Hello Xarlen!
You are most welcome to participate: send in a character to
johno@manchester.com... preferably in pcgen format's .pcg.
I'll get talking to my ISP once the long weekend is over... This is the Midsummer Holiday here in Sweden, and I had a great party on Friday, and am still recovering.
Until I recover my webpage from my ISP, here is a repeat of the GoD_Notification.html page:
Differences to other Games of Death:
This will be a more play-by-email, as I will only describe to each character what is occurring in his immediate vicinity.
After a time period of approximately 1 minute (10 rounds) has elapsed in the game the information will be made public, and a map showing the placement and activities of all the contestants, along with commentary.
Why your character has entered this dangerous game, is entirely up to you. Perhaps he has taken a dare. Perhaps she has tired of life. Perhaps he seeks the quiet recognition of peers, something which is so hard to achieve in this jaded world of Elminster and Dracoliches. Whatever the reason, your character is here, to try the ultimate test.
The contestants are required to arrive at the secret rendezvous the night before the event. The contestants are kept separate from each other until they arrive in the "Primary Arena" in order that their participation, equipment, and companions be kept as secret as possible. There is an ample supply of valets, servants and "courtesans" to see to the needs of the characters during what is surmised to be their last day amongst the living. Thus there exists the possibility of gaining information about your future opponents, prior to spell memorisation and the early morning preparation rituals. Be wary though, certain opponents may attempt to register under a pseudonym, and/or in the guise of another…
Note also that all participating characters have achieved great things in their all too short lives, and are of near-legendary stature.
There will be 1 (one) hours prep-time prior to entry into the arena. (Some of the more intelligent players may be asking themselves why the DM thinks they need an hour… all I can say is this is not a fishbowl slaughterhouse) All contestants will start on the same "Primary Arena" (see "The Arena" below).
Character Creation
Characters must declare which region they come from. All regions described in the FRCS and LGG are legal.
Deadline: Preliminary characters in by 2nd of June, Finalised characters by 9th of June. Reserves, please send a preliminary character to speed up the process.
Available Sourcebooks: PHB, DMG, PsiHB, S&F, DotF, S&S, T&B, MotW, FRCS, MaF, MotP, LGG
Point Buy: 32
Experience: 72,000 (Midway between 12th and 13th level)
Races: Player handbook, and FRCS races allowed.
Patron Deities: All characters from Faerûn must have a patron deity. Only clerics from Oerth may worship a concept or idea.
Classes: All PC classes in PHB are available.
Prestige Classes: Any prestige class from sources. Character must meet all requirements. No membership in multiple organisations… (no Shadow Adept/Red Wizard combos, for instance. If in doubt, ASK)
Skills: The following skill pairs are one and the same (identical):
Scry = Remote View
Use Magic Device = Use Psionic Device
However, Psicraft and Spellcraft are very different skills…
Feats: All feats in sources allowed. Most current errata for a feat is valid.
Hit Point: Max hit points.
Alignment Restriction: No character may be true neutral
Spells : Any from allowed sourcebooks with following spell modifications:
Power and Spell Modifications:
Spell Areas are different than defined in the DMG. See this document spell_areas.htm
Due to the nature of the demiplanes upon which this battle takes place, certain extraplanar spells, items, and effects may vary from the expected. You have been warned.
Psionics and Magic are treated as per the standard "same", that is dispel magic dispels both magic and psionic effects.
No casting of spells contrary to your alignment. (Good characters cannot cast spells with a Evil descriptor, Evil characters cannot cast spells with the Good descriptor, and so on)
All polymorph spells: These must be available options based on the class level of the spell caster. The player should send in a number of shapes equal to the class level of the character. These will be the only shapes the character is allowed.
Wild shaping: Wild shaping druids must send in a number of pre-selected animals equal to their class level following the Wild shaping rules as described in Masters of the Wild, with size dependant on wild shape sizes. These will be the only allowed shapes for the druid during these combats.
Animal Affinity (PsiHB) provides an enhancement bonus, not an unnamed bonus.
