Wells of Darkness

[paradox26]

Here is the OOC thread for the Savage Tides game, starting with the Wells of Darkness module. Say hi and introduce yourselves while I get the IC thread sorted.

EDIT: Here is the link to the recruitment thread, as forum rules require. I will add the IC thread as soon as it goes up.
https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...der-1e-gestalt

IC Thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...2#post25709022

Re-recruitment thread link: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...ls-of-Darkness

Second re-recruitment thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...re-recruitment

[samduke]

wow thanks for the selection,

Reiza Duneknight Slayer/Sentinel [AC 48, Touch 25, Flat-footed 39 DR:5/- HP:483 Perception:35 Delayed Damage Pool: 102 Reserve Points: 19 Second Wind (Ex): 10d6+9 heals no more than 50% max Conditions: none Will Speak in Blue, Actions: none

edited

[watupwithdat]

Setokh speaks in Turquoise.

With the party selected I'll make some time to do the finishing touches (gold to spend essentially, always a tough nut at higher levels) and a once-over of spell selection to better fit what's going on. A lot going on at work at the moment, so may need a few days, but people will probably trickle in as they notice selections have been made.

Samduke's thinking along the same lines as I. These guys have been together for much of the adventure, so if anyone have arcane spell requests that would make sense having in his spellbook I'm open to suggestions.

As for role in the party, I see Setokh as a toolbox, both when it comes to battlefield control and outside of combat, and a quite adaptive one at that. Got a lot of room to experiment as well.

Spoiler: Setokh, fluff

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Setokh accessed his vast psionic abilities at an early age, a natural with telepathy and psychometry. As he grew older, the decades of frequently rewriting and splitting his owe psyche and form has had a profound effect, with fragments of echoes of himself a part of his thoughts, and his mind has more or less shattered as a result. In an effort to gain a greater degree of control and protect himself from what he considered mental deterioration, Setokh turned to the study of magic, pursuing arcane and occult knowledge in and specializing in time, transmutation, and the mind.

Over the centuries, Setokh has become a powerful wizard in his own right, though not through traditional means, using his magic and psionic talents in tandem to bend time to his will and extend his own lifespan. His shattered mind is contained and under control, but seems to be irrevocable even with the most powerful of arcane and psionic knowledge available.

His apparent madness and sometimes questionable methods can make him seem unpredictable to those around him. Despite this, Setokh is not an evil person, but rather a pragmatic one who is not afraid to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goals. His intelligence and cunning make him a formidable opponent, and the blending of psionic might and magic make him a force to be reckoned with and an invaluable ally.

Spoiler: The Epic Psion

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Level Prowess Special Power points per day
21st — Power boost, Epic Power? 374
22nd — Bonus class feat, Expanded Knowledge 407
23rd — Power boost, Epic Power 441
24th +1 Expanded Knowledge 477
25th +1 Power boost, Epic Power 514
26th +1 Bonus class feat, Expanded Knowledge 553
27th +1 Power boost, Epic Power 593
28th +2 Expanded Knowledge 635
29th +2 Power boost, Epic Power 678
30th +2 Bonus class feat, Expanded Knowledge 723

Powers: Gain power points and known powers (+2 odd/+1 even) as they increase in level.
Discipline: A psion includes his epic levels when determining any level-dependent effects of his discipline powers. They no longer automatically gain new discipline abilities.
Power Boost: as Wizard's Spell Boost.
Epic Power? (need to figure out mechanics, however, as cantrips and 0 level powers doesn't work the same)
Expanded Knowledge: as the feat.

[samduke]

psionics wise you might consider the Metamorphosis chain

both wise I do not know how may of those are direct damage, and how many are support .. so you might consider a balance of both of those between the psionics and wizard sides

[AdmiralIvy]

Xiuying will opt for green!

I can do another look over my spell selections to better match the group. The Cleric half is obviously very flexible, but I did my best to try to fill gaps where the Inquisitor list couldn't hold up. I'll do my best to look over everyone's sheets and try to provide advice or input, but this will be the highest-level game I've played in, so apologies in advance for my lack of expertise.

Reposting her backstory below for easy reference, as watupwithdat did for Setokh. (As an aside, I find it amusing that two characters in the group are both using blue planeswalker art.)

