Arena of Absolution

[Dominicius]

Some of you may remember the tome game I started over a year ago, it is still going well. Recently the players have cleared the first chapter and are well on their way in the second one, having defeated a major faction in the setting and three bosses that I've pitted against them.

So I want to open up the game the game to outside participation in the form of an arena. But instead of fighting other PCs you will fight against the bosses that the players have already defeated in the main game and see how you fare. I want to take this easy so every build is totally fine, you can make your own party, make a single contender or team up with others. It is all up to you.

So with three distinct battles available, would anyone be interested in this?

[Prak]

I'd be interested in going in with others who are.

[Avoraciopoctules]

How do you feel about monster PCs?

[Kaelik]

I think I might slam out a party. What level/HP/Ability scores should I start with.

[Dominicius]

All material is available so monster PCs are tot ok. As for all the other things, the three battles are...

The Meteor - fight vrs a single CR 10 creature.

The Knight of the Wind - fight vrs a single CR 12 creature + it's cohort.

The Man With Three Shadows - fight vrs a single CR 12 creature + 10 CR 3 creatures + 2 CR 8 creatures.


...So be prepared accordingly. If you still want a guideline for character creation: http://www.myth-weavers.com/showthread.php?t=164912

lvl less. mod. major. stats.
6 2 1 - -
7 3 1 - -
8 3 2 - -
9 4 2 - +1
10 x 2 - +2
11 x 3 - +3
12 X 3 1 +4
13 X 3 1 +5
14 X 4 1 +5
15 X 4 2 +5
16 X 4 2 +5

[Avoraciopoctules]

Oh man, I think I'm going to build at least 2 contenders. One is a ridiculous puzzle monster, and the other is a somewhat more conventional adventurer.

[Bigode]

First off, thanks.

Assumptions:

- That Frank(& Suliin)'s versions of the bard and sorcerer are allowed. Since the bard was pre-Tome-feats, I suggest: bonus feats at 2nd and every 4 thereafter, silent spells and focused skill mastery delayed by 2 levels each, and spell focus dumped (pick metamagic feats for that). The sorcerer should likely just get 1 metamagic feat/5 levels.
- All feats used are from here, here, or any copy of the .pdf (those by Iaimeki).
- I guess the "stats" column is an inherent bonus to all abilities, and included it. BTW, used default array.

Should that stuff fly, a start:

Human Bard 6/9
Str 08+1 Dex 13+1 Con 12+1 Int 14+1 Wis 10+1 Cha 16+2
Maximized: Concentration, Knowledge (local, nobility), Listen, Perform, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device
Alertness, Combat Casting, False Reality, Regal, Scholar, Tactical Mage (+ Ghostly Visage)
Create water, darkness, daze, detect magic, detect poison, ghost harp, ghost sound, hypnotism, insightful feint, light, mage hand, mending, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic, restful slumber, silent image, silent portal, ventriloquism.
Amplify, disguise self, grease, greater dispel magic, minor image, silence.
Detect thoughts, entice gift, harmonic chorus, invisibility, major image, wave of grief.
Bestow curse, charm monster, love's lament. (+ puppeteer, recitation, stunning screech.)
(+ dimension door, ruin delver's fortune, stop heart.)
Bewilder, countersong, song of the weak mind (+ requiem, torrent of anger)

Human Jester 6/9
Str 08+1 Dex 13+1 Con 12+1 Int 14+1 Wis 10+1 Cha 16+2
Maximized: Balance, Bluff, Concentration, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Use Magic Device
Alertness, Deft Fingers, Sharp-Eyed, Steady Stance (+ Ghostly Visage)

Human Sorcerer 6/9
Str 08+1 Dex 13+1 Con 12+1 Int 14+1 Wis 10+1 Cha 16+2
Maximized: Bluff, Concentration, Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft, Use Magic Device
Bottomless Magic, Combat Casting, Elemental Mastery, Master of Magic, Scholar (+ Supreme Aegis)
Rat familiar

Human Summoner 6/9
Str 08+1 Dex 13+1 Con 12+1 Int 14+1 Wis 10+1 Cha 16+2
Maximized: Concentration, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana, nature, planes), Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Dreadful Demeanor, Master Conjurer, Reckless Spellcasting, Tactical Mage (+ Scholar)
Unseen servant, glitterdust (+ remove blindness/deafness, restoration)

They'd face the first battle at level 6, or either of the latter at 9 - things marked with "+" only at the 9 version.

