Opinions on Divine Boons...

[Taed]

At the end of _Keep on the Shadowfell_, each member of the party will be granted a choice of boons from the representatives of Bahamut and Pelor. Is there some description of what form "representatives" should take, or should I use a "burning bush" approach? (That could work for Bahamut, as the party has a magic sword formerly belonging to a Paladin of Bahamut.) Basically, what should such a scenario look like?

I have a minor question on Bahamut's Protective Ward ("Power: until end of next turn, adjacent enemies provoke OAs from you if they make attack without you as a target."), which acts just like a Warden's Nature's Wrath Mark and Warden's Fury, but without referencing Marking. So, I'd read that since it is not marking, the targets do not know that they've been "marked", and therefore, they would not be any more likely to attack the PC who used the power. So, it's like a secret Warden's Mark. Do others agree, or would the baddies know that the power was used against them similar to marking?

And also a comment on Pelor's Sun Blessing ("Property: If you deal damage to a target that has vulnerability to radiant damage, you deal extra damage equal to your Wisdom or Constitution modifier, whichever is higher."), I read that as the extra damage is NOT radiant damage, just extra damage. That's a bit odd in combination with the other property of it ("Power (At-Will): Minor action. You emit bright light in a 5-square radius."). I suppose that if it were radiant damage, then it would basically be double-extra-damage (since they'd also take the extra damage due to being vulnerable) against the undead and their ilk.

The background on this is that one of the arcing changes that I've made to _Keep on the Shadowfell_ is that beside protecting the town of Winterhaven (who are Pelor-worshipers), there is a lot of emphasis on closing the rift to the Shadowfell, which historically, was originally undertaken by followers of Bahamut. As the module was written, you'd barely know that was the party's ultimate goal until the last encounter. So, I expanded on an idea stolen from TheAlexandrian.net and there are 4 Idols of Orcus which are extremely useful (but not required) for Kalarel's ritual -- he has one, and the other three are buried at the Dragon Bones Excavation Site, the goblin's Excavation Site, and in that tiny room off the Ghoul Warren. Sir Keegan was a Paladin of Bahamut, and he wielded (and was entombed with) the +1 Sunblade of Bahamut, which is what kept him "alive" all these years, and when he grants the blade to one of them (preferably a follower of Bahamut, but a Dragonborn or Paladin will do), it gives the PCs a much greater sense of their mission (and a very useful item against the undead). Kalarel's Apparition (presented in the online version of KotS) also makes an appearance about 5 times through the module (the first two at the two excavation sites, where it is overseeing the excavation of the Idols), so they have a sense of his evilness and his desire for the Idols.

Once they close the rift in the last encounter, they will find all the captured slaves (leading into _Thunderspire Labyrinth_). The Divine Boons are a reward for closing the rift and saving the town, but are also a reminder of a divine command to find those responsible for the enslavement and deaths of their followers and deal with them appropriately. So, the Boons will only last as long as they are on that avenging path. Do others place a limit on the length of the boon, or do they just have them last for the life of the character?

As far as treasure parcels go, the Boons are taking the place of a number of magic items, and the module was already low on monetary treasure, so the Boons for everyone in the party are not out of line for this low-level adventure. (Let no one suspect me of a "Monty Haul"...)

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

It seems fine to me. You could have the spirit of Sir Keegan dispense the boons, at least the Bahamut one. As for the Pelor boon some sort of divine agency could dispense that, or a priest of Pelor could bless the party, etc.

I certainly don't think its particularly out of line. Given that the party should advance about 3 levels in the course of the module they should be in line for approximately 12 magic items by standard parcels with one of level 7, 2 of level 6, 3 of level 5, etc. I'm pretty sure the adventure has quite a bit less magical treasure than this placed by default.

As far as how long boons last I think DMG2 recommends they should disappear after about 5 levels, so at some point in high heroic tier the characters get to a point where they have discharged whatever mission the gods have given them and the boons fade, at which point they should be getting some sort of replacement type of thing anyway and the effectiveness of the boons will be about over (IE if they were getting regular items those items would be replaced by that point anyway).

 

[fba827]

Is there some description of what form "representatives" should take, or should I use a "burning bush" approach?

