Kingdom of Alwen Res: Sword of Power Campaign

[ThaDoc]

3rd Page Get~! =d

They also have multiple appendages =O

I'd want to play a caster class of some form or another. I'd actually really like to try my Conjurer from Dan's campaign with the Summoner prestige class (Legends & Lairs: Path of Magic). That prestige class is frickin pimpin'. Every other level I have the choice to lose one spell learning slot in order to learn ALL Conjuration spells from the PHB spell list (1st through 5th) among other things. I just need the damn book >.<

I mean, it's only one damn page in the whole book! Why the hell should I pay $40 for a book when I only want one DAMN PAGE!

Bah...

That online copy of the core rules is damn handy if I may say so myself XD
Anyhoo, let's see what I can swing with Ben and MSN since he apparently got a hold of the book.

 

[Kinger]

A Conjurer wouldn't be a bad idea. Summoned monsters taking the damage for me is always appreciated.

 

[DungeonMaster]

Sure! A conjurer it is! Since Dan's party is definitely evil I will be playing black-mage from 8-bit theater for it.
But we might have too many spellcasters. So I might play a dumb barbarian. Maybe with a scythe. Been toying with the idea, I havn't played a dumb character in a while.

Your character is actually quite capable of grappling a maralith! It only has +18 to its grapple check! 3rd edition base demons/devils are not that physically strong - it's their immunities and spell-like abilities and strange properties that make them nasty. The best plan of attack when dealing with a demon/devil is to use a mellee character on it (preferably a paladin but a monk is actually not a bad option if he can beat the DR). If they can get a good couple hits in it will likely drop.
Unless they're "advanced", i.e. explicitely given more hit-die (which ups the XP you get from them), at which point it's better to just run and come back prepared for that specific monster's abilities. An advanced balor is a terrifyingly deadly monster to fight if you don't know it's coming. I use both standard and advanced demons/devils. There aren't enough high-CR monsters in the MM such that basically need to advance monsters after a certain point (if you want a single-creature encounter). There are only 6 CR 12 monsters for instance and 3 of them are hydra.
That or everything is a dragon and the party is handed their ass on a regular basis, which is not particularly fun (even as a DM). Although I do get to pull out my really very big miniatures...

They changed demons and devils for 3.5 and made the base demon/devil much more physical but they striped them of many of their spell-like abilities and nasty side-effects.
Because of the omni-presence of high-level prestige classes they also increased all the save-based abilities of them too (their mental stats). Standard character classes don't fare too well when you toss out regular DC's in the 25-30 range. Even when you're polymorphed/shapechanged into the demons themselves. But multi-prestige classed characters gain saves every time they take a prestige class and so they can easily handle it. It's a different game!

 

[Kinger]

Just out of curiousity, how did you figure out Kary's grapple mod? I'm pretty sure a maralith is large (there's +4), and is an outsider (+1 BaB/HD). Checking yee ol' 3.0 SRD...

Damn, only 9 hit-die? I was expecting something in the 15-or-so range. Shows how much high-level play I'VE done...

Let's see...
Large: +4
21 Strength: +5
9 Outsider HD: +9
Yup, only +18. Damn. I've got like +23. Sweet.

Although, that Constrict ability is pretty nasty... 4d6+7 damage on a successful grapple, which I'll hopefully not allow , but if I DO, I have to make a DC 19 Fort save or fall unconscious. Damn. Where can I get that ability?

Hmm... DR of 20/+2 is gonna suck. I technically cannot damage a Marilith unarmed at level 12. I'd need Ki Strike +2 first. THANKFULLY, according to the ol' SRD, a Marilith's got a CR of 17. At level 12, I don't think a reasonable DM would be pitting me mano-a-mano against one quite yet. Right? Reasonable DM?

This bodes well for me, however. If I can beat a Marilith's grapple check on a regular basis, maybe I can do BETTER for things of lesser CR! Sweet!


And regarding the dearth of CR 12s, all I can say is NPCs. They make good grapple targets.

Lessee, a level 12 Chaotic Evil Fighter with an all-told Strength score of, say, 22, would still have a grapple modifier of...
12 BaB: +12
22 Strength: +6
Total: +18. Sweet. Make him a raging barbarian instead, flying into a rage, and he's got 26-or-so Strength, right? Still makes it only 22. I still win more often, and can even do more damage (1d3+8 vs d12+5)! I can rip apart a raging barbarian with my bare hands! Thank-you, munchkiny Sword and Fist items!

