D&D General War paint
Grogg of the North
Adventurer
IIRC, The Arms & Equipment Guide had different paints that you could put on your body. I'm away from my books right now but I think you could only have one applied at a time and they didn't take up a slot.
I would treat it as an oil you apply to yourself, I think. Call it Barkskin +3 and Curse of Ill Fortune (Complete Divine spell). 600 gp + (1.5 x 300 gp) = 1,050 gp for a single application. Maybe add another multiplier onto the cost because it's slotless?
I would treat it as an oil you apply to yourself, I think. Call it Barkskin +3 and Curse of Ill Fortune (Complete Divine spell). 600 gp + (1.5 x 300 gp) = 1,050 gp for a single application. Maybe add another multiplier onto the cost because it's slotless?
Samloyal23
Adventurer
I like the idea. Even non-magical warpaint can be beneficial if you rule it improves Intimidation checks or improves a warrior's morale...
Samloyal23
Adventurer
What did it do? Do you have stats for it?
This is what I was going to suggest. In the Conan RPG that I play, there is war paint. Cimmerians use woad. Picts will paint their faces. Sorcerery is scarce in this game world, so combat edges are found in being fearsome. The Demoralize Opponent function of the Intimidate skill can be quite useful in this game, and woad/war paint/even general garb can be used to provide a bonus on the throw to Demoralize Opponent.
Greenfield
Adventurer
What bothers me is the duration: Several days after application?
How about a few hours, or a single game day at a maximum. After all, war paint get's smudged during combat; or loses, I guess the word would be "intensity", as it collects dust and dirt (it's an oily substance after all).
In a Conan setting, where magic is rare, I'd call it Alchemical in its effect and creation. (Only problem being that all of the standard Alchemical materials listed in the book can only be made by a Spellcaster.
)
As an actual magic item created using straight 3.5 DMG/PH rules and spells, I'd look at the Rage spell as a resource for something like that. You wear that and you can Rage once per hour for the duration, with Rage duration based on the recipient's level.
Add in a Skill bonus to Intimidation (and possibly Disguise, for purposes of masking one's own identity), and you have something reasonable.
If you think it needs a limitation, say that its duration is shortened or terminated by any magical healing.
On a side note, I think that the intimidation rules in D&D need work. A Grizzly Bear (straight from the Monster Manual) should be terrifying, but by the rules he's just the opposite: With a charisma of 6 he's at a -2 on all Intimidate rolls, and gets nothing from Strength (27), his roar nor his claws (D8 + 8).
He gets a bonus for Size, per the PHB, but that's it. Meanwhile the slightly built Bard (i.e. third string at everything), with no size nor Strength bonus, and with no weapons or anything frightful about him/her, would be relatively terrifying. (It's a Charisma based skill, so if the Bard has a Charisma of 16 or higher, he beats the bear.)
Getting back on topic, one of Intimidate's optional uses is to Demoralize opponents. It's a standard action in combat and the opponent is Shaken (-2 on attacks, skill checks and a few others). But again, the rules don't include any adjustments for appearance.
If I were writing this rule I'd include appearance as a circumstance modifier, with the note that any advantage to intimidate would give a matching penalty for Diplomacy, and visa versa. That would help cover the War Paint's bonus to combat Intimidation effects.
How about a few hours, or a single game day at a maximum. After all, war paint get's smudged during combat; or loses, I guess the word would be "intensity", as it collects dust and dirt (it's an oily substance after all).
In a Conan setting, where magic is rare, I'd call it Alchemical in its effect and creation. (Only problem being that all of the standard Alchemical materials listed in the book can only be made by a Spellcaster.
) As an actual magic item created using straight 3.5 DMG/PH rules and spells, I'd look at the Rage spell as a resource for something like that. You wear that and you can Rage once per hour for the duration, with Rage duration based on the recipient's level.
Add in a Skill bonus to Intimidation (and possibly Disguise, for purposes of masking one's own identity), and you have something reasonable.
If you think it needs a limitation, say that its duration is shortened or terminated by any magical healing.
On a side note, I think that the intimidation rules in D&D need work. A Grizzly Bear (straight from the Monster Manual) should be terrifying, but by the rules he's just the opposite: With a charisma of 6 he's at a -2 on all Intimidate rolls, and gets nothing from Strength (27), his roar nor his claws (D8 + 8).
He gets a bonus for Size, per the PHB, but that's it. Meanwhile the slightly built Bard (i.e. third string at everything), with no size nor Strength bonus, and with no weapons or anything frightful about him/her, would be relatively terrifying. (It's a Charisma based skill, so if the Bard has a Charisma of 16 or higher, he beats the bear.)
Getting back on topic, one of Intimidate's optional uses is to Demoralize opponents. It's a standard action in combat and the opponent is Shaken (-2 on attacks, skill checks and a few others). But again, the rules don't include any adjustments for appearance.
If I were writing this rule I'd include appearance as a circumstance modifier, with the note that any advantage to intimidate would give a matching penalty for Diplomacy, and visa versa. That would help cover the War Paint's bonus to combat Intimidation effects.
It doesn't take several days for application in the Conan RPG. Maybe that "several days" bit includes making the paint from scratch. I could see that if the process is something more than just crushing berries and combining their juice with something. Maybe there's a heat process where different pigments need to be boiled, cooked, whatever, then cooled. Then combined and heated again. That could take a day or two.
Seems like the standard Craft or Herbalism or Alchemy creation time roll would apply.
I found this about woad...
If you count collection of the plant, maybe stretch this into a day or two, depending on how hard it is to find the plant. Actually making it looks like it can be made well within an hour.
Seems like the standard Craft or Herbalism or Alchemy creation time roll would apply.
I found this about woad...
If you count collection of the plant, maybe stretch this into a day or two, depending on how hard it is to find the plant. Actually making it looks like it can be made well within an hour.
Greenfield
Adventurer
The "Several days" point was referring to the OP's suggested effective duration.
I can't think of any other consumable in the game that lasts for "up to 2-3 days", and it seemed a bit excessive.
I can't think of any other consumable in the game that lasts for "up to 2-3 days", and it seemed a bit excessive.
