Diplomatic Immunity: Almost Ready Maybe?

[Bront]

Why not and how so?

They all involve places where you can stick the epic rules (I really detest them).

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

They all involve places where you can stick the epic rules (I really detest them).

Besides the comment of hating the default epic rules, which I agree with, I’m not sure I follow your statement...

 

[Rystil Arden]

They all involve places where you can stick the epic rules (I really detest them).

The epic rules only work (and you can get them to work) if you follow some safety precautions beforehand.

Precaution #1: Don't let it get too high

The epic rules claim that they can handle any level, but they totally disintegrate around 40 or so, so set a cap in advance. If a character reaches that cap, I give them a few other interesting options (other than adding a new level) that they can use for their new XP.

Precaution #2: NEVER start a campaign epic

Allowing your players to create epic characters from scratch is a recipe for doom. Epic characters vary so much in power level and capabilities that you have to play it up from low levels to get to know the characters if you want a shot in hell of running appropriate challenges (this worked for my current tabletop group, which has gone epic just barely and started at level 1).

Precaution #3: DO NOT ALLOW NON-EPIC ITEMS THAT BOOST SPELLCRAFT (and for that matter, it is probably a good idea to cap all skill-boosting non-epic items to the ones in the DMG)

The skill-boosting items ruin the dynamics of a number of unopposed skills, but Spellcraft, which controls epic spellcasting, is by far the most dangerous.

Precaution #4: Read the epic rules carefully

Many problems with the epic rules come from players who read the rules unthoroughly or else read them fine but wish to hoodwink an unwary GM. For example, dealing massive backlash damage to cast a powerful epic spell that will give them some huge permanent benefit, then healing off the damage (if you look carefully, the backlash damage actually applies for each round of the spell's duration, so this will not work).

I'll think of more eventually

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

The epic rules only work (and you can get them to work) if you follow some safety precautions beforehand.

I don't know... I've had alot of fun with one epic game (which started at epic level) but that was basically just characters and not so much combat/mechanics.

Precaution #2: NEVER start a campaign epic.

I couldn't agree more. My big issues with epic characters is just how much money they have and just how little is wasted over the course of their adventuring career if you start them at such a high level.

I also agree with it cause you need a very good reason to bind such a group of characters together and it gets lost if you simply start them at said level.

 

[Rystil Arden]

I couldn't agree more. My big issues with epic characters is just how much money they have and just how little is wasted over the course of their adventuring career if you start them at such a high level.

I also agree with it cause you need a very good reason to bind such a group of characters together and it gets lost if you simply start them at said level.

Aye. My current 1st-level-gone-epic group is dirt poor (they have one member who stole 2 million gold worth of stuff from them though, so it isn't their fault), and they definitely have a good reason to adventure together

 

[Bront]

Besides the comment of hating the default epic rules, which I agree with, I’m not sure I follow your statement...

Most of the places I would suggest sticking the epic rules are not particularly grandma friendly.

I'm perfectly happy to retire around 20th level, or continuing to use the normal rules instead of the shift towards epic, though I've never gone past 20th.

My one experience trying to create a 30th level character was just nightmarish.

 

[Rystil Arden]

My one experience trying to create a 30th level character was just nightmarish.

Oh, I remember. But it was really only so bad because it broke Rystil Guideline #2

 

[Bront]

Oh, I remember. But it was really only so bad because it broke Rystil Guideline #2

Well, that and I was told to "Munchkin out", which gave me a headache, and taught me how much abused Polymorph can be.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Well, that and I was told to "Munchkin out", which gave me a headache, and taught me how much abused Polymorph can be.

Yup, attempting to break the epic system (or the normal system) make both less fun to play. The epic is only worse in that regard due to the fact that there are more options and thus more exploits

 

[Bront]

On a completely unrelated note to that,

How close are we to actualy playing in Diplomatic Immunity? I tried summoning Eonthar again, it didn't work last time though.