Followup on the Pools of Power

[James McMurray]

Ok, so my group has found 3 of the Pools of Power and are currently questing for the 4th. so far they've experienced:

• Pool of Glory: Immunity to fear
• Pool of Pain: DR 3/-. you can forego this DR for one week to invoke a pain touch on another person. They haven't tried this yet, and I'm not sure exactly what should happen when they do. Most likely it will stun the opponent if they fail a Fortitude save (DR 10 + 1/2 level + number of pools bathed in).
• Pool of Love: returned to them or created a personification of the thing they love most (as a cohort). The cleric's new friend is the personification of Greyhawk city, the Paladin's is the woman who first introduce him to Corellan, and the Samurai's is a revered ancester.

Now they're questing for the Pool of Time. They have just been hurtled back in time (several millennia and 3 editions of the D&D game ). When they find it, I have no idea what it should grant them. I'm thinking either:

Haste as a free action 1/day for 1 round per pool vsited. OR
Speed +20' and +4 to intiative.

Note that all pools grant 2000xp and a +1 inherent bonus to all stats (which stacks with other pools but not other inherent bonuses).

After this pool I'm ready to get the group back on track for the Bloodstone series.

Any ideas for this pool (and others') granted powers would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dakkareth]

How about making it extend the lifespan of whoever uses it?

Or give the bather the ability to time hop as per the psionics handbook once per day? (disappear for a few rounds)

Or better yet some kind of insight bonus either continously or invokable a certain number of times per day. That would work with something somebody said about the pool, 'it shows you, that there are other ways of viewing time than the linear approach' (paraphrased).


As for other pools ...

The pool of Life/Death
The pool of Space
The pool of Control
The pool of Thought/Belief
The pool of Dread
The pool of Shadow
The pool of Equilibrium
The pool of Nature
The pool of Planes
The pool of Trust
The pool of Light
The pool of Non-Existance
The pool of Ascendance


Finally as a reader of your story hour I'd like to say, that I like the idea and execution of this pool idea very much. It adds a nice flavor and something to look forward to at epic levels.

 

[James McMurray]

Thanks!

So far I'm going with an idea mentioned over at webrpg's forums. Allow a character, once per game session, to see the results of their die roll before actually declaring an action. For instance, they could want to cast a spell and roll their spell resistance check before they actually cast it. If it fails, they could decide to cast a different spell or not cast at all.

Its like your insight bonus up above.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

You could also go with some Pools of Elemental stuff, simply so that eventually, after Pools of Fire, Earth, Air, Magma, Ash and so forth, you could present your players with:

The Pool Of Water.

Special effect - you feel refreshed 1/day.

 

[James McMurray]

Shouldn't it also grant a ckeaning affect once per day as if you'd just use Prestidigitation on yourself?