Kind of "whatever fits the moment" -- do they go to the temple and pray afterwards? They (individually) have strange dreams of a maiden kissing them with favor for their service? Perhaps Keegan's sword (if someone has it; of Keegan's ghost returns) seems to echo a 'thanks' through the chamber as the portal is closed and enemy defeated ...

So, it's like a secret Warden's Mark. Do others agree, or would the baddies know that the power was used against them similar to marking?

Eh, general thought process is that enemies (as well as PCs) always know what is affecting them and the consequences of it. So in this case (based on what you wrote anyway) the enemies would know that the PC has a supernatural amount of attention focused on him, and that if he turns his back for even a second, the PC could strike at him.

Mind you: If it is the PC who gets the effect "you can now make an OA against enemies that ..." it may be more questionable as to whether or not the enemy would know that the PC has done something to himself ... whereas (the situation as you wrote it) is more along the lines of the enemy has an effect that if he does X than he provokes an OA - that is more cut and dry -- something has changed for the enemy, thus the enemy would know.

And also a comment on Pelor's Sun Blessing ("Property: If you deal damage to a target that has vulnerability to radiant damage, you deal extra damage equal to your Wisdom or Constitution modifier, whichever is higher."), I read that as the extra damage is NOT radiant damage, just extra damage. That's a bit odd in combination with the other property of it ("Power (At-Will): Minor action. You emit bright light in a 5-square radius."). I suppose that if it were radiant damage, then it would basically be double-extra-damage (since they'd also take the extra damage due to being vulnerable) against the undead and their ilk.

I think (and just stating this from memory) there is some clause somewhere that says if you get bonus damage to an attack that deals typed damage, the extra damage is of the same type. I don't have a book reference on that, just something I feel like I read in there somewhere.

Also, the vulnerable creature would not take 'double-extra damage' if it were radiant... the extra damage is added to the initial damage, and then apply the vulnerable effect damage to the one unit of total damage (you are not hitting the undead with a second bolt of energy, which would result in double vulnerable damage, but rather boosting the one attack to do more).

So, the Boons will only last as long as they are on that avenging path. Do others place a limit on the length of the boon, or do they just have them last for the life of the character?

Divine boons are supposed to eventually fade away for one reason or another.

The rational behind that is: if you had a level 2 magic item, by the time you are level 10 that level 2 item doesn't have as much value/use to you. So just as a low level magic item is no longer "as good as you can use" same with the divine boon. Those lower level magic items usually get traded/sold/disenchanted/upgraded, etc. So there should be a natural way to have it go away after some time when you are ready to replace it with a higher level-appropriate magic item (or other, higher level boon).

Alternatively, they can keep it and not have it fade away, just realize that they basically have a level 2 (or whatever) magic item so you'll have to decide how appropriate, or not, a magic item of that level is for your campaign (i.e. do all the other PCs have "better stuff", do you assume 'standard book' item progression, etc. or is the campaign geared for lower item requirements, etc.)

 

[Taed]

I like the idea of using the spirit of Sir Keegan; thanks! I'm just avoiding having the gods themselves appear in any form as the PCs are too "minor".

I ended up asking WotC support about the description interpretation and got a quick reply which generally agreed with others...

For Bahamut's Protective Ward:

As a general rule, monsters are aware of all consequences of their actions. This would mean that even though Bahamut's Protective Ward does not mark a target, the monster would know that attacking someone other than the player with the ward would result in provoking an opportunity attack. Whether that is worth it to the monster is another matter entirely...

For Pelor's Sun Blessing:

There are no references to radiant damage being done, only that the target was vulnerable to it. Any sort of damage being done by a player with this boon to a target that is vulnerable to radiant damage would activate the bonus damage property.

 

[Rechan]

I like a more symbolic or "Holy power" approach. For instance, the PCs walk out of the keep and it's an overcast sky. But the clouds part, and an intense shine of sunlight bathes down, blinding everyone for a moment. It's more intensely bright over those that receive the Boon, the sunlight lingering and gleaming around them, and the clouds are gone - it's now sunny and cheerful outside. Those that recieve the boon feel the warmth of dawn's first light on their skin, and at peace.

Or, if you even want to be more direct than that, at the end of the adventure, sunlight blares through the ceiling. Just a shaft of light that bathes the character itself, and in its wake there's actually a crack that corresponds with it through the ceiling (as though the light had a legitimate venue).