Uh-oh... I sense I'm giving the DM ideas... LOOK OVER THERE!!!
*bolts*

 

[DungeonMaster]

Damn, only 9 hit-die? I was expecting something in the 15-or-so range. Shows how much high-level play I'VE done...

Yup! HD is not always indicative of power and there are spells like "circle of death" that should still be occasionally useful at higher levels. Some of the biggest HD monsters in the game - collosal vermin - are not that tough for high level characters to defeat. They might hit you with +59 to hit and have tons of hit points and sky high saves but in the end, they're just a big bug that can't fly, teleport or even throw a rock at a flying PC. PCs can usually outsmart it.
Remember the maralith will *cheat* too. If if sees you're able to grapple it then it's going to polymorph itself into a storm giant or teleport away.
Jai's previous barbarian charged a balor and got a taste of unholy aura - it's not fun.

Damn. Where can I get that ability?

There's an oriental adventures feat called "earth's embrace" which you should check out though that might be hard to track down. It doesn't knock them unconcious like the crazy maralith ability though.

At level 12, I don't think a reasonable DM would be pitting me mano-a-mano against one quite yet. Right? Reasonable DM?

Lol! of course not! You need pretty decent magic and much more wealth and abilities to take one down "without death of a PC" (which would means its CR is correct). As it stands the thing can just project it's image outside of an area of darkness and spread cloudkills, curses, chaos hammers and unholy blights then teleport and do the same from a distance again and again.
You could probably kill one at this level if you knew it was coming and had time to prepare dimensional anchors, true seeing and discern location (locate creature is fooled by polymorph). If you had advantageous terrain then you might only lose ~ 1 PC.

 

[ThaDoc]

Wow, reading all that, I kinda hate high-level D&D 3.0 play XD

 

[DungeonMaster]

The game gets very complicated and doesn't really resemble the lower levels.
You have to remember a lot of little intricacies if you want to be a spellcaster and you're rewarded for it. (Like realising polymorph fools locate creature.) And plan like mad.
As a warrior choice of equipment becomes paramount - often not to deal 150 damage per hit but more to be able to survive any effect thrown your way by the often ridiculously powerful monsters.

It's not everyone's cup of tea that's for certain. It's been like this for every edition of D&D though. I still don't know why people would want "epic" levels though.
Typically characters and campaign retire long before 20th level though. My last 2 year long campaign ended at 13th level. If you guys get bored/depressed I will adjust, but we still have a ways to go in the mid-levels before you're fighting maraliths.

Also Fantasy Flight Games has a mega sale every year where their books go for $5. They had one a month ago and likely will have another in a couple months. I'm also going to this Toronto August game convention where I might be able to pick it up for cheap (if you're not coming yourself that is!)

 

[Kinger]

Speaking of which, the idea of the Toronto Con has taken the fancy of several of my friends here in the middle of nowhere (one would like Gygax to sign his 1st edition books), so we might see you down there.

"A mind without purpose easily strays in darkness."

Man, I love that little flavour-feature of Dawn of War. Random Space Marine quips come up at the bottom of the main menu screen. I've made half my character out of those.


From the looks of the marilith (and devils and demons in general), 3.5 has made planning even MORE important. Demons have damage reduction vs everything but Cold Iron, not just a +2 weapon. Who carries COLD IRON weapons if they're not fighting demons?

Sure, Fey have the same vulnerability. WHO FIGHTS FEY???

 

[ThaDoc]

I've either made so many characters lately that I'm out of quirky names or work is turning my brain to sludge (though I'm not sure it wasn't sludge-like to begin with mind you), because I COMPLETELY drew a blank for this gal. Anyways, my attribute rolls are under the name "Ivana Humpalot", really easy to remember. They should be 12, 17, 16, 8, 13, 16. Nice rolls if I do say so myself.

Anyhoo, I'll amend this post or start another with details for my char.

Edit 1: I rolled hitpoints, screwed up the first time: rolled 12d4 + 36 instead of 11d4 + 40.
Here's the link to the right roll: http://www14.brinkster.com/nadaka/DiceBoxDB.asp?Page=Find&By=Number&Value=8284

Don't hate me 'cuz I'm healthy.

Ability Scores are as follows.
STR 8 DEX 16 CON 16 INT 17 (20) WIS 12 CHA 13 (Int takes the three ability score upgrades)

Edit 2: Feats and Skills to come.

 

[DungeonMaster]

I though it was supposed to be a summoner? That's evocative.