City of The Spider Queen [DnD 3.5, Forgotten Realms, Recruiting]

[IRollTwenties]

Hello fellow gamers, I've recently picked up the City of The Spider Queen adventure from Amazon and am in the middle of converting it from 3rd edition to 3.5. The ultimate goal is to run this for my real life group once we've completed our Rise of The Runelords campaign so in the mean time I'd like to run a game of this here to test the slight conversions and additions I'm making.

This adventure runs from level 10 until level 18 roughly so if you'd like to play be ready for the long haul. I'd like players to be able to most a minimum of once per day but more frequent posting will be greatly appretiated. I work long hours during the weekends so I may only be posting once per day on Saturday and Sunday but I will be posting frequently Monday - Friday.

The premise of this adventure can be one of two things, depending on what the group would like to play.

First option: Traditional Party - A rash of Drow raids has been reported in the Daggerdale region and the lord of Daggerdale, Randal Morn, has requested help from you to delve into the Underdark to solve the regions problems. He wants you to find out why the Drow are so active as of late and get you to put and end to their raids. This option is optimal for Good/Neutral parties and players will be free to be a vast number of different races or worship many different deities.

Second option: Drow Party - Lolth has fallen silent. The players are from Menzoberranzan or members of House Jaelre in Cormanthor sent to find out why the city of Maerimydra has fallen silent. This type of game would be very thematic and unusual but could be potentially harder as there wont be as many places for the PC's to retreat to or to sell/buy items in the early game. Players will also be restricted to playing Drow or some "underling" races and must follow either Lolth (divine casters of Lolth do not recieve spells at the moment) or Selvetarm as their deities.

Everyone interested in playing can cast their vote for which game type they would like to play and sometime tomorrow I'll tally it up and let you know what we'll be using so you can start your character creation.

BIG SIXTEEN!

Spoiler

•1. What game system are you running (D&D, Call of Cthulu, Palladium, GURPS, etc.), and if applicable what edition (Original, Classic, Revised, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, etc.)?

DnD 3.5 edition.

•2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be (i.e. "Shadow Chasers" or "Agents of Psi" for d20 Modern)? What is the setting for the game (eg. historic period, published or homebrewed campaign setting, alternate reality, modern world, etc.)?

Forgotten Realms, City of The Spider Queen adventure.

•3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many?

The game originally calls for 4 characters but since my real life group has 5 members I will be scaling the challenges for 5 characters. So, I will accept 5 characters here.

•4. What's the gaming medium (OOTS, chat, e-mail etc.)?

Right here on the OOTS forum.

•5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)?

Characters start at level 10 with 45000 XP.

•6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?

49000 Gold. You can spend no more than 18500 gold on any single item.

•7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?

I wont be accepting any homebrew, sorry. I don't have the time to review a bunch of new classes or PrC's. Other restrictions apply as indicated by the available sources below.

Note: No Factotum.

•8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?

All core races are fine, all Forgotten Realms specific races are available (including subraces). Any "extremely monstrous" races (such as Minotaurs or Illithids) must be requested and anything game breaking or that cannot be played in a 10th level game will not be allowed. No races from other settings like Mul's or Warforged. This entry could be subject to change depending on what game type the players choose.

No "environmental races" as in no Desert Elves or Jungle Orcs etc. from Unearthed Arcana.

•9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?

Characters will be created using 32 point buy. Hit points are max at first level and you can either roll for each level thereafter or take the average, your choice. If you decide to roll you may not take average after the fact. Any rolls of 1 get bumped up to a 2 unless you roll d4 hit die.

•10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?

Alignment is present and works as per the normal rules. What alignments are availbe depends on the game type. Traditional Party will be any good or neutral, Drow Party will be any neutral or any evil.

•11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?

You may multi-class, normal restrictions apply. If you take any prestige classes the first prestige class you take a level in is considered your Favored Prestige Class. Any other PrC's that you take follow the normal rules for multi-classing with regards to your other PrC's only.

•12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them?