Spoiler: Xue Xiuying Backstory

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Xiuying was born in Goka to an affluent family of mages, who had garnered significant prestige for their generations of service to the Golden League. She received the finest in arcane education from the moment she could read, and took to the task with an unending thirst for knowledge. However, what always intrigued her most was not the thaumaturgical logic of admixture, nor the complex formulae required for teleportation, but the inscrutable laws and masters that governed the planes, behind them all the questions of "What? When? Why?"

The gods seemed the most capable of answering these questions, moreso than any of her tutors, so her attention turned from the arcane to the divine. Too headstrong to be deterred by even her parents, she spent her teenage years among the clergy of Abadar, who failed to satisfy her curiosity. They focused too intently upon material wealth, and she took that lesson to heart. Her early twenties saw her faithfully serve the temple of Shizuru, but they, too, did not meet her needs. What use is a single sun, in such a vast cosmos? Her gaze turned to more malign influences, with their temptations of forbidden knowledge and untold power, but chance left her soul unblemished. A scattering of leaves on the wind, the cast of dice in an alley behind her, and patterns in movement of the bustling crowd she waded through struck her all at once, a message written at her birth and delivered only now: "Avistan."

By the next morning, she had booked passage and was headed east. A whisper greeted her on the shore, and with each step in her path they grew more precise. Arriving, at last, at a secluded copse past the fringes of civilization, she met her patron-to-be. They spoke for what may have been hours or may have been years, and for the first time in her life she felt satisfied with the answers she received. Xiuying now travels the world in search of ever-greater secrets, empowered by a deal struck with the Eldest Magdh. Her divine mission is to correct where fate has been set askew, but the details of this are... left to her interpretation.

[samduke]

@paradox26

something I need to ask partially due to being a wishcrafter and partially because I need to ask...
the spell Permanency can make a list of spells permanent, I would like to know if that can be expanded to any spell as I can cast effectively most arcane and most divine via WISH / MIRACLE beyond my standard list of spells and SLA'S.

[paradox26]

Sorry, but we will be sticking with the existing list of permanencied spells.

[samduke]

Sorry, but we will be sticking with the existing list of permanencied spells.

NP
Question for the party, as it is presented as an option to me. looking at what we have for classes only, I am seeing many overlapping casting abilities, You know what your character is about

I built 2 characters for this game, 1 was built as a Tank with minor Sphere Arcane Caster/Sneak/Thief/Scout
the other was built as a dual Arcane / Divine caster around the theme of granting wishes with minor Face/Diplomat, but the party has characters with those filled from what I see.

So the GM has presented me the option of using the Tank instead.
before I make that choice

I would like to know what of the following roles what ROLE(s) do you put your own character into, if you fill a role not listed, just list it.

Psionic Caster
Arcane Caster
Divine Caster
Sneak/Thief/Scout
Face/Diplomat
Tank, <- this is not just ac but the ability to draw the hit and take the damage

[watupwithdat]

I would like to know what of the following roles what ROLE(s) do you put your own character into, if you fill a role not listed, just list it.

I'd consider Setokh to be in the Psionic/Arcane Caster, Battlefield Control, Scout (arguably) and Utility roles currently. Do we count mind control/manipulation powers as face/diplomat?

Depending on what is cast and/or manifested some roles may be added or removed, however. Not to mention him being a Psychic Reformation away from a slightly different configuration (though I don't expect anything too drastic.)

[samduke]

I'd consider Setokh to be in the Psionic/Arcane Caster, Battlefield Control, Scout (arguably) and Utility roles currently. Do we count mind control/manipulation powers as face/diplomat?

Depending on what is cast and/or manifested some roles may be added or removed, however. Not to mention him being a Psychic Reformation away from a slightly different configuration (though I don't expect anything too drastic.)

*Notation you might consider finishing filling out your sheet

Psychic Reformation does not count, what counts is what is current.

mind control/manipulation powers as face/diplomat <- I would say yes to a degree as these are also things like the intimidate/diplomacy skills ect...

Without SPELLS/POWERS do you fill the Scout (arguably) and Utility roles ? as a caster one can fill almost any role to a degree

every caster should fill a portion of Battlefield Control and is why i only listed "X" Caster

*Note @Paradox26 WARLAWK withdrew, sent you a link to the actual post.
Considering that factor alone I will switch over to my Tank build, and then P26 you can find another player to fill in ...

