3.X Ancillary Contest Chat Thread

[Jormengand]

How about...

SCIENCE!

[Zaydos]

Closed the 2nd contest and posted the voting thread.

I'm going to go with Heritage as the theme for the next contest unless there seems to be some resistance to the idea in the next 24-48 hours.

[Zaydos]

New contest thread is up.

[MrNobody]

Nice theme! I was thinking about making a small pantheon for mixed bloodied creature (one god for half dragons, one for half outsider...) And maybe a bunch of linked "initiate" feats. What do You think?

[Zaydos]

Nice theme! I was thinking about making a small pantheon for mixed bloodied creature (one god for half dragons, one for half outsider...) And maybe a bunch of linked "initiate" feats. What do You think?

As long as it includes some new feats, spells, domains, or something I'd say it sounds good.

[MrNobody]

As long as it includes some new feats, spells, domains, or something I'd say it sounds good.

Yeah! As soon as i decide how many gods i'll make i'll also decide the extra material! I'm planning at least an initiate feat for each deity, maybe a new domain (Inhuman Ancestry or something like that)...
At the moment it's all in my mind but i hope to start working on it in a day or two!

[Zaydos]

And the 2nd contest ends with Mr. Nobody as the victor.

Any suggestions on how to get voter turn out up for the next one?

[Temotei]

And the 2nd contest ends with Mr. Nobody as the victor.

Any suggestions on how to get voter turn out up for the next one?

I just didn't have time. That might be better, though. What if I had voted to make a three-way tie again?

I'll keep reminding my friends on Skype about it instead of just saying it once. Might be able to get one or two of them to vote. Next time I'll be able to, also.

As for increasing it in the long term, when we don't have enough voters in the BCC (rare these days because of the "must vote" rule for participants), I consider PMing some of the Playgrounders I know enjoy homebrew. Pair'O, Lord Gareth, Rizban, y'know. The lot.

[MrNobody]

Well done everybody! Too bad that Kazyan didn't vote: he deserved that 1st place!

Having more voters would definitely be great, expecially because contests are often voted only by the competitors, and it would be nice if these events could draw the attention of a larger part of the community.
How to have more voters? Not a clue!

[Jurai]

I like the idea of this contest.

[Zale]

I'm making a submission for the latest contest. I'm slightly worried about the level of power, because it's ToB related and I've not made much for that, so my power may be a little high.

[Zaydos]

And unfortunately the contest has come to a close (I like ToB and enjoy seeing it).

Voting thread is here.

Any suggestions on the next contest?

[fuzzysora]

How about a theme based on Cities? Some urban feats and traits and spells and such?

[Jurai]

Hmmm... I think for the next contest I'm going to rig up a thematically apropos discipline of martial Badass-ery.

[Zale]

And unfortunately the contest has come to a close (I like ToB and enjoy seeing it).

Voting thread is here.

Any suggestions on the next contest?

I got distracted reading another tabletop game book (And incidentally made angels that could withstand direct hits with surface-to-air-missiles).

Here's what I had (Incomplete though it be). I know it's too late to submit it, but I just wanted to share.

Spoiler: STUFF

Show

Night Child [Vampire]
You can trace your bloodline to vampires and their kin.
Benefits: You gain low-light vision. Wolves, bats, rats and any other animals the DM deems creatures of the night start with an attitude of indifferent towards you.
While in shadowy illumination or lower, you gain a bonus to spot and listen checks equal to the number of Vampire feats you possess.

Forbidden Thirst [Vampire][Supernatural]
Perquisites: Night Child
Benefits: You gain a bite attack that does 1d6 damage and a Blood Reservoir equal to the number of Vampire feats you possess.
This Blood Reservoir starts with zero points and gains one point whenever you inflict damage with a natural attack, though no more than once per round.
As a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity, you may spend one point from your Blood Reservoir to heal one hit-point per Vampire feat you possess.

Blood of the Ruby Scion [Vampire][Supernatural]
Perquisites: Forbidden Thirst, Night Child, Martial Initiator level 3.
Benefits: You gain two claw attacks that deal 1d4 damage and gain access to the Ruby Scion martial school.
As a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may spend one point from your Blood Reservoir to add your charisma modifier to the damage dealt by your next natural attack this round.

Ruby Scion

Should martial adept have access to this school, they may treat the following maneuvers as part of the Shadow Hand or Tiger Claw discipline (Decided when first taking maneuvers of this school).

This school’s preferred weapons are natural weapons and those of the Shadow Hand or Tiger Claw discipline, decided when the character first takes maneuvers in this school.

