The Gray Citadel: interest and applications thread

[AlisAtAn]

Still nitpicking the charsheet but this is the backstory and continually updated character. Thoughts? We joined backgrounds for more char depth, but its not really an issue to delete if one of us dont make it to the game...


Char:
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=55064

Char background:

Growing up the only child of a once great illusionist, I always dreamed of living the extragavant life of the acrobatic rouge or the playful bard, but forced to memorize arcane theory from an early age, and never much of the fighting type anyway, I ended up not quite the mage, but with a knack for illusions. Not quite the acrobatic rouge, but still insightful at there ways. What does that make me? A bard? I do play the violin... No? Not a bard? Aaaawww....

I left my home and mother behind as soon as I came of age,  seeking the truth about my father, whoever he may be. Mom never spoke much of him, but I know the truth is out there somewhere. After all, its not like he doesnt exist? In my company I have my longtime girlfriend, Hearth Toun Yot (Iminimei`s char, we did a joined backstory). She`s not good for much, ever shy, always reading her books and deciphering old tablets. I mean, what kind of bitch reads books anyway? Woman should stick to things they know... She may not be much to look at, but I`m sure with a firm hand and degrading comments I`ll make a fine wife of her yet. We have a open relationship, seeing as I`m a man with needs and one woman alone could never satisfy a man alone. Granted, she seems to be the only one getting any action on the side, but I`m sure that will all change as soon as I get all rich and famous like.

My other long time companion is my good friend and mostly useful wizard Swyno Gwyddion(Stratovarius`s char, he`s part of the fun too). Actually, he`s not all that useful when I think about it, but we do share the same humor... He uses his mastery over mind control to great effect, although I tend to think the best effect is gained with illusions and trickery, which he sadly lacks any competence with. At all. Dont think I have seen him use a single illusion for all the years I've known him, actually. Probably over his league, dont you think? Me and Swyno have always been competing, enchantment vs illusion, what make for best results? Although I would never admit it to him, I have come to the conclusion that us working together yields the best results. It has happened a few times in the past, when dangers to my dear Hearth (Did I say that out loud?) forced us to join spells for a time. Although I never said much about it afterwards...

Together the three of us battle evil, although I do it mostly for the riches. I`m gonna be rich, remember? Some few moons ago we joined forces with another band of adventurers, seeing as safety in numbers will give Hearth better protection than I could ever give and together we can go after even greater riches.

Behind the scenes regarding backstory: The plot twist here is, that the accident that forced mom to cease here adventuring career, was her getting pregnant while having some fun with a shadow illusion of some kind... Resulting in a gnome with the dark template and her sticking to normal illusions for the rest of her life. Course my char doesn't know that...

[Akula]

Everybody in the party gets some poison.  Any poison you like!

Now I'm just debating with myself.  I could go for Swordsage 4, which is a bit tempting, or I could do Monk 2/Swordsage 2 (also tempting!).  Would lose out on my sneak attack, but I could pick it back up later.

Monk vs. Barbarian is kind of killing me too.

One more Monk another Rogue and then two Swordsage is how I would do it, gets Assassin's Stance, Wis to AC twice and other goodies. By the way is your poison ability a valid target for ability focus? Because poison at will is nasty, poison at will with a save of you-won't-make-this is stylin'.

I like the character and background by the way.

[JanusJones]

Yeah, was considering doing Virulent Poison and Ability Focus for a +4 to the DCs, but the poison will still be limited by my form's Con (sigh!).  That means that, for the most part, the DCs in question will be 10 + 2 (1/2 my HD) + 4 (ability focus + virulent poison) + 2 (average Con mod for my forms.

18 is not that high, alas - especially for 2 feats!

2 Monk will be extra groovy cause I'll grab the alt feature from Exemplars of Evil, so I can go invisible once per 3 rounds.  It doesn't require that YOU be evil, of course.   

That plus Swordsage would be cool, but the loss of BaB is going to make me unlikely to hit the broad side of a barn.  I'm not doing well in the To-Hit department, sadly, but as my HD increase I'll be able to increase the size of my forms.

Also, not using Serpent Kingdoms kind of screws my alternate forms.  They have some neat snakes in there!

[Akula]

Yeah, was considering doing Virulent Poison and Ability Focus for a +4 to the DCs, but the poison will still be limited by my form's Con (sigh!).  That means that, for the most part, the DCs in question will be 10 + 2 (1/2 my HD) + 4 (ability focus + virulent poison) + 2 (average Con mod for my forms.