I will keep amber around however

edited

[AdmiralIvy]

I would most consider Xiuying a divine caster, with a lesser degree of specialization as a face and/or scout. For the former, Bluff and Diplomacy are only middling, but some Inquisitor abilities combined with great Intimidate and Sense Motive might help out. For the latter, her Perception and Stealth are both quite good, and even before actual casting she's under a permanent Nondetection and has a variety of very high Knowledge checks, particularly to identify enemies.

There is one thing I forgot to mention previously, which still needs to completed on her sheet. On her Cleric side, I took this ability as a capstone:

With This Sword (Ex)
At 20th level, the character’s blade has become as well-known as the character herself. The character selects one item she has—preferably something iconic and significant, such as a weapon or arcane bond. The item becomes a minor artifact and gains 100,000 gp worth of new powers. The player and the GM should work together to select the new powers, with an eye towards making something memorable yet campaign-appropriate. Characters of any class can select this ability.

I was waiting until after I was accepted, were that to happen, to work this out personally with paradox26. I've chosen ahead of time for it to be her weapon, because it feels fitting as an obvious connection to her faith, but her holy symbol or something similar would also work quite well in my eyes. So would it be best for me to look through some possible ideas for what to fill out the 100,000 gp worth of new powers with, paradox? Or would you rather decide on some guidelines yourself?

[paradox26]

*Notation you might consider finishing filling out your sheet

Psychic Reformation does not count, what counts is what is current.

mind control/manipulation powers as face/diplomat <- I would say yes to a degree as these are also things like the intimidate/diplomacy skills ect...

Without SPELLS/POWERS do you fill the Scout (arguably) and Utility roles ? as a caster one can fill almost any role to a degree

every caster should fill a portion of Battlefield Control and is why i only listed "X" Caster

*Note @Paradox26 WARLAWK withdrew, sent you a link to the actual post.
Considering that factor alone I will switch over to my Tank build, and then P26 you can find another player to fill in ...

I will keep amber around however

edited

Thanks for the heads up. I saw your post before I went onto the forum to see Warlawk's post. I will decide on a new player. Does anyone have a particular preference? I figure since you will be playing beside them I should ask, especially since you are deciding on party roles.

I would most consider Xiuying a divine caster, with a lesser degree of specialization as a face and/or scout. For the former, Bluff and Diplomacy are only middling, but some Inquisitor abilities combined with great Intimidate and Sense Motive might help out. For the latter, her Perception and Stealth are both quite good, and even before actual casting she's under a permanent Nondetection and has a variety of very high Knowledge checks, particularly to identify enemies.

There is one thing I forgot to mention previously, which still needs to completed on her sheet. On her Cleric side, I took this ability as a capstone:

I was waiting until after I was accepted, were that to happen, to work this out personally with paradox26. I've chosen ahead of time for it to be her weapon, because it feels fitting as an obvious connection to her faith, but her holy symbol or something similar would also work quite well in my eyes. So would it be best for me to look through some possible ideas for what to fill out the 100,000 gp worth of new powers with, paradox? Or would you rather decide on some guidelines yourself?

You can come up with powers and just run them past me. I will be pretty flexible.

[samduke]

Thanks for the heads up

based on the last table I look at ( https://forums.giantitp.com/showsing...&postcount=380 )
in no particular order

Gunhaven Ixen'Hesjing Unchained Monk (The Stupor Monk) 4/Alchemist (Eldritch Infuser) 17 Guru (Essence Wielder) 1/Alchemist 1/Monk 3/Trinity Angel 6/Trinity Warrior 10

Thunder999 Zavud Rubato Bard 20/Master of Many Styles 1 Rajah 21

greenpotato Ilyat the executioner Fighter Runesinger 21 Thug 5 / Cavalier 4 / Spheres Pack Lord 12

Lord of Gifts Mhurren Stoneskin Fracture Fighter 21 Arcane Weaponeer Magus 21

these are who I would vote for , However You should look at their sheets and decide

[watupwithdat]

Without SPELLS/POWERS do you fill the Scout (arguably) and Utility roles ? as a caster one can fill almost any role to a degree

Without spells or powers Setokh is fodder with close-range telepathy and a psicrystal which can scout. So in other words pretty useless for anything that's not sneaking up on you or can be spied upon by a psicrystal that barely ever leaves its master's side.

based on the last table I look at ( https://forums.giantitp.com/showsing...&postcount=380 )
in no particular order

Some of those apps are unavailable or very barebones (cleared out mechanics after selections perhaps.)

As for what to pick, I'm too poor at Spheres to judge apps fairly. Some kind of martial character?