Dice rolls will be made using the forum roller in spoiler tags. I'll roll for things like saves and initiative you will roll for active things like skill checks and attack rolls.

•13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules.

I'll be allowing LA buyoff. No traits or flaws.

•14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)?

Background is required. I'll give more information about making your background after the game type is chosen.

•15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?

All three.

•16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?

All 3.5 DnD sourcebooks and Forgotten Realms specific books are fine with the following exceptions: Book of Exalted Deeds, Complete Psionic, Expanded Psionics Handbook, Frostburn, Magic of Incarnum, Sandstorm, Stormwrack, Tome of Magic, Weapons of Legacy.

[PChubby]

Always been interested in the Underdark.

My vote is for a Traditional party. Maybe a Human Sellsword or a Whisper Gnome Archivist who wants to study the Underdark more.

[watupwithdat]

Was going to play this one once upon a time ages ago, so I'll post interest. Not sure about concept though.

[LightAndDark]

I vote traditional party and when would we play?

[Chambers]

Traditional Party.

I've got an idea for a Battlepriest of Cormyr, a Cleric of Torm that wades in with greatsword swinging. Couple of things to run by you.

Ordained Champion requires Hextor or Heironeous; Torm is the canon FR equivalent of Heironeous.

Spontaneous Divine Caster. Yea or Nay?

The Ordained Champion prestige class (Complete Champion) grants the War domain and its benefits when you take the PrC. The PrC requires Weapon Focus in your deities weapon to enter the class...which is the benefit that War domain gives you. So. If I take Weapon Focus: Greatsword at 3rd, then when I have entered Ordained Champion and gotten the War domain (and now have 2 instances of Weapon Focus: Greatsword), can I retrain the one I took at 3rd level? Per the retraining rules, PHB II. Same deal with Martial Weapon Proficiency: Greatsword, as the domain grants both and I'd have to take both to enter the Prestige Class.

[razorback]

This is one of the three I've always wanted to play but could never get someone to run.
What level of optimization are you looking for? I mid to low, I'd like to play a wizard or sorcerer. If mid to high, I'm thinking a skill monkey.
I'd like to go traditional, too.

[IRollTwenties]

@LightAndDark: Are you asking when we would start the IC thread? Not sure at the moment, we don't even have an idea of what type of party is most popular, though I see a theme arising. Once I feel we've got enough interest I'll set a start time.

@Chambers: I don't mind the spontaneous casting for divine variant but not with that proposed build. So, nay. You may take that PrC if you're a follower of Torm, that's fine. I was never big on the retraining rules and this campaign kind of follows a strict timeline so there wont be much time for retraining. When you gain access to the War domain instead of the normal benefits you can instead gain any 1 combat feat that you qualify for.

@Razorback: Interesting you'd like to play one of the strongest core classes available in the mid to low optimization game

I'm not big on using the whole "tier" system. This campaign can be challenging so make a capable adventurer but keep things within reason. Build your character to fill a role not to solo the entire campaign. DnD is a team game and if you're too strong the rest of the team doesn't have any fun.

[Ildu]

I also vote traditional party.

As for concept, would a catfolk unarmed swordsage be too much?

[TheFallenSon]

This looks interesting. I would like to throw my hat in also.

@IRollTwenties: A quick question for you. What optimization level do you feel will be neccessary for success in you altered module? Question was answered as I posted.

My vote is for the Drow party, I understand that the game will be a bit harder if we take that route, but I got a wicked awesome idea for drow assassin type character.

With the standard party...I would probably go for the 5th party member traditional slot, a Bard/Warblade...could be awesome.

[razorback]

@Razorback: Interesting you'd like to play one of the strongest core classes available in the mid to low optimization game

It was more along the lines I'd like to play a wizard or sorcerer but suck at optimization. So, I figured at the mid to low, I can make a decent character that won't steal anyone's thunder. At high op, I couldn't make a spell caster who could be relied upon to have 20 actions around while buffing everyone from the astral plane and gating in 50 demigods.

[Chambers]

If it matters, the retraining would have been done in his background, around level 7 or so. I don't plan on doing any more retraining once the game begins.

