[D&D 3.5] Heroes are Made, not Born

[The Rabbler]

Read the rules link in the OP, you don't retrain feats/skill points.
-Xavez

but you can if you spend some gold and XP and time. I don't remember where it's from, but you are allowed to retrain feats if you put the resources into it.

[Darklord Xavez]

but you can if you spend some gold and XP and time. I don't remember where it's from, but you are allowed to retrain feats if you put the resources into it.

OK then. I probably won't retrain feats though.
-Xavez

[Greenish]

but you can if you spend some gold and XP and time. I don't remember where it's from, but you are allowed to retrain feats if you put the resources into it.

PHBII has character rebuilding guidelines, EPH has Psychic Reformation.

[Flickerdart]

I would still like to clarify: are the classes listed (Essentially, SRD classes) the only ones we can take before 10th level?

[Cieyrin]

Fixed the spear bonus, and damage is 1d8+3 (it's two-handed).

oh, duh. ><

Ring was not purchased, has no effect, and is a family heirloom. Very important to Tharivol.

plot item, gotcha. Tell me a bit more about it later, mayhaps?

Fixed the caltrops. Now a shovel!

By my calculations, you should have another silver piece available to you.

New link here.

you don't need to link me each time, the link will update by itself.

so, say, a fighter/rogue could go warrior/expert all the way then trade off the expert levels for rogue levels and the warrior levels for fighter levels?

That is exactly it.

what I meant to ask was about whether or not we're allowed to take PrCs before we are finished trading off NPC levels. the rules are somewhat hazy on this.

example: Sir Bob Punchalot is a level 7 warrior and he wants to start trading his NPC levels away. he makes it all the way to level 8 and he is now a warrior 6/fighter 1 with one open level. can he use this new level to advance into a PrC, or must he wait until level 11 to pick up his level in warhulk?.

Yes, PRCing will have to wait to 11th and beyond. You're already essentially PRCing from Commoner into higher classes as is. I figure that's enough.

would you also allow the Mantled Warrior ACF (I ask because I like having options )? it can be found right above the soulbound weapon ACF here.

Mantled Warrior is probably fine, as Mantles aren't that bad, as far as I've seen them used.

can specific feats be allowed into the campaign if they're not from the allowed books? I don't want to destroy the campaign or anything; I just think that tashlatora might be fun to have around/available.

and what are your feelings on somewhat-obscure PrCs? I was looking at Ghostbreaker and it sounds like a lot of fun. possibly useless, but fun nevertheless.

EDIT2: It's from Hyperconscious. a Swords and Sorcery book. . I guess that rules it out.

I'm open to suggestions on a case-by-case basis, as web enhancements are, though somewhat limited by I like having access to the actual material to see what it does. My collection is fairly expansive though not all encompassing.

Saying that, I don't have access to Secrets of Sarlona (the source of Tashalatora, I believe) or Hyperconscious, so probably not. Find me a legit link for 'em and I may reconsider.

but you can if you spend some gold and XP and time. I don't remember where it's from, but you are allowed to retrain feats if you put the resources into it.

That's feasible, though I'll have to read up a bit on 'em. The retraining may perhaps be questable, as I'm planning to link the retraining I already have to plot.

I would still like to clarify: are the classes listed (Essentially, SRD classes) the only ones we can take before 10th level?

More or less, though I may perhaps extend it a bit if you have a specific preference. I didn't want to be exhaustive in covering everything available in every source I made available. Plus, who has that kind of time, neh? Especially if I want to get this campaign going sooner, rather than later.

So, short answer: Yes, that's it, unless you make a special request and point me to said source, which is kinda my policy on such things. I'm flexible, as cool things being added is fine and dandy, as long we have the understanding that if you get to use it, so do I and vice versa. (not very short, in retrospect )

Finally, I await the Glyphstone to produce his character, as it looks like that's all I'm getting. Also Reynard to finish his, as he hasn't seemed to have updated since he asked about VoP (which I answered last page or so by pointing out that the BoED isn't available and thus the Vows aren't). I think I can handle a group of 7 for this and I'm going to tentatively setup the start time for next Monday or so, which should be adequate time to get everything I need together or at least so I hope. In the mean time, character back story would be nice, as well as considering relationships from other characters, as thorps are fairly close-knit, meaning you could easily be siblings or travelers coming to the faire. Who knows, eh?