All DCs are calculated as 10 + ½ initiator level + Charisma modifier unless otherwise indicated.

All maneuvers of this school are supernatural.

First Level

Darkened Sun Rend
Ruby Scion (Strike)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

You call upon dark rage to strike with lingering power.

The attack made as part of this maneuver deals an extra 1d6 negative energy damage and inflicts a -2 profane penalty to AC to the target until the end of your next turn.

Gravity’s Fragile Hold
Ruby Scion (Boost)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: One Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: One turn

As you explore your dark heritage, you find that you are increasingly free of weight.

Until the end of your turn, you may move along walls and other vertical surfaces as if you possessed the Up the Walls feat. If you end your turn on an unsupported surface, you fall prone at the beginning of your next turn.

Starving Hunter Prana
Ruby Scion (Stance)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You

This stance captures the deep hunger that haunts all vampires. So long as you are at less maximum health, you gain Scent special quality and a +2 bonus to Spot and Listen checks against living creatures.
If you are at half health or less, you gain DR 2/Silver and your attacks deal an extra two points of negative energy damage.

Second Level

Mosquito Bite
Ruby Scion (Strike)
Level: 2st
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

You call upon dark rage to strike with lingering power.

The attack made as part of this maneuver heals 2d6 hit points. If you are at less than half hit points the healing received is doubled.

Unbreakable Poise
Ruby Scion (Counter)
Level: 2st
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: Personal
Target: You

Whenever you fail a reflex save or bluff check, you may activate this maneuver to reroll the failed save with a +4 bonus. You must take the result of the second roll.

Third Level

Call of the Night
Ruby Scion (Strike) [Phantasm][Mind-Affecting]
Level: 3rd
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: 30 feet
Target: One creature per two initiator levels (Maximum 5).
Duration: One round per three initiator levels.

Your dark blood gives power over the weak willed.

All targets must make a will save or have their vision clouded with phantasmal swarms of bats. You and all allies gain concealment against those currently affected.

Additionally, whenever an affected target would provoke an attack of opportunity due to casting a spell, manifesting a power, invoking an invocation or using a supernatural or spell-like ability, you may make an attack of opportunity against them. If they are outside of your normal reach, this phantasmal attack of opportunity inflicts non-lethal damage, but still provokes a concentration check (If applicable.)

One you make an attack of opportunity as the result of this maneuver, it ends.

Undead Acrobatics
Ruby Scion (Boost)
Level: 3rd
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until the end of your turn.

Until the end of your turn you do not take fall damage and if you make a charge attack, difficult terrain does not impede your path.
Also, you may use a move action to leap up to twice your movement speed in any direction. If you not begin your next turn on a stable, vertical surface you fall.

Fourth Level

Dark Fury
Ruby Scion (Strike)
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

Make a full-attack. Any natural attacks used as part of this full-attack add their charisma modifier to hit and damage until you next take damage, or three rounds, whichever is shorter.
If you kill a creature with a natural attack made as part of this maneuver, you gain Fast Healing 2 for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier.

Glance of Dominance
Ruby Scion (Counter)
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous or one round (See text)

A vampire can crush the wills of men with but a glance. You’ve learned to invoke a flicker of that power.
You may use this maneuver in response to a melee attack after the attack roll is made, but before damage is declared. The attacking creature must make a will save, and on a failed save they inflict no damage and make an immediate melee attack against themselves. On a successful save, they inflict normal damage but are stunned for one round.

You may also initiate this maneuver as part of a bluff or diplomacy check to take twenty on the check without spending additional time.

Fifth Level

Unholy Immortality
Ruby Scion (Stance)
Level: 5rd
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

You gain Fast Healing 2, light fortification and DR 5/Silver.

By spending a swift action, you may instead gain Fast Healing and DR/Silver X, where X is any number up to your charisma modifier. This lasts for one round per initiator level you possess. At the end of this duration, you become exhausted and take constitution burn equal to X.

Sixth Level

Dark Disincorporation
Ruby Scion (Counter)
Level: 6th
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until the start of your next turn.

You may use this maneuver in response to a melee or ranged attack. You lose one hit point per initiator level you possess and assume the form of a cloud of bats. You retain your own hit points, saves and natural attacks, but gain the immunities and vulnerabilities of a swarm.

At the beginning of each enemy’s turn, you may fly up to your basic movement speed and briefly coalesce to make a single attack with a natural weapon. You gain hit points equal to the damage dealt by any of these attacks.

This maneuver may only be initiated at night or in areas with less than shadowy illumination.

I feel like the balance is quite off. But you live and learn.

I've not really got anything in particular for the next contest. Cities seems fun.