[paradox26]

We will go with Gunhaven then. I will extend an invitation. Thanks for the input.

[Gunhaven]

Oh sick. Ixen’Hesjing ready to tempt fate with a 0.6 BAC! For chat I’ll go with… Purple.

As it stands I exist to punch things and confound them when they start to burn. Otherwise I can fill in for healing and a little bit of melee control.

Looking at things I suspect I'll be able to exist fairly comfortably as a mid range / melee DPS. Astral Pugilism lets me throw my punches 40 feet, or I can send forth a copy 200 feet once a turn as a swift action and then start swinging from that. Or I can start chucking alchemical items, which will apply me punches if the attack roll would beat their normal AC. If we need to do some area denial I can always make a volcano, too.

And barring any other suggestions/concerns I should be good to go. I added in a freezing geyser and spent some gold upgrading my implement.

[AdmiralIvy]

Excited to have you in the group!

I had a hard time finding appropriately thematic enchantments or items for the ability, so I defaulted to generally defensive ones (and will likely apply this to her holy symbol as opposed to her weapon, to be more in line with that). Opting for three to fit in with Magdh, does this math check out?

Ring of Counterspells - 4,000 gp * 1.5 (multiple different abilities) * 2 (slotless) = +12,000 gp
Black Soul Shard - 12,000 gp * 1.5 (multiple different abilities) * 2 (slotless) = +36,000 gp
Ring of Evasion - 25,000 gp * 2 (slotless) = +50,000 gp
Total value of Argat, the Shining = 12,000 + 36,000 + 50,000 = 98,000 gp
With a small custom request (which I am fine to go without), that Xiuying receives a slight nudge in the right direction of what would be useful when refilling the Ring of Counterspells portion.

[samduke]

Excited to have you in the group!

I had a hard time finding appropriately thematic enchantments or items for the ability, so I defaulted to generally defensive ones (and will likely apply this to her holy symbol as opposed to her weapon, to be more in line with that). Opting for three to fit in with Magdh, does this math check out?

Ring of Counterspells - 4,000 gp * 1.5 (multiple different abilities) * 2 (slotless) = +12,000 gp
Black Soul Shard - 12,000 gp * 1.5 (multiple different abilities) * 2 (slotless) = +36,000 gp
Ring of Evasion - 25,000 gp * 2 (slotless) = +50,000 gp
Total value of Argat, the Shining = 12,000 + 36,000 + 50,000 = 98,000 gp
With a small custom request (which I am fine to go without), that Xiuying receives a slight nudge in the right direction of what would be useful when refilling the Ring of Counterspells portion.

not sure if your math is correct

ring of evasion 25,000
black soul shard 12,000 x 1.5 (18,000)
ring of counter spells 4,000 x1.5 (6,000)
total 49,000 gp

are you attaching the black soul shard to a ring ?
(multiple different abilities) what abilities ?
(slotless) you dont need it slotless do you ?
I am hoping you put (greater dispell magic) on that ring of counter spells
do not attach these to a holy symbol that is just a waste IMHO
and unless the holy symbol states otherwise MOST are a Throat Slot

[AdmiralIvy]

not sure if your math is correct

ring of evasion 25,000
black soul shard 12,000 x 1.5 (18,000)
ring of counter spells 4,000 x1.5 (6,000)
total 49,000 gp

are you attaching the black soul shard to a ring ?
(multiple different abilities) what abilities ?
(slotless) you dont need it slotless do you ?
I am hoping you put (greater dispell magic) on that ring of counter spells
do not attach these to a holy symbol that is just a waste IMHO
and unless the holy symbol states otherwise MOST are a Throat Slot

I thought making an item slotless multiplied the entire price by 2, after all other considerations. The multiple abilities in this case would be all three of those on one item, though you make a good point that said item need not be slotless. I got a bit caught up on what item would be most thematically appropriate to be blessed by Magdh, rather than what would make most mechanical sense. I'll pop back in shortly with a reconsidered idea for it, as the capstone ability doesn't give the option to bank unused value, so I should find a way to at least approach to 100,000 gp cap. Thank you for the corrections!

