The Drow War Epic 3.5 OOC thread

[paradox26]

Welcome to the game. Please pick a colour and introduce yourselves. I will get the first IC post up as soon as I am able.


Recruitment Thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...War-(Epic-3-5)

IC Thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...-3-5-IC-thread

[Lioslaith]

I am both humbled and honored to have been chosen. I will be using this color to speak in.

[namo]

Thanks for picking Yedra, paradox!

1/ Fluff
My first question is regarding the background & setting:
- is there anything we need to know from the previous adventures, that remains pertinent now? (NPCs, stuff we've been through, a demon we've unleashed , ...)
- what is the setting?

I found a pdf online with just the first few pages of the adventure path (only part of the intro - 0 spoiler), and it seems it takes place in a dedicated setting, Ashfar? But perhaps you've moved it elsewhere?
And I'm not sure there's a typical Underdark where Drows dwell?

The PCs are described as Starborn, which I guess translates to "special" / "chosen".

There's absolutely no hurry to answer this, this is just to help with RP down the road.

2/ Mechanics
Tome of Battle does not have any official epic supplement.
Would you be open to 1 epic feat from a homebrew source on GitP?

I'm considering one of these:

Spoiler

Show

Dual Stance Mastery [Epic]
You are capable of holding yourself in a way to gain multiple benefits.
Prerequisites: Martial Lore 12 ranks, ability to use at least one 9th level maneuver, and an 8th level stance.
Benefit: You are capable of using two martial stances simultaneously, or if you have a class feature that gives you this benefit(such as the warblade or master of nine) you are instead capable of using three. You are also capable of taking two swift actions a round, so long as one of them is used to go into a martial stance.

Signature Move [Epic]
You have eternal mastery over a single martial strike, to the point where it's as easy for you to use as any normal attack.
Prerequisites: Martial Lore 12 ranks, 24 ranks in the discipline associated skill of the chosen maneuver, Adaptive Style, ability to use at least one 9th level strike.
Benefit: Select a single martial boost, counter or strike you know. Whenever you use that martial maneuver, it is not considered expended but you must still have it readied.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, each time selecting a new martial maneuver.

I didn't want to burden you before selection, hence why I'm asking now.

Also, will Drow be a good Favored Enemy for this campaign or would that ability not see much play?

[paradox26]

Hi Namo. To answer your questions in reverse order, yes you can use the homebrew feats for ToB classes. They are well balanced and are widely considered unofficially to be useful for epic ToB characters.

As for the drow, I just had a quick reminder look through the book, and I don't think you will even be seeing a drow until you are level 29. Each chapter of the book will have you facing a different enemy type for the majority of the chapter. So no matter which creature type you choose it will come in handy eventually.

With regards to the background, there is a lot of material to cover. I am about to go to bed, so I will have to go through and write up the intro material tomorrow. The setting is technically Ashfar, but that is a prime material world, and you will be spending the whole adventure travelling the planes.

[samduke]

Ivory will speak in blue

@party Ivory has a few buffs the party will benefit from I will list those below here on this post
Edited
1st Ivory does have miracle and wish/limited wish, as well as greater anyspell/anyspell so if there is some odd spell that you think could be useful for any situation - speak up.

as for the planar travel Ivory does have greater planeshift / planeshift , greater teleport / teleport

Shield of Faith (21 min) +5 deflection bonus to AC

Haste (21 rnds) +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves, All of the hasted creature's modes of movement +30ft, hasted creature may make one extra attack with any weapon he is holding

True Seeing (21 min) The subject sees through normal and magical darkness, notices secret doors hidden by magic, sees the exact locations of creatures or objects under blur or displacement effects, sees invisible creatures or objects normally, sees through illusions, and sees the true form of polymorphed, changed, or transmuted things. Further, the subject can focus its vision to see into the Ethereal Plane (but not into extradimensional spaces). The range of true seeing conferred is 120 feet

Fly (21 min) The subject can fly at a speed of 60 feet (or 40 feet if it wears medium or heavy armor, or if it carries a medium or heavy load). It can ascend at half speed and descend at double speed, and its maneuverability is good.

Heroes' Feast (13 hours) Every creature partaking of the feast is cured of all diseases, sickness, and nausea; becomes immune to poison for 12 hours; and gains 1d8 temporary hit points +1 point per two caster levels (maximum +10) after imbibing the nectar-like beverage that is part of the feast. The ambrosial food that is consumed grants each creature that partakes a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saves and immunity to fear effects for 12 hours.

