Fighter/Psion

[VorpalStare]

And I thought I had some bad DM's in the past....

I agree with the basic philosophy of what KarinsDad said. Give your DM a taste of the consequences of all of his crazy restrictions on the game. It's very frustrating for most DM's to have the PC's die regularly. On the other hand, don't let him cop out either and have "God" swoop down and revive the party on a regular basis so he can perpetuate his bad campaign style. This just yields even more control to him. You have the right to refuse to be raised from the dead.

In the event that he does see the error of his ways, take Psychic Reformation as a 4th level power. This will provide you (and maybe the other players) with a no-nonsense excuse to retool your characters while giving him a chance to save face.

Also, why did you take Eradicate Invisibility as a 3rd level power? This is one of the weaker powers to help you fight invisible creatures (it allows everyone a reflex safe to negate), and you already have True Seeing. If you want to be really sure to see things close to you, take Touchsight instead.

 

[Caeleddin]

Vorpal - It was mainly to allow others to see them too, but after reading KarinsDad's post, I am having my doubts.


Nail - ??? You mean kicking old Bushie out?


Karinsdad - He cares. He wants to know my exact character before we start on Monday. Powers, feats, skills, stats, etc. There will be no hiding from him. He wants to read about my powers during the weekend to make sure that I don't violate his premise.

He told me that he will make EVERYONE in the city hate me if I have a Cha of 6. That can be kinda tough for me to RP.

So, how about the following build then?

Marcus Aurelius (I doubt they'll ever get that)
Human Male (Neutral Good)
Ftr/Psi 2/10
HP: 80
PP: 110

Str 9
Con 14
Dex 12
Int 18
Wis 12
Cha 8

Skills: Concentration (15+Con) 17, Handle Animal (5+Cha) 4, Heal (cc) (7+Wis) 8, Jump (5+Str) 4, Knowledge Nature (5+Int) 9, Knowledge Psi (7+Int) 11, Prof Herbalism (10+Wis) 11, Ride (5+Dex+syn) 8, Psicraft (10+Int+syn) 16, Spot (cc) (2+Wis) 3, Swim (5+Str) 4.

Feats:
Human: Wild Talent (General)
Char1: Psionic Body (Psionic)
Ftr1: Improved Initiative (Fighter Bonus)
Ftr2: Empty (Point Blank Shot?)
Char3: Overchannel (Psionic)
Psion1: Talented (Psionic)
Char6: Lightning Reflexes (General)
Psion5: Empower Power (Metapsionic)
Char9: Expanded Knowledge (Psionic)
Char12: Expanded Knoweledge (Psionic)
Psion10: Expanded Knoweledge (Psionic)

Powers:
Level 1: Vigor, E Ray, Crys Shard, Skate, Grease, Force Shield, Entangling Ectoplasm + EK: Thicken Skin
Level 2: E Missile, Tongues, Knock, Levitate
Level 3: Dispel Psi, TK Force, E Wall + EK: Grt Con Amorpha, Ecto Cocoon
Level 4: E Ball, Iner Barrier, E Adaption, Freedom of Movement, D Door, TK Maneuvre
Level 5: True Seeing
Powers = 21 + 3 EK

Too bad Metapsionic don't count for Psi Body.

 

[jmichels]

I agree with Karinsdad in it may be a good idea to just sabotage his campaign to give this guy his comeuppance. That "Cha 6 would make the town hate you" threat is something a grade school DM would come up with.

Yeah, just pick every power that lets you stay alive and forget about helping the party. I would ditch True Seeing for something that lets you escape. I would go with Plane Shift if you can take it. When the TPK goes down run for Arcadia or somewhere. Then commit suicide to atone for your cowardice. Bingo, campaign over.
Play it like you are just sick that you let everyone down etc.

On the other hand, you might want to play the extra-safe wimpy party by running everytime the going gets tough. Fighter down to single digits? Close ranks, and plane shift out of there. Then refuse to go back to the adventure site because it is too dangerous. The DMs well crafted "balanced" adventure is down the tubes for that night.

Also, constantly run away and rest when the PCs take too much damage. Make sure you regain hit points naturally so days or weeks will pass between forays into the dungeon. Say that magical healing is a waste of resources and bed rest is the only reliable way to get up to full strength. This will destroy any timed adventures the DM has in store for you. If you must save the world by x-date then let it be destroyed.

