Chosen of Mystra?

[Jay_Kinnear]

While playing his epic 100th level Cleric/Wizard multiclass

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

By the way ...

You might be inclined to say: Your character would have to be insane to want to be a Chosen of Mystra!

(if you went by the rules I set up.)

I have read, on the D&D Internet Sites, that Officially all of the Chosen ARE insane.
Some are more insane. Some less insane. Yet all are insane to one degree or another.

 

[Mulkhoran]

Where on *ahem* earth do you find the time to type up such nonsense as this?


I mean a couple of your points are valid... but most really arent. Even at that, it is obvious that all of that came from *your* campaign and it is a far cry from being how I envision the Chosen of Mystra. Especially in the modern Realms with the NG Mystra...

Never mind it conflicting with personal vision. It directly conflicts with nearly everything that's been published about the Chosen. I won't go through it point by point, but it's just amazingly inconsistent with so *many* things that have been published.

My point is, if you're going to make so much up about something just out of the blue, why tie it to a published campaign setting? Why not just make up your own god of magic? Seems odd.


Oh, and to contribute to the original thread, I DM a solo game for a Chosen of Mystra (someone right here on this thread). While it's hard to comment on balance vs. other players, I have to say that the Chosen abilities make for great solo survivability as well as avenues to adventure. It's been nothing but fun so far. (For me at least )

 

[drowdude]

By the way ...

You might be inclined to say: Your character would have to be insane to want to be a Chosen of Mystra!

(if you went by the rules I set up.)

Not only would the character need to be insane, but the player would have to have lithium-drip on hand...

I have read, on the D&D Internet Sites, that Officially all of the Chosen ARE insane.
Some are more insane. Some less insane. Yet all are insane to one degree or another.

Wow, the good times never stop... where *do* you get this nonsense?

 

[Kershek]

While some of this discussion has been quite entertaining, I'm interested in delving into more as to the official duties of a Chosen of Mystra and the trials in becoming one. Does anyone have info on these subjects?

 

[ruleslawyer]

Actually, E_of_N is not completely off the bat. Ed has commented in the past that Elminster's several centuries of service to Mystra may have made him a bit insane, and the Simbul often is seen as missing a face card or two from her deck as well. Moreover, many of Mystra's "failed Chosen" (Sammaster, Aloevan) have gone insane by virtue of an inability to cope with Mystra' s power flowing through them.

IMHO, the Chosen template is most suitable for NPCs, as enforcers of Mystra's will, unless the DM is really ready to run entire campaigns geared around the Chosen's duties. The responsibilities involved in being divine servants/proxies of a deity are a bit on the extreme side; check out The Seven Sisters and/or Secrets of the Magister for some indication of the massive responsibilities and trials involved in achieving this status.

Also, like all other templates that confer significant positive benefits, the Chosen template should have an ECL. I'd say about +7 is appropriate at the level at which a PC actually is likely to acquire this template.

 

[drowdude]

Actually, E_of_N is not completely off the bat. Ed has commented in the past that Elminster's several centuries of service to Mystra may have made him a bit insane, and the Simbul often is seen as missing a face card or two from her deck as well. Moreover, many of Mystra's "failed Chosen" (Sammaster, Aloevan) have gone insane by virtue of an inability to cope with Mystra' s power flowing through them.

Right you are. The Simbul is quite unstable and Elminster may be a little overly eccentric (but far from what I would call insane). And Sammaster is one of my all time favorite villians from the Realms. But Edena's claims that "Officially all of the Chosen ARE insane" are bogus. "Highly eccentric" maybe... insane? I think not.

Also, like all other templates that confer significant positive benefits, the Chosen template should have an ECL. I'd say about +7 is appropriate at the level at which a PC actually is likely to acquire this template.

We are running at ECL +4, but I am sure that is somewhat inaccurate. As Mulk said, it's hard to judge since it is a solo game.

 

[Vanye]

Wow, the good times never stop... where *do* you get this nonsense?

Well, it's about half right. Most of that is more or less correct.