[namo]

In terms of giving party buffs, allies within 100ft of Yedra gain +2 morale to attack / saves / skill checks (Admiral's Bicorne), except perhaps if you are Mindblanked, not sure if it's an emotion effect / mind-affecting.
On the receiving end: she's built to be fairly self-reliant, but Haste is always appreciated, as is Heroes' Feast; True Seeing would depend on the situation. She wouldn't mind a Greater Magic Vestment on her shield either.


Do we need party funds to buy party items? I'm not sure, but I'm bringing it up just in case. Usually I like to get the Orb and Rod from MIC that restore ability point damage, but with an epic level Cleric & Druid it's probably not needed.

[samduke]

In terms of giving party buffs, allies within 100ft of Yedra gain +2 morale to attack / saves / skill checks (Admiral's Bicorne), except perhaps if you are Mindblanked, not sure if it's an emotion effect / mind-affecting.
On the receiving end: she's built to be fairly self-reliant, but Haste is always appreciated, as is Heroes' Feast; True Seeing would depend on the situation. She wouldn't mind a Greater Magic Vestment on her shield either.


Do we need party funds to buy party items? I'm not sure, but I'm bringing it up just in case. Usually I like to get the Orb and Rod from MIC that restore ability point damage, but with an epic level Cleric & Druid it's probably not needed.

I find magic vestment, but not greater where are you seeing that? As for restoration, yeah the cleric/druid should have it handled, as for funds pooled I supose if folks want to use what ever left over they have but if like ivory it will not be much

[namo]

Ah, yes, Magic Vestment, must have got it confused with (Greater) Magic Weapon which has 2 versions.

[DrK]

Kurnos shall speak in Druidic Green if thats okay?

He is quite self sufficient, designed to be relatively low optimisation but can ramp it up with wildshaping and spells if needs be

Spoiler: Kurnos

Show

Kurnos
CN Wild Elf Druid (Root Walker/WildReaper), Level 21, Init 7, HP +21*Con/168, Speed 60
AC 33, Touch 28, Flat-footed 26, Fort 25, Ref 20, Will 28, Base Attack Bonus 15
G.M.Wallop, Ironwood Staff +1 (4) Drow bane / +1 (4) Aberration Bane ((4d6+14 if 2-H)) +27 or +25/25 (4d6+11 / 4d6+7, x2)
Drow bane MW Comp (+7) Longbow +4 (40 / 40 cold iron / 40 silver) +27 (1d8+11, x3)
Bracers of Armour +5 (+5 Armor, +7 Dex, +11 Misc)
Abilities Str 24, Dex 24, Con 22, Int 18, Wis 28, Cha 20
Condition
Superior Resistance (+6 to saves)
Heart of Air / Earth / Fire / Water (Feather fall, +8 vs Bullrush etc/Fire Res 20/Swim & breathe water) (100% fortification)
Primal Hunter/Instinct/Senses (+5 Init / Climb/jump/swim/survival/initiative/listen/spot (uncanny dodge))



"Gwrhydd" - Druidic Companion (Dire Bear)
Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 252 (18d8+108)
Initiative: +1 (+6)
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 32 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +13 natural, +7 armour), touch 12, flat-footed 32
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+35
Attack: Claw +28 melee (2d6+16 19-20/x4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +28 melee (2d6+16 19-20/x4) and bite +24 melee (2d8+7)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +(23) 17, Ref +(20) 14, Will +(16) 7 [+4 vs enchantment]
Abilities: Str 38 (34), Dex 16, Con 23 (19), Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +15, Spot +15, Swim +13
Feats: Multiattack (B), Power attack (EitR), Powerful Maneuvers (EitR) (1), Awesome Blow (3), Light armour prof' (6)
Imp' Natural Attack (Claws) (9), Improved Critical (12), Knockback (15), Improved Grab (18)
Special: Link, Share spells, Evasion, Devotion

Class Level Bonus HD Natural Armor Adj. Str/Dex Adj. Bonus Tricks Special
1st-2nd +0 +0 +0 1 Link, share spells
3rd-5th +2 +2 +1 2 Evasion
6th-8th +4 +4 +2 3 Devotion
9th-11th +6 +6 +3 4 Multiattack

Equipment: 9000, 9170, 5000, 2000, 32000, 16000
Battle Bridle (+5 to ride checks, Mounted Combat feat)
Leather scale barding +3 w/lesser xtal of mindshielding (+3 to Will Saves)
Claws of the Ripper (Claw critical multipler x4)
Amulet of Health (+4) + Natural Attacks +2 (2x claws)
Belt of Giant strength +4

Shared Spells
Primal Instinct/Hunters
Heart of Earth/Fire/Air/Water
Superior Resistance

[samduke]

Ah, yes, Magic Vestment, must have got it confused with (Greater) Magic Weapon which has 2 versions.

okay so as a cleric I can change up the spells daily and have a tendency to just list the spells I think most usful, I have traded out create food - for -

Magic Vestment
Armor or Shield
(21 hours)
+5 enhancement bonus

**
party members if your character needs one of the buffs I have listed let me know so I can track the spells used.

[Athaleon]

Assuming my name wasn't mentioned by accident in the announcement post, I'm very grateful to be here despite not being quite finished. I'll do what I can to finish ASAP. I suppose being the only arcane caster helped.

