3.5e Planescape - Cold Black Mask OOC Thread

[Scurry]

Okay. New version of the character, complete with less multiclassing, is done. Please let me know if I screwed up somewhere, I'm a bit short on sleep at the moment (which is also what I blame any problems with the backstory on.) Sblocked below for convenience, (not secrecy):

[sblock=Vervain]Vervain
Male Human Warlock 5
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 135
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Age: 34
XP: 10,000/15,000

Str: 8 (-1) [0 points]
Dex: 18 (+3) [10 points, +2 item]
Con: 12 (+1) [4 points]
Int: 14 (+2) [6 points]
Wis: 10 (+0) [2 points]
Cha: 16 (+3) [8 points, level bonus]

Class and Racial abilities: Human Racials (+1 skill/level, bonus feat), invocations (least), detect magic, DR 1/cold iron, deceive item
Hit Dice: 5d6+5
Vitality Points: 25
Wound Points: 12
AC: 16 (+4 Dex, +2 armor) [Touch 14, Flat-footed 12]
Init: -2 (+4 Dex, -6 flaw)
Speed: 30ft

Saves:
Fortitude +2 [+1 base, +1 Con]
Reflex +5 [+1 base, +4 Dex]
Will +4 [+4 base, +0 Wis]

BAB/Grapple: +3/+2
Melee Atk: +2 (1d4, spiked gauntlet)
Ranged Atk: +7 (3d6, eldritch blast)

Skills:
Bluff +17 [8 ranks, +3 Cha, +6 inv]
Diplomacy +8 [0 ranks, +3 Cha, +6 inv, -1 trait]
Disguise +10 [7 ranks, +3 Cha]
Intimidate +8 [0 ranks, +3 Cha, +6 inv, -1 trait]
Knowledge
(the planes) +10 [8 ranks, +2 Int]
Sense Motive +9 [8 ranks, +1 trait]
Use Magic Device +11 [8 ranks, +3 Cha]
Speak Language [1 rank]

Trait:
Suspicious (+1 Sense Motive, -1 Diplomacy and Intimidate)

Flaw:
Unreactive (-6 init)

Feats:
Able Learner [human bonus]
Point Blank Shot [flaw bonus]
Precise Shot [1st]
Extra Invocation (Eldritch Spear) [3rd]

Languages:
Common, Abyssal, Infernal, Celestial

Invocations Known: DC 13+effective level
Eldritch Blast 3d6
Least: Baleful Utterance, Eldritch Spear, Beguiling Influence, See the Unseen

Equipment:
nifty items:
spiked gauntlet 5gp 1lb
gloves of eldritch admixture 2.5k
bracers* of dex +2 4k
chronocharm of the horizon walker .5k
+1 chain shirt 1.25 25lb
third eye improvisation 1k
*alternate slot from Magic Item Compendium appendix

