NEW Immortals Handbook - Ascension thread

[Upper_Krust]

Hey hey, UK!

Hiya mate!

So are you looking primarily for art or writing/stat-blocks?

Both I suppose.

Given the unpredictability of that particular power, I think Divine is the right spot for it. It can go low (vs. high AC opponents) or tremendously high. Best to err on the side of caution.

Indeed.

I understand, which is why I suggest trying to get more people behind the actual development process.

I already have recruited one person for Gods & Monsters, but they are limited in what they will be able to do.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

U_K!

Hows that Ascension art coming? I know you probably are hashing together Gods & Monsters, but is Ascension nearing completion?

I think getting people to help with future IH books would be a good idea. I'd offer to help, but theres so much going on in gaming right now for me my OCD can't take it! (4e approaches, a gaming group member left, and I'm working on an entirely too large campaign setting)

I hope things are going well for you. I haven't had the chance to pick up the Print bestiary yet, but I am building a new computer soon*, so I'll pick it up when I order the parts.

(* - I have been saying soon since my last computer died about a year ago, and I got stuck with a cheap computer with Vista... Arggg its terrible. 'Soon' is whenever I finally get fed up with my computer lagging when I open notepad!)

 

[EarthSeraphEdna]

Say, U_K, do the divinity templates for sidereals still have a minimum size requirement? I recall reading near the start of this thread or so: "Elder Ones go by the esoteric name of daitya, which implies giant god, a reference to the fact their minimum size is restricted."

If that requirement is still in place, that would mean it would be impossible to have a sidereal's manifestation as Medium size, won't it? Which of course means that it would be impossible to have any sidereal's (unmodified) manifestation as a perfectly normal-looking humanoid.

I was planning on statting out some Medium-sized Elder Ones, Old Ones, and First Ones, but that limitation might get in the way since they're all supposed to be Medium-sized humanoids (well, one can freely alter her size anywhere from Fine to about Mega-Medium, but that's a different story). Then there's things like the Lady of Pain (which you yourself stated was an Old One) who are still Medium size. Would taking away this size prerequisite substantially alter the game balance by the current version of Ascension?

 

[Upper_Krust]

U_K!

Howdy Ltheb mate!

apologies for the slow reply, this one has slipped under my radar. I actually had a 75% reply done on the day you posted, but had to rush to work and deleted the post for brevity, thinking I'd reply the next day. But working those long hours messes your brain up.

Hows that Ascension art coming?

Slowly, but the cover is almost ready and looking awesome.

I know you probably are hashing together Gods & Monsters,

Nope.

but is Ascension nearing completion?

The amount of work needed to finish it is about a week. Unfortunately from where I am looking even a week of work seems a ways off.

I think getting people to help with future IH books would be a good idea.

I already have someone for Gods & monsters although they are limited as to what they can do.

I'd offer to help, but theres so much going on in gaming right now for me my OCD can't take it! (4e approaches, a gaming group member left, and I'm working on an entirely too large campaign setting)

No worries mate. I appreciate the thought.

I hope things are going well for you.

Financially things have picked up but the nightshift is such a drain on my time that its a tad depressing.

I haven't had the chance to pick up the Print bestiary yet, but I am building a new computer soon*, so I'll pick it up when I order the parts.

No hurry for that mate. I should especially thank those who purchased both the pdf and the Print version.

(* - I have been saying soon since my last computer died about a year ago, and I got stuck with a cheap computer with Vista... Arggg its terrible. 'Soon' is whenever I finally get fed up with my computer lagging when I open notepad!)

I don't think I'd have Vista on my machine. Good luck with everything.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

Say, U_K, do the divinity templates for sidereals still have a minimum size requirement? I recall reading near the start of this thread or so: "Elder Ones go by the esoteric name of daitya, which implies giant god, a reference to the fact their minimum size is restricted."

If that requirement is still in place, that would mean it would be impossible to have a sidereal's manifestation as Medium size, won't it? Which of course means that it would be impossible to have any sidereal's (unmodified) manifestation as a perfectly normal-looking humanoid.

I was planning on statting out some Medium-sized Elder Ones, Old Ones, and First Ones, but that limitation might get in the way since they're all supposed to be Medium-sized humanoids (well, one can freely alter her size anywhere from Fine to about Mega-Medium, but that's a different story). Then there's things like the Lady of Pain (which you yourself stated was an Old One) who are still Medium size. Would taking away this size prerequisite substantially alter the game balance by the current version of Ascension?

If you don't like them there is always Rule #0 (just change it - you're the DM). I just liked it as a bit of flavour, its not really necessary for any mechanical balancing.

Maybe the Lady of Pain is Huge (or larger) but when you look at here she is just (dimensionally) far away - possibly a side-effect of the Nebulous/Interdimensional chain of abilities?

