Immortals Handbook - Ascension Discussion

[Upper_Krust]

Hey guys!

Okay, as mentioned on the website, the proposed Ascension release today may just have to wait a few more days. But even though I am going to be working the next few nights I don't see why I won't have everything sorted by Friday 21st March.

 

[Ajoxer]

Oh, and so it begins...

 

[Anabstercorian]

This thing will never happen.

 

[GQuail]

This thing will never happen.

I don't know about never... but depending on how many more of the books you feel you need to run a campaign (i.e. is the Grimoire required to call the system complete? How about the Chronicle?) then 3.5 could be easilly long dead before the Immortals Handbook is complete, and you're left with books that will never really get any use. Of course, if you just use what's out and the various notes on these forums, or if you're planning on sticking with 3.5 anyway then this isn't an issue - but with 4th Ed in the very near future, it looks like even Krusty has a lot less enthusiasm for the 3.5 version of these rules.

To be honest, I printed out the beta Ascension quite some time ago and have gotten some use out of it. Anyone who is still waiting for the perfect version before printing is probably not really in that big a rush to use the book anyway. ;-)

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey there!

I don't know about never... but depending on how many more of the books you feel you need to run a campaign (i.e. is the Grimoire required to call the system complete? How about the Chronicle?) then 3.5 could be easilly long dead before the Immortals Handbook is complete, and you're left with books that will never really get any use. Of course, if you just use what's out and the various notes on these forums, or if you're planning on sticking with 3.5 anyway then this isn't an issue - but with 4th Ed in the very near future, it looks like even Krusty has a lot less enthusiasm for the 3.5 version of these rules.

To be honest, I printed out the beta Ascension quite some time ago and have gotten some use out of it. Anyone who is still waiting for the perfect version before printing is probably not really in that big a rush to use the book anyway. ;-)

I'm very enthusiastic about 4E. From a design perspective 3.5E can be a real quagmire, especially at epic and immortal levels. A lot of the irrelevant details really started to grind away at my love of the system.

With 4th Edition you don't have to worry about the monsters 40 feats (and thats after I fixed metamagic to make it workable), you don't have to worry about a monsters skills (relatively speaking), you don't have to worry about the monsters Challenge Rating, you don't have to worry about a bunch of near irrelevant spell-like abilities, you don't have to worry about twelve Dragon age categories etc.

That said, I know many of you love the rules intensive approach, so I am certainly not going to abandon 3.5E. Though I am considering taking on a partner for future 3.5E Conversions.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey guys!

In the process of putting Ascension on RPGNow as we speak. At the moment I have 3.0 as the default, but I have some new art to scan and put in (not as much as I wanted but its looking on a par with the rest - for what thats worth). So I'll probably get everything sorted with regards RPGNow tonight so that I only have to upload the new file (lets call it 3.1) tomorrow.

Obviously those who bought the beta will get all the updates in the usual manner.

 

[Alzrius]

Hey guys!

In the process of putting Ascension on RPGNow as we speak. At the moment I have 3.0 as the default, but I have some new art to scan and put in (not as much as I wanted but its looking on a par with the rest - for what thats worth). So I'll probably get everything sorted with regards RPGNow tonight so that I only have to upload the new file (lets call it 3.1) tomorrow.

Obviously those who bought the beta will get all the updates in the usual manner.

U_K, any chance of fixing any errors between now and when you upload 3.1? Because in the Psionics appendix, you have two feats named "Metapsionic Freedom." The first one of which should instead be called (as listed in Table A-3) "Metapsionic Focus."

 

[dante58701]

Excellent work with 3.0, aside from minor errors.

First...

Quasi-deity Perfect Summoning (Psionics) Summoned creatures with the Psionic Sub-type have 200% more HD Always Active

200% more = 300% HD, this is definitely an error.

Also...

Old One Magic Pariah Magic ceases to function in your divine realm Always Active

This is a huge mistake as it would render the deities' magical abilities from their other Portfolios absolutely useless, essentially clashing with how the vast majority of portfolios function.

This mistake also exists within the Magic portfolio, only in reverse. You should really add an ability that metamorphoses their magical abilities into psionic abilities if you are going to seriously neuter the magic and psionic deities like this.

Or, you can state that their magical abilities function normally in spite of the restriction.

Either way it is in desperate need of clarification or it's going to make a lot of gamers very irate at one another when they argue the rules, as is bound to happen in any campaign featuring rule clashes of this nature.

I loved the new Epic Psionic Focus feat, it proved to be invaluable in sparing me extra feats when playing manifester/spellcasters.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey there!

U_K, any chance of fixing any errors between now and when you upload 3.1? Because in the Psionics appendix, you have two feats named "Metapsionic Freedom." The first one of which should instead be called (as listed in Table A-3) "Metapsionic Focus."

Shouldn't be a problem - in true Krustian fashion I shall be updating late tonight.

Thanks for the additional feedback from yourself and dante. Much appreciated.

 

[Alzrius]

Quasi-deity Perfect Summoning (Psionics) Summoned creatures with the Psionic Sub-type have 200% more HD Always Active

200% more = 300% HD, this is definitely an error.

It's not an error. Perfect Summoning is a standard cosmic ability, and it makes your summoned creatures have 200% more Hit Dice than usual (that is to say, triple standard Hit Dice). This is because the standard advancement for a creature, as given in the Advancement line in their stat block, tops out at triple their normal Hit Dice (e.g. a balor has 20 HD, and a maximum possible advancement of 60 HD).

Hence, this power should be left the way it is.