Dragon #297 Contents questions

[Aitch Eye]

Re: A question on Dragon #297

Some details of the two epic level NPCs would be nice too .

I didn't describe them in my initial summary because I was worried about spoilers (since they tie in with "The Razing of Redshore" from Dungeon). It's also just very hard to describe them without a lot of summary of the background, which deals with the appearance of epic-level powers in the world.

However (briefly), Tessiril is a female Elf Druid (lvl 34) and the head of the Shadar Sentinels, with 6 levels in the PrC. Lascer is the Lord of the Shadow Shoal assasins -- a fairly spectacular organization -- and is described as a "Paragon Infernal Male Asn 5/Soulreaver 15." They both have fairly involved backstories, Lascer is particularly convoluted.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

What's the general description of a Cansin? Do they look any bit like Slaad or Chaos Beast, or similiar to Githzerai or have shifting features?

I read the Dungeon issue that had the Razing of Redshore, and the post where someone leaked out the stats of an Infernal. So Lascer must be horrifically powerful if he's an Infernal with the Paragon template and 20 class levels.

And what was so unbalanced about the Bard feat? Everyone always complains that Bards are underpowered/

 

[Knight Otu]

Hi, all!

Thank you for your answers!

Aitch Eye, I'm sorry if my first post sounded a bit angry, I didn't intend it.

The feats presented in the article I mentioned in my last post actually seem fairly balanced. One is for Druids, one is primarily for Bards,
two for Assassins, and two for general sneaky characters. Of the six, the strongest is the Bard one, and I think it may be a little over the
top, although the prereqs seems steep (Perform 30+, Cha 21+, Dex 21+).

I assume that Battle Dance is the bard feat in question? What is it's general effect?

None of the prestige classes have a BAB progression or Save progressions, so presumably they end once you get to epic levels. So the
Wiz/Fig-Fig/Wiz problem probably still exists. Every pclass also gets bonus feats from specific list at a certain rate, so I suspect that
might be a standard epic feature as well. To note is that while each class only goes to ten, the descriptions describe how these improve
past 10th level, so I guess there's no limits.

From what I know, and supported by Deities and Demigods, Attacks gain a +1 epic attack bonus for every even level past 20, while saves gain a +1 epic bonus for every odd level. I think it had already been said that the Epic rules are capable of being scaled indefinitly.

Of interest to Assassin fans, one prestige class expands the Assassin spell list to 9th level, though the description mentions "Improved
Spellcasting slots" - god knows what that means, but since it's capitalized I think Improved Spellcasting is a feat.

Do they say what spells are added? Otherwise I would assume that these spell slots might be for metamagiced spells only?

Overall not as bad as I was expecting. Epic spells seem to be so out of reach that it'd be impossible to cast them (DC of 202, come on), ...

I'd assume that there is an Fpic Skill Focus feat or something like that. Maybe these feats aren't that bad? Though I think that the DC is for researching the spell in question.
What are the general effects for some of the epic spells, by the way? My guesses are:
Dracomorph - You change into a dragon (seems fairly obvious).
Golem Seed - You grow a golem as though it were a plant?
Nimbus - An emanation centered on oneself, though I have no idea for the effect.
Oath of Binding - A compulsion or a imprisonment effect?
Shadar's Primal Devastation - Damage over a large area?

2n-1 baby, 2n-1.

As though I didn't hear enough math here at the university

Tessiril is a female Elf Druid (lvl 34)

I guess she is the character that took on 13 iron golems? At level 34, she deserves to defeat them, IMHO.

Lascer is the
Lord of the Shadow Shoal assasins -- a fairly spectacular organization -- and is described as a "Paragon Infernal Male Asn
5/Soulreaver 15."

What is his CR?? From what see here it must be in the 50ties??

 

[LightPhoenix]

Cansin -
(Paraphrasing) - Disheveled, disorganized, with mismatched clothing and uncombed hair. Usually have one or more traits such as shifting eye color, slightly irregular features, or an aura of randomness (which has no game effect). Interestingly, the article states that there is a greater chance for there to be Lawful Cansin than there are for good teiflings, evil aasimar, and chatoic axani, because of their randomness.