Slate Grey would be a fitting color for Krag.

[samduke]

In terms of giving party buffs, allies within 100ft of Yedra gain +2 morale to attack / saves / skill checks (Admiral's Bicorne), except perhaps if you are Mindblanked, not sure if it's an emotion effect / mind-affecting.
On the receiving end: she's built to be fairly self-reliant, but Haste is always appreciated, as is Heroes' Feast; True Seeing would depend on the situation. She wouldn't mind a Greater Magic Vestment on her shield either.

To all of the party when things get going Ivory will bestow
Haste (2 days) +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves, All of the hasted creature's modes of movement +30ft, hasted creature may make one extra attack with any weapon he is holding

and if we have 1 hour for Hero's feast we will get
Every creature partaking of the feast is cured of all diseases, sickness, and nausea; becomes immune to poison for 12 hours; and gains 1d8 temporary hit points +1 point per two caster levels (maximum +10) after imbibing the nectar-like beverage that is part of the feast. The ambrosial food that is consumed grants each creature that partakes a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saves and immunity to fear effects for 12 hours.

Yedra will receive once things get going
Magic Vestment (21 hours)
Armor or Shield +5 enhancement bonus

[namo]

@paradox: if getting the info together is too much work at once, feel free to dump us in the middle of things, and to distill the setting/background knowledge bit-by-bit along the way

@samduke: much appreciated

[paradox26]

Assuming my name wasn't mentioned by accident in the announcement post, I'm very grateful to be here despite not being quite finished. I'll do what I can to finish ASAP. I suppose being the only arcane caster helped.

Slate Grey would be a fitting color for Krag.

Your name was deliberate. Lol. I added you partly because we have gamed together in the past and I trust you as a good player, but also primarily for party balance. I like to cover all the bases.

@paradox: if getting the info together is too much work at once, feel free to dump us in the middle of things, and to distill the setting/background knowledge bit-by-bit along the way

@samduke: much appreciated

I will get up a post in the next couple of hours to get this kicked off. I will try to avoid pushing a heap of background down your throats all at once, so I will drip feed what you need to know.

[samduke]

well I read through that IC post and I am perplexed .. not sure what you want us to be doing ?

should we be considering what we are doing at the One Year On point, or are you wanting to skip strait to - Prologue: Bringing the Band Back Together point ?

[paradox26]

Sorry about that. I was setting the scene for the party to have been apart for a year. Now you are getting back together. I should have clarified that. So for everyone, please say what you would have been doing over the last year. It is late here, and a weekend. So I will make the first substantive post tomorrow.

[Athaleon]

Your name was deliberate. Lol. I added you partly because we have gamed together in the past and I trust you as a good player, but also primarily for party balance. I like to cover all the bases.

Thank you, I really appreciate it. It's been a busy time lately but I will definitely post at least something IC tomorrow.

[Athaleon]

On the topic of party buffs: In addition to banning Illusion, Enchantment, and Necromancy, I tried to keep Krag's spells somewhat limited by theme: Earth type spells (though his list has a lot fewer than Druids do), and Acid and Metal by extension. Sufficiently Dwarfy spells would include effects that toughen creatures, enhance equipment and other constructed things, and call upon an ancestor's aid in some fashion. As a devotee of Gorm Gulthyn, whose watchword is vigilance, Divination will feature heavily as well. And I've tried to include glyph/symbol type spells since he's a Runesmith, though it's hard to imagine actually using many of them that often. Open-ended Transmutation spells like Shapechange and Polymorph Any Object will be similarly limited.

In addition to general buffs he would try to maintain on the whole party (e.g. Mind Blank for anyone without it or a Third Eye Conceal), and situational spells he will try to keep at the ready (e.g. specific energy resist/immunity), he could do:

- Greater Magic Weapon: Can potentially save some coin, or bring a backup weapon to +5.
- Greater Mighty Wallop and Weapon of Impact: Straight damage boost for fellow bludgeoning weapon enjoyers.
- Polymorph Any Object: If there's an appropriately-themed creature you'd like to be turned into.
- Superior Resistance: Better than a (non-epic) Cloak of Resistance; save some coin but risk having it dispelled.
- Adept Spirit: +1 Caster Level and other castery bonuses on tap.
- Heroics: If there's a combat feat you wanted but couldn't quite squeeze in.

