Converting Al-Qadim creatures

[Number 6]

I'm just spitballing on this... haven't thought any of it through yet, but let's see about this:

If we chose to make a substitution for Duo-Dimension it could be a Supernatural ability to Impersonate Artwork. Allow the Artist Genie to use a transformation spell with a Craft, Performance, or Profession check... that check then works as Disguise or Hide check providing the skill is suitable as a singer or poet couldn't really impersonate a poem or a song.

Sculptors could temporarily transform into statues or a relief to blend in with similar works, a painter could transform into a framed canvas and appear to be a portrait of himself, and so on.

Allow the effect to last as long as one round per Caster Level. Perhaps the ability is limited to changing the Artist Genie into something of the same size or up to one size smaller. Maybe the Artist Genie is considered Prone until he resumes his natural form.

 

[Number 6]

It might be fun to create an ability that allows them to quickly draw, sculpt, or otherwise craft an ally in battle. Perhaps they can create animated objects "on the fly" that quickly fall apart (a few rounds)?

That's not a bad idea at all... could it be done in a fashion similar to Shadow Conjuration (or Greater Shadow Conjuration?) but only usable to create temporary creatures and objects?

 

[freyar]

If we really want to go with a "turn into artwork" SQ, I think we've got a lot of good examples. Caryatid column, the tomb wardens we're working on right now, etc.

 

[Cleon]

For your review, the seventh level Wizard spell Duo-Dimension from the 2nd-edition Player's Handbook (page 184)...

That's a bit different from how I recalled it, I'd either misremembered it or the 2E version is quite different from the 1E one.

In this version the duodimensional creature is either in the material plane as a 2D object or turned "orthogonally to reality" and effectively invisible and incorporeal. There's no flanking to worry about.

That's easier to stat up in 3E if we wanted to, with some text pinched from ethereal jaunt.

Something like:

Duodimensional (Su): Twice per day, an artist genie can turn itself into a two-dimensional object, with height and width but no thickness. In this state the genie has vulnerability to weapons, taking 50% extra damage from any weapon attack that hits it, but it can automatically squeeze through extremely tight spaces (as if it had an infinite Escape Artist skill), use its thinness to conceal itself from opponents (+X circumstance bonus on Hide checks) or stand against a flat surface and pretend to be a lifesize portrait (Disguise check with a +Y circumstance bonus). The genie can stay duodimensional for a duration of up to Z rounds.

In addition, an artist genie in duodimensional can turn itself "sideways from reality" and partially shift from the Material Plane to the Astral Plane as a free action, it can shift back from partially-Astral to Material form as a move action. The genie is incorporeal and invisible on the Material Plane while so "rotated", but is corporeal and visible on the Astral Plane. The artist genie will automatically return to the material plane if the duration of the duodimensional power runs out.
​

If we decide to drop the "sideways from reality" portion of the power we simply cut the second paragraph.

 

[Cleon]

It might be fun to create an ability that allows them to quickly draw, sculpt, or otherwise craft an ally in battle. Perhaps they can create animated objects "on the fly" that quickly fall apart (a few rounds)?

I'd rather not, since there's no mention of such an animate objects power in the original. Besides, wouldn't it be damaging its own beloved artworks?

Besides it says they're masters of illusion, so if you're set on a "create ally" power I'd prefer to add shadow conjuration or greater shadow conjuration to its SLAs.

 

[Shade]

I think there's enough support to simplify things to blur and displacement, and drop Cleon's and my own "artistic license" powers.

So 2/day for each, like the other SLAs? Or increase the frequency of some of the SLAs? Most genies have a few "at wills", a few 3/day, and a few 1/day.

 

[freyar]

Cleon's duodimension is ok, though I really think it should also get (total) concealment, since it's harder to hit, not just harder to see (better at Hiding). I'm also fine with simplifying to displacement, but there seems to be some opinion against that.

No big opinion on adding an ally/summoning power.

Edit: I see that Shade got a post in there. Why not go 3/day for blur and 1/day for displacement?

 

[Number 6]

[I spent so much time between writing this and posting it that a couple more posts came in. Sorry about that.]


The basic gist of Duo-Dimension was 1) temporary, limited invisibility, and to a lesser degree 2) radically diminished width to avoid attacks and squeeze through tight spaces.

In the interest of keeping things simple, I recommend we simply allow Artist Genies to have Invisibility as a SLA three times per day, give them a SPA or Supernatural ability that grants them a +4 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves (lasting 1 round/caster level) as many as three times per day, and allow Artist Genies to Change Shape into sizes from Tiny to Huge.

That's merely my recommendation... I'm not quite willing to die on that hill to set it in stone.

 

[Shade]

Since they're already a bit light on SLAs, adding invisibility, along with blur and displacment, appeals.

I'm not sure about expanding their Change Shape ability to include Tiny and Huge, but it's definitely do-able. If we do that, I think the size bonuses to AC will negate the need for the dodge bonus special ability. For the boost to Reflex saves, I'd rather give 'em cat's grace or Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat.

 

[Number 6]

I'm not sure about expanding their Change Shape ability to include Tiny and Huge, but it's definitely do-able. If we do that, I think the size bonuses to AC will negate the need for the dodge bonus special ability. For the boost to Reflex saves, I'd rather give 'em cat's grace or Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat.

Now that I've seen Cleon's post regarding his recommended Duodimensional (Su) ability, it is a rather good 3rd-edition version. For what it's worth, I'd eliminate the sideways-dimension aspect.

The vast advantage with Escape Artist checks might be problematic as they will always get out of Grapples. Perhaps instead of a near infinite bonus to Escape Artist, a straightforward +20 bonus would be better.