Monday, May 28, 2007

05/25/07 D&D Game Session

— Matt Harris @ 11:16 am

We played D&D from 8 PM Friday until about 7 AM Saturday. Suffice it to say that with a session that long, the recap is a little longer than normal.

Here is the 05/25/07 Game Recap.

I also tried out a combat tracking pad using a magnetic dry-erase board and some dry-erase magnets. It seemed to quite well, but I need to tweak the magnet size a bit. I got the idea from this combat pad. Mine isn’t nearly as neat, but doesn’t waste as much space.

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Saturday, May 19, 2007

The Machine Mage

— Matt Harris @ 8:31 pm

I’ve created a new prestige class for the current D&D campaign I am playing in. The Machine Mage is a wizard who specializing in building and enchanting machines.

Machine Mage

Hit Die
d4

Requirements
To qualify to become a Machine Mage, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills
Craft (machine) 10 ranks, Knowledge (machine) 10 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks, Use Magic Device 2 ranks

Feats
Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Magic Arms And Armor, Craft Construct

Class Skills
The machine mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table : The Machine Mage
Level Base Attack
Bonus
Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Spells Per Day
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Machine familiar, knack with machines 1 +1 level of existing class
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Machine construct +1 level of existing class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Machine magic, knack with machines 2 +1 level of existing class
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Efficient machining +1 level of existing class
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Knack with machines 3 +1 level of existing class

Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the machine mage prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Machine mages gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells per Day/Spells Known
When a new machine mage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of machine mage to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

Machine Familiar
A machine mage learns how to make a machine familiar at 1st level. Said familiar looks and acts like a regular familiar, but is obviously a machine upon close inspection. The machine mage can only make a machine familiar if he or she does not currently have a familiar.
    A machine familiar takes 1 week to build and costs 500 gp in raw materials. A Craft (machine) check with a DC15 is needed to successfully craft the body. Unlike other constructs, this check must be made by the familiar’s master. Its type is Construct as opposed to Magical Beast and has all the qualities of a typical construct.
    Levels in this class stack with Wizard, Sorcerer or other classes that have familiars to find the level of the familiar.

Knack With Machines
At 1st level, a machine mage develops an almost mystical understanding of the way machines and complex mechanical devices work. This knack allows him to add one to any roll that deals with or affects a machine, e.g. rolls for Craft (machine), to hit, to damage, saves vs. machine traps, etc. Note that most constructs and traps aren’t machines.
    At 3rd level this bonus becomes +2 and at 5th level it becomes +3.

Machine Construct
At 2nd level, the machine mage discovers how to make machines into constructs. Any type of construct may be a machine construct. The only game difference is that Craft (machine) is used in in place of any craft skill needed to create the construct. Craft (machine) can also be used to to repair a machine construct.

Machine Magic
At 3rd level, the spells Animate Objects, Fantastic Machine and Greater Fantastic Machine are added to the machine mage’s class list. If he is of high enough level to cast them, the machine mage also learns the spells. If not, he learns them as soon as he becomes high enough level to cast them.

Efficient Machining
At 4th level, the machine mage becomes more efficient in his machine crafting. He becomes faster and makes the most of every scrap of raw material. Machines or machine constructs take 25% less time and money to create. XP costs remain the same.

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Sunday, May 13, 2007

1530s Europe Campaign First Four Recaps

— Matt Harris @ 7:53 pm

As part of the current D&D campaign I am in, I am wiring “in character” session recaps. I have uploaded them to the site and have posted the links here (PDF files).

Letter recapping the March 30, 2007 session.

Journal entry recapping the April 13, 2007 session.

Report to Captain of town of Armeni recapping the April 27, 2007 session.

Journal entry covering the May 11, 2007 session.

All of the session recaps will be linked in the 1530s Europe Campaign section of the D&D page.

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Glowstone

— Matt Harris @ 7:16 pm

Another magic item created for the D&D game I am playing in:

Glowstone
Price (Item Level): 1,000 gp (4th)
Body Slot: Head
Caster Level: 1st
Aura: Faint; (DC 15) Evocation
Activation: Swift (Mental)
Weight:

This small, clear oval crystal seems to glow slightly when examined very closely. When attached to the forehead of a sentient, a single thought will cause the glowstone to creates a floating ball of light about 3″ in diameter. The glowing ball sheds light as a torch and ball will move as the user mentally commands, but will only up to 20′ from the user. The ball will follow the user, keeping the same distance and direction, if possible. The ball of light can be extinguished as a free action.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Dancing Lights
Cost To Create: 500 gp, 40 xp, 1 day

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Amulet of Towering Rage

— Matt Harris @ 3:56 pm

I am back to playing Dungeons and Dragons again. A friend is running a campaign set in an alternate Europe in the year 1530. As part of that campaign, I created a new magic item, the Amulet of Towering Rage.

Amulet of Towering Rage
Price (Item Level): 900 gp (4th)
Body Slot: Throat
Caster Level: 2nd
Aura: Faint; (DC 16) Transmutation
Activation: Swift (Mental)
Weight: –

If the wearer chooses, he may be affected by an Enlarge Person spell as he or she enters a Rage. He can do this once per day and the effect lasts as long as the Rage.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Enlarge Person, Rage class feature.
Cost To Create: 450 gp, 36 xp, 1 day

Some color text on how the Magnus created the item in the 1530s European campaign:

   The smith looked at Magnus after he finished the mold and said, “You said that you would provide the metal needed.” Magnus nodded, and looking at Wulfgar asked, “Do you have it?” The stocky Viking replied, “Da, taken from an orc I killed ven I vas under the Frenzy of Odin.” Wulfgar then pulled out a falchion and handed it to the smith.

   Taking out a hammer and chisel, the smith expertly clipped off the final 3” of the blade. He then dropped the fragment in a ceramic crucible and placed the crucible in the hearth. Working the bellows, the smith began to melt the metal.

   After a few minutes, the smith said, “It is nearly ready for casting. Be you ready for what you need to do.” Magnus spoke to Wulfgar in a low voice, “Wulfgar. Think of how you feel when within the Frenzy. Feel the rage and power it gives you.” Wulfgar nodded and in a moment his pupils narrowed to pinpricks and the vein on his forehead seemed to throb.

   Magnus told the smith, “We are ready.” The smith took a pair of tongs and pulled the crucible from the hearth. Smoothly, Magnus pulled out a needle and taking Wulfgar’s left hand, pricked Wulfgar’s little finger. Holding the finger over the crucible of molten metal, he squeezed out three drops of blood. There was a hissing as the droplets hit the liquid.

   Magnus then dropped a pinch of powdered ruby and the hair of a king bull into the crucible. He then focused his mind on the incantation of the Enlarge Person spell. Instead of targeting one of the people in the room, though, Magnus quietly cast the spell on the metal in the crucible, thinking of the blood of Wulfgar.

   When the second of the spellcasting was done, Magnus shook his and in a rough voice told the smith, “Pour.” The smith poured the metal from the crucible into the mold awaiting it and commented that it would take a while to cool. Magnus replied in a weary tone, “That is acceptable. The casting took; I felt it. Well done.”

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