 20 feet of the blast must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based. The archon can also command his trumpet to become a +2 silver greatsword as a free action.
Major Magic Items
Cloak of resistance +1, gloves of dexterity +2, +2 mithral chain shirt, periapt of wisdom +2, 10 potions of hide
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Hi to all of you and let me just say this is a great story.
That said I am actually responding to the last round of stats presented by Gfunk. I do not own Savage species but the dm in me is set on code orange when i look at Pez stats and abilities. Gfunk and Jollydoc do you honestly think he is on par with a 7th level character (lets say a cleric). To me he looks, at least on paper, to be far better in almost any way.
The only downside seems to be less Hd and thus less hp (possibly not due to better Con), fewer feats and lower max skill ranks.
This is not meant to be critisism, I am simply curious as to what balances Pez, in my eyes, superiority. I have not yet been in games with real "monster" characters and may overlook some glaring weakness.
That said I am actually responding to the last round of stats presented by Gfunk. I do not own Savage species but the dm in me is set on code orange when i look at Pez stats and abilities. Gfunk and Jollydoc do you honestly think he is on par with a 7th level character (lets say a cleric). To me he looks, at least on paper, to be far better in almost any way.
The only downside seems to be less Hd and thus less hp (possibly not due to better Con), fewer feats and lower max skill ranks.
This is not meant to be critisism, I am simply curious as to what balances Pez, in my eyes, superiority. I have not yet been in games with real "monster" characters and may overlook some glaring weakness.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! We appreciate it.monboesen said:
Our beloved JollyDoc is currently living it up on Florida's white sand beaches until Sunday, so I'll throw in my 2 cents (he'll be back on Sunday).
Your question is a very legitimate one and it will take some time to answer.
If you compare a straight 7th level cleric to a 7th level Archon, here are the advavtages afforded to the cleric:
1) 7 HD = more hp
2) 1 more feat (4 total)
3) Higher ranks in skills
4) Ability so spontaneously cast Cure spells
5) Ability to turn undead
6) Heavy armor proficiency and shield proficiency
The Archon, on the other hand has the following advtantages:
1) Unbalanced stats
2) Flight
3) Natural Armor
4) DR/evil
5) Martial weapon proficency
6) Electrical resistance
7) Trumpet/greatsword combo
Clearly, IMO, the Archon is the winner which is why I selected it in the first place
. But seriously, let me explain a bit more.Savage Species began the precedent that all HD are created equal. For example a 3rd level Fighter (with 3 HD plus relevant class features, like bonus feats) is equivalent to a 3 HD giant. On paper if you compare the two, they seem like a good match:
Fighter HD vs. Giant HD
Fighter BAB vs. Clerical BAB
d10 HD vs. d8 HD
Good Fort save vs. Good Fort save
2+Int skill points vs. 2+Int skill points
Plus, as I mentioned, the Fighter gets 2 bonus feats. Clearly, the fighter comes out on top. However, if we decide to give our 3 HD giants more abilities, like Large size, 10' reach, and high Str and Con then we have to provide him with a Level Adjustment (LA).
Take a full-grown Fire Giant with 14 HD and a LA of +5. A Fire Giant is therefore equivalent to a 19th level Fighter. Keep in mind that both PCs will have gear approrpiate to 19th level. So everything is fine and dandy right?
Not quite, b/c some HD are more equal than others. Consider 1 HD of cleric vs. 1 HD of Outsider (as Pez has):
Cleric vs. Outsider
d8 HD vs. d8 HD (ok, good so far)
Good Fort/Reflex saves vs. Good Fort/Reflex/Will saves (uh, oh)
Cleric BAB vs. Fighter BAB (I think we've got a problem here)
2+Int skill points vs. 8+Int skill points (Yep, not balanced at all)
However, the balancing factor is this. A Trumpet Archon has a LA of +8 and 12 HD, bringing the ECL to 20. Therefore a 20th level Archon is equivalent to a 20th level cleric. Looking at the end product I think we can see that this is fair exchange. For giving up raw power (a 20th level Cleric has 20 HD and can cast 8th and 9th level spells) an Archon is given versatility.
The problem is not the end product, but the level progression that lead us there. If you look at the 20 Archon progression, you will notice the following:
1st level = Pretty much on pary with other PCs
2nd level - 5th level = Clearly better than a cleric due to advanced spellcasting progression
6th level - 11th level = Clearly better than a cleric b/c of advent of numerous special abilites (note that after 8th level though, a cleric is always a more powerful spellcaster than the archon)
12th leven and beoynd = The clerics steady advancement in HD and spellcasting gives him far more raw power, leaving the Archon with increased versatility
Therefore, on paper, the Archon seems to top most PCs from 1st-11th level. But has this really played out in our camapaign? Not really, simply consider the number of times Pez has been smacked down:
A. "Life's Bazaar"
1. Smacked down by Ogre wielding a Falchion (negative hp)
2. Smacked down by Kazmojen (negative hp)
3. Smacked down by a Clockwork horror (negative hp)
B. "Flood Season"
1. Int reduced to 1 by Spawn of Kyuss
2. Blinded by Glyph of Warding and rendered useless
During the same time period, by comparison, the battlerager (Gardrid, Barbarian 7) has not been taken down even once (AFAIK). Therefore, Pez does not seem to take away the shine from other PCs.
Another telling example was when the PCs (level 5 at the time) were taking on the Hecuva Gnoll Ranger/Cleric (CR 9). Wathros, Gardrid, and Tilly did a fine job taking it down on their own while Pez was huddled in the corner in a fetal position (after being blinded).
So ultimately, the Archon does look strong on paper and your concern is a good one. But so far, he has not had an unbalancing impact on our game. After a few more levels, I think he should fit in nicely with the others in the power curve.
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