Ascension ability questions

[Alzrius]

The "Special" section in the second version you list is in reference to the fact that sidereals and above have the ability to Alter Reality automatically (it's part of their divinity templates).

 

[Mr.Satan]

Essentially, and their version is more powerful for some unknown reason. Although, I'm not entirely sure it should be. It's supposed to be the same ability, yet it functions differently under the templates.

I'm not the first to mention this. It's just that it's never been fully clarified by Krusty what Alter Reality is supposed to do.

I liked features from the template version and the version listed under cosmic abilities. What I didn't like was having it be reliant upon wish.

A simplification would be to have Alter Reality replicate any 0-9th level spell at will as a swift action. Which is the first version I posted. That way it falls somewhere in the middle of each version Krusty has written.

It also offers more flexibility that way. I don't see a need for it to be able to replicate epic spells, but wish itself can...in theory...replicate epic spells at great risk to the caster.

That alone might be justification enough for a god to be able to replicate epic spells that they are capable of casting in the first place.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Ello

Howdy!

A nebula can get to be as big as a tiny dwarf galaxy. A dwarf galaxy can get to be as small as a nebula. The Tarantula Nebula is 1000 light years across, a dwarf galaxy can be smaller or larger depending on which one it is. A galaxy can be hundreds of thousands of light years across by comparison.

The whole point of the differences is one of scale, but since that scale is technically irrelevant (in 3E anyway) it probably doesn't matter.

I'd say that an elder one could easily be the embodiment of a dwarf galaxy if it's on the small end (500 light years or so) of the spectrum if I were to go by what you're saying about size ratios. Dwarf galaxies can conceivably exist within normal galaxies, as can nebula.

Personally I disagree. I think you are taking the comparative example (in this case a nebula) and really running wild with it. More accurately Elder Ones are supposed to embody (habitable) Planets, which may or may not encompass a single given solar system. This parallels the idea of layers (which in effect are planets in a sense).

An Old One encompasses multiple layers - ie. multiple habitable planets. In other words a galaxy/plane.

A First One encompasses multiple planes, in this case multiple galaxies. Thats a super-cluster in the cosmic sense and a dimension in the kosmic sense.

There are also many superclusters within our universe, so I'm even wondering if a first one should be a supercluster and not the universe itself since the multiverse is the demi-urge. I'm beginning to wonder if it should go something more like this...

Multiverse: Demi-urge
Universe/Dimension: First One
Supercluster/Plane: Old One
Galaxy/Planar Layer: Elder One

As it is, you have it more like this...

Multiverse: Demi-urge
Universe/Dimension: First One
Galaxy, Supercluster/Plane: Old One
Celestial Body, Nebula/Planar Layer: Elder One

Which might make sense. But would still allow for dwarf galaxies on the smaller end of the spectrum.

I thought I had:

Universe: Demi-urge
Supercluster/Dimension: First One
Galaxy/Plane: Old One
Celestial Body/Planar Layer: Elder One

It's purely for roleplaying purposes.

In such cases you can always do as you wish for the purposes of best suiting the campaign.

Interesting video by the way, thanks for the link. Led to a few ideas.

 

[Mr.Satan]

If the universe is the demi-urge...then what is the multiverse?
Last I checked a multiverse is comprised of multiple universes and a demiurge is a multiverse (multiple universes).

And...what is your official ruling on Alter Reality?

Is this accurate...

Alter Reality (Su)
You can alter reality.
Prerequisites: Cha 70, Ability to cast 9th-level spells, Spellcraft 70 Ranks.
Benefit: You can use any 0-9th level spell or epic spell of a DC equal to your Spellcraft check +20 at will as a swift action. You can also combine Automatic Metamagic Capacity epic feats (to increase the effective level of the spell for greater results).
Additionally you can use Alter Reality to give yourself a circumstance bonus on all dice rolls equal to 10 + the number of Automatic Metamagic Capacity feats you possess. But you lose this circumstance bonus any round you use the Alter Reality for any other purpose.

...or is this accurate?

Alter Reality (Su)
You can alter reality.
Prerequisites: Cha 70, Ability to cast 9th-level spells, Spellcraft 70 Ranks.
Benefit: You can use any 0-9th level spell at will as a swift action. You can also combine Automatic Metamagic Capacity epic feats (to increase the effective level of the spell for greater results).
Additionally you can use Alter Reality to give yourself a circumstance bonus on all dice rolls equal to 9 + the number of Automatic Metamagic Capacity feats you possess. But you lose this circumstance bonus any round you use the Alter Reality for any other purpose.

Can Elder Ones and above replicate epic spells?...or are they unable to replicate epic spells?

If an elder one can replicate epic spells, why can't greater deities or lower?

Is it just something special for the elder ones and above?

Why is the elder one's version of the ability more powerful?

 

[Hammerheadd]

multiverse= high lord I think

 

[Mr.Satan]

That would make the standard 3.5 multiverse a high lord then?
How does anyone keep track of all of this.

I'm still keeping that character as the embodiment of a tiny dead dwarf spiral galaxy that is no bigger than the largest nebula.

I see little difference between them if a nebula is the largest size and a puny undersized, almost anemic galaxy, that is also dead is used for him.

I'd even be willing to compromise with the following cosmic ability...

Greater Embodiment (Ex)
You're the embodiment of a greater area.
Prerequisites: Sidereal, Cha 70.
Benefit: You're the embodiment of a greater area.
For this, your divine status is considered +1 status.
NB: This cosmic ability has little benefit in gameplay.

I wonder if anyone can see a reason this ability would be useful beyond roleplaying.

 

[Hammerheadd]

I think a universe (demiurge or time lord) is actually all 7 lower dimensions. A High Lord is 2 or more universe depending on what type it is (tetrad is 4 for instance)

 

[Mr.Satan]

Then wouldn't that make a our universe (outer space only) a first one?

 

[Hammerheadd]

I think "universe" means something different than in real life but you would have to ask Krust to be sure

 

[Mr.Satan]

My characters are always in a reality where the known universe (outer space) is just one of many prime material planes that coexist within the same multiverse.

Each universe (outer space) is just as vast and as infinite as a layer of the Abyss or the nine Hells. These material realities (layers of the material plane) each contain many superclusters, many many galaxies, etc.

Beyond this multilayered material plane exists the outer planes, the inner planes, the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, and all the other planes of the standard D&D cosmology.

I fail to see how a layer of the material plane in this kind of multiverse would be anything more powerful than an elder one to be honest. Even if it did contain superclusters and galaxies and such.

After all. Technically each layer of the Abyss is an elder deity, yet each layer of the Abyss is also infinite rather than finite.

I fail to see how a finite object can compare at all to an infinite dimensional layer. It seems also arbitrary to afix certain size limitations on what a deity can be the embodiment of in the material plane (aka...outer space).

Is it that on the material plane it's more difficult to be the embodiment of something?

Does the material plane diminish divine influence in some way?