[The Rabbler]

so we should use the remainder of this thread for backstories? sounds good.

Leorath is a quiet, aloof individual who has never really fit in with the culture in <insert thorp name here>. Due to his unusual appearance (he is a tall, lanky, muscular, albino man with shoulder-length white hair), he has been largely left alone by society.

He would probably have remained so had he not met Que'rahn. Que'rahn was a psionic elan who made her way to the town with her two companions to rest after an assault on a mind-flayer cult. During her recuperation period, Que'rahn met Leorath and helped Leorath realize his psionic gift. The two formed a deep friendship in the short two weeks that she remained in town and ever since then, Leorath has been longing to leave his home and find his place in the world.

[Darklord Xavez]

oh, duh. ><

Yup.

plot item, gotcha. Tell me a bit more about it later, mayhaps?

Will be in backstory.

By my calculations, you should have another silver piece available to you.

Fixed.

you don't need to link me each time, the link will update by itself.

Gotcha. Won't post new links anymore.
-Xavez

[Reynard]

Also Reynard to finish his, as he hasn't seemed to have updated since he asked about VoP (which I answered last page or so by pointing out that the BoED isn't available and thus the Vows aren't).

It's been done for a while now. All that I just changed was adding the weapon stats.

[Cieyrin]

It's been done for a while now. All that I just changed was adding the weapon stats.

I checked after I wrote my last post and you indeed have filled in quite a bit. Still some things off, yet, as follows:

No Stat Switch seems to have occurred, though it could easily have been either the 13s or 16s.
You have 8 skill points left of your 16 allotted to you. On that, your profession is spelled 'Priest' (Little bit of a Grammar Nazi, am I ).
Waterskins cost 1 gp, not 2 gp, which means you have 1 more gp than your sheet otherwise indicates. I'm sorta assuming the coinage is basically alms or tithes from the populace, though you could trade good up some of that as well.

I'll be posting up a table shortly with all the characters, linked in one place so a) I don't have to dig around the thread looking and b) you also don't have to, if you want to link characters together, rather than have them built in storyline vacuum.

EDIT: Character table!

Party List
{table=head]|Player|Character|Rolls|Sheet|Back Story|Status|Born Hero?

1|Flickerdart|Feldwick|All Rolls |Sheet|On sheet |Active & Complete|No

2|Amphetryon|Phetyr|All Rolls|Sheet|On sheet |Active & Complete|No

3|The Rabbler|Leorath|All Rolls|Sheet|Backstory! (Also on sheet)|Active & Complete|Yes

4|Claudius Maximus|Phidias|All Rolls|Sheet|On Sheet |Active & Complete|Yes

5|Demons Eye|Marrgo Deam Magic|All Rolls|Sheet|(None Currently )|Standby?|Yes

6|Reynard|Barry Davis|All Rolls|Sheet|On sheet |Active and Complete|No

7|Darklord Xavez|Tharivol Nightbreeze|All Rolls|Sheet|On sheet |Active and Complete|Yes

8|The Glyphstone|Aldren|All Rolls|Sheet|(None Currently )|Active and Almost Complete|Yes[/table]

Hmm, maybe I will have 2 groups, as I apparently can't count the 8 of you about. Perhaps I will have to split you into separate groups, though I haven't seen some people who've submitted characters back in the thread of late, so perhaps I'll put those on Standby and stick with one group...

Finally of note is some characters are still not exactly completed or legal quite yet. Those are as follows:

The Rabbler:
You're still short a feat, unless you want to drop the flaw and call Born Hero your free Commoner feat.
Equipment change has put you at having 5 gp and 7 sp unspent, so you could either trade good it up or switch back to a morningstar and we'll ignore the difference of 3 sp.
Still no skill points spent. It's kinda that time to decide, as most of the others are pretty much set as-is.

