[3.5] The Rage of Endless War

[Goaty14]

The Infernal Battlefield of Acheron
Cubes smash, Armies clash, Warriors brash, welcome to Acheron!

You are an impromptu inhabitant to the plane of Acheron, an eternal battlefield of endless war and destruction. There are many ways to get here -- perhaps you were at the forefront of a rebellion turned sour? A devotee to fighting, here to train your prowess and skill? A bystander to a large battle, brought here when a battle grew too large for its home plane?

Regardless of your orgin, you are here. How do you plan to embrace your new reality?

Spoiler: Character Creation and Useful Information

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Character creation and application format can be found here (Credit to Blue Jay, of course), with the following changes to fit this game:
-No human-only race restriction.
--The rule prohibiting PrCs that normally require non-humans is also lifted, but the normal race can't be above LA +0. (So an Eye of Gruumsh would be allowed, but not Illthid Savant).
-Cantrips are still at-will, but any use of Cure Minor Wounds can only heal up to 1/4 normal HP.
-I'm not as good as Blue Jay and will actually rip monsters straight from the book on occasion.
-Dragon Magazine Content is case-by-case instead of blanket allowed.
-Alignment based mechanics still work as normal.
-Conjuration (Summoning) spells also work as normal.

FAQ:
What setting is used?
The classic "Great Wheel" cosmology is used, except with the following changes
-More than one Material plane may exist, each separated by the Astral.
-Manifest Zones occur when actions particularly attuned to an outside plane happen, and Manifest Zones allow for planar travel by traveling into them.
--For example, a large amount of localized fighting and warfare may create a Manifest Zone and transport everybody, including your character, to Acheron
How many players will be accepted into the game?
3-4 players, depending on end powerlevel and capabilities*. If players drop, I'll PM unaccepted applicants, or restart recruitment for players entirely.
*Say, less players if people make strong builds, but more players if people make weaker builds. I'm a sucker for good apps though, so I might even end up accepting 5.
Where will the game be hosted?
OotS, but I'm considering hosting a part of it on discord depending on player opinions.
How will rolling be done?
Players do their dice rolls and I do my dice rolls on the forum. Sometimes I will make hidden rolls, in which case I expect players to trust me.
What's the expected RP/Puzzles/Combat ratio?
Puzzles tend to be a waste of time outside of creatively solving problems. Otherwise 70/30 Encounters/RP.
If we start on a plane of battles, will we ever lead our own army?
I'm glad you asked! Due to the planned storyline, I won't be expecting the PCs to be staying on Acheron, but at some point in the campaign I will be digging up the good 'ol mass battle rules, morale checks, Commander Ratings, and all that fun stuff. If you make certain decisions in RP, then becoming a leader on a battlefield will definitely be an option.
Additionally, I'll be digging up the Commander Ratings rules found in the last post here if you're a sucker for planning ahead like me.
You mentioned possibly doing discord. Where can I contact you there?
I can respond to questions and such on discord at Goaty14#9333. I'm also on Belgareth's GitP Discord
How long will recruitment last?
1 week minimum (11/4/2019), maybe more depending on finished apps.

Spoiler: Rulings on mechanics

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Allowed:
#336, Mystic Ranger
Dragon Compendium, Serenity
Lesser Drow
Seduce to learn Secret
Dragon#325, Exhausting Rage and Slow to Anger

Not Allowed:
Dragon#351, Dragonmarked Sorcerer

Rulings:
> Evil Characters?
Yes, but please include unambiguous goals and motivations so I can better plan for your character.
> Prestige class ability prereqs?
Please ask about them on a case-by-case basis. That said, I can't think of a situation where we don't lower the prereqs to make the abilities usable.
> Can I have a prestige class on both sides of the gestalt?
Yes, I don't see why not.
> Can I take Mindbender at 1st level? We can switch the spellcasting progression to balance it out
Sure.
> Hengeyokai reduced to LA +0 as per Dragon#???
No. Hengeyokai are still allowed as LA +1 however (say, if you roll a new character down the line)
> Sword of the Arcane Order normally requires 4 Paladin or Ranger levels. With Mystic Ranger, can that be lowered?
I would rather not see people trying to use SotAO, because you have another gestalt track that you can dedicate to that anyways. But otherwise I'll allow a Mystic Ranger to take it at 1st level.
> Can I combine Wildshape Ranger and Mystic Ranger by delaying Wildshape by one level due to how Mystic Ranger delays combat style by one level?
Yes.
> [asking to reduce LA on certain races, or of some things are allowed]
As far as races go, besides having to be LA +0, I'd like for them to be Small/Medium sized (maybe tiny), humanoid shaped, and able to communicate with NPCs appropriately. Otherwise go ham.
> Taming Animals?
Refer to Minion Rules
> Tracking Ammo?
Track expensive ammunition. Otherwise assume that there are enough arrows/bolts laying around that you don't need to buy them.
> Using Arcane Stunt for Daring Outlaw instead of Grace?
Sure