wands: 2.25k gp total
lesser vigor
shield
blessed aim

scrolls: 100gp total
expeditious retreat
sticky fingers
true strike
joyful noise

Load:
26 lbs; light load
0-26 light, 27-53 medium, 54-80 heavy

1.4k gp

~~~~~~~

Appearance:
Vervain is a gaunt figure, usually in motion, gesticulating with his spiky right gauntlet or pacing. There is a slightly detached quality to his mania, enhanced by the faceted flickering crystal adhering to his forehead. He wears fine clothes, complemented by a very trendy cloak. His hat is a floppy sort, with a plume, sitting atop hair swept neatly back into a short tail. Under the cloak, one might hear the clink of metal rings, or catch sight of a number of scrolls and wands ruining the line of his vest.

Personality:
Well, he used to be the sort that would compact with evil agents and willingly introduce himself to them as "Vervain". Now, he's the sort that thinks that if a fool kid spent all that effort to get various entities to call him something ridiculous like that, he can live with it. He's not so keen on living with the evil agents. He's also friendly (since it never pays to make enemies) and forward thinking (as it's not real pleasant to dwell on the past.)

Background:
It was supposed to be an arcane apprenticeship. After a few months of sacrificing cats, the young-lad-soon-to-be-known-as-Vervain had figured out that: 1. Whatever he was learning, it sure as hell wasn't mage hand 2. It was pretty darn evil 3. They were out of cats, but his master was chalking out another diagram in the cellar.
An apt pupil, he managed to arrive at a workable solution, that is, attack his master first and offer him to the arriving demon in exchange for power. The circumstances might allow one to roughly classify this as self-defense, but that really doesn't excuse Vervain for killing his family later.
Fortunately for his soul, age has mellowed him and the intervening years have allowed the trio of guilt, conscience, and chafing under the not-so-gentle direction of an endless swarm of creatures more powerful than he to cultivate a mighty sense of discontent with his station in life.
[/sblock]

 

[Dire Lemming]

I, ah, thought we weren't supposed to read other folk's s-blocks?

It's hard not to when the Email notification removes the formatting.

Still, you ought to tell people when something is supposed to be secret, otherwise they'll probably think you're just trying to save space.

See my sig.

 

[Ambrus]

[sblock=Cage-Rattler]

Ambrus:I'm thinking you may have forgotten that using your "Speed of Thought" power requires you to spend a full round to become Psionically Focused. In fact, I can calculate your movement rate up to base of 60' per round, or 70' with "speed of Thought": Base 30; Scout ability adds 10'; Quick feat adds 10'; Boots add 10'; "Speed of Thought" adds 10'. Let me know if I'm overlooking something.

Your calculations regarding István's speed are correct. The part you're overlooking is that, unlike some psionic feats such as Psionic Weapon which automatically expends a character's psionic focus when accessed, the insight bonus granted by the Speed of Thought feat applies "as long as you are psionically focused". In essence, István meditates to gain his psionic focus when he awakens, and remains focused until he falls asleep in the evening since he has little reason to ever expend his focus.

Edit: While reading up on being psionically focused I did find something that'd I'd missed earlier; that having one's power point reserve dropped to 0 prevents a character from maintaining a psionic focus. So in this instance, when István used his two available power points to charge his deep crystal rapier, he would have invariably lost his psionic focus until after he'd rested. I'll keep that in mind in the future and rest assured, I won't be doing that trick again except in an emergency or until after I've increased my power point reserve.[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

Cage Rattler...I'm considering a bard. For a group this size, it seems an ideal addition. What are your thoughts on Complete Mage and the Fey Heritage line of feats? I think a fey bard would be great, and those feats would give fey flavor without requiring the massive ECL expenditure that a pixie or similar would entail.

 

[Cage-Rattler]

Direlemming: Actually, I don't usually use the "Sblock" tags to save space without actually specifying that I'm doing so; I usually consider the Sblock the electronic (and less disruptive) version of "The-Dm-Hands-You-a-Secret-Note". I usually don't even bother reading thread replies in my e-mail notifications because it doesn't provide the board formatting; it's just my reminder to check ENWorld.

Of course, I can't force you not to read [sblock] texts -- and really, so long as you don't roleplay as possessing some sort of omniscience, it's not a big deal to me. I can say, though, that as i player I'd probably keep from peeking at other people's private blocks, because it's more fun to be caught completely by surprise when a DM or player drops a bombshell revelation.

Shayuri: I have Complete Arcane, but not Complete Mage; if you post some of the Fey Heritage feats you were interested in an Sblock here, I'll look over them and let you know what I think.

Scurry: I had a quick glance over your character. I'll take an in-depth look after I get back from work tonight.

Ambrus: That's fine; I just wasn't sure if it was something you missed, or something I did.

 

[Dire Lemming]

I'll try to avoid reading sblocks in your game from now on then if they have a name on them.


Shayuri: A pixie would be cool. Another little gravity defying person to keep Istvan company.

 

[Shayuri]

What, there's already a pixie? Bah!

Maybe I should reconsider. Two feys might be a bit much...

Anyway:

[sblock=Fey Feats]Fey Heritage must be taken at 1st level, and gives +3 to Will saves against enchantment effects. It requires a nonlawful alignment...and so do all the others in the line. All other Fey feats besides this one have Fey Heritage as a prereq as well.

Fey Power raises caster level and DC for Enchantment spells (and enchantment warlock powers) by 1.

Fey Skin gives DR of 1 + the number of feats you have with Fey Heritage as a prereq. So DR 2, + 1 for each Fey feat except Fey Heritage itself. The DR is pierced by cold iron.

Fey Presence gives a suite of Spell Like Abilities, each usable 1/day. Charm Monster, Disguise Self, and Deeper Slumber.

Fey Legacy gives a suite of spell like abilities, each usable 1/day. Confusion, Dimension Door, Summon Nature's Ally V...this feat cannot be taken before 9th level.[/sblock]

 

[Dire Lemming]

What, there's already a pixie? Bah!

Maybe I should reconsider. Two feys might be a bit much...

What? There's already a Pixie? Hey, Istvan isn't Fey until $TH Edition comes out!

 

[Shayuri]

...you confuse me, sir.

You clearly implied "another little gravity defying person."

I assume that's not referring to Istevan himself.

 

[Zurai]

Oh, it is. Istvan makes a habit out of running up walls. I don't think he believes in gravity. Sindr thoroughly approves.