Character Planning

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

If I did one, you guys would have to make sure to only interact with your group. Both groups are playing the same adventure, with minor alterations. You can't technically interact, unless in a non-canon "spin-off" thread.

In that case, I'd rather have two separate ones, or one "non-canon spin-off". I think the latter actually sounds funner. Then we can say things like "Where are the Cheetos!?!"

Meh.  IC is IC.  OOC tabletalk is OOC.

[Risada]

Quick question: with a CL 3rd Mirror Image, I can get 1d4 +1 copies, or only 1d4 copies of myself?

[Chemus]

1d4+1/ 3 CL == 1d4+1 at CL3.

[VennDygrem]

How's everyone coming along? Most of you are done, which means I'll post the initial thread soon. You don't all have to be done for us to start, but you guys will probably hit some combat not too long after we begin.

[bearsarebrown]

I'm totally done.

[Chemus]

Excepting a feat for Enniwey, I too am pretty well done...
Ooh! Forgot to ask: from both sandstorm and stromwrack there are additional familiar options that a wiz/sorc may choose (Listed at bottom of Enniwey's sheet). Are they available to Enniwey as forms?

[BowenSilverclaw]

Mechanically I'm done. Fluffwise, getting well underway.

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

Done and done.

[VennDygrem]

Is there anyone who has yet to pick a name for their character yet?

@Chemus: I'm going to say no this time, as those are fairly background-specific and your familiar can already morph into plenty of forms.

[Chemus]

Fair enough. Enniwey is done.

[VennDygrem]

Ok, I've got a fairly busy day today or I'd post up the first game post now. Look for it soon.

Also, due to some revelations in another game, I'm going to try and assume a different set of standards for certain skill checks, like the social skills and knowledge checks. This is not just because some of you have insane skill modifiers.

[bearsarebrown]

Ok, I've got a fairly busy day today or I'd post up the first game post now. Look for it soon.

Also, due to some revelations in another game, I'm going to try and assume a different set of standards for certain skill checks, like the social skills and knowledge checks. This is not just because some of you have insane skill modifiers.

I would appreciate if you could give us a writeup of the new standards.

[PhaedrusXY]

Ok, I've got a fairly busy day today or I'd post up the first game post now. Look for it soon.

Also, due to some revelations in another game, I'm going to try and assume a different set of standards for certain skill checks, like the social skills and knowledge checks. This is not just because some of you have insane skill modifiers.

I would appreciate if you could give us a writeup of the new standards.

Me too. Especially the knowledge skills, so I can use them in my game. I haven't found a satisfactory substitute.

Edit: Hmm... you know, it's too bad they don't have a Frequency entry for monsters anymore, like they used to in the older editions of D&D. You could use that to base a knowledge check DC on. Extremely rare monsters should be more difficult to ID, regardless of their CR. The same goes for extremely common monsters. They should be very easy to ID, regardless of their CR.

This kind of thing is going to be somewhat campaign specific, also. I guess we could come up with a new system that has fixed DCs based on frequency, and then assign a frequency to creatures as they're used in the game. This would be much easier to use than rewriting them all at once...

I think I might start a thread on this in the Homebrew section, to solicit ideas and put something together.

[VennDygrem]

Well, it won't be much of an issue for the social skills. Camlen's really the only PC with huge modifiers for his level (he can pretty much automatically turn a hostile attitude to indifferent (and a good chance to boost it to friendly), or Unfriendly to friendly, and he's only level 7- Then again, he's got dark forces pushing his targets toward believing him, so it makes sense to a degree). I'll probably just apply a similar system of modifiers to Diplomacy as there exists for Bluff.

The bigger issue, which threatens your knowledge rolls more-so, is that if you want to identify a creature of, say, 10 HD, and you roll a 19, you technically don't know anything about it even though you're only 1 point off. So I figure I'll let you glean incomplete details on knowledge checks, so if you get within a few points of the target DC you're not left in total darkness.
--pseudo edit--
@Phaedrus: Some good thoughts, I'll try to contribute to said thread.

As it stands, I know that DCs exist for a reason as a particular goal or target, but it still feels wrong that one point can make such a different. The problem is that some characters have particular backgrounds and experiences (which, I suppose, are meant to be already reflected in their skill modifiers) which lend them to having exposure to different pieces of information. It's why I like that in 4E anyone can make a skill check untrained, but they're just unlikely to do very well- Though, I did have one player in my weekly game, a barbarian, who got a natural 20 on a Dungeoneering check he wasn't trained in, giving him enough information to identify the Ochre Jelly they were fighting against.

It's not practical to do the same thing in 3.5, but I don't feel too bad giving circumstance bonuses now and again. Thistle, for instance, should know a boatload about fey, even though he has no ranks in Knowledge: Nature. He is one, he came from Thelanis, etc. I wouldn't give him free ranks in Knowledge: Nature, but I might allow him to make an untrained check to identify a fey creature due to his background, and he may even get a slight bonus depending on how common it is- the frequency mentioned by Phaedrus.

[bearsarebrown]

I suggest this for diplomacy.

[PhaedrusXY]

I suggest this for diplomacy.

That's what I'm using in the Fall of Pun-Pun game, actually. And I'm using those modifiers for Intimidate when it is used to get a diplomacy effect, although I didn't announce that in the house rules thread.... though I should have... I didn't think about it till Head of Vecna started trying to scare off my barghest.

[Chemus]

I was looking at reducing the magic item that grants +4 to social skills; looks like I should...

So, I'll make that Amulet of Wordtwisting a Minor Schema of Tongues (Brd) for 3200, saves me 2800 gp.

POI, I can take 10 on most social skills...

[VennDygrem]

Chemus, it's ok if you want to keep it. As I said it makes sense.

I was thinking of using those rules, but again, it's not a rampant issue. Also I need to be able to run the game without too much extra complexity. I'll take a look into it though.

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

I figured Thelanis is a plane in Eberron, so I took Knowledge: the Planes instead.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

I suggest this for diplomacy.

I really don't like those rules.

A level 20 wizard can't convince his level 20 cleric wife to pass the salt.