Spoiler: Submitted Applications

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Nothing yet!

[Snowbluff]

Planning on a Warlock pew pew or glaive build. Maybe Duskblade or Ranger on other side.

Here's my character: Lugia Hatterie

Spoiler: Build Stuff Work

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I take Sorcerer1/ZhentarimSkymage2/EldritchDisciple3(no invocation progression)//Warlock1/HellfireWarlock3/Warlock+2

Feats:
1)
F) Improved Toughness
F) Shape Soulmeld: Strong Heart Vest
3)
6)
ZS)

[BelGareth]

Posting interest as well.

[Fliggl]

I'm so in! And with E6, melee is still good wohoooooo! Dervish || not_decided_yet

[Nightraiderx]

Posting interest, Arcane Archer/Assassin 1 highly possible entry

[Book Wombat]

Posting interest, will see if I'm able to make a sheet soon.

[Luccan]

I have an interest! So, if I were a Rogue/Fighter, with 14 Int, I would have 10 specialty skills, right?

[BelGareth]

I have an interest! So, if I were a Rogue/Fighter, with 14 Int, I would have 10 specialty skills, right?

11 if you were human.

[Foryn Gilnith]

Normal prerequisites for prestige classes will be waived. You may treat prestige classes as base classes, with the following restrictions.

Well.
That is... certainly a way to open up build options.
Will you be enforcing the Kallawlands prohibition on Evil-aligned characters? I ask because the setting is Acheron, after all.

[Togo]

Interest!

Hm... what happens to Prestige class abilities that have prerequisites? Do those go too, allowing the class to be played at a lower level? Or is this a case-by-case thing?

[Xanyo]

Right, time to start working on a wizard // something reliable. Maybe ranger? Monk could work too... ooh! Yes, I think monk may be good.

[Goaty14]

Hm... what happens to Prestige class abilities that have prerequisites? Do those go too, allowing the class to be played at a lower level? Or is this a case-by-case thing?

Case-by-case just to be on the safe side, but I can't see a situation where we don't lower the ability prereqs to make it playable. Was there something in particular that you had in mind?
Like Blue Jay, I'm a big fan of "Talk with your DM about it" for things like this. Even to the extent that I've repeatedly hinted at a Commoner//Aristocrat PC that I can spoil with goodies to make them viable.

Will you be enforcing the Kallawlands prohibition on Evil-aligned characters? I ask because the setting is Acheron, after all.

Good-aligned characters are easier to predict in terms of story to be honest, and despite what it looks like, I did not have a sandbox-type game in mind (nor a plane-hopping type game, while I'm at it). Evil characters are ok, but I'd like to see unambiguous motivations/goals if that's not too much to ask for.

I have an interest! So, if I were a Rogue/Fighter, with 14 Int, I would have 10 specialty skills, right?

If you were a Rogue||Fighter, then you'd have 8 (Rogue base) + 1 (Fighter) + 2 (INT) = 11 specialty skills, as you'd have the number as per normal, plus one per additional class after the highest granting one. As mentioned earlier, that'd go up by one (12 Specialty Skills) if you're a human.

Requesting Dvati from Dragon Mag Compendium.

Dvati is LA +1, so it wouldn't be playable even if I said yes.

Mechanical Rulings have been updated!

[Dread_Head]

Interested as a Fist of the Forest 1 // Scout 1, would that work as a character?

[Luccan]

I'm thinking Beguiler//some sort of fighting class. Not sure which, though.

Edit: A Beguiler//Swashbuckler (gonna throw some ACFs on it). I don't want to deal with too many systems. Will we be using the dead levels online supplement?

[BelGareth]

Doing a Paladin 1 // Psiwar.

Serenity was greenlit, for those folks who care.

[Goaty14]

Will we be using the dead levels online supplement?

