Recruitment Thread for Pell's D&D 3.5 Game

[willpell]

Correct. A +1 Longsword costs 2315 gold. Adding either Flaming or Ghost Touch to it costs another 6000 gold, the same price which would convert it to a +2 sword. But adding both costs as much as converting it to a +3 sword, which is 16,000. Making the sword out of adamantine in the first place is a flat cost which doesn't interfere with the cost of enchantments. But you can't "add adamantine" to it after play begins.

[Amara]

Thanks, just wanted to make sure I was understanding correctly.

Hnm. Admittedly what appealed to me about the cestus was the same reason a buckler seemed nice at firstÔÇöa hands free "shield." Granted, a separate shield does have its own (quite nice) utility, but it doesn't harmonize quite as well with grappling. Actually. ...you can still hold items with the light shield, just not weapons, so would that even impact grappling?

I could easily afford wild enchanting the shield if I took it now, though I couldn't afford both a different material and enchantment, like I did for my armor. Alternately I could pay for a different material, and just be forced to drop the shield prior to transformation until I could afford to enchant it.
...though making the shield mithril (eh, no additional spell failure chance, why not?) would only be around 1k...hrnm. Base cost for the shield itself is cheap, too.
I'll have a look at my spread sheet and see what I have left to spend when I get home. I have my last class for the day soon.

[willpell]

Mithril on a shield is probably not worth it; the ACP of a mithril item is reduced by 3, but shields only have ACP of -1 or -2 in the first place, and masterwork reduces those by 1. (The exception is the tower shield at ACP -4, but that's explicitly made out of wood, so you can't do it in mithril.)

[Amara]

True. It was more removing the spell penalty completely, but that's only 5% on a light shield anyway.

[willpell]

Were you planning on casting arcane spells? If not, the spell penalty means nothing.

[Amara]

Also true. I'm rereading posts earlier from before I slept and feeling like I was drunk, wow. I was THAT tired. If I made as little sense to everyone else as I did to myself, I apologize.

Okay.
- 2 ranks taken out of swim to take Sylvan instead
- main things all typed up, shield bought, etc.
I'm on my way home now, and I'll get the forum based sheet typed up once I'm there.

[spiderwrangler]

I'm amused by the idea of spikes on his chest, just bear hug them to death. Too bad 'constrict' as a special attack isn't readily available for characters.

XD afraid I can't see that.

You'd know better than I!

[spiderwrangler]

Anyone heard from Nicoa recently?

[Nioca]

Gah, sorry. I've been really scatterbrained recently and have wound up forgetting/neglecting all three games here that I've been in; I've been helping some friends move into a new apartment. Fortunately, that's about done, so I'll get to work on an IC post right away.

Also, this probably should have been asked earlier, but do I stat up the leadership cohort, or is that handled by the GM?

[willpell]

Actually I assumed that you'd traveled this far alone (since whatever your cohort is, they probably can't fly, and I was figuring you probably didn't come all the way from outside the Empire on foot), and the rules indicate that you "attract" a cohort, so they do start out just like any other NPC. Therefore I figure that you'll meet them here; I'll take suggestions as to the sort of person you might like to recruit, and scatter some possibles about the "town" here, but they'll be persons with their own agenda and if you really bungle the Diplomacy check (which would get a circumstance penalty if you really bungled the roleplay) when trying to recruit a particular one, they get pissed and storm off and you'll have to settle for your second choice (or third or fourth or fifth). If you can't come up with a good match by the time you leave the clearing, I can just let you trade out for a different Feat and maybe take Leadership again at 9th, having spent more time working on it and having a wider field of candidates. Sound fair?

[spiderwrangler]

My sheet should be pretty complete, if you folks could look it over and let me know if you notice anything obviously lacking, I'll fix it.

[Amara]

Rían Mac Cárthaigh
Ree'AN Ma'cah'tye
PAL1/Were2/Bear6 (9)

► Show Spoiler

Rían is tall and powerfully built. At first glance he is hardly remarkable in his appearance; neither his brunette hair and hazel eyes, nor his stocky build (as much from hard work amongst the fields and forest of his home as from his love of cooking...and of a well cooked meal,) would turn many heads. He is fair skinned and freckled, with a fading tan typical of the farmers he worked amongst both before and after his training.