Just some examples. If there's something else you can think of and would like to have, let me know.

[namo]

I think I'll try to have Yedra go without Mindblank - except if it's needed for plot reasons (e.g. to avoid divinations).
I've been trying to avoid blanket immunities (though they are definitely a usual part of high-level 3.5E play), which in the end I think could make the game more fun for me. I did pick up a Ring of Freedom of Movement because it can suck for a meleer to just be stuck far from an opponent.
I'll just have to hope Irresistible Dance or other "no-save you fail" abilities are not used too much against her.
(You do have permission to Mindblank her if she gets Charmed or Dominated!! But her saves/defensive abilities are pretty decent.)

Taking a quick look at your sheet, and given that this is not a high-op game, I'd say you may not need Persisted Wraithstrike AND Persisted Divine Power AND Shapechange. Two out of the three should be more than enough to contribute (perhaps one is even enough!); with all 3, you would only need to roll attack to check for a 1... Just my 2c, obviously feel free to try it out as-is and see how it plays out.

[Athaleon]

Taking a quick look at your sheet, and given that this is not a high-op game, I'd say you may not need Persisted Wraithstrike AND Persisted Divine Power AND Shapechange. Two out of the three should be more than enough to contribute (perhaps one is even enough!); with all 3, you would only need to roll attack to check for a 1... Just my 2c, obviously feel free to try it out as-is and see how it plays out.

Fair enough. Of the three I'd probably drop Divine Power first as it would also free up a feat—while my Armor and Shield are riding on Greater Magic Vestment from that feat, we do have a Cleric I could ask for those.

[samduke]

Fair enough. Of the three I'd probably drop Divine Power first as it would also free up a feat—while my Armor and Shield are riding on Greater Magic Vestment from that feat, we do have a Cleric I could ask for those.

I can give magic vestment +5, I have no idea where greater magic vestment comes from..

Divine Power --->>> maybe Reach Spell would work

@GM
Reach Spell
You can cast touch spells without touching the spell recipient.

*Does Personal /You count as touch ???

Divine Power
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

[DrK]

Greater mighty wallop would always be appreciated
I'll avoid the mind blank, I like a morale bonus now and then and also don't like to have too many immunities as it takes some of the excitement out of the game.

[samduke]

Greater mighty wallop would always be appreciated
I'll avoid the mind blank, I like a morale bonus now and then and also don't like to have too many immunities as it takes some of the excitement out of the game.

Ivory does not have

Mighty Wallop, Greater
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer 3, Wizard 3
Components:
Duration: 1 hour/level (21 hours)

unless it comes from Greater Anyspell
This spell functions like anyspell, except you can read and prepare any arcane spell of up to 5th level, and the prepared spell occupies your 6th-level domain spell slot.

does any other party member have this spell before Ivory expends a spell to get it ?



Mighty Wallop, Greater
As mighty wallop, except that the bludgeoning melee weapon damage increases by one size category for every four caster levels you have, to a maximum of five size categories or up to an effective size of Colossal.


Ivory's current
Domain Spells
1 True Strike
2 Silence
3 Haste
4 Freedom of Movement
5 True Seeing
6 Contingency < Revivify > / Anyspell, Greater
7 Forcecage
8 Antimagic Field
9 Wish

[namo]

It was Athaleon who offered up Greater Mighty Wallop, samduke, in his post above.
No need for you to expend resources there.

[Athaleon]

I can give magic vestment +5, I have no idea where greater magic vestment comes from..

For some reason I thought it was divided up like Magic Weapon / Greater Magic Weapon.

Divine Power is nice to have on a permanent basis, but I'm sure there are typically better things for our Cleric to be doing in the first round of every combat than casting Divine Power on the Wizard.

[samduke]

For some reason I thought it was divided up like Magic Weapon / Greater Magic Weapon.

Divine Power is nice to have on a permanent basis, but I'm sure there are typically better things for our Cleric to be doing in the first round of every combat than casting Divine Power on the Wizard.

yup she is putting it on herself

[Athaleon]

Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) to see if Krag has already heard of this guy: (1d20+17)[21]

[paradox26]

You have heard of him, and know him as being a good and righteous man, an ally in the war with the drow. Although you haven't actually met him, you understand him to be trustworthy.

[Lioslaith]

Never trust a royal!!!!! Kidding, Reshad would be leery but he wouldn't do anything to the guy.

EDIT: Would we know what it is? I mean I do, but would Reshad?

[paradox26]

You wouldn't be able to tell what the monster is just based off the description. You would have to go to the area and ask people for more information, or else just go and find the monster itself and go in blind.

EDIT: Disregard my last. I just double checked the adventure, and it turns out you can identify it with a sufficiently high Knowledge Nature or Knowledge History check.