The dead level supplement is... weird. It has a bunch of nice add-ons and such, but it's also pretty much a universal buff to everybody. I'd rather not use it, but the Seduction ability of the Swashbuckler IS rather nice...
I'll allow Seduction as an option once the game starts, but otherwise no to dead level abilities.

Serenity was greenlit, for those folks who care.

Yep! I'm making sure to put all rulings (even ones say, in PMs or on discord) in the appropriate area in the first post, so no need to worry about it.

[PeacefulOak]

I was the Mindbender question, but Goaty quite accurately pointed out that +1 Spellcasting does nothing if there is nothing to progress, so I'll be going Human Warlock // Binder for first level. Pacts all around!

Now to decide on the means and method.

[BelGareth]

WIP sheet Maera Silverblade

[Toliudar]

Working on a paladin/sorcerer of some nature.

[Foryn Gilnith]

Evil characters are ok, but I'd like to see unambiguous motivations/goals if that's not too much to ask for.

Quite reasonable. I was thinking of submitting a LE warblade/cleric from an Eberron-esque Material Plane, following a doctrine inspired by that of the Dark Six (I say "inspired by" because they don't tend to have anything like seminaries to enforce theological orthodoxy). Namely, that strength is more important than anything because strength is what allows you to take the kind of dramatic actions that are pleasing to the gods. Inaction and apathy spit in the face of the gods and are to be warded against; it is right and just to seek out as much power and wealth as your arms can reach, so that you may make more pleasing sacrifices to the glory of the gods.

The weak - those who have yet to become strong - must be pushed into becoming strong by any means available; but at the same time they must be protected because any mortal who dies while weak is going to have a very rough afterlife. Conversely, those stronger than you should be watched like a hawk for any sign of weakness and mercilessly exploited if one presents itself, so that they might die at the peak of their strength before age or infirmity starts chewing away at them.

This character in particular would have been plucked probably straight off the front lines, "encouraged" to drop through a manifest zone to the plane of Acheron by his NE superior in the faith, who believes a little more in pushing fledglings out of the nest and a little less in nurturing their growth... as such, his primary motivation is to build the physical strength and the depth of experience necessary to show his face back home again without being dismissed as shamefully weak. And, y'know, maybe give his beloved master a little homecoming gift to repay the generosity he received when he was kicked into this gloomy ****hole.

[Zhentarim]

Well, I’m thinking a half-elf cleric of the law domain and evil domain, probably an adherent of the archdevil of greed, Mammon.

The concept here is I was a Zhentarim mercenary who was promoted to the rank of stalwart, and was looking forward to a wealthy life one day, when he got sucked into archeron.

[Nightraiderx]

So I foind alittle bit of a snag with my build-
Obscuring mist is the only thing I can use imbue arrow with
I'd like to use ice knife but it is a single target spell.
So can I expand on imbue arrow so I can use ranged touch/rays with it?

[BelGareth]

So I foind alittle bit of a snag with my build-
Obscuring mist is the only thing I can use imbue arrow with
I'd like to use ice knife but it is a single target spell.
So can I expand on imbue arrow so I can use ranged touch/rays with it?

Sculpt spell.

[Nightraiderx]

Well while that does work, there will be some snags with it-
Assassins spontaneously cast so I need to either prepare spells, or find a way to add it without a huge time increase.
I suppose smiting spell is a good prequisite so I can ice knife a direct target

[Nightraiderx]

Sculpt spell.

Thanks for the suggestion, I am removing the assassin side so I can go Arcane Archer 6//Spelltheif 1/Metamagic Sorcerer 1/Unseen Seer 4

So I have a few 3rd level slots to use Sculpt Spell in

[Yasahiro]

Expressing interest and subscribing to thread and will notify you on discord

[kylelopezwms]

I am here!

[Toliudar]

How would you feel about Jotunbrud making you eligible for large-only prestige classes? Normally, I wouldn't ask this, but it seems like a pretty wide-open game taking shape.

[Goaty14]

How would you feel about Jotunbrud making you eligible for large-only prestige classes? Normally, I wouldn't ask this, but it seems like a pretty wide-open game taking shape.

Re-read the character creation rules. Simply put, prestige classes no longer have prerequisites (with constraints), so requesting this is redundant.

[Zhentarim]

Just making sure a lawful evil mammon cleric wouldn’t be at odds with the group.