Claudius Maximus
Looks right except for you have 1 more goat than you can afford.

Demons Eye
Nothing's changed since the initial audit, so I'm not sure whether you're actually still interested or not.

Darklord Xavez
The only things I noticed off is that you could save a little space in your Special Ability section by putting Hero Points in the Action Point section, which is under the character stats section and you should probably decide whether you have a shovel or a hoe, as I don't think they can be both.

That's all I have for now. Since I suddenly have some time tonight, I may put up a preview of the thorp of Meadowbrook and the faire that is currently going on at campaign start.

[The Rabbler]

updates to character:

-added 5 gp worth of useful adventuring items (my character bought them as soon as he decided he was going to leave the town)
-added Improved Initiative (as described in the Character Traits section)
-the remaining 7sp will represent the remainder of his life savings. for any eventuality.
-Spot, Listen, and Jump maxed out.


EDIT: after searching and searching, I was not able to find hyperconscious online. is there any way I could send you the PDF I have of it? never mind, It wouldn't fit the character.
could I instead send you secrets of sarlona? I feel like tashlatora would fit better than undead-slaying.

I (kinda) found tashlatora online: here
and there was a thread, on this same forum, about it a few days ago: here

and if tashalatora were to be allowed, I wanted to know if chaos monk might also be allowed. it can be found on crystalkeep right next to the monk table. It seems like honing learning to use chaos would fit my character slightly better than discipline and monastic training.

also, I apologize for requesting so many variants/changes. I just really like having options.

[Darklord Xavez]

Got my backstory on my character sheet. Link to sheet is in my signature.
-Xavez

[Reynard]

Backstory added to sheet. It's a bit Emo and agnostic, but that's what I'm going for for the early levels before he starts getting Divine Magic.

[Cieyrin]

updates to character:

-added 5 gp worth of useful adventuring items (my character bought them as soon as he decided he was going to leave the town)

now you've overspent again, by 1 gp. I'd advise dropping the grappling hook and we call it good and even.

-added Improved Initiative (as described in the Character Traits section)
-the remaining 7sp will represent the remainder of his life savings. for any eventuality.
-Spot, Listen, and Jump maxed out.

noted, though you have climb, not jump.
I suppose you could be some kinda manual laborer or something with your skills but *shrug*

I (kinda) found tashlatora online: here
and there was a thread, on this same forum, about it a few days ago: here

I'm semi-aware of what Tashalatora does, though a full description of it would be kinda nice, rather than the summary I've seen before, y'know? =/

and if tashalatora were to be allowed, I wanted to know if chaos monk might also be allowed. it can be found on crystalkeep right next to the monk table. It seems like honing learning to use chaos would fit my character slightly better than discipline and monastic training.

I'll have a look over Chaos Monk, as I have access to every Dragon ever printed, one way or another. It appears to be in Dragon #335, so I'll take a look when I get home. I may have an answer by tomorrow or Friday.

Got my backstory on my character sheet. Link to sheet is in my signature.
-Xavez

Backstory added to sheet. It's a bit Emo and agnostic, but that's what I'm going for for the early levels before he starts getting Divine Magic.

Noted and will be edited into the table shortly. Also, Reynard? I suggest moving the 2 ranks of Swim into buying a rank of Knowledge(Religion), so you actually have a method of priesting to the choir, rather than being limited to DC 10 checks of common knowledge. Just an observation.

[Reynard]

It's a cross-class skill, so yeah.

Actually, swapping INT and STR, because I think it'd make more sense for the character.

[The Glyphstone]

I'll try to finish my character Thursday or Friday when I have free time. Also, I wasn't sure if you would accept me having a Heavy Horse wild cohort that ends up retraining transforming into my Paladin Special Mount.

[Cieyrin]

It's a cross-class skill, so yeah.

Actually, swapping INT and STR, because I think it'd make more sense for the character.

Well yeah, it's cross-class, but it makes SENSE.

