Session 2 Wrap-Up / The Lightbringers
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:32 pm
First, we need to deal with Cory's slain character. Cory, I may have given you the impression that Naru's body is not recoverable, but that's not the case. I kind of expected the zombies to keep tearing him apart, but they did not get the chance, as the party kept them busy. So, Naru's body is simply quite a bit mauled up.
The down side is that there aren't any clerical services available. The town's priest was only 5th level, and he was quite mad (and now quite dead).
There are several other options available to you. Regardless of which you choose, the character will start out half way through one level below that of the party average level. We'll need to see if anyone levels from session 2's xp. This level penalty is a bit unfair to you, as your character died through no mistake of yours, but we need to be consistent to remain fair.
One option open to you is to actually take on the role of Ashlyn. You wanted to play a paladin, and her character has already been introduced. I'll give you the opportunity to make some changes to her build and loadout, but we should stick with her basic theme.
Another option, seeing as you were thinking paladin, is to introduce a new character as a "reinforcement" from Ashlyn's guild, the Lightbringers.
The Lightbringers are an expansive guild of undead hunters. They readily hand out charters memberships to almost anyone interested in stamping out the undead. The have no central HQ, but are affiliated with good-aligned temples, especially those of Pelor. Their symbol is a stylized half-sun, half-moon disc, and their credo is "suffer no false life."
Guild membership offers many benefits (if access to such is available) - things like alternative class abilities, free castings of Restoration, requests for aid vs. tough undead enclaves, and useful contacts. (Most of these benefits will not be available inside Barovia, however.)
Lightbringer bards, clerics, paladins, and rogues may take advantage of special alternative class features specifically tailored to combat the undead. Sometimes these features replace the normal class features.
Lightbringer rogues gain the Penetrating Strike feature, allowing them to gain 1/2 their sneak attack damage against foes immune to sneak attack damage if they maintain a flanking position (doesn't work just for flat footed, or on creatures that can't be flanked). (I thought Pierce might be interested in this...)
Lightbringer paladins replace Detect Evil at 1st lvl with Detect Undead. They replace Divine Health at 3rd level with Pelor's Blassing (Smite Evil is twice as effective against undead). At 6th level, they forgo their weekly casting of Remove Disease to gain a Warded Special Mount (which is immune to death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects).
Lightbringer bards can lose Bardic Knowledge to gain Undead Bardic Knowledge. They can lose Inspire Competence to gain Inspire Turning (helps others' turning attempts). Finally they can replace Suggestion with Repel Domination (+2 to saves resisting mind-affecting effects from undead).
Lightbringer clerics can drop Turn Undead to take Destroy Undead (does area effect damage against undead, resisted by will save, consumes turn attempts). They can drop one Domain Power to gain True Daylight (blow a turn undead attempt to make a Daylight spell cast create true daylight, with reduced area of effect and duration). The can also drop a Domain Power to use Positive Healing (blow a turn attempt to grant someone Fast Healing 2 for 5 rounds).
Let me know what you're thinking about playing. We'll need to touch base with the others' leveling progress to see what level this character will be.
The down side is that there aren't any clerical services available. The town's priest was only 5th level, and he was quite mad (and now quite dead).
There are several other options available to you. Regardless of which you choose, the character will start out half way through one level below that of the party average level. We'll need to see if anyone levels from session 2's xp. This level penalty is a bit unfair to you, as your character died through no mistake of yours, but we need to be consistent to remain fair.
One option open to you is to actually take on the role of Ashlyn. You wanted to play a paladin, and her character has already been introduced. I'll give you the opportunity to make some changes to her build and loadout, but we should stick with her basic theme.
Another option, seeing as you were thinking paladin, is to introduce a new character as a "reinforcement" from Ashlyn's guild, the Lightbringers.
The Lightbringers are an expansive guild of undead hunters. They readily hand out charters memberships to almost anyone interested in stamping out the undead. The have no central HQ, but are affiliated with good-aligned temples, especially those of Pelor. Their symbol is a stylized half-sun, half-moon disc, and their credo is "suffer no false life."
Guild membership offers many benefits (if access to such is available) - things like alternative class abilities, free castings of Restoration, requests for aid vs. tough undead enclaves, and useful contacts. (Most of these benefits will not be available inside Barovia, however.)
Lightbringer bards, clerics, paladins, and rogues may take advantage of special alternative class features specifically tailored to combat the undead. Sometimes these features replace the normal class features.
Lightbringer rogues gain the Penetrating Strike feature, allowing them to gain 1/2 their sneak attack damage against foes immune to sneak attack damage if they maintain a flanking position (doesn't work just for flat footed, or on creatures that can't be flanked). (I thought Pierce might be interested in this...)
Lightbringer paladins replace Detect Evil at 1st lvl with Detect Undead. They replace Divine Health at 3rd level with Pelor's Blassing (Smite Evil is twice as effective against undead). At 6th level, they forgo their weekly casting of Remove Disease to gain a Warded Special Mount (which is immune to death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects).
Lightbringer bards can lose Bardic Knowledge to gain Undead Bardic Knowledge. They can lose Inspire Competence to gain Inspire Turning (helps others' turning attempts). Finally they can replace Suggestion with Repel Domination (+2 to saves resisting mind-affecting effects from undead).
Lightbringer clerics can drop Turn Undead to take Destroy Undead (does area effect damage against undead, resisted by will save, consumes turn attempts). They can drop one Domain Power to gain True Daylight (blow a turn undead attempt to make a Daylight spell cast create true daylight, with reduced area of effect and duration). The can also drop a Domain Power to use Positive Healing (blow a turn attempt to grant someone Fast Healing 2 for 5 rounds).
Let me know what you're thinking about playing. We'll need to touch base with the others' leveling progress to see what level this character will be.
