Upper Krust, where are you? [Immortal's Handbook]

[Gez]

Bonjour mon ami!

Salut !

You have been listening to Anubis for far too long! [/B]

Maybe, but I must admit I've been confused. Ah, I'm sure everything would be clearer for me if that was explained in French. Go back to your French lessons ! (no ! actual lessons !)

No; all those factors are still taken into account. But remember I am using CR to replace ECL (though they are technically measured the same if you ask me).

What I meant was that situational 'What Ifs' (such as those mentioned on page 102 of the DMG under the 'Difficulty Notes' heading as well as your own 'Monster A vs. Monster B' scenarios) can affect CR beyond any systems capabilities.[/B]

That's blatant.

Incidently I think I have solved the Spell Resistance dilemma - more in a day or so. [/B]

Ah ! I must admit I felt less concerned by this issue, my three D&D characters being rogue 3/cleric 3/fighter 2, wizard 7, and sorcerer 2/aristocrat 2... My own solution would have been simply to consider the caster level check like an attack roll or saving throw -- nat 1 is automatically a failure, nat 20 is automatically a success. But that's probably too simple

 

[Xeriar]

Sometimes I wonder if people here actually read the DMG CR table. According to it, 2 CR 1 opponents is CR 2, NOT CR 3! IE WoTC themselves say that 1 level 2 character is equal to 2 level 1 characters. The 'double power = +2 CR' rule only kicks in from level 4. That's why the bottom of the table looks odd.

Which is fine for level 2+ characters, it's the poor guy stuck at level 1 who's in trouble

I'm not going to touch UK's overhaul, too much conversion makes for confusion.

I just set level 2 = CR 3, level 3 = CR 4, etc... until level 18 = CR 19, level 20 = CR 20. This would mean playing with monsters, too, but I'm fine with that.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi all!

Incidently Ea mate I have received two emails from you over the last few days using your new email address. The first on November 11th, the second earlier this evening.

I replied to the first one a few days ago. Did you receive my reply?

Ah ! I must admit I felt less concerned by this issue, my three D&D characters being rogue 3/cleric 3/fighter 2, wizard 7, and sorcerer 2/aristocrat 2... My own solution would have been simply to consider the caster level check like an attack roll or saving throw -- nat 1 is automatically a failure, nat 20 is automatically a success. But that's probably too simple

I was considering that in addition to introducing a new Metamagic Feat that allows the Spell Level Check to be increased.

 

[Anubis]

Bump.

 

[Bjorn Doneerson]

Hiya there, Krust-boy!!!!!!!!

Somewhere earlier in this thread didn't you mention a book you had, something like "The Encyclopedia of the Occult?" or have I finally lost my mind? Anyway, if you did, can ya tell me anything and everything about it, Author(s) or editors, ISBN #, price, anything at all?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi Anubis mate!

Bump.

I know this is technically your thread Anubis; but I would rather you didn't 'bump' it. I don't think its fair to take up the space of other, more active threads.

However, now that you have got us all here...

I managed to pick up the Monster Manual 2 on Friday and have had the chance to fully read it over the weekend. Pretty good book; although they totally shafted the Linnorms unfortunately. Some really nice powerful monsters though: The Flesh Jelly; Ragewind and Orcwort etc. Artwork is generally excellent with many great peices from Wayne Reynolds and Brian Despain among others. I do think the problem with WotC products is that they have no personality though; I think this has derived from their reluctance to cross-pollenate the various books to maintain this aloof independance. As well as the lack of individual monsters presented (within the two Monster Manuals). Overall 3/5.

Regarding Spell Resistance, the current problem is trying to balance Deities Spell Penetration and Spell Resistance satisfactorily. In addition I am not happy with how to determine Monster CR; though at this point I could end up sticking with CR +11.

