Discussion: Depthworld background

[covaithe]

As far as I know, Ikni is the only character hailing from the Depthworld. She doesn't have a background, because we haven't come up with one for the Depthworld yet. This thread is to talk about coming up with a regional background for the Depthworld. I admit it's mostly motivated by me wanting one for Ikni.

Two things come to mind that I think should fit with the Depthworld: Dungeoneering, and darkvision.

Dungeoneering seems easy enough; here's what I suggest.

• +1 to dungeoneering, and +4 for navigating while underground, OR
• dungeoneering is considered one of your class skills

DV is too much to hand out as a benefit; it's roughly equivalent to a feat with a strict prerequisite. (see e.g. Dragonborn Senses or Eyes of Dying Light) My idea is that the depthworld regional background could serve as a prereq for such a feat. Something like:

Eyes of the Depths
Prereq: depthworld regional background
Benefit: You gain darkvision.

Does that seem remotely reasonable?

 

[ScorpiusRisk]

Well it kind of makes me want to start playing a character from Depthworld.

I don't take issue with that, in fact I like the idea of having setting specific feats within reason. However, I thin darkvision should be a small feat chain for those who don't start with low light vision.

Something like. . .

Depth Novice
Prereq: depthworld regional background, OR one completed adventure taking place underground
Benefeit: You gain low-light vision, +1 to Perception Checks

Eyes of the Depths
Prereq: depthworld regional background, low-light vision
Benefit: You gain darkvision.

 

[renau1g]

The only concern I have for darkvision is that it's a lot more powerful than low-light vision, which is why a drow assassin is much better than say a changeling one as they don't need a light source to sneak around. Now, Ikni's not a sneak so for her it's likely not a big deal.

Now the second layer of feat that SR suggested is good as the first feat is equivalent to the Dragonborn feat and the second one builds on that. Depthworld reminds me of the depths of Khyber from Eberron, it seems likely to have aberrations more than the traditional monsters.

Another option instead of Dungeoneering is Endurance?

 

[covaithe]

I kind of thought it should be a feat chain, too, until I saw Eyes of Dying Light, which lets a cindersoul genasi go from normal vision to darkvision with one feat.

I might spend one feat to get darkvision. I doubt I'd spend 2.

 

[renau1g]

Ah... I see. After seeing that feat, I'd be ok with it then for Depthworld PC's, although the feat for cindersoul's has a bit more specific requirement than just a region. Realistically though, it's not that big of a benefit. If the assassin/rogue/whoever wants to go ahead of the group outside of the 20 square nuclear powered sunrod radius, it gives the enemy ample time to pound the squishy into paste while the party struggles to catch up.

 

[covaithe]

No, it's not a huge benefit. I could live with low-light vision, really. Mainly all I'm after is some verisimilitude: we're talking about generations of people who have never seen sunlight. You'd think they'd at least be able to see in the dark a bit better than normal people.

An alternative to all this would be to just give people from the depthworld the ability to cast Light at will. That feels a little more cheese to me, though.

 

[renau1g]

I think casting Light though would make you a nice juicy target for the "danger and alien sights" that are down there. Anyways, I think it's reasonable for darkvision. There's always feats/powers that come out that are better than the originals. Battle Cleric Armaments comes to mind vs light shield prof., barbarian Brutal Slaw vs. Hammerfall

 

[elecgraystone]

As far as I know, Ikni is the only character hailing from the Depthworld. She doesn't have a background, because we haven't come up with one for the Depthworld yet. This thread is to talk about coming up with a regional background for the Depthworld. I admit it's mostly motivated by me wanting one for Ikni.

Well my duergar druid would come from there but I just took the underwild background from the Primal book. It seems to be a perfect fit. Skills Dungeoneering and Perception, languages Deepspeech and Elven.

Eyes of the Depths
Prereq: depthworld regional background
Benefit: You gain darkvision.

Does that seem remotely reasonable?

IMO I'd add low light vision to the Prereg's and it'd be fine in my book. Now if you added a feat to gain low light, that's make it so any race could get it.

Realistically though, it's not that big of a benefit.

Really? I've found it very useful and I'm far from the sneaky assassin type. Just being able to get the full scope of a room is a huge tactical advantage. I get to see just where all the bad guys and terrain out of the groups light. It also greatly helps to not be tethered to the light source. To me it seems to be too good to give out to anyone that's spent some time underground and spends a feat.

Now the light at will is an interesting idea. There are several races/feats now that can use cantrips so it's a lot more common than dark vision. Why not alter it a bit to give it and underground theme?

Summon Firefly
Prereq: depthworld regional background
You gain the ability to use the Summon Firefly power
Summon Firefly
At will
Standard action
Range 10
Effect: You summon a Firefly into your square that has your defenses and 1 hp per level, however only ranged and melee attacks can damage it. The fire fly stays in your square and moves with you unless you use a minor action to move it. If you do, you may move it up to 5 squares up to the range of the power. As a free action you can dispell the firefly or recall it back to your square. The firefly sheds light 5 squares.

If your firefly is destroyed by an attack, you grant combat advantage until the end of that enemies next turn.

 

[renau1g]

Really? I've found it very useful and I'm far from the sneaky assassin type. Just being able to get the full scope of a room is a huge tactical advantage. I get to see just where all the bad guys and terrain out of the groups light. It also greatly helps to not be tethered to the light source. To me it seems to be too good to give out to anyone that's spent some time underground and spends a feat.

Well, if you are not a stealthy type the enemy likely sees you right? So same caveat applies, you're likely one of the only ones with darkvision so if you get close the enemy either a) overwhelms you, or b) you run away and now they're on the alert, all readying attacks for you to come around the corner, grabbing reinforcements, etc.

 

[elecgraystone]

I don't understand your point renau1g. I'm in the the front of our group not on my own. I can tell the group when to stop, when to go forward, when there is someone trying to slip around our flank in the dark, that there is a bridge in the middle of the room and the bad guys are coming from there. I can tell them everything that I can see past our light.

I'm talking of the huge tactical advantage you have with dark vision when your are with a group and you aren't the sneaky type out on your own. Being able to see past your parties light source is quite useful.