18 is not that high, alas - especially for 2 feats!

2 Monk will be extra groovy cause I'll grab the alt feature from Exemplars of Evil, so I can go invisible once per 3 rounds.  It doesn't require that YOU be evil, of course.   

That plus Swordsage would be cool, but the loss of BaB is going to make me unlikely to hit the broad side of a barn.  I'm not doing well in the To-Hit department, sadly, but as my HD increase I'll be able to increase the size of my forms.

Also, not using Serpent Kingdoms kind of screws my alternate forms.  They have some neat snakes in there!

I'm leaning towards Transmuter; I can buff you up with Bear's Endurance, that would bring the DC to 20 and it is a Save or Lose targeting fort with enough milked poison. BAB hits hurt but they can be overcome, and you only lose one more point over 4 levels, still ECL 9 with 5 BAB is hard. The Elder Evils tech looks nice; that SA is tasty.

[JanusJones]

Nice.  I like the buff.  I'd end up losing a die of SA for it, though.  Hrmph.  Plus, in human form I've got an EIGHT Dex.  I'm not shooting anything - that's up to YOU guys!

Granted - in two levels I'll have some VERY nice forms available - yay!

I should lobby our DM about the snakes in FR - Serpent Kingdoms.  They're just animals, but they'll give me another couple forms to use.

Right now my best offense is the Sailsnake's 15 ft. cone of blinding venom - even if you save, you still get blinded (your duration is just halved).   

[Akula]

Nice.  I like the buff.  I'd end up losing a die of SA for it, though.  Hrmph.  Plus, in human form I've got an EIGHT Dex.  I'm not shooting anything - that's up to YOU guys!

Granted - in two levels I'll have some VERY nice forms available - yay!

I should lobby our DM about the snakes in FR - Serpent Kingdoms.  They're just animals, but they'll give me another couple forms to use.

Right now my best offense is the Sailsnake's 15 ft. cone of blinding venom - even if you save, you still get blinded (your duration is just halved).   

At level 5 I've got a BAB of 1 I'm not your most skilled archer. Blinding is nice. Ask about Serpent Kingdoms most of the stuff in that is fine I hear (I don't own FR stuff). 

[Ieniemienie]

Nice.  I like the buff.  I'd end up losing a die of SA for it, though.  Hrmph.  Plus, in human form I've got an EIGHT Dex.  I'm not shooting anything - that's up to YOU guys!

Granted - in two levels I'll have some VERY nice forms available - yay!

I should lobby our DM about the snakes in FR - Serpent Kingdoms.  They're just animals, but they'll give me another couple forms to use.

Right now my best offense is the Sailsnake's 15 ft. cone of blinding venom - even if you save, you still get blinded (your duration is just halved).   

At level 5 I've got a BAB of 1 I'm not your most skilled archer. Blinding is nice. Ask about Serpent Kingdoms most of the stuff in that is fine I hear (I don't own FR stuff). 

No fractional BAB?

Character Background: (which is special, because I had never created one )

Hearth is a young female Gnome raised in the small village of Treas hidden deep in the mountains. At a very young age Hearth was forced by her parents to aid in their Tavern. Due to her stunning looks, she was often deployed to attract more guests to the tavern or to entertain the guests with her sensual dance moves. Of course a beautiful women is the ideal tool to use in putting out pub brawls, and also in such occasions Hearth knew how to play the men.

When her parents realized Hearth had more talents than her beautiful looks, she was made to file the tax reports for the local authorities and help in keeping records at the church of Gnarl Glittergold. Keeping records is a lonely and painstaking job, which made Hearth’s mind wonder off now and then to think about the world outside the bounds of Treas.

She particularly started to show a particular insight in the wonderful ways of the local apostles. It intrigued her how these seemingly equal men and women came to develop such extraordinary powers. She began reading books on religion in the church’s library and soon came to the understanding that there are a lot more religions and more gods than she had ever imagined.

Gnarl Glittergold was just a pawn in the chess game of the gods, so Hearth started to warship Mystra, who had the most power and knowledge of all the magic! With all that knowledge she would be able to understand the world and discover all the secrets hidden outside of Treas. Sure she would never be able to survive to her own outside, with all the dangers lurking in the forests and under rocks…

The thoughts of setting off into the wide world never left her mind, but she didn’t have active plans until she saw Dolos Ninjafiend in the pub on a Tuesday night. He was sitting all alone at a table, staring determined out of his  bright yellow eyes. Since it was so quiet in the tavern she decided to go talk to him and see what was on his mind. The conversation lasted for several hours and a warm feeling developed in Hearth’s stomach; this is the man she was waiting to meet. This man can protect me from the dangers in the world and will love me until the end of days!!!

