[Mechanics] Game Mechanics and Serious Business

[Eviltedzies]

Personally I like the ToB rules as they are minus the hiccups like what spike mentioned. Although under your proposed changes I think Swordsage becomes sub par when compared to Crusader or Warblade. This is mainly due in part to the fact that while Warblades were given a faster recovery mechanic, Swordsages were given a larger number of maneuvers capable of being known/readied. This versatility becomes a moot factor if you make each class "know" every maneuver. At that point you really only want to take Swordsage if you want maneuver's specifically from Desert Wind, Shadow, & Setting Sun disciplines. Beyond that Warblade/Crusader becomes far more viable mechanically.

Just my two cents on that though. I'm fine with tweaking things around a bit. Simplifying things will benefit the speed and smoothness with which the game progresses.

[spikehed]

The way Fil has it currently set up is a Warblade 6 might know every maneuver in all of his disciplines, but he only readies 6 to use for the day. He can recover these every other round through his normal mechanic.

A Swordsage would ready 11 maneuvers, but can't refresh them during a single encounter without a feat or one per full round. More options, less oomph.

Combined as a Warblade 6 / Swordsage 6, he'd ready 11 (the most possible between the classes) maneuvers from any combination of Warblade or Swordsage disciplines and be able to recover them as a Warblade normally would.

I think this is a very good method of simplifying Initiators in this type of system.

[Fil kearney]

perfect spike.
and yes its very simple. by the gods we need something simple.

[Eviltedzies]

Updated my character build factoring in a lot of stuff. I pray it works right this time. Can be found here if people want to help me make sure I'm not breaking a rule somewhere.

[Fil kearney]

Originally Posted by Eviltedzies

Updated my character build factoring in a lot of stuff. I pray it works right this time. Can be found here if people want to help me make sure I'm not breaking a rule somewhere.

That looks right to me. Very nice!

[Eviltedzies]

Hmm would it be possible to use the Battle Sorcerer variant from Unearthed Arcana? It basically negates the bonus spell slots from Sorcerer, but the ability to cast in light armor would really help mesh with the Warblade theme and give a slight boost to defenses.

[Sir Alex]

Alright, my character sheet is done including the griffon stats. Let me know if you guys notice any errors. Now I just need to write up the formal background.

My only lingering issues/questions are:
1. Whether Dispel Magic is allowed for us to cast. It is a 4th level druid spell, so does that ban it from our repertoires? A world without it could be interesting.
2. I adjusted the griffon's full attack swings to just have a -2 penalty compared to its primary attack bonus, per the multiple swing rules in Trailblazer. I don't know how its Multiattack feat would come into play given these new rules, but honestly I don't care; the griffon is strong enough already that we could just ignore that feat?

[spikehed]

I have a feat question: There is a feat called Jotunbrud that basically gives a character the Powerful Build racial feature. I was wondering if we could reverse engineer that for a feat that gives the Slight Build racial feature. I've been working on a Whisper Gnome that I'm absolutely in love with and would like to use the Confound the Big Folk line of feats.

[Fil kearney]

Originally Posted by Eviltedzies

Hmm would it be possible to use the Battle Sorcerer variant from Unearthed Arcana? It basically negates the bonus spell slots from Sorcerer, but the ability to cast in light armor would really help mesh with the Warblade theme and give a slight boost to defenses.

it reduced the spells known, you still get the bonus casting slot. stats effect both spells known and spells cast per break, so your battery is still large, but your options reduce.

Originally Posted by Sir Alex

Alright, my character sheet is done including the griffon stats. Let me know if you guys notice any errors. Now I just need to write up the formal background.

Everything looks in good order. Dragon folk like yours come from a Nest Ship that the Q'barra lizardmen lower into The Mourn during gestation. older genertions prior to the mourn were vanilla lizardmen, but the Q'barra have evolved much like skarren from Farscape.
I'm not sure which direction you wanted to go, but I think that's a fun path.

Originally Posted by Sir Alex

My only lingering issues/questions are:
1. Whether Dispel Magic is allowed for us to cast. It is a 4th level druid spell, so does that ban it from our repertoires? A world without it could be interesting.

you can take a feat to cast a 4th level spell once per day with DM approval.. I'd approve this if you wanted.

Originally Posted by Sir Alex

2. I adjusted the griffon's full attack swings to just have a -2 penalty compared to its primary attack bonus, per the multiple swing rules in Trailblazer. I don't know how its Multiattack feat would come into play given these new rules, but honestly I don't care; the griffon is strong enough already that we could just ignore that feat?

I'm pretty certain attack routines still has primary 0 secondary -5 (check out druid) .. but the multiattack feat could easily convert everything to as you have it: -2 for all attacks.

see, now I'm getting a vibe of the half fey draconic Q'barras having fey-like feathery scales for hair, like it performs as though it were hair, but more clumpy and crazy colors that extend down and back like a crest or softened feathery spine that decorate the body.
Sorry, the comcept artist in me is geeking out over what a draconic half-fey "human" would look like.
As for the mentor background, you can go human exchange program, or develop Q'barra culture with me.

Originally Posted by spikehed

I have a feat question: There is a feat called Jotunbrud that basically gives a character the Powerful Build racial feature. I was wondering if we could reverse engineer that for a feat that gives the Slight Build racial feature. I've been working on a Whisper Gnome that I'm absolutely in love with and would like to use the Confound the Big Folk line of feats.

Sounds logical.

