Villian Exposes

[blargney the second]

It would feel too much like I was performing for the group

I know what you mean: it feels weird to RP two NPCs talking sans PC interaction. I like to use handouts to achieve a similar effect.
-blarg

 

[Erywin]

I know what you mean: it feels weird to RP two NPCs talking sans PC interaction. I like to use handouts to achieve a similar effect.
-blarg

True enough, tho I doubt I will be doing much conversations. Mainly just events and BBEGs monologing. Tonight will be the first chance I get to try it out, forming ideas as I type. Kinda excited and hope it works out well.

Cheers,
E

 

[Hjorimir]

Make sure to let us know how it goes!

 

[Erywin]

Well its the morning after the first playtest of the Exposes. I actually really enjoyed it and seemed to get a positive reaction from my players, maybe Blarg and Backbeat will post up on what they thought of it.

I'm not the greatest at writing out dialogue or "boxed" text but managed to get the point across. The exposes featured a vision of a Dragonmarked Warforged that they had met in the last session, he was in his lab with a bunch of his "experiments". Then fast tracked the trip back to Sharn where the City was in an uproar about one of the Dragonmarks being lost. We had done a character rebuild awhile back and the Cannith wizard/fighter decided she no longer wanted her dragonmark and so rebuilt her character without the feats, decided I would play with that a bit I started play with them encountering our new player's PC running from an old friend that had been abducted by a Mindflayer.

All in all a good session, a tad short but hopefully I will get a chance to try out some more of these ideas in the following sessions.

Cheers,
E

 

[gizmo33]

I was wondering if anybody did Villian Exposes in thier campaign, alla cutscene while the PCs are off in a dungeon, the BBEG is talking with his 2nd or doing some other evil act.

I never do this. It's not my gaming style nor is it that of my players. I think my players would react like "why are you telling us stuff that our character's wouldn't know?" I have no problem with my players doing whatever they want in the game, which means they're free to ignore whatever hooks and apparent leads there are - meaning there are no complaints about too many "story arcs". I don't think my gaming style has much to offer you, but I just thought I'd weigh in.

 

[Erywin]

I never do this. It's not my gaming style nor is it that of my players. I think my players would react like "why are you telling us stuff that our character's wouldn't know?" I have no problem with my players doing whatever they want in the game, which means they're free to ignore whatever hooks and apparent leads there are - meaning there are no complaints about too many "story arcs". I don't think my gaming style has much to offer you, but I just thought I'd weigh in.

I can understand this and it is my preferred gaming style as well. My issue comes in to the fact that most of my players like to have thier hands held storywise. I have tried to allow them to pursue whatever they want, they are getting better at it but still prefer to be shown the next step. Our sessions come to a halt as soon as there is no clear path or there are multiple paths But things are looking up, one of the players that I always thought of as a casual gamer is actually interested in developing her character and has been asking ALOT of great questions lately I am going to post on the groups board and get thier feedback on it.

Cheers,
E

 

[Piratecat]

Spell. Must have spell.

You could easily lower the level by removing the insight bonuses. Heck, if you want it continuously active, just remove those benefits and have some magical source make it continuous in your diviner!

Vision Cascade
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Vision Cascade relies on gathering echoes of the caster’s personal knowledge which reverberate upon the astral plane. Throughout a 24 hour period, this spell shows the caster fragmentary glimpses of his enemies, allies, and even strangers whose actions may interact with the caster’s at some point in the future. Oracular visions may occur at any point in the 24 hour period (as dictated by the DM), and in any given day the caster may see between zero and his level in number of oracular visions (usually just 1-3), as determined by the DM. These visions are perceived the caster instantaneously when they are periodically generated by the spell, but may relate events that vary from seconds to minutes in length. The events seen by the caster generally occur in the present (i.e. within the past day), but the unpredictable nature of the spell occasionally relates events that have happened in the past or which have not yet occurred. The knowledge of roughly when the vision took place is communicated by the spell (ie “past,” “present,” or “future.”)

The caster has no method for determining exactly what people are viewed by the spell, although upon casting he can choose one target creature or event. There is a percentage chance equal to the caster’s level that this target creature or event is definitely included in one of that day’s oracular visions. This spell works in spite of most scrying preventions, but is thwarted by mind blank and more powerful spells. Subjects shown by the oracular visions have no way to detect the spell’s observation, as there is no scrying sensor to detect.

In addition to providing oracular visions, this spell provides limited insight into immediate danger. While it is in effect, the caster gains a +1 insight bonus to both AC and Reflex saving throws. This bonus does not stack with other insight bonuses.

Note: This spell is primarily used in campaigns where the DM wishes an in-game method to impart information via “cut scenes.” The player is encouraged to occasionally remind the DM that the spell is active if relatively few visions have occurred on any particular day.