Upcoming Adventure Review

[perrinmiller]

Fiendish Template gives smite good and defines the creature as coming from the lower planes. Is it implied a creature like this is evil? Would it have to be intelligent enough to be evil?

Intelligence is not a requirement. Just look at Fiendish Animals that are summoned via Summon Monster 1.

 

[Aura]

Well that is very interesting. From Summon Monster, we learn which alignments Celestial or Fiendish creatures *might* have. Celestial creatures are good or neutral, and Fiendish creatures are neutral or evil. But it never tells you, conclusively, what the application of the templates themselves do to alignment.

I personally find it rather odd that a neutral summoner can summon up a Fiendish creature, complete with Smite Good, that is not evil itself. Then an evil summoner can summon up the same (type) of creature, and it's really evil this time. And each time, it's Intelligence is no greater than animal intelligence (1-2), so nobody understands how it is making moral choices. Meanwhile, the Advanced version of the same creature is somehow promoted to above animal intelligence, which specifies it could potentially speak (and implies a variety of other things), when the point of that template is to make it fiercer and more powerful.

I think this is an effect of rules that were not thought out in these areas, because it doesn't make a lot of sense. However, to cut to the chase, as long as it's allowable to call Fiendish animals evil (since some are) and to call Advanced animals stupid, I'll do that. Just so long as it's not going to be a problem with the judges.

 

[Scott DeWar]

Actually, advanced animal remain animal intelligence, otherwise they get the +4 to all the other 5 attributes and the +2 nat. armor. IIRC. let me double check . . . . .
battle emu: 2 int before and after template . . . . . .Scorpian, advanced giant 0 int . . . . . hammerhead shark, advanced: 1 int . . . . . .

so, an advanced rat only has the max of 2 int. I believe that was how I ran ROUS.

 

[Systole]

Well, 'D&D evil' is slightly different from 'evil in an ethical sense,' but there is quite a of overlap. If you look at a paladin's Smite Evil ability, it can target (a) evil people, (b) evil dragons, (c) undead, and (d) outsiders with the evil subtype. Note that (c) and (d) aren't necessarily evil. Most undead are mindless; some are evil; a very small few can be good aligned (holy protectors and such). Smite Evil targets them all. Likewise, 'evil subtype,' doesn't necessarily mean evil. It just means that they're made out of infernal or abyssal materials. I'm pretty sure that in 3.5, there was a succubus who was trying to redeem herself and eventually took levels of paladin. But hey, she's still an outsider with the evil subtype. Smite away.

In short: Fiendish animals are evil because they're literally made of evil, not because they're thinking creatures who subscribe to a philosophical system of absolute moral choice.

 

[Aura]

battle emu: 2 int before and after template . . . . . .Scorpian, advanced giant 0 int . . . . . hammerhead shark, advanced: 1 int . . . . . .

At least, from the books I have available to me, I don't have the examples you're seeing. However, I agree animals should not get the INT bonus. That's why I check.

Edit: Wherever you're looking these up, thanks for citing them for me. At least I feel like I'm doing the right thing in the way I'm applying the templates.

 

[Aura]

Fiendish animals are evil because they're literally made of evil, not because they're thinking creatures who subscribe to a philosophical system of absolute moral choice.

That sounds fine, too. Thanks for the clarification. Evil. Check.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

I've just come back into "availability" and I have a level 3 character, is there still a slot for the 3rd level one?

 

[Scott DeWar]

At least, from the books I have available to me, I don't have the examples you're seeing. However, I agree animals should not get the INT bonus. That's why I check.

Edit: Wherever you're looking these up, thanks for citing them for me. At least I feel like I'm doing the right thing in the way I'm applying the templates.

I am getting my info from this link just to let you know.

 

[GlassEye]

I've just come back into "availability" and I have a level 3 character, is there still a slot for the 3rd level one?

I've had two people say they were willing to play, not counting yourself, and two others that I kinda expect to play but haven't gotten confirmation from yet. I can handle five as easily as four so you are more than welcome.

And my previously submitted APL 3 adventure is still being discussed by the judges so I've submitted another APL 3 adventure, 'Lost Imperium', that is hopefully simpler and get approval faster. It would be great if we could start in the next couple of days.

 

[sunshadow21]

I'll get Quillian finished on the revamp shortly; he just needs a little bit of shopping, so he'll be ready to go for the 3rd level adventure shortly.