I'll try to finish my character Thursday or Friday when I have free time. Also, I wasn't sure if you would accept me having a Heavy Horse wild cohort that ends up retraining transforming into my Paladin Special Mount.

Yeah, I can deal with that, if you really want the special mount from level 1. Though the Heavy Horse will probably make an awesome meat shield. =P

[The Rabbler]

I'm sorry for the mix-up.

finishing touches:

-removed all ranks of climb. put two in jump and two in profession(blacksmith).
-ditched the grappling hook
-added pink frilly edges*

[The Glyphstone]

Yeah, I can deal with that, if you really want the special mount from level 1. Though the Heavy Horse will probably make an awesome meat shield. =P

It's more of a RP/Story thing, really - I like the idea of having a loyal horse from level 1 who ends up being blessed alongside me, instead of having a random superhorse spawn out of nowhere to be my new friend. Even if, or especially if, he happens to die before Paladin 5 - it's the same horse, now with an upgrade. :)

And...meat shield? Bah, he's going to carry our loot like any self-respecting packhorse would. Yes, I'm getting into the adventuring mindset early, why do you ask?

[Cieyrin]

It's more of a RP/Story thing, really - I like the idea of having a loyal horse from level 1 who ends up being blessed alongside me, instead of having a random superhorse spawn out of nowhere to be my new friend. Even if, or especially if, he happens to die before Paladin 5 - it's the same horse, now with an upgrade. :)

And...meat shield? Bah, he's going to carry our loot like any self-respecting packhorse would. Yes, I'm getting into the adventuring mindset early, why do you ask?

Well, compare Heavy Horse stats to your average Commoner: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm#horseHeavy

They have like triple your HP. That screams meat shield to me, even if unintentionally. Plus, it can crush things under their hooves, which is all the better, methinks, considering you'll want all the help you can get in surviving.

[The Glyphstone]

Well, compare Heavy Horse stats to your average Commoner: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm#horseHeavy

They have like triple your HP. That screams meat shield to me, even if unintentionally. Plus, it can crush things under their hooves, which is all the better, methinks, considering you'll want all the help you can get in surviving.

Hm. Okay, so he'll probably end up as a meatshield, regardless of why he's there in the first place. :) Pity Warhorse isn't on the list of first-level animal companions, though that would just get silly really. :)

[Claudius Maximus]

Finally crombled together a backstory. It includes the same elan from The Rabbler's story. If Mr. The Rabbler takes issue with this, I will rewrite the backstory to accommodate his objections. Otherwise, I think we should figure out what the deal is with out characters. I guess they'd be fellow students, but what else? How well do they know each other? Do they get along?

Also fixed the money issue by sacrificing a goat. I think my sheet should check out now.

[Greenish]

Also fixed the money issue by sacrificing a goat.

I'm going to steal that as a quote. Out of context. Mwahahaa!

[Flickerdart]

The class I wanted was the Psychic Rogue from Mind's Eye. I figure it can take the same path as Soulknife since it's, well, a psychic Rogue.
Backstory will be written one of these days.

[Reynard]

Otherwise, I think we should figure out what the deal is with out characters. I guess they'd be fellow students, but what else? How well do they know each other? Do they get along?

In Barry's case, I'm going to say 'no' to both knowing each other well and getting along. He's an introverted, grieving, disillusioned, and borderline cynical trainee priest. And he barely knows the names of the people who actually go to Brother Martian's church, since he doesn't actually care about them.

Anybody got a character the worships Pelor?

[Claudius Maximus]

I meant that mostly with regard to Phidias and Leorath (hence the "students" thing), but you're right that we should figure that out between all of our characters.

While Phidias isn't really particularly religious, he's is actually trained in Knowledge (Religion), so it doesn't seem unlikely that he would hang around the church(es) and talk to the clergy in search of interesting information/myths. Also they're about the same age in a town that can't have had all that many kids around. Even if Barry barely knows him and can't remember him, they've probably at least met.

[The Glyphstone]

Well, when I finally get around to statting my would-be Paladin, he'll definitely be Religion-trained. I haven't picked a god yet though.