And if I may ask: was the duskblade excluded from the MW list on purpose?

[Dominicius]

Everything looks fine. Except that I actually like this version of the sorcerer more: http://www.dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Sorcerer,_ ... e_Class%29

The bard is in along with your purposed changes. The feats are ok, I'm only slightly miffed that they mirror some of my own feats so I'd normally just point to my homebrew or Alpha Nerd's Metamagic feats but eh, it is your choice what to use. Also, do you mean the WotC duskblade?

Edit: I should also mention that the first battle has dangerous terrain and traps thrown in, though they affect both sides equally.

[Avoraciopoctules]

What are we doing for attributes?

I usually just give my PCs base 14 in everything, but I could use point buy or elite array pretty easily too.

[Dominicius]

Choose whatever ability array you want.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Thanks!

I'd like to count a Demon with the Veteran of the War Background as being proficient in all Martial Weapons to get into a prestige class. Sound alright to you?

EDIT:
2 more questions:
- Let’s say I want my character to have dumped a gallon or so of cheap contact poison on himself and his armor before the battle, since he knew a fight was coming and is personally immune. What game effects would that have? Would it expose grapplers to more than one dose?
- Would Gaseous Form be a legit spell for a spellcasting Magic Item?

EDIT 2:
I've been combining various ability sets and this puzzle monster is ending up more versatile than I expected. Right now the layers of ridiculous defense include super-incorporeality, visibility obscuring stuff the PC can see through, and possibly a double stunlock attack on people that move into lance range.

I made a tentative sprite for one of the characters.

[Dominicius]

For poison, it will just be one dose.
Gaseous form is perfectly acceptable either as a lesser wand, a moderate item if you want it permanent or as a lesser spellstoring item if you want to just cast it as any class.

[Bigode]

Yeah, I did mean PHB II duskblade. I like Quantumboost's sorcerer enough that he put my name there, and would make it the class named "sorcerer" in a Tome game, but wanna test the Trollman-Suliin one, that I'd assign some other name to. And I forgot to say I deliberately didn't use your bonus feats addition to the jester, as I think it better than the rogue, that already could go into Tome without being an embarrassment - any problem? As to metamagic feats, I'd always use the scaling ones (e.g. not AlphaNerd's), and checked yours (also, Book of Elements ones, despite being called "spellcasting"); there's good stuff, but I think I'll stay with those picks. Also, seems that you do talk about skill point recalculation: did I miss it previously?

[Dominicius]

Alright. Then I'll give you some time to finalize your characters.

One last thing, the teleport on Tactical Mage basically negates most melee characters. So let's drop it down to a swift action. As for skillpoints, I kinda assumed that it was already the norm.

[Bigode]

I think it being an immediate's kinda fundamental to the feat concept, and that reducing the number of daily uses would be a better fix to the possible problem (say, 2/day, with the level 6 benefit raising it to 1/level/day besides the current benefit, where it'd no longer be a problem IMO), but will accept your decision for this game.

[Dominicius]

Even foil action does not lets you negate a full attack. This does. And it comes online for sooner than foil action and has a lot more utility and no need for a touch attack. So I will go with the reduction to the action needed to use it.

[Kaelik]

Even foil action does not lets you negate a full attack. This does. And it comes online for sooner than foil action and has a lot more utility and no need for a touch attack. So I will go with the reduction to the action needed to use it.

In what appreciable way is this thing different than Abrupt Jaunt?