Rían is a hard worker, and patient (perhaps to a fault.) Few have seen him angry. He cares little for formality, and while he is willing to honor customs (that he understands,) it is for the other's comfort and nothing more. He sees little need for procession and pomp, and tires of both quickly, though he has a reasonable admiration for comfort, and sees no fault in trying to make things so for himself or others. Though steadfast in his beliefs, he has never seen a need to force them upon anyone else, and prefers to live by example. Obviously this changes when others would be harmed by another's action.

► Show Spoiler

Height: 6'5
Weight: 264
Age: 23
Deity: Phieran
Alignment: Lawful Good

HP: 85
Speed: 30 (40 as a bear)
Human
medium size
AC: 20 (10 +6 armor +1 shield +1 dex +2 natural armor)
STR: 15
DEX: 13
CON: 16
INT: 10
WIS: 11
CHA: 16
Fortitude: 10 = 7 base +3 ability
Reflex: 6 = 5 base +1 ability
Will: 4 = 2 base +2 misc
Grapple: 11 = 5 base attack +2 strength +4 misc

Hybrid/Bear
large size
AC: 25 (10 +6 armor +1 shield +2 dex -1 size +7 natural armor)
STR: 15 +16 = 31
DEX: 13 +2 = 15
CON: 16 +8 = 24
INT: 10
WIS: 11
CHA: 16
Fortitude: 14 = 7 base +7 ability
Reflex: 7 = 5 base +2 ability
Will: 4 = 2 base +2 misc
Grapple: 23 = 5 base attack +10 strength +4 size +4 misc

► Show Spoiler

Concentration: 4 (1 rank)
Diplomacy: 5 (2 ranks)
Heal: 4 (4 ranks)
Knowledge (religion): 2 (2 ranks)
Listen: 3 (3 ranks)
Profession (cook): 2 (2 ranks)
Sense Motive: 4 (1 rank +3 misc)
Spot: 3 (3 ranks)
Swim: 3 (1 rank) +4 (as bear)
Control Shape: 9 (9 ranks)
Speak Language: 1 (Sylvan)

► Show Spoiler

Feats
Run (PH99)
Iron Will (PH97)
Endurance (PH93)
Track (PH101)
Improved Unarmed Strike (PH96)
Improved Grapple (PH95)
Protection Devotion (CC59)
Healing Devotion (CC61)
Skill Focus (Sense Motive) (PHB100)
Daunting Presence (LM25)

Special Abilities
Low Light Vision (60ft)
Bear Empathy
Damage Reduction 5/silver
Alternate Form (brown bear)
Alternate Form (hybrid)
Aura of Good
Detect Evil
Smite Evil (1/day)
Scent
Improved Grab

► Show Spoiler

banded mail (mithral, wild)
AC +6
Max dex +3
check penalty 3
spell failure 25%
speed 20ft (30ft as bear)
weight 17.5lb
cost 18250
light shield (wild)
shield bonus +1
armor check penalty 1
spell failure 5%
weight 6lb
cost 9009
Knife
damage 1d4 (critical 19-20x2)
range 10ft
weight 1lb
cost 2

lantern
flint and steel
mug, clay
waterskin

Bag of Holding weight 25lb, cost 5000
Holds up to 500lb, 70cu ft
bedroll
winter blanket
cold weather outfit
sack
spade
sewing needle
soap
oil, lantern (3 pints)
pot, iron
clay jug (ale)
crowbar
rope (silk)
tent
oil, olive

Bag/Box/Thing of Magical PreservativenessÔäó weight ???, cost ???
hunk of meat (venison) (x2) weight 1lb, cost .6
hunk of cheese (x2) weight 1lb, cost .2
loaf of bread (x3) weight 1lb, cost .04
beef, sausage weight 1lb, cost 2
pork, bacon weight 1lb, cost 4
sardines weight 1, cost 4

