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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Belzamus" data-source="post: 5125510" data-attributes="member: 61612">Well, that's encouraging. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f60e.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":cool:" title="Cool    :cool:"  data-smilie="6"data-shortname=":cool:" /> I suppose I should start with some design notes before putting up any stats. So far, I've been sticking to the martial characters because of how different the magic system is from normal DnD, but I have some ideas on how to make it work. Plus, there's no shortage of insanely uber swordsmen in the series to work with. My concept for magic (as I've worked it in so far) is that "normal" magic (a non-High Mage using a Warren) is equal in power up to about 6th level spells, while High Magic (a High Mage using his chosen Warren) covers 7th-9th level, while Elder Magic starts at 7th-9th level and expands into metamagicked higher level slots, leaving Holds as actual Epic Spells.  Of course, the whole thing is muddled by the kind of spells that are actually used in the books, since a lot of the magic could be better represented by the various [Effect] abilities from Ascension, paired with plane-shifting and teleporting and magic item creation. So, I'm still considering going with a system more along those lines, having different Warrens better at direct combat application and others better at travel or investing items.  But, for now, that's a bit far off. I still have a ton of warriors to get through (though there will of course be some bleed-through with sword-swingers who can access Warrens and whatnot).  Now, as for Gods vs. Ascendants, it seems a simple matter of an Ascendant simply being an entity with a Divine template but no Portfolios, but even then, Ascendant's don't tend to have the same...mastery as actual gods, things like remote sensing and whatnot, more just straightup power. So, I imagine I'll be using a modified Divine template for the Ascendants and the standard Divine templates for Gods.  Divine champions, like Mortal Swords, Shield Anvils, and Destriants, I'm using the lower-tier Divine templates for, with only a single portfolio. I'm assuming that a position in a High House would give access to the Double Portfolio in that case, but that becomes muddled in some cases, so I'll probably just take these on a case-by-case basis.  Now, another note. I'm trying to keep this as close to core 3.5 as possible, so...a lot of these builds have a lot of levels of Fighter and...have a lot of the same feats, really. I think that their special abilities outweigh the similarities, though, and honestly, I just can't think of a better way to represent a lot of them. Malazan doesn't really do Paladins, Rangers, and Barbarians for the most part (at least, not in the typical archetypes). I'm also finding that in the case of a lot of the more powerful characters, it's easier to just build them from sheer Hit Dice and just apply whatever abilities I think fit, rather than try to shoe-horn a class onto them. (That's why Fighter works so well, it's open to complete customization.) Mostly, though, a lot of Fighters, and a lot of people who use swords in particular. Of course, the ones who don't should stand out all the more once I get to them (Caladan Brood with the world-shattering Hammer of Burn, for instance, or Cotillion the Rope...with his rope.) Last note, I'm going with a modest interpretation of the power scale. One could make an argument that the average T'lan Imass substantially stronger than CR 16, but I'm trying to keep things relatively sane, all things considered. Level 20 for the really freaking good people, 30 for the superhumans, 40-60 for the army blenders, 60-80 for the walking disaster types, 80-120 for the civilization-enders, and 120-160 for the Elder Gods, and 160-240 for the Elementals. Or at least, that's the intention. In example for anyone who knows what I'm talking about: 20: Kalam30: Gruntle40: Tool50: Karsa 60: Cotillion70: Silchas Ruin80: Caladan Brood90: Anomander Rake100: Icarium110: Raest120: Gothos130: Mael140: Draconus160: K'rul200: T'iam240: Mother Dark  That's a fairly rough guess on my part, but I think it fits well enough. I mean, technically Mother Dark should probably be a First One, but it just seems like too wide a gap. I think what I'll do to compensate is have the Elder Gods and Elementals given access to their entire portfolios, not just the tier the qualify for, which would give them abilities more in line with their fluff, while still keeping their stats in the realm of sanity.  Either way, I'm more concerned with internal consistency than with cross-setting consistency. I'm not doing this to see whether Khorvanis could take K'rul. (He totally could, by the way. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />) Anyway, I'll stats forthcoming. I want to finish a few more before I start posting them up, have about 7 done now, I think.  ...gee, that was long.</blockquote>

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