[The Rabbler]

I have no objections to the use of the elan, Claudius Maximus. I expected my character to be fairly anti-social, but the opposite is just as welcome.

EDIT: after reading through backstories, it seems like our characters would get along fairly well. between reynard's knight in sour armor (kinda) and claudius maximus' paranoid perfectionist, I believe we'd make a group of rather skeptical misfits. The exact kind of people who seem like they don't really belong in a traditional society; It makes perfect sense for us all to seek a life different than what we started with. and where our characters' personalities start to clash, there's darklord xavez's socialite to keep everyone working together smoothly.

all in all, I think we'd be able to come up with a solid social network and some strong background relationships. This will be a fun campaign.

EDIT again:

with flickerdart making a psionic character as well, maybe there was something wrong with our village? psychics are supposed to be rare in the world and three just grew up in the same village. I smell a possible adventure seed.

last EDIT (I swear):

we might want to decide on a naming scheme... our names seem to be taken from just about all walks of fantasy. assuming, of course, that the rest of you aren't very attached to your character names. It's not a problem or anything, but it would make slightly more sense. then again, we could all have the fantasy equivalent of hippie parents who all wanted unique-as-the-prettiest-flower names .

[Reynard]

If you want to get Tropey about it, I'd say Barry is more of a Deadpan Snarker/Snark Knight with heavily tinted Jade Coloured Glasses and a Dead Little Sister.

[The Rabbler]

If you want to get Tropey about it, I'd say Barry is more of a Deadpan Snarker/Snark Knight with heavily tinted Jade Coloured Glasses and a Dead Little Sister.

knight in sour armor is just what came to mind, I apologize.

[Claudius Maximus]

EDIT: after reading through backstories, it seems like our characters would get along fairly well. between reynard's knight in sour armor (kinda) and claudius maximus' paranoid perfectionist, I believe we'd make a group of rather skeptical misfits. The exact kind of people who seem like they don't really belong in a traditional society; It makes perfect sense for us all to seek a life different than what we started with. and where our characters' personalities start to clash, there's darklord xavez's socialite to keep everyone working together smoothly.

all in all, I think we'd be able to come up with a solid social network and some strong background relationships. This will be a fun campaign.

Sounds good. I'll do my best to contribute.

Perhaps we can work out more about who knows whom, how well, and for how long.

Looks like most of these characters are relatively close in age. A town of this size isn't expected to have more than about 30 kids, tops, so we could have hung out together as kids and some of us might be friends with one another.

It looks like Phidias and Leorath were both students under Que'rahn, and apparently managed that without killing one another. They might be friends from this experience (or perhaps before) or they might be rivals of a sort.

Tharivol is "well-known" and in any case stands out on account of his works and the occupations of his parents, so we should all at least know who he is. Perhaps some of us have had experience with him, and he seems like the kind of guy who makes friends easily.

From what Reynard has posted, it seems Barry wouldn't know most people unless they were associated with his church to whatever extent. Nobody else seems to have posted a sheet with Pelor as the character's patron as of yet.

I can't comment much on the other characters as of now, but if Feldwick is psionic, maybe there can be some kind of link to one of the other psionic characters?

I hope I haven't offended anyone so far. Obviously the final say of any character's backstory goes to the respective player. I'm personally open to making some changes to my character's backstory for the sake of the others'.

we might want to decide on a naming scheme... our names seem to be taken from just about all walks of fantasy. assuming, of course, that the rest of you aren't very attached to your character names. It's not a problem or anything, but it would make slightly more sense. then again, we could all have the fantasy equivalent of hippie parents who all wanted unique-as-the-prettiest-flower names .

Sorry about that; I wanted a name that said "sculptor guy", and "Phidias" was like the second thing to come to mind. Admittedly it does not fit in with names like "Barry Davis." I for one have no problem with the current diversity of names, but if people aren't comfortable with such disparate names and are willing to change them, I suggest naming to a theme so none of them seem too out of place. Perhaps we can choose a language, say it's the language of the thorp, and draw all our characters' names from it?

In that case I'll suggest Greek myself.