And so they left the city of Treas behind and wondered off into the wide world. Hearth never let an opportunity go to read more books and to gather more knowledge. Although Dolos didn’t seem to appreciate her thirst for knowledge, and often called her names and sometimes slapped her, Hearth knew what he really was. Dolos is like a coconut, all hard and rough on the outside, but if you treat him right and know to find his weak spot he will burst open turn out to be soft and milky on the inside. Of course their usual sexual escapades helped Hearth get over any insults even sooner.

Yet Hearth was not entirely complete; she wanted more power besides all the knowledge she could gather, the power only a real big creature could possess. And that is when she met Swyno Gwyddion; you would say he is some sort of dragon, but in fact he is the perfect combination of the strength of a dragon and the adaptiveness of a Human. Surely Hearth could be empowered with the force of a dragon as well!! The path she hose was not an easy one, requiring fasting and long rituals, but when she got reborn, she knew she was perfect.


Dolos seemed to love her more than ever in the bedroom and Hearth had made her first close friend since she left Treas. From this point onwards, life could only get better and better!

[Stratovarius]

And here's Swyno's character background, updated to reflect the two cute little gnomes.

Swyno grew up as an absentee child, his rich merchant parents often gone on long journeys and searches for new and profitable dealings. It was not that he was neglected when they were there, or that he disliked them, but more than he wandered out of the door of their northern home on far too many occasions, finding solace in the blustering and chill environment in which they lived.
   There was always the child's desire to escape from the tutors that his parents brought forth for him, for Swyno was certainly not above wandering outside to avoid their presence, but it was more a love of the cold and crisp woods and streams, dells and valleys, that called to him. Days roaming through the forests would often be spent with his naturally curious mind poking and prodding under rocks, in tree wells, and through streams, finding delightful animals and strange plants. Some of those found their way into Swyno's stomach, often to his displeasure, but with the insatiable desire to search, he would merely make a note of what not to eat, and continue to try new things.
   Swyno's father was possessed of some minor magical talents, that Swyno knew, for in those times when his parent was home, the elder man would often show the boy a neat little trick of one sort or another, or, if Swyno was particularly lucky, take him out for walks through the snow and ice, explaining the natures of that terrain, or this plant, or even the little quirks that cold weather allowed. Soon enough, the young boy began experimenting on his own with the magical spells, sneaking peaks at his father's books when the older man was gone on one of his trips.
   The fascination with magic soon grew to even displace his love of nature as the primary objective within Swyno's heart. He would still travel out into the woods, but often it was to a secluded spot that allowed for safe casting, free from the distraction and noise of the town in which he lived. Sometimes, Swyno would attempt a harmless spell on a small animal, perhaps a jackrabbit, to see what would happen. Most often the creature would fall asleep, or stare at him with eyes wide open, and a few times he even managed to make the skittish creature come close and eat from his hands.
   Eventually, his father decided that rather than this unschooled experimenting with spells and wizardry, that Swyno had to spend time at a college for mages, learning the dangers and the advantages of magic in a controlled environment. Some years later, Swyno emerged with a passion for enchanting spells, and returned to the family seat. He spent a pleasant winter there with his family, renewing the bonds of love, and then, as the spring thawed and with his parent's blessing, setting out upon a journey in order to discover the world around him.
   It was on the early stage of that journey that Swyno ran across a pair of gnomes, apparently married, by the names of Hearth and Dolos. They certainly bickered like a married couple, but their love of the magical arts drew Swyno, and they soon formed into a fast friendship, although he could never understand Dolos's love of that piddly illusion school. Why dance an image in front of a creature's face when you could reach into its mind? There are some things that are just not worth explaining.
   Swyno also felt a somewhat strange and inexplicable attraction to Hearth, despite the gnome's short stature. It was almost as if something in his blood called to her. At leas the two gnomes had an open relationship. Still, it was no matter, he would continue on as before.
   The three had had a few notable adventures, but were now looking for something a little greater and more exciting.

[pfooti]

I haven't thought enough about fractional BAB to allow it.

