Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[freyar]

I like it!

 

[Cleon]

I like it!

Updating Binding Cage Working Draft.

Looks like we've only got an area of effect radius, the duration of the magical chains and the summon coven text to decide on.

 

[freyar]

I think I'm ok with permanent chains.

Radius up to 2 ft per level?

I don't think we've really talked about summon coven for this much. But something that allows an increase of effective CL in order to bind really nasty critters is what I'm thinking.

 

[Cleon]

I think I'm ok with permanent chains.

I don't much care for making them permanent like the original spell, since it seems a bit powerful for a 6th/7th level spell.

The effective SRD spells to permanently trap beings are 8th+ level - binding, imprisonment and trap the soul.

Admittedly lesser planar binding is only 5th level and the bound creature could in principle remains trapped indefinitely, but that's a lot easier to escape from - a simple dimension door or spell resistance check is enough.

I'd rather have the chains just last a bit longer than the cage, say an extra week or day per level (e.g. chain duration of 2 weeks/level or 8 days/level), and maybe allow them to be made permanent with a permanency spell (but only the chains, not the cage).

Radius up to 2 ft per level?

The original has 3 ft. per level.

How about we average the two and call it 5 ft. per 2 levels, then it'll have a nice match in number of squares?

I don't think we've really talked about summon coven for this much. But something that allows an increase of effective CL in order to bind really nasty critters is what I'm thinking.

The original placed some limits on summon coven - max duration 4 years, unable to increase max. diameter of circle, max chain strength 600 points, can make chains impervious to magic.

Hmm, impervious to magic - that reminds me, the original chains were only immune to fire and electricity. We've made them immune to any form of damage and not given them hit points (which to me is further reason not to make them permanent).

Also, it mentions that the Day of Dread (a world-wide antimagic event) only interrupts the spell, and the subject it re-imprisoned when it expires. That suggests an antimagic field would affect it in a similar fashion.

Do we want to reference any of that?

 

[freyar]

One of your proposed chain durations plus the permanency option is fine by me.

5 ft/2 levels is a good radius, too.

If we're keeping the chains immune to damage (other than Str checks), I think we should just have summon coven increase the CL for things like duration, escape DCs, etc.

 

[Cleon]

One of your proposed chain durations plus the permanency option is fine by me.

Hmm... I'm tempted by both.

The shorter of the two durations makes a "race against the clock" scenario a bit more likely, while the longer one is easier to calculate as it's just double the base duration.

Oh well, we don't have to decide this minute.

The permanency will need an XP cost. Any suggestions?

5 ft/2 levels is a good radius, too.

Agreed.

If we're keeping the chains immune to damage (other than Str checks),

They can be affected by nonmagical nonenergy damage if it's massive enough.

I think we should just have summon coven increase the CL for things like duration, escape DCs, etc.

That'd suit me. How would you like to word it?

 

[freyar]

Let's go 1 week/level for chain duration.

Based on spell level, 3000XP seems about right for permanency, though we could discount that a bit since it's just the chains and not the whole spell.

Well, we don't exactly know how summon coven will work yet. Is it going to allow some kind of group/cooperative casting like we've done before?

 

[Cleon]

Let's go 1 week/level for chain duration.

Based on spell level, 3000XP seems about right for permanency, though we could discount that a bit since it's just the chains and not the whole spell.

Yeah, 3,000 XP seems to be in the right ballpark, although I also fancy 2,500 XP like a permanent telepathic bond or wall of force, which have a similar caster level.

Updating Binding Cage Working Draft.

Well, we don't exactly know how summon coven will work yet. Is it going to allow some kind of group/cooperative casting like we've done before?

I have a feeling it'll be a bit of a headache. It's definitely some sort of cooperative spell where a community of goatlings pools all their magical power. It reads more like an Epic or near-epic spell from the prerequisites (three 20th casters). It also requires a special magic item - or maybe an artifact - to store the magical energy.

 

[freyar]

Blech. I vote we leave the "summon coven text" of Binding Cage until we've dealt with Summon Coven. Maybe it will just be a standard effect.

 

[Cleon]

Blech. I vote we leave the "summon coven text" of Binding Cage until we've dealt with Summon Coven. Maybe it will just be a standard effect.

Agreed.

We're better off sweeping it under the rug until we decide how our summon coven is going to work.

Which means we're done with this spell for the time being and can start on the next one.

I'll add what we've got to the Goatling Working Draft..