[Dominicius]

In no way. I hate Abrupt Jaunt too.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Ghost Touch: A ghost touch weapon spans the material and ethereal planes. It can be wielded by any standard, incorporeal, or ethereal being and can be used to attack any standard, incorporeal, or ethereal being with no miss chances due to the difference (if any).

My interpretation of this ability is that you could attack material targets while under the effect of Ethereal Jaunt, but you would be vulnerable to disarm attempts, and if someone wrestled the weapon away, they could attack you with it even though you were super-incorporeal.

Do you agree?

[Kaelik]

In no way. I hate Abrupt Jaunt too.

Well then you should make that clear, because every Tome feat for spellcasters is a combination of the six best abilities in a pretty vague theme from 3.5 slapped together.

So if you think specific 3.5 abilities that are the basis of the feat are too powerful, you should explain that, because no one understands the concept that 5 cool abilities together is too much for a single feat, so you are better off justifying the rejection on explaining that you hate the 3.5 ability so they don't try to remove other abilities until the feat is nothing but Abrupt jaunt, like Bigode was doing.

[Dominicius]

@Kaelik
Yea, my only objection is Abjurant Jaunt, everything else is ok.

@Avoraciopoctules
I don't mind that interpretation. One of my players actually used that tactic at one point.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Here are 8 items for a level 10 character I was considering.

Ether Needle (Lesser)
Sharpened along nearly its entire length, this blue-tinted adamantine lance is an awkward-looking weapon difficult to handle out of the saddle. The metal is always cold to the touch, and it sometimes shimmers as though it were being looked at through water.

+4 (1/3 level) Enhancement bonus to Attacks and Damage
1d8 (x3/20) damage, deals double damage on a mounted charge, can be used single handed while mounted. Adamantine. Reach.

Exotic Weapon Property: May be used as both a normal melee weapon and a Reach weapon. Deals Slashing/Piercing damage.
Ghost Touch: A ghost touch weapon spans the material and ethereal planes. It can be wielded by any standard, incorporeal, or ethereal being and can be used to attack any standard, incorporeal, or ethereal being with no miss chances due to the difference (if any).

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Demon Armor of the Hand of Terror (Lesser)
Blackened to the point that it seems to make the area around it slightly darker, this suit of heavy armor has souls and the spirits of lesser demons bound into it. Occasionally, their whispers are strong enough to be audible. Carved into the breastplate is a symbol depicting a splayed hand with a grinning monstrous face inside the palm.

+4 (1/3 level) Enhancement bonus to AC
+13 (9+4) AC, +5 Max Dex, -10 ACP, -3 ASP

4 Intimidate Ranks: All of your attacks are Evil-aligned.
8 Intimidate Ranks: You can see souls, allowing you to see all living and undead creatures within 120' of you, regardless of current illumination or intervening objects
13 Intimidate Ranks: Every time you kill a living creature, you heal 10 hit points.
Speed: Iconically placed on boots and shoes, this enhancement allows the wearer to move faster. She gains a 5 ft. bonus to all her modes of movement for every two hit dice she has.

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Crystal Shield of the Watchers (Lesser)

A shield crafted out of a single solid crystal. It's transparent, but the refraction of the crystal can make things appear differently on the face of the shield than they are. In addition, the face of the shield is covered in images of stylized eyes which are constantly in motion, blinking and sliding across the surface.

+4 (1/3 level) Enhancement bonus to Shield AC
+7 (3+4) AC, -3 ACP, -1 ASP

4 Awareness Ranks: You gain a +2 bonus to any saving throw vs. a spell-like ability.
8 Awareness Ranks: The DC of any spell-like ability you use while using this shield is increased by 1.
13 Awareness Ranks: You may Feint once per round as a free action.
Grants See Invisibility as an SLA

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Signet of Ensorcelment (Lesser)
A golden signet ring compact enough to be worn inside a large gauntlet, this object shines with an unnatural luster. The seal depicts a splayed hand with a grinning monstrous face inside the palm. If moved quickly through the air, it leaves a faint trail of light.