Okay, it's an ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS weekend out here in Delaware. So I'm not going to be able to make the final cuts until monday or tuesday. Yesterday, I was at the beach all day, today I'm gardening and going on a long-distance bike ride. Sorry for the delay, but I just can't bear to be inside at all. I answered all my PMs, if you've got any more questions about the game, PM me and I'll try to get back to you at some point.

[Ieniemienie]

Not fair for all of us Europeans who are staring out into the Rain.....

[Stratovarius]

It is, however, a truly beautiful day here on the East Coast. I'll be disappearing out for a game of golf later in the day.

[AlisAtAn]

Personally I get a nice cool draft from my window. No rain. Works for me.

[Dictum Mortuum]

Here it's so hot that i wish i had no obligations

[DaveTheMagicWeasel]

I answered all my PMs, if you've got any more questions about the game, PM me and I'll try to get back to you at some point.

Your inbox if full dude.

So I'll ask here - any chance you'd let me push past the 1/2 gold limit on one item and start with a +1 Mobility Mithral Chain Shirt (costs 5100 gp)?

EDIT - n/m, I'm scrapping the Mobility Armour anyway (see below).

[ksbsnowowl]

Right now my best offense is the Sailsnake's 15 ft. cone of blinding venom - even if you save, you still get blinded (your duration is just halved).   

The Daring Outlaw will love you...

And pfooti, amen to being outside.  I just bought a nice bike on sale for $400 yesterday and took it out for a spin.  Good times now that the winter has finally died...

[JanusJones]

Gorgeous here, too.  Of course, 'cause I have so much work, the best I get is to sit near a window in the sunshine . . . 

[Ieniemienie]

Gorgeous here, too.  Of course, 'cause I have so much work, the best I get is to sit near a window in the sunshine . . . 

Glad I'm not the only one with a full schedule... Although I sit near the window, the sun is nowhere to be seen: the rain blocks the view

[DaveTheMagicWeasel]

Okay, here's the mechanics I've settled on (background will follow tomorrow probably, just wanna get this posted now I'm settled on the build). 

EDIT - I'm starting off with Lion Totem Barbarian, then retraining that to Roofdweller at level 9 (by which point I can bind Sphinx Claws to my hands for Pounce).

Also, a lot of these stats (attacks and damage in particular) increase substantially when he shifts essentia to Girallon Arms, Rages, Shifts (and enlarges).  He's tougher than he looks

Feral Shifter Barbarian (Ferocity, Lion Totem, Skilled City Dweller) 1 / Totemist 3
Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d12+3d8+12 (37.5 HP)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40ft.
Armor Class: 23 (10 +2 Dex +6 natural +5 armour), Touch: 12, Flat-footed: 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Claw +8 melee (2d6+5) or Javelin +3 ranged (1d6+5)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +8/+8 melee (2d6+5), 2 Claws +6/+6 melee (1d6+2), Bite +4 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 5ft./5ft.
Special Attacks: Improved Grab (primary claws), Pounce
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Fast Healing 3, low-light vision, Shifting (Longtooth) 1/day
Saves: Fort +8, Reflex +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 20 (+5), Dex 14 (+2), Con 16 (+3), Int 10 (+0), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 6 (-2)
Skills: Balance +8 (can take 10), Climb +16 (can take 10), Hide +10, Intimidate +3, Jump +16 (can take 10, +4 running jump), Listen +2, Move Silently +10, Spot +2, Survival +3, Swim +5 (can take 10), Tumble +9 (can take 10), Wild Empathy +1 (+5 vs Magical Beasts)
Skill Ranks: Climb 7, Intimidate 5, Jump 7, Survival 2, Tumble 7
(next 3 levels of Totemist = +1 Climb, +1 Jump +2 Survival)
Feats: Flaw: Improved Natural Attack (claws), Flaw: Cobalt Rage, Level 1: Extra Rage, Level 3: Multiattack
Flaws: Murky Eyed, Shaky
Trait: Plucky (-1 Fort, +1 Will)
Alignment: CG
Languages Spoken: Common
Level Adjustment: +1

Soulmelds [Bind] (Essentia: 3):
Blink Shirt (1/1): Dim Door 20 ft. (10+10X) as standard action (at will)
Cobalt Rage (1/1): +1 Insight bonus to damage and Will saves when raging
Girallon Arms [Totem] (0/2): Gain 4 claws (1d4+½ Str), +2 (2+2X) competence to Climb and Grapple, +0 (+X) enhancement to claw attacks
Kruthik Claws (1/1): +6 (4+2X) competence to Hide and Move Silently

