Alienist (from Complete Arcane) - worth it ?

[VonRichthofen]

Veering slightly off topic here... do you really think that Call of Cthulhu had to be implemented into D&D?

 

[frankthedm]

Veering slightly off topic here... do you really think that Call of Cthulhu had to be implemented into D&D?

Yes. D&D is the melting pot of fantasy fiction and the Conan stories have always had strong cthulhu mythos connections. The Cthulhu mythos has been a part of D&D since the early years of the AD&D game.

 

[VonRichthofen]

Yes. D&D is the melting pot of fantasy fiction and the Conan stories have always had strong cthulhu mythos connections. The Cthulhu mythos has been a part of D&D since the early years of the AD&D game.

Hmm, don't like to gainsay this - it's been a long time since last I had my 1st Ed DMG in hands, but would you mind pointing out a reference? I seem to have never really connected the two back in the "old days" - but maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see? Any push for my brain cells would be appreciated...

 

[Wish]

The first edition Dieties and Demigods had chapters on the Nehwon, Cthulu, and Melnibonean pantheons. The Cthulu and Melnibonean sections were pulled in later printings due to license issues.

 

[wildstarsreach]

If you play in Eberron, the Kalashtar would probably hunt you down as one of the dangers that might add to the dreaming darks agenda. This PrC probably is more geared towards an NPC rather than a PC but would make an interesting RP challange. I didn't think that they were worth it but with the right concept it just might be.

 

[VonRichthofen]

The first edition Dieties and Demigods had chapters on the Nehwon, Cthulu, and Melnibonean pantheons. The Cthulu and Melnibonean sections were pulled in later printings due to license issues.

So I don't have the very first edition of it - BOO!

Thanx for mentioning this!

 

[Deset Gled]

I also hate the fact that he's the only PrC I can remember seeing that has to PAY for some of his abilities (outside of normal losses for choosing PrC over his base class).

I LOVE this fact about the PrC. All PrCs should be design that way. You want to do something more powerful? You want to do something no one else can do? Fine, you gotta pay for it somehow.

I hate the huge number of PrCs out there that give full casting progression without giving up anything. Defeats the concept of "balance" altogether.

 

[Stone Dog]

If you play in Eberron, the Kalashtar would probably hunt you down as one of the dangers that might add to the dreaming darks agenda. This PrC probably is more geared towards an NPC rather than a PC but would make an interesting RP challange. I didn't think that they were worth it but with the right concept it just might be.

Gatekeepers would be more actively interested in you than kalashtar. The kalashtar would want to slap you down for being naughty, but the Dreaming Dark would be just as against you as the renegades would be since you would be fermenting chaos and aiding the forces of Xoriat. The Quori want stability and oppression across the world, not things that gibber and breach the fabric of reality running about.

 

[Koewn]

It's good. Our group has a slightly modified version that's been used, and I've both played and am now running one as DM.

Cast SM 4 (I think it's 4), gain 1d3 Psuedo Dire Weasels from the SM3 list. They all merge on one target, True Strike to hit, and are now attached.

Next round, any remaining weasels suck out 1d4 Con in blood drain.

It's good fun.


FWIW, I agree that the Summon lists are...lacking, but, hey. You do with what you can. The fact that my character is still referred to two campaigns later is well worth it to me, and the RP potential of the class is well worth losing the special creatures. (that and we never really got to levels where the special creatures were truly worth it.)


I honestly still don't know what the point of the Mephits are in the SM4 list, as an aside, I'd welcome education on the matter.



Koewn

 

[Notmousse]

I honestly still don't know what the point of the Mephits are in the SM4 list, as an aside, I'd welcome education on the matter.

Battlefield control I'd suspect. Ooze mephits in particular are obscene when they can stop you from doing anything useful for a few turns (stinking cloud).


Given the full caster progression I believe there should be some downside to this (and any other full caster progression) PrC.