Scouter (item)

[Cicciograna]

I always liked the scouter used in the Dragonball saga: do you know if there are homebrews around which could model its functions, comprehensive of its flaws?

[Yitzi]

I'd doubt it, but if you listed the details someone could probably make one.

[Cicciograna]

This is the scouter I'm talking about.

Basically it's a device which allows numerically measure the power level of a combatant; moreover it allows the localization of power sources and acts as a communication device.

I admit that the "power level" of D&D characters would factor a lot of things, so it's not that simple to model such an item: I'm asking if there's a pre-existing homebrew of the device, and if not I could give it some thinking.

[Yitzi]

Ok, so the communication would probably be at-will Sending, I'm not sure what you mean by "localization of power sources".

The ability to read power level would probably be best translated into an ability to determine the HD of a creature. Not sure what level-equivalent that would be.

[Morph Bark]

Power level: HD^2 + [highest spell level capable of casting] + [highest power level capable of manifesting] + [highest manuever level capable of initiating - 1] + [highest mystery level capable of casting] + [highest vestige level capable of binding] + [1 per 4 essentia of maximum essentia pool capacity] + [highest Utterance level capable of uttering - 1 (per Lexicon)] + Level Adjustment + caster level of graft with the highest caster level grafted.

Something like that?

[MesiDoomstalker]

Ok, so the communication would probably be at-will Sending, I'm not sure what you mean by "localization of power sources".

The ability to read power level would probably be best translated into an ability to determine the HD of a creature. Not sure what level-equivalent that would be.

In the anime, the scouter's could pinpoint the location of a powersource (aka a person) and give direction. I can't remember if it gave distance though. So if Bob the 1st level fighter was 50 ft away behind a wall, Caleb the 1st level Wizard with a scouter could detect Bob through the wall with the scouter and would now what direction Bob is in relation to himself but not neccisarily how far away Bob is. Also he would now how "strong" Bob is but that requires a formula like what Morph Bark provided.

[Prime32]

There are rules for determining an enemy's CR with Sense Motive (in Complete Warrior IIRC). A situational bonus item should be cheap.

[Cicciograna]

Power level: HD^2 + [highest spell level capable of casting] + [highest power level capable of manifesting] + [highest manuever level capable of initiating - 1] + [highest mystery level capable of casting] + [highest vestige level capable of binding] + [1 per 4 essentia of maximum essentia pool capacity] + [highest Utterance level capable of uttering - 1 (per Lexicon)] + Level Adjustment + caster level of graft with the highest caster level grafted.

Something like that?

Very interesting. But why the highest maneuver and highest utterance are reduced by 1?

[Morph Bark]

Very interesting. But why the highest maneuver and highest utterance are reduced by 1?

Because maneuvers aren't as strong as spells and utterances are counted per Lexicon, so a 20th-level Truenamer would get 5 for the Evolved Mind, 4 for the Crafted Tool and 3 for... I forgot the last one's name, but that's actually still more than the 9 a 20th-level Wizard gets, so maybe I should make it half rounded up (so a Truenamer would get 3, 3, 2 respectively).

Mysteries aren't that strong either, so you could make that instead [half max mystery level, rounded down] and then add 1 if your max mystery level is 1-3, add 2 if 4-6 and add 3 if 7-9.

Since power is more dependant on spells though (they grant more power than just HD), perhaps the formula would be better done with HD just being there and the formula for spells/powers/maneuvers/etc. as they are now, but squared, or the amount of power points the character has. Then perhaps give a bonus depending on creature type (+3 for dragons and outsiders for instance).

The formula definitely can't be considered anywhere near complete since due to 3.5's size there are tons of factors.

[RelentlessImp]

Level Adjustment should be a negative, not a plus, since it's never ever worth it, and racial HD should be a negative unless they grant spellcasting/manifesting.

[Steward]

To be fair, anything with levels in 'Truenamer' probably isn't very threatening. It should be factored in as on par with an Aristocrat.

[Silva Stormrage]

Level Adjustment should be a negative, not a plus, since it's never ever worth it, and racial HD should be a negative unless they grant spellcasting/manifesting.

With that formula it IS a negative, it doesn't give a HD so it is effectively -1. Racial HD is fine too because the penalty is that you don't gain any other benefits from classes (spell casting, manifesting etc).

Also you forgot invocations in that formula, though it might be interesting to have them not count since they are not actually from the warlock's power.

[Morph Bark]

Level Adjustment should be a negative, not a plus, since it's never ever worth it, and racial HD should be a negative unless they grant spellcasting/manifesting.

With that formula it IS a negative, it doesn't give a HD so it is effectively -1. Racial HD is fine too because the penalty is that you don't gain any other benefits from classes (spell casting, manifesting etc).

This, basically. And LA would have to be valued in positives, but be less valuable than HD. You could still keep it equally valued though, since it still won't give you class abilities.

Also you forgot invocations in that formula, though it might be interesting to have them not count since they are not actually from the warlock's power.

I forgot a lot of things in there, like infusions and chakra binds too. Invocations are easy though, since you could just take the equivalent spell level for them.