Also regarding the CR/EL article I have had a few teething troubles; not with the mechanics; but rather with the wording of a few sentences. Still it should be finished by tomorrow morning. Though I am having reservations about whether Dragon* magazine would publish such an article which at it core basically has me telling WotC where they went wrong...it may not be something they want to hear?

*though I suppose you never know until you try.

On an unrelated note I should be entering at least 30 monster ideas to Sword & Sorcery Studio's Creature Collection 3 submission contest. Last time I had 50% of my entries used; and they were rushed.

So hopefully I can at least keep my batting average.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya there, Krust-boy!!!!!!!!

Hey Bjorn dude!

Somewhere earlier in this thread didn't you mention a book you had, something like "The Encyclopedia of the Occult?" or have I finally lost my mind? Anyway, if you did, can ya tell me anything and everything about it, Author(s) or editors, ISBN #, price, anything at all?

Yeah sure.

Its the Encyclopedia of the Occult by Fred Gettings.

256 pages.

I have the 1986 Edition. I paid £7 for it second hand, but I imagine it would be about $25 brand new.

I had a look on amazon but I can't find it there (even in Z shops); or anywhere on ebay (worldwide).

I actually can't see an ISBN number anywhere, sorry.

You might want to try the local library* or second hand book stores.

*preferably Belfasts since they have their own copy.

Its a very good book though; and has certainly inspired many elements of the Immortals Handbook.

 

[Bjorn Doneerson]

Hmm. Not to make you feel bad or anything, but that edition of the book is older than I am. Sorry, I just had to.

What exactly is in the "Encyclopedia" anyway?

I'm not allowed to use Amazon.com My Mommy's was looking for X-mas gift ideas and she doesn't want me to see the history!!!!

I'm afraid there's an ocean between me and Belfast. I get sick on boats.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Bjorn mate!

Hmm. Not to make you feel bad or anything, but that edition of the book is older than I am. Sorry, I just had to.

To paraphrase Ben Affleck's character in the movie Mallrats:

"Fifteen!? I thought you were thirty-six!"

Incidently that means my character Thrin is older than you!

What exactly is in the "Encyclopedia" anyway?

Like any Encyclopedia its a big alphabetical list of words (in this case occult words and phrases) with explanations.

The book itself has over 2000 entries; some that might be familiar to you would be: Asmodeus; Mammon; Belial etc. Has full celestial and infernal hierarchies (including where Gygax borrowed many of his initial ideas*) as well as hundreds of other ideas.

*Like Type I-VI Demons.

However I wouldn't necessarily buy it unless you are specifically interested in the subject matter; or plan on doing some writing/research in this area.

I'm not allowed to use Amazon.com My Mommy's was looking for X-mas gift ideas and she doesn't want me to see the history!!!!

Shes just right too - you don't want the surprise spoiled. Anticipation is half the joy after all!

I'm afraid there's an ocean between me and Belfast. I get sick on boats.

Low constitution eh!?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Damaging Damage

Hi all!

I will have the CR/EL article done tonight - I have been deliberating over one sentence for the past 24 hours. I just need to chill for a bit then go back and finish it off. Usually I am not so pernickety but I don't want anymore confusion on this matter.

Onto something new...

Using the monster building elements of MM2 I had a look at some of the epic level monsters in the ELH and it turns out at least one third of them have been 'doctored'; in that they have the ability to deal some wild damage figure (that should be credited to significantly larger creatures) with no explanation*!?

*Undead generally need no explanation, dealing damage is seemingly an extension of their hate rather than simply physical attributes.

Anyway, I have decided to write another article on the merits and pitfalls of damage and strength. With the monsters in the IH detailed with these changes in effect.

Essentially the two main breaks with official convention will be that increasing one size category doubles damage (instead of x1.5) and that the ability score modifiers for increasing/decreasing size are doubled.

Before anyone starts to complain about more changes* I must stress this is again optional - although the IH monsters will benefit; as do many of the epic monsters in the ELH already and I don't remember hearing anyone complaining about them!?

*not to name names or anything!

Any comments?