X4: Master of the Desert Nomads - OOC

[kinem]

I guess Rajah wants to buy Nargon's spiked chain off of him right in the middle of combat

renau1g, I'll allow you to have purchased a weapon. I would like to finalize the PCs so this will be the last retroactive change I'll allow.

Leif: Gather information is for use when you don't roleplay out an evening's worth of asking questions. As the SRD says: A typical Gather Information check takes 1d4+1 hours. You can't make a Gather Information check just by talking in character to a single NPC.

That said, Gather Information should remain useful.

Search is certainly useful for a rogue. That doesn't mean I will never want you to specify the details of what you are searching.

 

[Leif]

ILeif: Gather information is for use when you don't roleplay out an evening's worth of asking questions. As the SRD says: A typical Gather Information check takes 1d4+1 hours. You can't make a Gather Information check just by talking in character to a single NPC.
That said, Gather Information should remain useful.
Search is certainly useful for a rogue. That doesn't mean I will never want you to specify the details of what you are searching.

Does this mean that I can't re-allocate those 6 skill points? 'Cause I would kinda like to if you'll let me, to improve Bevin's rogue skills and spellcraft. Also, my original question about this was before your "character change cut-off," so you can let me do this without going back on your deadline.

 

[renau1g]

Please forgive my slight mental mistakes we've just had twins and I've not been sleeping too well. My apologies to kinem et all.

 

[kinem]

renau1g, congrats.

Leif, you can reallocate them.

 

[Leif]

Thanks, Bossman!

 

[Rhun]

Hey Leif,

Not to be nitpicky, but your skills for Bevin are somewhat off. Remember, you can only have up to 5 ranks in rogue skills before you have to start paying cross-classed price for them, since Bevin is only a 2nd level rogue (this doesn't affect your maximum rank, since that will still be level +3, it only affects how expensive each skill is each level). And because of that, you have 19 rogue skills point that you spent boosting those skills above 5 ranks that needed to be spent on other skills.

I've found that the best way to avoid this when you built a PC is to build their ranks level by level. It seems to be a really common problem that people have building multi-class characters in 3.X.

If Kinem is cool with it, than that's fine. But I need to know so I can take advantage of it to.

Anyway, not trying to be a rules lawyer or anything, but just thought I should make note of it.

 

[Leif]

I believe you may be right. I did it the way you suggested, level by level, when I created Bevin, but when kinem let me ditch those two skills today and reallocate the points I adjusted some. Actually, those skills that I reduced would be cross-class for wizards, too, so I should have the same number of skill ranks in another skill. I may have made a arlithemetical error, however, I got pretty confused adding, subracting, and tweaking skills. But, really, I do know how to do it properly.

Actually, one thing I don't have memorized yet is how many skill points each class gets per level. If you could give me those figures for Rogues (7?) and Wizards (4?), I know the int bonuses, so I can re-figure now. If not, it'll have to wait until tonight.

 

[Rhun]

I believe you may be right. I did it the way you suggested, level by level, when I created Bevin, but when kinem let my ditch those two skills today and reallocate the points I adjusted some. Actually, those skills that I reduced would be cross-class for wizards, too, so I should have the same number of skill ranks in another skill. I may have made a arlithemetical error, however, I got pretty confused adding, subracting, and tweaking skills. But, really, I do know how to do it properly.

It is very confusing. And that is the worst thing about reallocating skill points, is you almost have to go back and rebuild the skills from scratch. I used to make these kind of mistakes a lot when I first started playing 3.X...I've built hundreds of PCs since then, though (unfortunately, most of them haven't found homes in games.)

Actually, one thing I don't have memorized yet is how many skill points each class gets per level. If you could give me those figures for Rogues and Wizards, I know the int bonuse, so I can re-figure now. If not, it'll have to wait until tonight.

Rogues 8/level
Wizard 2/level

You can always use the SRD for these types of questions, too. Hell, I hardly ever used my PHB anymore.

 

[kinem]

Regarding the spirit jaws:

A grappled creature can move with the jaws by making an opposed grapple check, as always when in a grapple. That is the only way they can move, since the spell provides no movement rate for them.

That is not the only way to interpret it, since as I said it is unclear from the spell description; however, it would be very overpowered to allow the jaws to chase the target around even if he managed to escape. I think it's still overpowered even with my interpretation.

Evard's Black Tentacles is a 4th level wizard spell, often considered overpowered, and while it can affect multiple opponents it is confined to a small area. Other limitations of BT are that it can't attack flying foes and that your allies must also avoid the area. And while BT has a higher grapple check, it only attacks once per round and deals less damage. I don't think a 3rd level druid spell should be Black Tentacles on super-steroids even vs. one foe.

 

[Leif]

It is very confusing. And that is the worst thing about reallocating skill points, is you almost have to go back and rebuild the skills from scratch. I used to make these kind of mistakes a lot when I first started playing 3.X...I've built hundreds of PCs since then, though (unfortunately, most of them haven't found homes in games.)

So... did I get it right this time?