Way Too Much Damn FoodÔäó
wheat flour weight 1, cost 0.01
barley weight 1, cost 1
chick peas weight 1, cost 3
lentils weight 1, cost 2
oats weight 1, cost 0.7
salt weight 0.0625, cost 0.01
garlic weight 0.0625, cost 0.01
cinnamon weight 0.0625, cost 1
oregano weight 0.0625, cost 0.2
thyme weight 0.0625, cost 0.1
mustard seed weight 0.0625, cost 0.05
juniper weight 0.0625, cost 0.3
cumin weight 0.0625, cost 0.3
pepper weight 0.0625, cost 30
basil weight 0.0625, cost 0.1
horseradish weight 0.0625, cost 0.04
apples, dried weight 1, cost 1
carrots, dried weight 0.125, cost 2
onion, dried weight 0.0625, cost 0.5
green peas, dried weight 0.125, cost 0.4
raisins, dried weight 1, cost 1
mushrooms, dried weight 1, cost 1
tomatoes, dried weight 1, cost 1
hazelnuts weight 1, cost 0.5
walnuts weight 1, cost 0.3
almonds weight 1, cost 3
beef, corned weight 1, cost 3
herring, salted weight 1, cost 5
cod, smoked weight 1, cost 7
honey (2pt) weight 2.99, cost 0.2
coffee weight 1, cost 50

Updated this again. Just need to get through the ...list of food and then finish up the last few camping implements.

[spiderwrangler]

You describe him as stocky, but at 6'5" and 164, seems he'd be more of a lanky beanpole.

[Amara]

...did I put 1? Aughhh sec to see what else I mistyped. Fixed that. No, if he was slim, with his frame and musculature he'd still be somewhere around 220 :b

Hnm. I don't SEE more dumb errors ATM, but I'm likely to encounter more. Bah. I'll start working on adding in his normal inventory now. If anything else seems wonky, it probably is.

Hnm. Bag of holding inside another such bag is kosher in this game, right? By the rules technically, so long as I don't go trying to add portable holes to the mixture it's fine, but I've seen DMs rule that either way.

[willpell]

Hnm. Bag of holding inside another such bag is kosher in this game, right? By the rules technically, so long as I don't go trying to add portable holes to the mixture it's fine, but I've seen DMs rule that either way.

No, I've also seen it stated more generally as "an extradimensional space inside another extradimensional space is bad", and I'm inclined to go with that here. Though I'll probably allow you to take all of your separate Bags of Holding inside a Rope Trick or a Magnificent Mansion without trouble.

[Amara]

Alright. Your game, your ruling. Fluff says it's fine with say, a bag of holding inside a handy haversack, but I can see how ridiculous that could get pretty quick, so I wasn't sure. (Though I know BoH inside portable hole = rift torn open to astral plane, and portable hole inside BoH = gate to astral plane.) ...but I know that one bag inside another was a nono in earlier editions, too.

Hrnm. ...now I'm torn. The handy haversack is one of my favorite items and generally is a go to in any game I can afford it...but its carrying capacity is a bit too low presently. Guess I'll swing for the bag of holding and forget the haversack.

[spiderwrangler]

...did I put 1? Aughhh sec to see what else I mistyped. Fixed that. No, if he was slim, with his frame and musculature he'd still be somewhere around 220 :b

He'd make for a funny looking bear, that scrawny...

[Amara]

Okay. I think I'm still missing things from my equipment list but that's MOSTLY it
If it looks like I'm missing anything I can still afford to buy more stuff. I've hit that point where I lack funds for anything big, but have plenty for small stuff. xD

He'd make for a funny looking bear, that scrawny...

Though I say this jokingly, I see Ryan/Rían as being slim when he was young....then he learned how to cook. xD

[spiderwrangler]

That is a lot of food. You don't have to worry about me raiding your pantry, as I don't *need* to eat. If you're ready, I think you're up next... http://www.goblinsforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=364

[Amara]

Rían would be more than happy to share, regardless.
And yes, yes it is. xD There aren't prices listed for less than a pound for most of the items in question, and I couldn't be bothered to do the math for smaller amounts or for mixing things together.
At any rate, if I missed anything on the typed up profile bit...
I made an actual sheet and for his inventory I made a spreadsheet. (I am not good with spreadsheets.)

I've posted now, and agh I feel bad for not getting everything ready sooner! At least fixing things is much faster than getting the whole sheet typed up in the first place.
(I brought it upon myself by buying that much, anyway...)

