No turning in AU

[SSquirrel]

OK from looking through all of the AU stuff teh past few months andpreparing to start a campaign in the near future, I notice that there's no turning in AU. Now this does make sense as there are no gods to offer the ability, but I wonder how needed the gods really are for that. After all, its based on strength of will and I would imagine a very willful person could make them go away anyway. Maybe make turning an allowed feat?

Also I was contemplating making the True Necromancer an alowed prestige class, but the turn/rebuke power is one taht gives me pause. Since there are obviously undead in the game having undead focused casters like True Necromancers and Pale Masters isn't outside the bounds of the setting, but is turning really an offsetting ability to allow?

Hagen

 

[DMScott]

What works in your game is the best choice - if you want turning back in the game, go for it. I believe Monte addresses turning in one of his design diaries. IIRC his motivation in removing turning was to make fights with undead last longer, rather than just having a few rolls turn the whole fight.

I'd be leery of adding classes built around controlling undead to a standard AU game, just because undead are different. All undead created via AU spells are intelligent and controlled via truenames and the appropriate spell, I wouldn't really want to mess with that. Though one possible way around it is to include some or all of the standard D&D undead and allow them to be controlled via the turn/rebuke mechanics, while the AU undead operate via truenames.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

This was actually a game balance concern of Monte's that was addressed through the tabula rasa effect.

The concern being how significantly the difficulty of undead encounters differs based on whether you have a turning class in the party.

 

[Zelgadas]

The Greenbond actually makes a pretty good anti-undead class at mid- to high-level, with their Infuse with Life ability. That's all positive energy, so it hurts undead. You could always make a ceremonial feat of some sort that allows for turning, if you really want it in. Maybe something that allows you to spend spell slots or something. You could even just make a spell that simulates turning, and cut out the middle-man.

As for undead-themed classes, check out The Diamond Throne. There's a class in there called the Darkbond (basically the opposite of the Greenbond) who's pretty good with undead.