Antimagic Field: (PHB) no magic may be cast from within this field. Psionic creatures loose access to their power points while within this field. No magical or psionic effect may pass through this area. No psionic feats function within this area, nor do psionic attacks enter or leave the area, or pass through this area. Javelins of Lightning may be thrown out of the area, but they remain ordinary javelins throughout their flight. Arrows fired from or into an antimagicked area have their magic suppressed, including any magic granted to them from a magical bow.
Harm: as per PHB. (NO changes)
Summon Spells: Player’s choice of creature within 1 alignment shift of player’s alignment, as per this document: Summon_Monster_summarized.htm
Null Psionics Field (PsiHB) see Antimagic Field above
True Seeing defeats Dust of Disappearance.
Companions:
Bringing followers to this arena of death are discouraged, as this is certain death for them... So don’t be surprised if they hinder you if you do bring them along. This is a game of death, and your opponents are of almost legendary stature. Cohorts, Animal Companions, Mounts and suchlike are on the other hand are encouraged...
Cohorts
28 points discretiony points as per the Living Greyhawk rules.
Hit points for cohorts are determined as per the LGG rules; Max first level, then HD/2 + 1. So a Fighter cohort would gain 6 hp/level beyond the first.
Cohorts have NO starting gold, they are completely reliant on their Leader for equipment. The additional 12000gp and XP above 12th allowing your character to create some items and remain 12th level go some way in cushioning this blow.
Races allowed for cohorts are: PHB, FRCS player races, or those specified in the DMG, page 41, in the Leadership sidebar. No monstrous races from Dragon magazines. No templates.
Classes: PHB.
Incorporeal creatures cannot handle corporeal items.
Followers (for those that insist)
25 points discretiony points as per the Living Greyhawk rules.
Hit points for followers are determined by HD / 2, for all levels.
Followers have no starting gold, they are completely reliant on their Leader for equipment.
Races allowed for cohorts are: PHB only.
Classes: DMG's NPC classes only. (adept/aristocrat/commoner/expert/warrior)
It is perfectly reasonable to create followers that are not brought into the arena, but assist you donning your armour and other minor errands during the preparatory hour.
Mundane Item changes:
If you have the relevant Crafting/Profession skill, you may assume that you have crafted your relevant mundane items. You are assumed to have taken 10. It makes my life easier that way.
No garrottes (the very idea of attacking someone in melee with a garrotte is ludicrous.)
No harpoons (just…no)
There are others…
Magic Items
ALL MAGIC ITEMS WITHOUT EXCEPTION, will be marked in YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE, as to their nature, including command words. Common and Undercommon are NOT native languages, they are trade tongues used for bartering goods.
Starting Wealth: 100,000 gp
Item Creation: Standard experience and gold cost.
Wondrous Items: this limited to those items described in the sources allowed. This means no creating items that grant different kinds of bonuses. While interesting, I'll leave this area open for another game master more daring than I...
Scrolls: Only those described in the sources, or you must scribe the scroll yourself (your cohort may do this, Be aware that this will cause level loss for your cohort). Spell level is still limited to 6th.
Potions: Only those described in the sources, or you must brew the potion yourself (your cohort may do this. Be aware that this will cause level loss for your cohort). As per the rules, 3rd spell level is the limit, unless you have a class ability that allows you to exceed this.
In no way can you exceed the 6th spell level limit.
Purchasing Items: No item may be of a value greater then 44,000 gp, (88,000 gp if created by the caster). No magic items may be owned that are beyond the ability of a 12th level character to create. This includes but is not limited to scrolls.
Wands and other charged items: No partially charged items. Only those items described in the sources may exist unless created by the owner using item creation feats.
Magic Item Errata:
Due to the nature of the demiplanes upon which this battle takes place, certain extraplanar spells, items, and effects may vary from the expected. You have been warned a second time.
Armour of Speed (DotF): reads as Boots of speed. (10 rounds that don't have to be used consecutively)
Armour of Energy Drain (DotF) functions but three times per day
Armour of Command (DotF) provides an enhancement bonus to Charisma.
Boots of Speed and Ring of Jumping do not stack.
Boccob’s Blessed Book (DMG): If a mage, you better buy one (or three). Or see your cash flow down the black hole that is your spell book…
Bracelet of Friends (DMG) may be used to bring in followers, cohorts, animal companions, or mounts ONLY.
Eversmoking bottles (DMG) produce smoke as per the pyrotechnics spell.