You may never stop being a Chosen of your own accord.
If you deliberately try, you will be punished.
If you try again, you will be punished more severely.
Each additional try will mean a costlier, more painful punishment until you stop trying (and you WILL stop trying, at some point.)

This isn't. Mystra wouldn't accept the unwilling...

As a Chosen, your body does not age.

True.

You may be slain as a Chosen. This does not release you from being a Chosen.

You will become an undead Chosen.
As an undead, you will continue to serve under all the rules and restraints you had in life.
You cannot be destroyed by a cleric's rebuke.
It is probable that if you are killed again, after a time in the Outer Planes Mystra will send you back as a Celestial Chosen, to serve her on Toril.

Well, this is partially true. Service doesn't necessarily end at death. Immunity to rebuke isn't true that I've seen.

A Chosen does as bidden

More or less true...but its unlikely that much of that would occur. Impossible? No.

Disobedience means punishment, which will be swift, to the point, and severe.
Obedience is to be immediate. No argument. No hestation.

This is definetly house rules territory.

Being a Chosen is inherently dangerous

This is true, but the Silver Fire stuff is houserule territory

A Chosen is a slave

More or less. Mystra is, however, a gentle mistress for the most part, and most are given the chance to decline. The Seven Sisters are (possibly) an exception to this, having been born as children of Mystra's avatar. The rest of it is houserul stuff.

A Chosen is a target

Partially true.

[qutoe]A Chosen is trapped on Toril[/quote]
Houserules.

A Chosen is humble

*snort*

The idea is sound, with regards to the focus on magic and knowledge, but one only has to read anything involving Elminster, the Seven, Khelben, or any of the other Chosen to know that humble is rarely a part of their name.

A Chosen is patient

Yes.

A Chosen does not throw around power

More or less...though individuals ARE individuals.

A Chosen preserves the magic

The first two are correct, the third is houserules, the fourth is conditional. Everyone should note that Mystra HAS restricted magic in canon material.


So, much of it is based on canon material, but there are quite a few deviations into houserule territory.

More information on the duties of the Chosen can be found in various supplements (The Seven Sisters, Secrets of the Magister, various bits and pieces scattered elsewhere and found in novels).

 

[Terwox]

I want more info!

Edena, do you have any more info on the chosen, not necessarily just of Mystra? From your campaign, officially, whatever, I just like the way you describe it.

I'm very interested, and will likely already use part of what you have said. If you have info written up for chosen of other deities and how they are treated and deal w/ things, or if you could point me to a website...

I'm running a game where more than one player is gunning for being the chosen of their god. (Gond, for one.)

 

[Glamdring]

I actually played a shadow sorcerer who was made a Chosen of Shar before he became an NPC in the campaign my buddy took over. Now that I have control again, Guldraven (that sorcerer) is a major NPC antagonist (he's CN, so he's a threat, but not one who touches off evil detection magic). He's a sorcerer10/shadow sorcerer10/epic2, and a Chosen of Shar. His abilities are as follows:

-Summon 2d6 shadows 1/day.

-Unleash a shadow bolt 1/round for 10d6 points of shadow damage (no resist elements, etc.).

-Assume "shadow form" at will. This is identical to incorporeality.

-Cast 3 illusion spells as a readied quickened spell 3/day.

-Immune to energy and ability draining.

-Function normally in dead and wild magic zones (as those of the Shadow Weave can do already).

Guldraven is also served by an old shadow dracolich which is not the typical "bone dragon." He is a shadowy dracolich who assumed such a state outside the influence of the Cult. The dracolich's phylactery is a shadowy onyx created by Guldraven which, when inhabited by the dracolich's essence, gives Guldraven the dragon's titanic statistics. Guldraven's personal bodyguard is Xiang Sol, a monk16/shadowdancer4 who is virtually unbeatable in combat (as he was when he was a PC long ago, before turing to the evil ways of Shar).

I highly recommend playing around with the other FR dieties when considering other Chosen. I don't necessarily agree with allowing PC Chosen, BUT, with the cool new Epic Handbook, I can't help but say that it's a cool idea.