[spiderwrangler]

I'm not sure how to handle the empathic link communication with Kzri. It doesn't seem right for it to be more verbal-like commands, but I'm not certain on how to strike the right balance. I'd tried the italic words with slashes as a stand in for giving a SENSE of a thought or concept, without being an expressed command, but not sure how that comes across. I could approach it as letting Kast's wants known, and letting her respond as appropriate for a INT -- creature, if that would be preferable. It seemed that the first time you felt I was doing it awkwardly?

[Amara]

Hmn. I'm not sure about actual communication with the spider, but I can confirm theyÔÇôor at least my friend's tarantula wasÔÇôare very easy to train. You generally use food to train them. Obviously Rosie was never taught anything terribly complicated, but she knew 'come' and was also taught to 'dance' on command. It's best to use hand motion cues, though Rosie did seem to know my friend's voice. (Or at least her vibration pattern. Spiders can't actually hear, but they can feel vibrations, including from speaking.)

[spiderwrangler]

Spiders can't actually hear, but they can feel vibrations, including from speaking.

Yup. Spiders is actually what I do in real life, in fact I'm headed out to the woods to collect spiders tonight, I'll have to let you know how I do. We collect them by locating them by eyeshine (think cats or deer, but smaller and slower), then capturing them in a film canister or small vial. My work is looking at pheromone communication in wolf spiders, as related to mate finding.

The following entry is what I'm going off of for game purposes here though...

Empathic Link (Su): Because vermin cannot normally learn tricks, a druid must establish an empathic link with a vermin companion. The range of this empathic link is line of sight. The link allows the druid and vermin to communicate needs back and forth, and it can be activated and suppressed at will by the druid. For game purposes, communication of needs is equivalent to directing the vermin to perform any of the following tricks: come, down, heel, or attack. Using empathic link to communicate with a vermin companion is a move action.

Without any guidance, a vermin companion follows the druid around and reacts normally to stimuli. For example, if it is hungry, it tries to eat anything it normally considers food, except the druid and her companions. The vermin generally considers people and other creatures closely associated with the druid as part of its colony. It runs from predators, and it takes shelter from inclement weather. It sleeps when the druid does. The druid can use her empathic link to overcome these normal reactions as described above. The vermin always attacks any creatures that have attacked the druid or her companions, without need for commanding -- even when the foe includes aberrations and outsiders. However, it flees from undead and oozes (even if given the order to attack), though it stays within sight of the druid if possible. Once the undead or ooze leaves the scene (or is destroyed), the vermin companion can be recalled via the empathic link (by issuing the command to come). It will not attack constructs because it cannot register a construct as a possible food source (even if given the order to attack). It also does not attack incorporeal creatures, undead or not. It must be called off via empathic link once it has begun fighting.

Come, down, heel, attack, etc. have no flavor for me, and I'm trying to find a way of representing the limitations of the link with a vermin companion in a more interesting way than "Kast tells Kzri to stay." I picture more of a communication of sensory images. Communication in words, feelings, or pictures don't seem to make much sense in terms of translating between human (elf rather) and spider world view. Perhaps I'm overthinking things. Not sure if Pell felt I was anthropomorphizing to much in my first post... I only refer to Kzri as 'she' because male spiders are almost universally big wussies, so I wanted Kast to have a female spider as a companion.

[Amara]

Yup. Spiders is actually what I do in real life, in fact I'm headed out to the woods to collect spiders tonight, I'll have to let you know how I do. We collect them by locating them by eyeshine (think cats or deer, but smaller and slower), then capturing them in a film canister or small vial. My work is looking at pheromone communication in wolf spiders, as related to mate finding.

Oh, neat!

and yeah, I can see that with the text. Hnm. I'd probably go with hand motions, but I'm not sure beyond that.

[willpell]

Hm, so a vermin companion will attack Demons and Mind Flayers, but runs away from a puddle of animate sludge or a garden-variety skeleton. Funny, that. (I think it's odd that Elementals weren't mentioned in that set; I feel like they probably fall into the same category as oozes. Not that I necessarily want to disarm you any more than you already are, with undead and oozes and constructs all off-limits.)

I picture more of a communication of sensory images.

Sounds good to me.

Perhaps I'm overthinking things. Not sure if Pell felt I was anthropomorphizing to much in my first post...

No, I think you got it about right, I posted mostly just to post and was trying to come up with something that sounded productive but didn't actually change anything. When in doubt, insert flavor text.