The Book of Exalted Deeds - It's Here! (merged - full ToC posted)

[Vocenoctum]

[Stigmata]
This is a weird one. You take 2 points of temporary Con damage (or more) to heal 1 hp/level by touching someone. If you touch multiple people they each get healed at the 1 hp/lvl per 2 Con damage rate. Those you touch also get new saves versus disease with a sacred bonus equal to the amount of Con damage you took. (Oh yeah - as a pre-req for this feat you need Nimbus of Light, another exalted feat.)

Note: it's 1 hp per the recipients level, not the user.
Basically, you give your constitution to those around you, so if you lose 2 points of con, they act like that had an extra 2 points of con. Except it's not temporary.

 

[Singing Smurf]

Think of it as a finishing move. "Ah, tottering, eh? Eat holy judgement, evildoer!"

Better than a death attack, depending on how you do it. At the very least, the target doesn't get a save and gets to ignore crit immunities and uncanny dodge, which is always useful. Touching is almost always easier than trying to actually hit the target, anyway.

Brad

The Slayer's death touch ability is also, IMHO, a shrewd design choice because it means that they play better with others than the Assassin PrC. Said touch works best after the target has been bludgeoned down into low-ish hit points, which anyone can help with. The Assassin's death attack derives no benefit from the presence of others, except perhaps as distractions.

This is consistent with both the OOC need to have a PrC that will likely be taken by players integrate well into the party and the IC lawful good ethos of banding together to stomp some evil behind.

Good stuff.

 

[Vocenoctum]

The builds in this book are out of control!!

How about a Sorcerer 9/Apostle of Peace 2/Mystic Theurge 9?

Arcane Caster Level = 18
Divine Caster Level = 20

Boo-yah!!

heh, with Vow's of Peace, Nonviolence and Poverty.
You would be the best healer around!

 

[reiella]

Yup. Isn't "Voadam's" take above essentially Deontology?

Interesting ethical model, but not one I'd use to define the D&D alginments.

Actually, that's something I do myself specifically.

I do not apply specific philosophical/ethical models to alignments (no, that's far too encompassing), although I do apply one specific model to one class. Paladins are Kantian. They read as Kantian, and given the nature of their Code, it makes for the easiest resolution to "Can I do this?" .

One thing I try to do with every significant npc is develop their own ethical theory and approach (and of course a small sample of 'exceptions' to their theory in general).

 

[Olive]

Bah!

If you like doing good, you are not good, because only martyring is good. If you make your neighborhood a better place to live you are not good because you will benefit from it. Doing good acts without sacrifice is not good.

Bah! Rubbish!

I think it's more if you do good when it's convenient, but don't when it's not, then you're not truly good. And I think that's fair enough.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

The builds in this book are out of control!!

How about a Sorcerer 9/Apostle of Peace 2/Mystic Theurge 9?

Arcane Caster Level = 18
Divine Caster Level = 20

Boo-yah!!

I think it's nutty too, but I'm pretty sure they didn't think anyone would try that combo.

Are you sure it works?

 

[gfunk]

I think it's nutty too, but I'm pretty sure they didn't think anyone would try that combo.

Are you sure it works?

Very sure, check out JollyDoc's Story Hour to see how I abuse this combo.

But seriously, I looked at all the pre-reqs carefully and it works out just fine. Of course if you REALLy wanted to min-max you could go,

Wizard 8/AoP 2/Mystic Theurge 10

This would give you access to 9th level arcane spells one level sooner.

Of course, with the AoP build you have to be non-violent so no dealing lethal damage, ability damage, or energy drain. But them's the brakes!

 

[Voadam]

I think it's more if you do good when it's convenient, but don't when it's not, then you're not truly good. And I think that's fair enough.

Here is the objectionable quote further focused:

"Even the most generous altruism, when it comes without sacrifice or even serves one’s own self-interest, is neutral at best."

Doing good without sacrifice or with a personal interest is not good, it is at best, neutral.

I say again, rubbish.

Performing the heimlich maneuver on someone who is choking in a restaurant and saving their life is not a good act, but at best a neutral one, because there is no sacrifice involved.

Sacrifice is not a necessary pre-condition for good.

 

[Olive]

Performing the heimlich maneuver on someone who is choking in a restaurant and saving their life is not a good act, but at best a neutral one, because there is no sacrifice involved.

Yes there is. A sacrifice to time, convenience and even soem risk that if it went wrong you could be blamed. Not seeing the sacrifices in that is what makes you good!

 

[CRGreathouse]

Any thoughts on the revised domains? I was particularly surprised at crown of flame, the 5th level Glory spell -- it's useless for almost all PCs! Was that intentional?