Stats above reflect essentia as invested during exploration, in combat moves 1 point from both Blink Shirt and Kruthik Claws and puts both into Girallon Arms(+2 Enhancement bonus to claw attacks/damage and +4 grapple)

Possessions: +1 Mithral Chain Shirt (Crystal of Least Mind Shielding [MIC]), Belt of Ultimate Athleticism [MIC], Brute Gauntlets [MIC], Boots of Landing [MIC], Vest of Resistance, 3 x Braids of Dire Shifting [RoE], Mwk Tools (Balance, Hide, Move Silently), 5 Javelins, Blessed Bandage [MIC], Backpack (with Hidden Flap), Bedroll, Winter Blanket, Flint & Steel, Belt Pouch, Trail rations (1 week), 2 x Rope (hemp), Waterskin, Traveller's Outfit (with Inside Pocket), 171 gp 9 sp

Future Progression:

Totemist 4
Totemist 5        Bonus Essentia
Totemist 6        {retrain Lion Totem to Roofdweller)
Totem Rager 1
Totem Rager 2   Roofjumper
Totem Rager 3
Totem Rager 4
Totem Rager 5   Shifter Savagery {retrain INA to Longtooth Elite}
Totem Rager 6
Totem Rager 7
Totem Rager 8   Shifter Multiattack {retrain Multiattack to ?}
Totem Rager 9
Totem Rager 10
Totemist 7        Double Chakra (Totem)
Totemist 8
Totemist 9

Party Role: Should probably be considered a "5th wheel" rather than filling one of the iconic 4 roles - a "Striker" in 4e parlance.  Not a front-line battlefield control fighter, but moves quick, hits hard, and can knock an opponent out of a fight with Improved Grab and his grapple of +22 when fully buffed.  Good athletic and sneaky skills for a decent scout in a pinch (just a shame about the crappy Spot and Listen).

[JanusJones]

Okay, here's the mechanics I've settled on (background will follow tomorrow probably, just wanna get this posted now I'm settled on the build).  I've decided to NOT take Lion Totem, which makes me less powerful until I hit level 7 and get Sphinx Claws (and really, we all know Lion Totem should never have been published).

Ummm . . . are you KEEDING?

Sorry.  Hy spellz fonny ven Hy'm dronk.

Also ven hy been readink gurl genius.  Great comik, dot!

Bot hy digress.

Ahem!

<Resumes non-drunk, non-Jaeger voice>

Without pounce, most melee builds are screwed.  Melee characters are screwed enough without having the ONE THING that would make attacking worth anything even CLOSE to spells - POUNCE!

If you can't move and full attack, what the hell's the point of attacking at all?  Mobility is KING in d20, and spellcasters are capable of doing all sorts of unfair stuff to limit, remove, and otherwise SCREW your mobility if you're a melee character!  Without pounce, melee characters can't do the ONE THING that they're marginally able to - HURT things.  And damage in d20 is only important if it KILLS what it hits.

In fact, let's summarize the un-written rules of d20:

1. Magic is better. This precept is simple - magic is better than everything else.  Yes, even THAT.  Really.  Spells can do anything, and thus magic allows you infinite flexibility and the capacity to overcome every obstacle.  Attacks require rolls; you don't need to roll SHIT to cast - you just say it happens and it DOES. 

2. Mobility is king.  If you can't move or act, you're screwed.  Mobility is the root of all power in d20, so best keep mobile.

3. Damage means nothing if it doesn't kill.  If you don't kill your target with damage, you're useless; a spell could have incapacitated said target with a single action, which means you've wasted yours with a damage-based attack unless the target is DEAD.

Woah.  When drunk, I'm surprisingly loquacious! 

I hope that was as fun (and trivial) for y'all as it was for me.  Yay for Trinchero Savignon Blanc, and a little bit of Nobilo Pinot Grigio to wash it down!   

[Akula]

Hyu tokz fine.

But yeah, why complain about anything that melee characters can do? At level 9 the wizard can call up a Nightmare and be un-fucking-killable, but that's just fine right I mean it's magic. At level 11 you can become The Wish with a simple spell, but again magic. Seriously why even bother playing a melee character after level 3. I'm only looking at Planar Binding and it's spawn here.

Melee=

Caster=

The Wizard has something to say to the Ubercharger: Abrupt Jaunt.