[Zaydos]

The vampire stuff looks glorious, Zale, shame it didn't get finished.

As for the next contest will probably do cities once this one is over.

Also a reminder to Jorm and Spike that they still need to vote to qualify.

[Jurai]

Wooooooo!!

Second Place is for Winners!

[Jurai]

Some warriors use the city to fight. Others fight in the city. Some fight using the city as a weapon.

[Zaydos]

And Voting is closed.

1st and Most Likely to See Play and Best Use of Theme: Jormengand and Racial Fighting Styles.
2nd: Jurai and Corruption in the Blood.
3rd and Most Original: fuzzysora and Your Father Smelt like Elderberries.

The new contest is open.

Ancillary Contest IV City Slickers

[sengmeng]

Throwing my hat in the ring with a tactical feat... not sure how well it fits the theme, but most bar fights occur in urban areas.

[Jurai]

And my hat (again) with a full martial discipline. Giant in the Playground... of Destruction!

[1pwny]

Making gangster feats. Mwhahahahahahahaha!

[sengmeng]

Making gangster feats. Mwhahahahahahahaha!

On those last two... does the benefit ever go away?

[1pwny]

On those last two... does the benefit ever go away?

Which two?

[sengmeng]

Which two?

Oh, my bad. They aren't the last two anymore
The illicit spell researchers and the dominating guild. It seems like pretty hefty benefits when the cost is only time.

[1pwny]

Oh, my bad. They aren't the last two anymore
The illicit spell researchers and the dominating guild. It seems like pretty hefty benefits when the cost is only time.

Ah. Well, yes, maybe. I'm thinking of lowering the spell level cap for the spell researchers to 3. Maybe 2?

The dominating guild is supposed to be pretty useful, though. You get what is essentially a lesser gestalt with a new base class every level. But IMO, some extra class abilities (from Base Classes only, no less) from level 13-onward won't change all that much.

[sengmeng]

...won't change all that much.

Will it push classes out of their tiers? No.

However, I once heard that the balance point for feats was this:

If it's so powerful everyone would take it, then it's too strong.

If no one would take it, it's too weak.

So, I don't know. I think I would always take the dominating guild, just because there aren't really downsides, and if I was playing a sorcerer, I would definitely always take illicit spell researchers.

[1pwny]

Will it push classes out of their tiers? No.

However, I once heard that the balance point for feats was this:

If it's so powerful everyone would take it, then it's too strong.

If no one would take it, it's too weak.

So, I don't know. I think I would always take the dominating guild, just because there aren't really downsides, and if I was playing a sorcerer, I would definitely always take illicit spell researchers.

I'll see your point and raise it 15.

I nerfed Spell Researchers to only 3rd and below level spells. Still gives Sorcs 6 extra spells overall, but meh. I think that knowing an extra 6 3rd-levels is a valid thing for a feat.

As for dominating guild.... Hmmm..... I don't really want to nerf it............ do you really think I should? What about some other opinions from the crowd?

BTW sengmeng, you Bar Brawler feat calls itself "Drunken Brawler", not "Bar Brawler"

[Zaydos]

I'll see your point and raise it 15.

I nerfed Spell Researchers to only 3rd and below level spells. Still gives Sorcs 6 extra spells overall, but meh. I think that knowing an extra 6 3rd-levels is a valid thing for a feat.

As for dominating guild.... Hmmm..... I don't really want to nerf it............ do you really think I should? What about some other opinions from the crowd?

Well taking it at 13th is awkward as, unless it's PF (you use a ToB class in the example as opposed to PoW or I would assume it was based on this requirement) you can't actually take it till 15th sans Dark Chaos Shuffle.

Let's look at a warblade taking it at 15th level: Spends 1 feat, immediately gets a Fighter bonus feat (Fighter), gets another Fighter/Psionic feat and a first level power known (PsyWar), gets a third Fighter feat (Feat variant Rogue), gets another psionic bonus feat 3 powers known and 2 power points (psion), gets pounce (lion totem barbarian), and then gets an extra stance and batch of 5th level or lower maneuvers (Swordsage).

One feat probably shouldn't get you 4 feats.

I mean it's a neat idea and I like the pseudo-gestalt concept, but you can do better things with it than just pick up feats as well.

[1pwny]

snipOne feat probably shouldn't get you 4 feats.

A quick question (I agree with you completely though, it needs a re-work):

gets pounce (lion totem barbarian)

At 1st level, a lion-totem barbarian gains Run as a bonus feat.

..Are you thinking of a different totem?

I guess I might make it an every odd level thing? 15, 17, 19?