[OOC] Academy of Drell, Part II

[GnomeWorks]

Thanks, Jarval!

Hey Zhure, one more question...

5) Oh crap, I just realized I need 8 ranks of alchemy to get into pyrokineticist, and I don't have any. Would you be willing to allow me to throw some ranks into alchemy from other skills that I haven't used yet? Such as Perform (Acting), and maybe Ride? I know that's asking a lot, and I won't hold it against you if you say no... but I've been kinda working towards pyrokineticist, and not being able to get it after next level just because I was really stupid kinda irks me...

 

[Zhure]

Sorry for the delay in replying. This is my game-intensive IRL "weekend." I didn't get to bed until 5 AM after a rousing D&D session involving a Bard 8/Blackguard 2 and his Monk 2/Rogue 3/Fighter 4 (shuriken specialists) minions. Gotta love that bardic ability that grants +1 damage to the allies. Too bad the PCs managed to stifle the fight into a chokepoint. Did I mention I hate bags of tricks?

1- Powers from Mind's Eye are ok if approved in advance. I skimmed the ones you mentioned (specifically Hellish Mist) and they seemed fine as choices.

2- Any of the versions mentioned are fine. There are advantages to each, even though the Monte version is probably the best (the original gives a lot of lower level power access, which saves on PP expenditure... I was in a near-epid campaign with the Monte versions allowed and my PsiHB PsyWar/Soulknife never came close to running out of powers and was as effective as if he'd been built with the Monte version). There are trade-offs involved with gaining slightly delayed higher access to powers as opposed to getting lots of lower level goodness.

3- Welllllllllll, psionic combat feats are generally useless, even in campaigns where psionic combat occurs frequently. I try to run NPCs as having a smidgin of worldliness, so they also know psionic combat is pretty worthless too most of the time. You can swap those two feats out if you'd like, as long as the feats are ones you would've qualified for at the time they were available.

You'll regret it when the mindflayers show up.

4- Sorry I didn't notice the HP error earlier. Change it to the correct value. m just glad Charlotte didn't get killed over it.

5- Yes, unused skills may be reallocated to cover the Alchemy, as long as you spend the skill points as if you were a Psion if you got them while in a Psion class, or as an Aristocrat while in the Aristocrat class (i.e., be mindful of cross-class expenditures). I don't mind when players want to remake aspects of their characters that never show up in play, as long as it's done logically and doesn't change the in-game backstory. We see it in literature, comics and movies all the time.

("I didn't know you spoke Japanese."
"You never asked, bub.")

Greg

 

[GnomeWorks]

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Don't worry about it.

1- Powers from Mind's Eye are ok if approved in advance. I skimmed the ones you mentioned (specifically Hellish Mist) and they seemed fine as choices.

Thanks!

2- Any of the versions mentioned are fine. There are advantages to each, even though the Monte version is probably the best (the original gives a lot of lower level power access, which saves on PP expenditure... I was in a near-epid campaign with the Monte versions allowed and my PsiHB PsyWar/Soulknife never came close to running out of powers and was as effective as if he'd been built with the Monte version). There are trade-offs involved with gaining slightly delayed higher access to powers as opposed to getting lots of lower level goodness.

Okay. I'll look through them more thoroughly, and let you know which version I'll use.

3- Welllllllllll, psionic combat feats are generally useless, even in campaigns where psionic combat occurs frequently. I try to run NPCs as having a smidgin of worldliness, so they also know psionic combat is pretty worthless too most of the time. You can swap those two feats out if you'd like, as long as the feats are ones you would've qualified for at the time they were available.

Okay, sounds reasonable. Thanks.

You'll regret it when the mindflayers show up.

I have a feeling mindflayers would kill this party regardless of whether or not Charlotte has a pair of psionic combat feats.

4- Sorry I didn't notice the HP error earlier. Change it to the correct value. m just glad Charlotte didn't get killed over it.

I'll change it right now. It doesn't make too much of a difference, but it's enough to be important.