+4 (1/3 level) Enhancement bonus to SLA save DCS
Counterspelling (Suggestion): Iconically placed on protective items, this enhancement will always counter one spell (chosen at creation time) that would effect the wearer.

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Emerald Broach of Power (Lesser)
Carved into the shape of a monkey's head, this emerald broach is about the right size for it too. The stone shines with a vivid green light. When the wearer performs a feat of strength or casts a spell, sparks fly off.

+4 (1/3 level) Enhancement bonus to Character Level
Counterspelling (Charm Monster): Iconically placed on protective items, this enhancement will always counter one spell (chosen at creation time) that would effect the wearer.

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Azure Warding Cloak (Lesser)
A lightweight cloak of blue silk with runes of protection subtly stitched into it in a slightly darker fabric. A few lesser enchantments are integrated into the garment along with the main protections. The cloth sheds water effortlessly and when the hood is up, it casts the face of the wearer into magical shadow.

+4 (1/3 level) Resistance bonus to Saving Throws
Grants Gaseous Form as an SLA

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Ring of Spell Shielding (Lesser)

+4 (1/3 level) Enhancement bonus to Spell Resistance (must already have Spell Resistance)
Missile Shield: Iconically placed on shields, this enhancement negates all magic missiles and similar missile spells targeted at the wearer.

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Medallion of Charisma and BEARS (Lesser)
Etched into this round bronze medallion is an image of a large bear wearing royal regalia resting upon a throne. It is a gift sometimes granted by the King of the Bears to heroes who perform a great service to him.

+4 (1/3 level) Enhancement bonus to Charisma
Natural: This enhancement allows the user to summon one animal up to her CR -2 at any time. The user can only have one such animal at a time, and the enhancement works in all other respects like a summon nature's ally spell.

[Dominicius]

Looks fine. The shield has a permanent see invisibility enchantment?

[Avoraciopoctules]

Looks fine. The shield has a permanent see invisibility enchantment?

I was thinking that it allowed the user to use See Invisibility as an SLA. So they'd spend a Standard action to activate the effect, then it would have a duration and be dispellable as normal.

Also, I'm starting to put together the second PC. This one will be lower level so it could be part of a team. Probably a Tome Barbarian with your Shockwave combat feat. Do Rage Dice get included when using it?

Shockwave
Did he just cut the whole airship in half?!
0: The first attack you make in a round deals an extra 3 damage.
1: You can cause a shockwave to travel from out of your weapon as a standard attack (does not work with ranged weapons). You can make the shockwave travel in any pattern, the only two rules that it must begin in the square you attack and that while traveling it can't go back into a square that it has just left. The damage it starts with is your damage roll minus any damage that is not multiplied on a critical hit and for each square filled with air that it passes through reduce the damage by three, if the square is filled with water – by four and if it is not filled with anything – by one. If the total damage is reduced to zero, the shockwave comes to a stop. Creatures and objects must be destroyed before the shockwave can continue (objects are auto hit but still benefit from hardness, creatures use their AC). The shockwave has range increment of 30 feet and even if it fails to hit a creature due to AC (but not miss chance) reduce its damage pool by the creatures current hp + 10.
The shockwave only carries damage, no other effects or maneuvers can apply to it.
6: As a full attack action you can release a super shockwave. Sacrifice any number of extra attacks you get as part of a full attack and multiply your damage roll by the amount of attacks sacrificed plus one.
11: You can have the space which your shockwave passes through be affected as if by a wall of force spell for a number of rounds equal to half your level rounded down (or less if you so desire).
16: The damage pool of your shockwave cannot be reduced by anything that would otherwise reduce it by 20 or less and it automatically destroys any non-magical obstacles that it passes through. The new range limit of your shockwave is 100 feet times your level.

[Dominicius]

No. Only damage that is multiplied on a critical hit is included in shockwave.