I'm fine with using the regular cleric. I just prefer spontaneous casters in general and Ordained Champion is much worse for a Favored Soul, thus the spontaneous cleric. I'm curious as to why it isn't allowed for the build, but it's not a big deal.

[IRollTwenties]

Originally Posted by Chambers

If it matters, the retraining would have been done in his background, around level 7 or so. I don't plan on doing any more retraining once the game begins.

I'm fine with using the regular cleric. I just prefer spontaneous casters in general and Ordained Champion is much worse for a Favored Soul, thus the spontaneous cleric. I'm curious as to why it isn't allowed for the build, but it's not a big deal.

Well, it seems too powerful an option for that build as it will get you 1 extra spell known per level from then on and retroactively since you gain the War domain. Besides that, most of the abilities of the class use spell slots to power the abilities and the spontaneous casting version gets a lot more spell slots.

@Ildu: I'm not exactly sure what you're asking...

[Sinfonian]

I'd like to register interest as well, and I'd also like to vote for the traditional good party.

I'm thinking about something psionic, probably a psychic warrior, since I've never had a chance to do one of those before. Might even get a chance to make things interesting with a duergar.

Edit: Wow, I derp'ed pretty hard there and read that the only books allowed were the ones from the "except" list. My bad.

Something from Tome of Battle instead, then. Most likely some flavor of Warblade.

[Ildu]

Originally Posted by IRollTwenties

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking...

What I meant was, would such a character be appropriate for the setting?
If not, I also have plenty of other ideas.
Another question: if we all choose to go the traditional route you've offered, does it restrict us from making drow characters?

[Khantin]

Color me very interested, always wanted to give this adventure a go but my half my RL group is extremely new to gaming and they only know PF. I will give this a little thought and reply in decent time tomorrow.

[Chambers]

Originally Posted by IRollTwenties

Well, it seems too powerful an option for that build as it will get you 1 extra spell known per level from then on and retroactively since you gain the War domain. Besides that, most of the abilities of the class use spell slots to power the abilities and the spontaneous casting version gets a lot more spell slots.

@Ildu: I'm not exactly sure what you're asking...

Actually the Spontaneous Cleric has the same number of spell slots as a regular Cleric has spells per day. Not a problem though, I'll use the standard Cleric.

[Morbis Meh]

I am totally posting interest for a swift blade!!!! I have been dying to make one and I will make an elven generalist for 6 levels then have 4 levels of my tasty prc mmm so tasty I will be sonic... she will talk really really fast and like the colour purple because it tastes like... speed!

Oh and I vote for traditional party XD

[IRollTwenties]

@Ildu: As far as I know there is no official support for catfolk in the FR setting but if you want to make one go for it. You'll need to come up with an idea of why such a feral looking race is present in the Dalelands (provided we dont get like 15 votes for Drow party before the end of the day) and why they're not shunned/chased away on sight. They do look much like a werecat afterall.

@Chambers: I see. Well, skimming over that variant it mentions the sorcerer from time to time hence my confusion. Well, if you still want to use that then go for it. I'm not sure why you would want to though it trades spell versatility and spontaneous healing conversion for... nothing?

@Morbis Meh: What book is the Swiftblade from? Never heard of it. Also, not sure what you mean by "elven generalist" either.

[Lexin]

Posting interest. Normal party.

Probably an Elven martial adept (possibly some mix, focusing mostly on warblade or Crusader)
Are there any templates, usually considered powerful allowed? (Mineral Warrior/ Feral Creature)
...As the question is probably a 'no', are bloodlines allowed?

[IRollTwenties]

Originally Posted by Lexin

Posting interest. Normal party.

Probably an Elven martial adept (possibly some mix, focusing mostly on warblade or Crusader)
Are there any templates, usually considered powerful allowed? (Mineral Warrior/ Feral Creature)
...As the question is probably a 'no', are bloodlines allowed?

No, those templates are not allowed for very obvious reasons. You can take a bloodline if you like but they're unaffected by LA buyoff.