 

[Farealmer3]

I have a question. I believe you mentioned the HP system for planets and other objects is accurate based on the D20 system and that you scale weapon damage based on them. Is that correct?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey there Farealmer mate!

I have a question. I believe you mentioned the HP system for planets and other objects is accurate based on the D20 system and that you scale weapon damage based on them. Is that correct?

Its accurate based on scaled damage. Yes.

Its inaccurate based on scaled Hit Dice/Hit Points.

This mistake is intrinsic to 3/3.5 D&D design. Damage scales slower than hit dice/hp.

 

[EarthSeraphEdna]

I've got a few more questions I'd like to ask:

1.) What exactly is the difference between the Negative Energy Plane and Byss (Dimension Zero / Death Dimension)? I understand that the NEP is the Yin/Ob of Briah (Fifth Dimension / Inner Planes), so is Byss simply just that, only for the entire universe? Or is there something about Byss that makes it even more entropic than the NEP?

2.) Off the top of your head, what would you say are the divine ranks of Moses and Jesus? I've also noticed that you've got several of H.P. Lovecraft and Ramsey Campbell's outer gods as old ones, so at would divine rank would you place Azathoth himself?

3.) If a planet on the prime material is equivalent to a layer on another dimension (an elder one of the prime material would be the embodiment of a planet), a galaxy is the equivalent of a plane (embodied by an old one), and a supercluster is equal to a dimension (embodied by a first one), wouldn't that mean the prime material is only as large as a supercluster since it's only one dimension (or three if you want to get technical with geometry)? Whatever happened to the astronomical (not cosmic) universe that was supposed to span over 1e37 light years?

4.) Do demiurges (stages I, II, and III) fall under the classification of sidereals or eternals? Or do they get their own "in-between" category? Where do they fall in with respect to your divine rank-Kardashev-comic comparison table on the website? Do they push all of the examples that were previously Time Lord and above down three ranks (Living Tribunal would be Stage II and Thanos with THotU would be Stage III), or do they just squeeze in between First Ones and Time Lords leaving those who were Time Lord-equivalents still Time Lords (LT is still a High Lord and Thanos with THotU is still a Supreme Being)?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

I've got a few more questions I'd like to ask:

1.) What exactly is the difference between the Negative Energy Plane and Byss (Dimension Zero / Death Dimension)? I understand that the NEP is the Yin/Ob of Briah (Fifth Dimension / Inner Planes), so is Byss simply just that, only for the entire universe? Or is there something about Byss that makes it even more entropic than the NEP?

The name Negative Energy still involves energy. It also exists in time and space. The Negative energy plane is the doorway to Byss, but Byss itself IS nothingness - literally. None of the other dimensions are present. A non-native of Byss would disintigrate if they tried to enter that dimension (perhaps some epic spell might temporarily protect them*).

*When Umbrals and similar beings enter the other dimensions they slowly revert from being nothing to being something, in effect decaying backwards - if that makes any sense?

2.) Off the top of your head, what would you say are the divine ranks of Moses and Jesus?

Moses: 2
Jesus: 3

I've also noticed that you've got several of H.P. Lovecraft and Ramsey Campbell's outer gods as old ones, so at would divine rank would you place Azathoth himself?

See Algol (Old One) in Gods & Monsters.

3.) If a planet on the prime material is equivalent to a layer on another dimension (an elder one of the prime material would be the embodiment of a planet), a galaxy is the equivalent of a plane (embodied by an old one), and a supercluster is equal to a dimension (embodied by a first one), wouldn't that mean the prime material is only as large as a supercluster since it's only one dimension (or three if you want to get technical with geometry)?

Yes.

Whatever happened to the astronomical (not cosmic) universe that was supposed to span over 1e37 light years?

The super-cluster killed it and took its stuff.

4.) Do demiurges (stages I, II, and III) fall under the classification of sidereals or eternals?

Demi-eternals.

Or do they get their own "in-between" category? Where do they fall in with respect to your divine rank-Kardashev-comic comparison table on the website? Do they push all of the examples that were previously Time Lord and above down three ranks (Living Tribunal would be Stage II and Thanos with THotU would be Stage III), or do they just squeeze in between First Ones and Time Lords leaving those who were Time Lord-equivalents still Time Lords (LT is still a High Lord and Thanos with THotU is still a Supreme Being)?

The latter. They are in between Sidereals and Eternals.

 

[dante58701]

When's the next update???

Another question...how do deities sense their followers exactly?

I mean, they thoroughly detail this in deities and demigods, but I don't see anything on this in Ascension, or anything on how exactly they manipulate their godly realms.

Heres an article on advanced beings.

http://www.athas.org/releases/advancedbeings/dragon-r3.pdf

I was wondering, if you were to create advanced beings...what would they be and in what manner would one become one.

Advanced beings use psionics and magic to evolve into inhuman monsters (avangions, dragons, elementals, ect.)