Just got my Dragon Compendium - Pretty!

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've got to ask... what the hell does a Jester do?

Jest.

 

[Stone Dog]

Jest.

Well, yes, but how and why is it worth a 20 level class?

 

[DMH]

Which issues have the diopsid (that is the beetle with long eye stalks, right?), Dvati (??) and tibbit (??)? And what dragons does it have?

 

[BOZ]

diopsid

267

Dvati

271

tibbit

135

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=9651

 

[Morgenstern]

Well, yes, but how and why is it worth a 20 level class?

Think really irratable and bitter bard. Hands out penalties instead of bonuses. Being based on Perform skill checks/tricks, the comparison is inevitable.

Despite the comic imagery, I sort of think they might be more playable than many bards. A few levels of jester could be very important to a swashbuckling build that wants to have their razor wit actually impale people. Barbarian/Jester might be quite fun too.

 

[Stone Dog]

Nice... nice. Any sort of acrobatics/tumbling sort of stuff?

I think my Carnival Crew based campaign might be shaping up nicely. The Montebank is a smooth addition, and the jester sounds like a fine match too. If you have the time I'd like to hear more about the others. I didn't think I was going to pick up the book, but now it looks like it is going to have to be on my shelf before christmas.

 

[Thotas]

I'm looking forward to getting this book. For future volumes, I hope to see the article on Saints from issue 79 (near as I can tell, it was the original template, years before the idea/term became a basic concept in the game) and the Burgess Shale monsters, just 'cause they were weird.

 

[Erik Mona]

I'm looking forward to getting this book. For future volumes, I hope to see the article on Saints from issue 79 (near as I can tell, it was the original template, years before the idea/term became a basic concept in the game) and the Burgess Shale monsters, just 'cause they were weird.

That would be "Setting Saintly Standards," by Scott Bennie (who often posts at EN World). It's one of my all-time favorite Dragon articles.

Incidentally, Gary Holian has name-checked a couple of these beings in his death knight two-part opus from Dragon 290 and 291.

One of the death knights named in that article also appeared in "Lost Temple of Demogorgon," in Dungeon #120.

So yeah, that's a good one.

--Erik Mona

 

[Psion]

I've got to ask... what the hell does a Jester do?

A jester's main employment
is to kill himself for your enjoyment
and a jester unemployed...

is nobody's fool.



- With props to Danny Kaye, of course.

 

[Morgenstern]

Nice... nice. Any sort of acrobatics/tumbling sort of stuff?

They have Balance and Tumble as class skills, and a defense bonus based on their ability to surprise and vex. So I'd say very much yes. One of their very unique tricks is eventually they can do their mind-affecting performance tricks on intelligent undead. They annoy even liches and vampires .

I think my Carnival Crew based campaign might be shaping up nicely. The Montebank is a smooth addition, and the jester sounds like a fine match too. If you have the time I'd like to hear more about the others. I didn't think I was going to pick up the book, but now it looks like it is going to have to be on my shelf before christmas.

The Montebank in the Compendium is... strange. Not what I expected, but very flavorful. A literal deal with the devil for deceptive powers.