The Romance of the River Kingdoms

Interesting; pretty much what I was worried might be the case. Looking at comparable cases, such as wild shape or the hengeyokai, it seems that the standard is that equipment changes with you. However, that doesn't quite feel right for the nai-nek-chai but on the other hand, why keep something that doesn't work in-game? I don't want to include a feat to counteract it, as that then leads to one of those feats that only exists to remove a restriction which perhaps would be better removed in the first place. One thought is that, from 3rd character level onwards, a nai-nek-chai is able to transform gear, which seems like a possible compromise.
 

log in or register to remove this ad

That's one way of handling it, and acceptable as a fallback, but I'm always more comfortable when fluff and mechanics are hand in hand. I also agree that it makes sense that the transformation is something that is of the creature's body.

My suggestion is that mundane articles do not change with the nai-nek-chai. However, gear that is enchanted can be 'attuned' to the character's spirit, enabling it to transform as well. There's no specific enchantment needed for this to take place...any invested power enables it.
 

Hmm, that would certainly feel more in keeping with the setting. And I can envision some kind of enchanted material that could be used to make clothing and equipment. I dunno, "shiftweave" or something (very 4th Ed. name).
 

No need to look far. There are enchanted clothes in various books...there's even a 'shiftweave' in Eberron which is a very minor magical material..

What I like about this approach is that it doesn't require a "Oh, I'm so stupid, I could have done this all along!" moment. Saying that only magical gear transforms preserves continuity because we've never had much magical gear before. :)
 


Some thoughts on items for nai-nek-chai:

Shiftweave. A cloth originally designed by Tuvusand of Kronlordan who was fed up of ending up naked after shapechanging. Her descendants still continue to make it in their shop in the Kronlordan Emporium, where it is exported to far flung places. Shiftweave clothing merges with a nai-nek-chai when she changes shape. Cost - double a normal suit of that kind of clothing? Quite hard to obtain the further you go from Kronlordan, but it tends to last well.
(Needs knowledge of any transmutation magic to create).

Tuvusand's Satchel. Tuvusand also designed bags made of shiftweave that allow a nai-nek-chai to carry items in changed form. The bag merges with their form, but under these circumstances the items within it cannot be accessed. Some may have also been enchanted as bags of holding. Tuvusand's workshop still produce these. Cost??

Nai-nek-chai armour. This is mundane armour that has been modified to allow a nai-nek-chai to wear it in both forms. It tends to be made of much smaller individual segments and is obviously what it is. Only nai-nek-chai who do not change size may wear it. Each suit (which can be any type of armour) must be made individually. Cost as masterwork armour, and it counts as such for enchanting purposes, but has none of the other attributes of masterwork armour (these would cost the same again).
 

Good starts, but I feel Shiftweave is a bit underpriced at a mere double the cost of clothing, since clothing is very cheap. My suggestion would be to add a flat cost to the cost of the clothing...perhaps 500gp?

That's cheap enough that a character of 3rd level or so could afford it without it affecting his total wealth too much, but expensive enough that it's not routinely sold by any old traveling tailor in a horse-drawn cart. In game terms it means the shapeshifter has to deal with the drawback of clothes for a level or two, but as soon as that 500gp can be raised, they can be free of it.

A similar flat cost could apply to the satchel...allowing any 'container' item, like a backpack or belt pouch or sack, to be granted the properties of Shiftweave. A bag of holding should have it's cost increased by a percentage instead, so that more powerful bags are commensurately more expensive.

For armor, I suggest that, in addition to the nonmagic version you have here, that you allow nai-nek-chai to use armor with the "Wild" enchantment from the core rules. This armor is meant for druids, but can be easily extended to other shapeshifters without any balance issues. The benefit of Wild armor over 'nai nek chai armor' is that it 'vanishes' when in nonhuman form, but still provides its armor bonus...and that it provides protection even for animal forms that are a different size than the human form.
 

I agree with the prize changes Shayuri suggested.

I think Nai-nek-chai armour is a bit to cheap, too. I could see it's effect as a +1 enchantment...
 

Been reviewing some of the options in view to new recruitment. Originally I nixed favoured class bonuses to the existing PCs, based on the version of favoured class in the Beta test of PF. I think, since you now chose your dominant class for any race, I'll reinstate it. So all current characters can retrospectively apply bonus skill points or hit points (to Grace) for favoured class. Since you are all single-classed, it should be easy.
 

Looking back at when everyone last levelled, I reckon it's time to move to 5th level, everyone. I was hoping to get a bit more game-time advance done before doing this, but I suppose finally putting an end to the paper lantern gang ought to count for some sort of reward!
 

Remove ads

Top