Edit: Well, I have little experience with bloodlines... what bloodline did you want to use specifically?

[Morbis Meh]

Originally Posted by IRollTwenties

@Morbis Meh: What book is the Swiftblade from? Never heard of it. Also, not sure what you mean by "elven generalist" either.

Actually swiftblade is a WotC online enhancement found here Elven generalist is a Racial substition for Elven wizards found in races of the wild, basically I don't speciallize in a school of magic I just do everything~! First level substitution grants an extra learned spell at every level and an extra spell slot for each availble spell level.

Basically my character concept is that this wizard LOVES speed and is so addicted to going fast that she cannot focus on any subject (basically ADHD). I would also probably take the third level substituion as well which nets a nice bonus with my familiar (doubles the bonus granted) I would like to request a humming bird familiar (not core) which grants a bonus to initiative because it is very in line with the fluff I am going for but is a nice bonus (not so much in pbp but hey SHE WANTS TO BE FAST!)

[Chambers]

Originally Posted by IRollTwenties

@Chambers: I see. Well, skimming over that variant it mentions the sorcerer from time to time hence my confusion. Well, if you still want to use that then go for it. I'm not sure why you would want to though it trades spell versatility and spontaneous healing conversion for... nothing?

It's purely a preference thing. I don't like worrying about having to decide spells prepared each day; much prefer spontaneous casters. Thanks though.

[IRollTwenties]

Yeah no problem. I'll let you know though that towards the end of the campaign there are some obstacles that require some obscure cleric/wizard spells to overcome. Spells that aren't a popular choice to begin with let alone for someone with a limited number of spells known. Situational spells.

If you still want to give up your spell versatility feel free but you may face complications down the road for doing so.

[Questing Beast]

Throwing in my interest, traditional party is fine with me. I'd like to play a Specialist Wizard, maybe an Abjurer. Read the previous post you made as I wrote this so I'll change that to Generalist Wizard. I'm most interested in the Initiate of the Seven Fold Veil PRC (Comp Arc) to see how well it works.

[Chambers]

Sure, there's always that consideration. I can still use all Cleric scrolls though, and if nothing else Miracle can duplicate a lot of spells.

[Morbis Meh]

So no feedback on my Swiftblade? Also is there a Wizard ACF that trades away scribe scroll for martial weapon prof, I believe there is I just cannot remember the name.

[Lexin]

I am just looking for some boost for a character... that, and I don't like to play plain races.

There are no elves with LA, no useful templates in LA +1 - +2 range (so I could buy it off) so I am thinking about a bloodline

If the level cannot be bought off, it's a shame, but I will still think about taking one, I think... either Titan or Ifreeti.

[Morbis Meh]

I think I will chicken out and go for average rolls lol Since I have such low HD count it works slightly in my favor d4 is 2 on odds and 3 on evens correct so 5hd is 12 and 4 d6 would be 14? 30 hp from hd and 30 from con bonus so all in all 60 at level 10... thank god for other and much better defenses...

[IRollTwenties]

@Morbis Meh: Swiftblade is alright save for the "Perpetual Options" class ability. With this it would seem you can cast haste as a free action (Sudden Casting) and then cast TWO more spells that round as long as they're a standard action for a grand total of 3 spells cast that round. Seems a little off. I'll ok the class with the following restriction: The extra actions granted by Perpetual Options cannot be used to cast a spell.

[Morbis Meh]

Originally Posted by IRollTwenties

@Morbis Meh: Swiftblade is alright save for the "Perpetual Options" class ability. With this it would seem you can cast haste as a free action (Sudden Casting) and then cast TWO more spells that round as long as they're a standard action for a grand total of 3 spells cast that round. Seems a little off. I'll ok the class with the following restriction: The extra actions granted by Perpetual Options cannot be used to cast a spell.

That is absolutely no problem I was planning on leaving after level 6 so I wouldn't even get to it, after that I will probably take some abjurant champion to finish is off! I am almost done the crunch just need to select some spells then put in all the fluff that is buzzing around in my head!