[samduke]

I thought making an item slotless multiplied the entire price by 2, after all other considerations. The multiple abilities in this case would be all three of those on one item, though you make a good point that said item need not be slotless. I got a bit caught up on what item would be most thematically appropriate to be blessed by Magdh, rather than what would make most mechanical sense. I'll pop back in shortly with a reconsidered idea for it, as the capstone ability doesn't give the option to bank unused value, so I should find a way to at least approach to 100,000 gp cap. Thank you for the corrections!

hrm a 100,000 gp cap to a single item ? thats interesting
just as a note pending item and you obviously, but magic armor and or weapons add up fast
magic items in general do not unless they are very expensive, I personally have never bothered with trying to make something slotless that was not already such. so I would need to re-read the cost factor of that but again in my experience it really for the most part is not needed

but the formulea for adding items to items is the lesser expensive of items is 1.5 x its cost to be combined to the more expensive item regardless of item (type) THEN the combined item if it was to be made slotless is then cost factored last

[AdmiralIvy]

hrm a 100,000 gp cap to a single item ? thats interesting
just as a note pending item and you obviously, but magic armor and or weapons add up fast
magic items in general do not unless they are very expensive, I personally have never bothered with trying to make something slotless that was not already such. so I would need to re-read the cost factor of that but again in my experience it really for the most part is not needed

but the formulea for adding items to items is the lesser expensive of items is 1.5 x its cost to be combined to the more expensive item regardless of item (type) THEN the combined item if it was to be made slotless is then cost factored last

Got it, thank you! Apologies for the delay on this, yesterday and today were unexpectedly busy and I keep fussing over exacts for this. My best idea thus far is this, without resorting to looking at a truly custom item (which I would prefer to avoid for both my and paradox's sanity):
Soultether Ring - 8,000 gp * 1.5 * (multiple different abilities) = +12,000 gp
3x Ring of Counterspells - 12,000 gp * 1.5 (multiple different abilities) = +18,000 gp
Ring of Evasion - 25,000 gp * 1.5 (multiple different abilities) = +37,500 gp
Ring of Refusal - +32,500 gp
Total value of a round 100,000 gp

[paradox26]

Just a heads up. The game is still going ahead. It is just that my houseguest is still here and taking up most of my time. He will probably be gone in a few days, but I will try to get the first IC post up before then.

@AdmiralIvy, that ring combinations sounds alright by me.

[AdmiralIvy]

No worries, best wishes with you and your guest. Glad the ring works! I'm open to suggestions as to what spells to store in it (maximum of 6th level, and preferably ones I can personally refill it with if necessary), but as a default I'll be putting Dismissal, Greater Dispel Magic, and Harm in there.

[samduke]

Ring of Refusal
a ring that I am not familiar with - NICE !

[Gunhaven]

That Soultether ring is pretty sick, too. I appreciate the extended time limit if I have to crack open a philosopher’s stone in the worst case scenario.

And take your time with the house guest.

[samduke]

@AdmiralIvy

as to the spells for the 3 rings of counterspells
Dismissal
Greater Dispel Magic
Harm

ultimately these spells are your choices, choose what you feel you might encounter.

*Greater Dispel Magic should be enough to counter just about anything
*notation the spell is expended once used and so Xue Xiuying needs to re-apply it to the ring once used as they have it on their spell list

You make one dispel check (1d20 + the rings CL 11th +4) and compare that to the spell with highest caster level
(DC = 11 + the spell’s caster level)


Notation about the FAQ notation in PFSRD
The ring only affects spells that target you, not spells that include you in the area..

this is generally true EXCEPT with Greater Dispel Magic

when used as a counterspell: it can counter a targeted effects, such as any spell targeting yourself, but not your items
and or an area effect, such as Anti-magic field or an area effect spell that could effect you and your items



@Gunhaven
did you link your character sheet here and pick a speech color ?

[Gunhaven]

@Gunhaven
did you link your character sheet here and pick a speech color ?

Oh sick. Ixen’Hesjing ready to tempt fate with a 0.6 BAC! For chat I’ll go with… Purple.

Ye, and I should be good to go unless y’all think of anything I should adjust. I might just start working on me buffs and junk just so I know what a generic turn could look like.

[paradox26]

I have just linked the first post in this thread to the new IC thread. Give me half an hour and the first post should go up in the IC thread. Thanks for your patience, everyone.

[samduke]

first layer of the Abyss, often known as the Plane of Infinite Portals
Elemental/energy traits: None
Alignment trait: Mildly chaotic evil


"You wonder if it is safe to go blindly into a place within the Abyss. "

Reiza:
Knowledge (Planes) (1d20+37)[44]

[paradox26]

That will give you a good understanding of the layout of the plane. Ask whatever you like, and I will answer it for you.