Battle Dance -
Yeah, the Bard feat is Battle Dance, and while I'm normally loathe to quote specific mechanics, Battle Dance gives you an insight bonus to AC, attack rolls, and Reflex saving throws equal to your Cha bonus. Since the prereqs already call for a 21 Cha (along with Dex and Perform), you're getting at least +5 to all of these, with just one feat.

Spell Effects -
Dracomorph - Transform someone else into an adult bronze dragon.
Golem Seed - Enchant a small statue which can later be activated to make a special iron golem.
Nimbus - You give off a nimbus of light that does fire damage to anyone nearby.
Oath of Binding - Basically a Geas/Quest which gives you DR and bonuses to attributes.
Shadar's Primal Destruction - Lots of damage in a HUGE area, then summons a "primal elemental" for twenty rounds.

Misc. Stuff -
Nope, they don't talk about slots added by Improved Spellcasting, we'll have to wait a week for that.

Lascer's CR is 58.

Gotta go pick up NWN, later!

 

[Knight Otu]

Hi, LightPhoenix!

Interestingly, the article states that
there is a greater chance for there to be Lawful Cansin than there are for good teiflings, evil aasimar, and chatoic axani, because of
their randomness.

Something about this sentence gives me a headache? Randomness := Greater chance for lawful alignment? Strange ...

Yeah, the Bard feat is Battle Dance, and while I'm normally loathe to quote specific mechanics, Battle Dance gives you an insight bonus
to AC, attack rolls, and Reflex saving throws equal to your Cha bonus. Since the prereqs already call for a 21 Cha (along with Dex and
Perform), you're getting at least +5 to all of these, with just one feat.

All at the same time? Yes, that does seem a bit much.

Dracomorph - Transform someone else into an adult bronze dragon.

I was close on this one - Maybe I should have guessed that it would be a "Dracomorph Other".

Shadar's Primal Destruction - Lots of damage in a HUGE area, then summons a "primal elemental" for twenty rounds.

A primal elemental ... Sounds interesting. Any hints at it's stats?

Nope, they don't talk about slots added by Improved Spellcasting, we'll have to wait a week for that.

You're lucky! Try a month or more for germany

Lascer's CR is 58.

I wonder if he eats Great Red Wyrms for breakfast?

 

[Ashardalon]

Dracomorph - Transform someone else into an adult bronze dragon.

BRONZE dragon? Sigh, what happened to the respect people used to have for us reds?

I wonder if he eats Great Red Wyrms for breakfast?

Just a proof of my above statement.

 

[Vecna]

arcane lord- "when wizards dream they dream of becoming arcane lords. the arcane lord is a true master of spellcasting, able to shape her arcane magics in ways that lesser beings can only dream of."

How similar is this to the Archmage?
Is a Wizard only class or is "useful" for Sorcerers too?
Some hints on prereqs and abilities?

 

[Aitch Eye]

Aitch Eye, I'm sorry if my first post sounded a bit angry, I didn't intend it.

Actually, it didn't. I just felt bad that I started the thread, then disappeared and didn't answer any questions.


As for the Arcane Lord, it's equally usefull for wizards and sorcerors, and they mention that some bards could take it as well. It allows them to double a spell's maximum damage cap, regain spells or slots they've cast recently, know if and what spells are being cast around them, reroll spell effects, know a foe's save bonuses, and a couple of more mundane things.

 

[Nightfall]

Btw, thanks LightPhoenix for the explanation. I was hoping for something a little more...sinister but that's okay.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Yeah, it wasn't sinister at all, I was expecting more out of it.

The man who developed Dracomorph was a good spellcaster, from what I gathered of the intro paragraphs.

No hint at all on primal elementals

As for the Lawful Cansin remark, let me try explaining it again, I was in a rush this morning.

Cansin are primarily Chaotic. Just like Aasimar are primarily Good. The thing is, because of the nature of Chaos, you're more likely to find Lawful Cansin than you are Evil Aasimar. With Chaos, it's kind of like all the possibilities that can happen do happen occasionally, even if it means something odd like a Lawful Cansin. With Good, there's going to be a strong bent away from Evil (and vice versa). That's why Lawful Cansin are more likely than Evil Aasimars, Good Tieflings, and Chaotic Anaxi.