Headband of Intellect +2 (DMG), if purchased, is assumed to be acquired at 6th level, for purposes of defining skill points.
Headband of Intellect +4 (DMG), if purchased, is assumed to be acquired at 9th level, for purposes of defining skill points. It is further assumed that this is an upgrade from +2 gained at 6th.
Headband of Intellect +6 (DMG), if purchased, is assumed to be acquired at 11th level, for purposes of defining skill points. It is further assumed that this is an upgrade from the +4 variety purchased at 9th and that this furthermore was an upgrade from +2 gained at 6th.
Vibrant Purple Ioun Stone (DMG) costs 36000 gp… to bring it more in line with the Ring of Spellstoring.
Magical arrows, bolts and sling bullets may only be purchased in quantities of 50, with the following exceptions; Arrow of Farsight, Arrow of Biting,
Potions:
Potions and scrolls available are only those described in sourcebooks available. Any others must be made with item creation feats.
Battle Location:
A secret meeting place in the Forgotten Realms.
The Preparatory Hour
What you decide to do is up to you. However, in no manner may you affect your opponents prior to entering the arena.
The arena:
Will not constitute just one small barren area. Instead it will take place upon a multitude of Demiplanes, which will vary in size. Portals will exist for travel between these planes.
Denizens DO exist on these planes, and it is possible to interact with them, or if you are lucky, avoid interaction with them. They have their own goals, and agendas (and items).
Killing denizens of an opposing alignment will gain you some additional bonus points. Some of these denizens are well beyond the capabilities of a single 12th level character to dispatch. They are thus worth a fair amount of bonus points (up to 100), but you will need to have some allies if you are to succeed in these endeavours. Remember your goal, however, and that only one character may successfully return alive to Waterdeep.
The exact nature of these planes is unknown to the contestants upon their arrival at the secret meeting place, but certain facts may be ascertained before the next morning’s ritual of preparation, by the astute. Even more information will be made available to those with the relevant skills upon arrival/observation of certain phenomena.
Any character spending more than 10 rounds on a demiplane other than the Primary Arena without a fellow contestant also being present on that demiplane will be forcefully ejected from that demiplane to the Primary Arena, causing bodily damage. This is a non-avoidable affect of the nature of these planes of combat.
Consider this game more of a combination of a manhunt and "survivor"…
Initial Placement:
A map of the "Primary Arena" area will first be revealed once all characters have been received, edited, corrected, and have had their chance to glean rumours, make last minute preparations, and memorise spells.
Entrance to the arena will be through a special portal that will place the contestant in an area of his choosing, in the "Primary Arena". It is possible (although unlikely) for two or more of the contestants to choose to arrive in the exact same area. In that case, a contest of wills ensues, with the loser(s) being shifted in a random direction away from his/her desired location, the distance being determined by the winner and the seriousness of the loss in this contest of wills. The contest of wills is a measure of the characters’ mental stats and a random factor (would you believe a d20 is involved?).
Once on the map, actions will occur in the order of Initiative.
Only one free action will be allowed per character per round.
No 5-foot stepping if you have already moved during that round.
"Due to the nature of the demiplanes upon which this battle takes place, certain extraplanar spells, items, and effects may vary from the expected."
This means exactly what it says. No, I'm not getting into specifics.
A short, non-complete list of some of the items, spells, and abilities that access extradimensional space, for those of you that seek certainty:
Heward's Handy Haversack (contains an extradimensional space)
Bag of Holding (contains an extradimensional space)
Portable Hole (contains an extradimensional space)
Armour of Ethereal (various types: accesses the Ethereal)
Ghost Touch weapons and armour (accesses the Ethereal)
Blink (briefly accesses the Ethereal)
Etherealness (accesses the Ethereal)
Ethereal Jaunt (accesses the Ethereal)
Shadow Walk (accesses the Plane of Shadow)
Teleport (briefly accesses the Astral)
Dimension Door (briefly accesses the Astral)
Leomund's Secret Chest (accesses the Ethereal)
Braclet of Friends (briefly accesses the Astral)
Astral Construct X (briefly accesses the Astral)
Summon Monster X (briefly accesses the Astral)
Rope Trick (creates an extradimensional space)
The ability to be incorporeal...