Finally, if someone dies have everyone run for it immediately. Then say it is far too dangerous to go back in there to get his corpse. You can't sacrifice the team for one body. Acceptible losses and all that. I guess that player gets to play X-box for the rest of the night. Then say you are just sick that you could have healed him before he died but the powers you wanted to take were barred. Then join him playing X-box. I mean you have to keep the poor guy company since you "failed" him so badly.

 

[Caeleddin]

JMichels - I can take out Tongues for Plane Shift. No probs there. I have enough low level powers chosen to cover that. Thanks for that idea. I like it.

The campaign won't be over. Remember, he has killed the Sorceror TWICE that I know of. In their last battle before this Monday's restart, he killed off EVERYONE. He is now saying that the Barbarian NPC somehow took out the Big Bad that an entire 12th level PC party couldn't and got them all resurrected. The two surviving player characters (the others left the game since then) got all the loot off the Big Bad as a result.

That is the kind of group I am talking about. They don't particularly care about their characters. Die? So what? Let's roll up another. Don't expect any solidarity from this group.

That is why I think PS is a good idea. If they die, they die. I'll just dual PS back home and sit in my comfy house waiting for the DM to figure out how to get the others back again. My character is smart enough to tell him and his city ruler to go to Hell if they want me to go back and retrieve corpses for him. Int 18, Cha 8 is good like that.


Note to self: Bring a good book.

 

[jmichels]

I wouldn't even go back to your city. It's too dangerous! Go to the city on the map that the DM hasn't fleshed out yet. Or better yet just hang out in Arcadia with the Solars and such. That way if the BBEG comes looking for you have some back up against them.

I guarantee the other players will start caring about their characters when the game becomes a solo game and they simply get to sit there and watch you play. You also have the good fortune to make the game a Planscape game and you can dodge his lame campaign "concept."

But do not point any of this stuff out to him. Don't even mention that you have the Plane Shift power. Simply show him your character sheet and don't comment on it at all. Or you can try to sneak past an abusive as all get out power in place of Plane Shift. Then argue round and round that it isn't abusive and then settle for Plane Shift after he has "beaten" you. "Okay I'll take Plane Shift then!" and sit down with a huff.

 

[Caeleddin]

JMichels - The story (he made this up, not me) has me coming to the city in the first place in response to a plea of help or there is something there I would be interested in or something similar. I don't mind going back. After all, I can always PS out again. The other characters will be miraculously revived (somehow) and I will be there, sitting in my armchair, smoking a pipe and asking (in a superior manner) "what took them so long".

I have to provide him with my Powers list tonight, so that will come out whether I like it or not. The more I make a fuss, the more things he'll neuter, at least, that is the impression I got from his last e-mail (see above). He's got a hard-on for me as it is. Let's not provoke him any further..... until after the game has started.


VorpalStare - Sorry. I just spotted your post.

I am not too worried about his "face". I am DEFINITELY NOT spending uber amounts of XP to fix his mistakes. That is his and the other guys' problems. As long as my character is good to go in any situation, I don't particularly care anymore. As KarinsDad pointed out, the time to be a team player is not now.

As a sidenote, NONE of my spellcaster characters take Item Creation feats as a general rule because of the XP loss. I really dislike XP losses. I'd rather be a level 20 wizard with a bunch of spells than a level 18 one with a bunch of equipment, half of which I will have as a level 20 character anyway. I am very Raistlin-like in my refusal to rely on items (all of my PLANNED spellcasters have Eschew Materials as standard).

 

[green slime]

I'd just walk away. Too many strange, odd, wierd and inane decisions for me. Not worth it at all. Just say you lost interest in the game.

 

[Caeleddin]

Green Slime - I would, if there was another gig in town.




Something funny occured to me just now:

If the rest of them die, and the BBEG comes after me, it would be hilarious to PS into his precious 18th level Cleric's temple and go, "Hi! Sorry, gotta go. BBEG on the way!" And then DD out to the city's ruler's audience chamber and wait for the BBEG to catch up.... after the BBEG had laid waste to the Cleric and the temple, of course. This is a Lawful Good city, so the good people ain't about to let the BBEG wander around, particularly not the level 18 Cleric. I'll be sure to point it out.

Then, I PS to Arcadia

 

[Nail]

No really: Given the situation described it's just not worth it.

Run.

Away.

(even though it's "the only game in town"....which, BTW, I doubt.) As for my political views of the U.S. of A. and it's tyr....err, leader......that's for some other board.

 

[Caeleddin]

Nail - If you can find another game in Auckland, New Hicksville..... Man, you have a LOT of patience and luck....!


Anyway, back to the topic:

The free Fighter feat, would Point Blank Shot be good, or another one to complement the Improved Intiative?