Planescape Casting off Planescape Part 2: Beginning the Quest

[Igwilly]

Right now, I’m about to finish reading my initial wave of 2e books. It has been an amazing reading so far, and I’m inclined to continue. However, I have some questions that need to be answered before actual play begins. If anyone knows any answer, I’m thankful if shared.

1. While reading the Monstrous Manual, I was amazed by the sheer volume of material, both mechanical and fluff. The fluff, especially, is something I have never seen in Monster Manuals of any other edition. However, two monster abilities are not clarified, and I would like help to comprehend: Blood Drain and Alter Reality. I simply cannot find what those abilities do or how they function.
2. XP for Specialty Priests. Honestly, I am enjoying the mechanics for specialty priests in 2e. I know that I will have to pick, change and/or create my own priesthoods but I found the concept to be very flavorful and, overall, it makes sense. I am limiting the numbers of bought pdfs but I am enjoying Legends & Lore, being a big improvement over the 1e Deities & Demigods. However, I cannot find information about XP and level advancement or demi-human level limits for specialty priests. Did I miss something or is it in another book? Answered.
3. So, spellbooks. The text gave much detail about what a spellbook is and how it’s made, but there’s one thing which is not clear: the price of copying a spell. The book tells you the price of making a spellbook, but I’m not certain about the cost of copying a spell – from another spellbook or from a scroll – to the spellbook, unless this price is already included in the spellbook’s price. Any chances I have missed something?
4. I’m in doubt about the effects of 3 magical items: Gauntlets of Ogre Power; Girdle of Giant Strength; Potion of Giant Strength. How do they work? The bonuses are added to your normal strength bonuses or those’re replaced by the strength of the items? How exactly do the Gauntlets of Ogre Power and Girdle of Giant Strength combine their effects, as their description said it is possible? Answered.
5. System Shock rolls and petrification. This edition is changing my behavior as a DM and player. Some nasty stuff, which I was not attracted to, suddenly seems much more attractive. However, here is a little thought: let’s say a character gets petrified and fails the system shock roll. How is that represented in the game world? Does the statue breaks, turns to dust, or s/he simply will be dead when un-petrified?
6. A simple question: where can I find the errata of all these old books? Legally and safely, I mean. Answered
7. Moreover, and most importantly, if Lord Ao uses Chronomancy to go back in time, and then travel among the planes, then casts Time Stop, and finally Teleport without Error, would he appear in my setting?

Okay, the last one was a joke, but the rest are serious.
As always, any help is appreciated.

 

[cbwjm]

Just for the errata, check out the 2nd edition forum at dragonsfoot they have collected errata and sage advice columns that should help.

 

[Igwilly]

Just for the errata, check out the 2nd edition forum at dragonsfoot they have collected errata and sage advice columns that should help.

Thank you, it answered some of my questions ^^

 

[Igwilly]

Apparently, by default, specialty priests use the cleric experience table. Am I correct?

 

[Dorian_Grey]

Apparently, by default, specialty priests use the cleric experience table. Am I correct?

Yes. If you design a specialty priest that is over the top you can switch them over to the wizard table. I recommend this if you are combining spell groups (i.e a priest who can cast wizard spells).

 

[jolt]

Which experience table you use might depend on how long your campaigns run. A wizard starts advancing faster than a priest at the mid to upper levels.

 

[cbwjm]

Looking at the speciality priests in the 2e forgotten realms gods book, specially priests used the druid experience table (without going down to 0 xp at level 15/16). It kind of makes sense since the druid was called out as a kind of speciality priest. Personally, I would probably still use the cleric XP table unless the speciality priest seemed to be much more powerful than the cleric. For instance, full access to more spheres without a subsequent loss of other abilities or an excess of special powers.

Also, I just looked at the druid XP table and it is a little weird. It's first 4 levels are slower than the cleric, then it hits level 13 while the cleric is still level 11, after this the cleric reaches level 14 before the druid and then continues on to level 20 before the druid reaches level 15.

 

[Rils]

Demi-human specialty priests advancement, level caps, etc is all in the "Demihuman Deities" book, which details the FR pantheons for dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, and drow. For example, dwarves cap out at level 10 for clerics but 14 for specialty priests. Dwarven specialty priests don't get the Turn Undead feature until 7th level, and from there cast it as a level-4 caster (so a 7th level priest casts turn undead like a 3rd level priest), BUT from the beginning at level 1 they get +2 to their attacks and damage rolls against undead. Every race has some odd tweaks like that. DD is a fantastic books for helping demihuman clerics/priests stand out from the crowd, I highly recommend.

 

[Igwilly]

Thank you, guys! Things are much clearer, now.

I'm afraid that the information in the Forgotten Realms' deities books is valid for FR games XD
I can use them, however. I was just in doubt about more "generic" rules.
It seems that the priesthoods in Legends & Lore are meant for human use. Which makes sense because "racial pantheons" are a present idea here. It also makes the level limit question pointless XD
I'll pick and change/create the priesthoods in my games, because I know about some balance issues. So the question is more about how to manage (or create) priesthoods.

FR's books seem very interesting, so I certainly will read them.

About the Druid: yes, its XP-level table is odd. It also demands so much XP for high-levels that priests using it ought to receive bonuses similars to high-level druids in my book. But that's just me.

I've spent quite some time in the Sage Advice archive. Lots of things I didn't knew, hehe.