5- Yes, unused skills may be reallocated to cover the Alchemy, as long as you spend the skill points as if you were a Psion if you got them while in a Psion class, or as an Aristocrat while in the Aristocrat class (i.e., be mindful of cross-class expenditures). I don't mind when players want to remake aspects of their characters that never show up in play, as long as it's done logically and doesn't change the in-game backstory. We see it in literature, comics and movies all the time.

I can pay attention to the skills as they were spent as an aristocrat and psion. Thanks!

 

[GnomeWorks]

Okay. I replaced my two feats, taking instead Pyro (from song and silence) at first level and Quick Draw for my third.

I also mod'd my skills so that I have enough ranks in Alchemy to boost it to eight next level. After that, I qualify for the pyrokineticist prc. I decided that I'm going to use Monte Cook's version... hope that's alright.

 

[Zhure]

That sounds fine. Pyro is a powerful feat depending on how it's ruled in game. I tend to let it do the additional damage (+1 point per die) on any power or spell that specifies it causes combustion. I.e., Fireball would do the extra damage only to 'combustibles' because the spell description says "The fireball sets fire to combustibles and damages objects in the area. It can melt metals with a low melting point, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, or bronze." Characters would thus be unaffected.

Likewise, the increase to the save DC (+5) only applies to extinguishing the flames of someone on fire, not to resist the initial effect.

If that sounds like what you expected, then we're fine. If it seems to weaken the feat too much for your taste, then swap it out for something else.
Greg

 

[GnomeWorks]

That sounds fine. Pyro is a powerful feat depending on how it's ruled in game. I tend to let it do the additional damage (+1 point per die) on any power or spell that specifies it causes combustion. I.e., Fireball would do the extra damage only to 'combustibles' because the spell description says "The fireball sets fire to combustibles and damages objects in the area. It can melt metals with a low melting point, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, or bronze." Characters would thus be unaffected.

Likewise, the increase to the save DC (+5) only applies to extinguishing the flames of someone on fire, not to resist the initial effect.

Hmm... well, I was honestly hoping that it would affect the damage and DC's for all of Charlotte's fire-based powers...

In this case, I would ask if you have Dragon... I was looking through the swashbuckling issue (I don't know the number, don't have my mags with me atm), and I thought that the Parry feat would be a good choice for her.

However, if Pyro could count for the 'special' prereq that the pryo prc has... I think I'd keep it. Because, honestly, I don't see much opportunity to burn something just for the fun of it...

Your call either way, though.

 

[Zhure]

I always thought that was a silly prerequisite. Certainly taking Pyro as a feat would more than satisfy it the Prc prerequisite as far as I'm concerned.

I don't have that particular Dragon issue, but I've looked at a friend's copy. If you reprint the feat here I'll review it.
Greg

 

[GnomeWorks]

I always thought that was a silly prerequisite. Certainly taking Pyro as a feat would more than satisfy it the Prc prerequisite as far as I'm concerned.

You seem to dislike the prereq... other than taking the Pyro feat, what would you replace it with?

I don't have that particular Dragon issue, but I've looked at a friend's copy. If you reprint the feat here I'll review it.
Greg

The earliest I'll be able to reprint it here is this weekend sometime. I'll get it up as soon as I can.

 

[Zhure]

You seem to dislike the prereq... other than taking the Pyro feat, what would you replace it with?

I honestly don't know. Your suggestion of Pyro is a good one. Pyro would be fine, as would completely ignoring that particular prereq.

My dislike of the "burning structure" prerequisite is it seems a bit contrived. Maybe it's from spending too much time philosophizing about the interaction between altruism not being especially altruistic if one does it for the good feeling that comes with it. By the same parallel, one cannot set a building ablaze just to watch it burn, when burning it also satisfies a prerequisite. Similarly, killing someone for no reason qualifies one for the assassin PrC -- except the real reason is to qualify as an assassin, so it's a logic loop.

The earliest I'll be able to reprint it here is this weekend sometime. I'll get it up as soon as I can.

Sounds good.
Greg

 

[Jeremy]

Yee haw! 26 orcs. Good lordy.. This ougtta be interesting...