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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    SwashbucklerGuy

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    Aug 2008

    Default Ancient Talismans of Power (PEACH)

    When I was younger, I enjoied watching the Jackie Chan cartoon series. That eventually led to me recreating the Talismans as they were in the show. Then, at a suggestion, I came up with an all new set for a gaming world, which I now present to you all for critique! Also, feel free to use these if you happen to like them!

    The Minotaur +1 Str per character level. Must be held or displayed to recieve benefit
    The Mermaid Gain a swim speed equal to land speed. While in water your legs become a tail and you gain water breathing
    The Dragon Allows use of a 60 foot cone of fire once every 1d4 rounds, dealing 1d6/2 levels, allowing a reflex save for half.
    Gorgon Allows use of Stone to Flesh and Flesh to Stone, as the spells, at will. Save DC is Cha based
    The Spider Grants immunity to poison, and can inflict poison by touch 3/day (1d6 Con/1d3 Con)
    The Snake Grants Hide in Plain Sight and a +8 on Hide checks
    The Angel Grants the wielder use of Smite Evil 4/day, Holy Smite 2/day, and a +4 to AC and saving throws, but only if the holder is good aligned
    The Demon Grants use of Smite Good 4/day, Unholy Blight 2/day, and a +4 to AC and saves, but only if the wielder is evil aligned.
    The Eagle Allows the wielder to grow and retract a pair of wings at will, gaining a fly speed equal to your land speed with average maneuverability
    The Succubus Grants a +1 Cha per character level, as well as the ability to use Charm Person and Dominate Person at will.

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Jack_Simth's Avatar

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    May 2006

    Default Re: Ancient Talismans of Power (PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Aleolus View Post
    When I was younger, I enjoied watching the Jackie Chan cartoon series. That eventually led to me recreating the Talismans as they were in the show. Then, at a suggestion, I came up with an all new set for a gaming world, which I now present to you all for critique! Also, feel free to use these if you happen to like them!

    The Minotaur +1 Str per character level. Must be held or displayed to recieve benefit
    The Mermaid Gain a swim speed equal to land speed. While in water your legs become a tail and you gain water breathing
    The Dragon Allows use of a 60 foot cone of fire once every 1d4 rounds, dealing 1d6/2 levels, allowing a reflex save for half.
    Gorgon Allows use of Stone to Flesh and Flesh to Stone, as the spells, at will. Save DC is Cha based
    The Spider Grants immunity to poison, and can inflict poison by touch 3/day (1d6 Con/1d3 Con)
    The Snake Grants Hide in Plain Sight and a +8 on Hide checks
    The Angel Grants the wielder use of Smite Evil 4/day, Holy Smite 2/day, and a +4 to AC and saving throws, but only if the holder is good aligned
    The Demon Grants use of Smite Good 4/day, Unholy Blight 2/day, and a +4 to AC and saves, but only if the wielder is evil aligned.
    The Eagle Allows the wielder to grow and retract a pair of wings at will, gaining a fly speed equal to your land speed with average maneuverability
    The Succubus Grants a +1 Cha per character level, as well as the ability to use Charm Person and Dominate Person at will.
    A couple of things....

    What sort of ability bonus does the Minotaur/Succubus grant? Enhancement, inherent, untyped, something else? Also applies to the AC/Save bonuses for The Angel and The Demon.

    Several of these effects have a save - The Dragon (Fire breath), The Spider (Poison), The Angel (Holy Smite), The Demon (Unholy Blight), and The Succubus (Charm/Dominate Person). How is it calculated?

    Many of these secondary effects have different effects based on caster level. What's the effective caster level for them when they're used?

    These all have VASTLY different levels of use in a game. The Mermaid, for instance, is less useful than the 15,300 gp Pearl of the Sirines. Meanwhile, The Gorgon grants an at-will ranged save-or-lose applicable to a rather wide variety of opponent types. Are these supposed to be widely varying in power?
    Of course, by the time I finish this post, it will already be obsolete. C'est la vie.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    SwashbucklerGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2008

    Default Re: Ancient Talismans of Power (PEACH)

    Bonuses are all untyped

    Save DC for the Dragon and Spider are Con based, the others are all Cha based

    Caster level is always equal to the HD of the person using it

    Significantly different, yes. I wasn't planning on them varying from "Never useful" to "Zomg, I always win" or anything, but significant enough there are options for bringing them in at basically any party level

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    SolithKnightGuy

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    Sep 2006
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    Default Re: Ancient Talismans of Power (PEACH)

    I like them as artifacts to build campaigns round; Minotaur seems like the 1st level one as it scales with level and must be visible to have effect (so other artifact hunters will know s/he's the bearer of the Minotaur Stone). Succubus would be a decent one as well (though untyped cha bonuses to Bard/Sorcerer with no downside would cause problems) if you took away Charm/Dominate, or kept them as higher level powers (At 3rd level, Charm Person, 10th level Dominate, X/day, save DC Charisma based). Obtaining the others and unlocking their powers would make the campaign.
    Gorgon Stone, however, is epic level. Flesh to Stone at will!? Have you any idea how many DMs hate me because of that spell? Stone to Flesh is just as bad; now every maze, dungeon, Castle, prison or fortification has but one name; lunch. If you wanted it to be a two edged sword, you could have it grant the Medusas Stone Gaze special ability, but it can't be switched off. Great for a 6-8th level end boss, awful for a party.
    I admit full culpability for Phyrnglsnyx

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Titan in the Playground
     
    nedz's Avatar

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    Apr 2010
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    Default Re: Ancient Talismans of Power (PEACH)

    The Minotaur and The Succubus look very powerful, The Succubus especially since that's a casting stat.
    I'd consider scaling this back to +1 per n levels; where n >1
    π = 4
    Consider a 5' radius blast: this affects 4 squares which have a circumference of 40' — Actually it's worse than that.


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  6. - Top - End - #6
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    SwashbucklerGuy

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    Aug 2008

    Default Re: Ancient Talismans of Power (PEACH)

    Well, the Succubus I can understand modifying, considering the other abilities it has, but the whole purpose behind the Minotaur (modeled after the Ox talisman in the cartoon) was to bestow ridiculous levels of Str, allowing the person to be on par with giants eventually.

    As for the Gorgon, I can understand the caution with it, so maybe I should tweak that a bit, but I am still wanting to keep the petrification aspect

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