[Eviltedzies]

Originally Posted by Battle Sorcerer Variant

Subtract one spell known from each spell level on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known

Lowering the spell slots makes sense, but since in Trailblazer, casters "know" all their spells it makes this normally negative drawback all but useless. As a DM do you want to leave it as it is or just ignore it or perhaps would this apply to spells "readied" while the first part would apply to "spell slots"?

[Fil kearney]

you "know" all the spells, but you still have to pick from them which ones you have access to each day... so it's a bigger deal than not.

<edit>
known = basically have your magic book filled with all spells possible
readied = of the spells known which you've prepped to cast for today
spells cast = how many "slots" we have available to cast the spells we've readied.

so the ACF is reducing the readied spells per level... less versatility in what is available to cast. I think that is fair.

[Eviltedzies]

That makes sense.

[Sir Alex]

Originally Posted by Fil kearney

see, now I'm getting a vibe of the half fey draconic Q'barras having fey-like feathery scales for hair, like it performs as though it were hair, but more clumpy and crazy colors that extend down and back like a crest or softened feathery spine that decorate the body.
Sorry, the comcept artist in me is geeking out over what a draconic half-fey "human" would look like.
As for the mentor background, you can go human exchange program, or develop Q'barra culture with me.

Draconic means you have a very distant dragon ancestor. It's not like being a dragonborn or a half-dragon; a draconic character will have very subtle features suggestive of their dragonblood. Half-nymph just makes you...extremely hot.

In my mind, I'd been thinking Aribel was the daughter of an intrepid rancher. Her father had banded together with his ex-adventurer brothers to clear a swath of wilderness and raise cattle. When the grazing land encroached on a nymph's grove, the nymph's instinct was to fight back. She realized she would be outmatched, however, and instead offered to lie with Aribel's father, the oldest of the brothers, if he and his family promised to keep her grove safe down through the generations. Aribel was conceived, and subsequently raised by her father.

She spent more waking hours in the saddle than afoot, but heard all the tales her father and uncles told and wanted to learn more about the world, and etc etc went to go study with the clerics, but was too rough around the edges to keep their bookish life. The other acolytes spurned her as a yokel. She went on rides with Temple's groundskeeper, a retired scout (and her "mentor"). Finally she packed her bags and set off to become a fighter, etc etc.

I bet I could totally adapt this background to Q'barra. It could be a perfect fit. I don't think Aribel needs to have feathers. No, I'm thinking she'll be an extremely attractive woman, otherwise fairly normal-looking young woman. She'll wear a white cowboy hat and glasses, speak with a twang, spit on the ground for emphasis, and be a pure-souled and loyal adventurer.

Let me know if that's alright. If you want to put your foot down for the other backstory, that's fine. It's your world and I'll work within its borders.

[Fil kearney]

Originally Posted by Sir Alex

Let me know if that's alright. If you want to put your foot down for the other backstory, that's fine. It's your world and I'll work within its borders.

ugh.. I was thinking half-fey, with wings etc. but no. I'm totally keeping the Q'barra idea for the campaign though. Those guys are gonna kick az.
half nymph is a bit more under control, but the draconic template gives natural armor, so she's thick skinned, and has natural claws sharp as switchblades... so she comes across as not-quite human.
As for the half-nymph Bombastic Gorgeousness SA where anyone looking at her is perma-shaken... that's pretty damn OP when you stack it with ANY fear effect. the base save is 16+whatever shenanigans I haven't realized, which means everyone around you is a perpetual stuttering, bumbling idiot, which has the same social impact as playing a half fiend or, say, mongrelman... permanently disruptive.

We should lose the SA for the sake of nosebleeds everywhere.
I'm also looking at the jack-knifed Cha boost to saving throws and wondering how the team will balance against that.
If you took paladin just for the saves and special mount, I may just give you the mount for 1 LA and ask to drop the psycho saves. If the rest of the team is at least +10 or +12 on all their saves as well, then it's not a big issue, but I don't think that's how it's shaking out. To Be Determined.

As for the backstory... meh. it's flavor text. I don't think being an unappreciated cowgirl really speaks to how exotic the character is to the human community. There would be massive crushing social pressure on her in any town of any size she's known in.. so her wanting to get the hell out is totally viable; a small ship crew would be far easier to tolerate than the mixed pride and resentment she would generate around a clergy environment.
just thinking out loud right now.
Like, I know some blue grass gals that are total hicks with shootin and drinking miller, smoking cigarettes and off roading through mud to go dipping in the local grotto. even with only a 14 or 16 cha (the "good looks" descriptor) they earn a lot of attention, and they know it. I can't imagine how out of control they would be jacking their cha to 20.
anyway... this stuff bears considering, Methinks.

[Sir Alex]

That's all fine. We can take away the which can be suppressed at will as it is; otherwise, I agree, the template would just be a stupid headachenymph SA, and I could also drop the draconic template if you'd prefer. And/or reduce her charisma by a flat -2 or -4, etc. We could reduce the paladin saving throw bonuses to a flat +1 or +2 if you like, or just remove them if that's still unbalanced. Or I could pick a different, lesser template? I couldn't care less about power gaming; I'm just looking for some kind of heroic luster, and a fun game to RP within.

It's funny...I'm a Northern city kid and for me the cowgirl character is exotic, but it sounds like they're totally common where you live. Hence the "meh" from you, which is how I'd react to someone playing a yuppie or an uptown hipster, lol. I can ditch all that and go for something more D&D, like the Nest Ship you mentioned.