The Campaign Builder's Guild

The Wizard is the standard D&D Wizard, just with the Arcanist's Defense and Feat Masteries grafted on to make him IH.

Pros: Vancian magic (which has pretty much always been a feature of CE), very wide range of spells; the summon familiar ability fits fairly well, too, as does Scribe Scroll...
Cons: Doesn't use token pools, which the other classes do; nectar mechanics a little cludgy as I'd imagined them (basically function as metamagic feats, but with a chance at self-harm unless a check is passed).

The Arcanist casts spontaneously by storing up Mana tokens and then using one of a small range of powers and spells.

Pros: Mana point system might make nectar easier; fits with the other classes a bit better; I also like the magical mishaps idea a lot; also the Arcane Pact ability is very cool.
Cons: Non-Vancian; much smaller range of spells (limited arcane abilities); Aspects of Power doesn't do much for me.

I prefer the Wizard over the Arcanist tbh. I dislike the spell system it uses and I think the mana token pool is silly since as you say, Vancian magic is very CE.

Are any of the firearms considered light? So is a revolver like a repeating crossbow where it's a free action to reload until the magazine is empty, afterwards it's a move action to reload the clip (6 rounds)? Same applies to the Pepperbox, Reapeating Rifle and Four Barrell?

I think I'd prefer the arcanist, though vancian magic is indeed very CE.

[blockquote=Llum]Are any of the firearms considered light? So is a revolver like a repeating crossbow where it's a free action to reload until the magazine is empty, afterwards it's a move action to reload the clip (6 rounds)? Same applies to the Pepperbox, Reapeating Rifle and Four Barrell? [/blockquote]That`s correct - the number of shots is displayed in brackets by "Single Shot," which just means the number of bullets per attack (it`s a holdover from d20 past/modern where automatic weapons function differently... probably confusing).  It's a free action to cock back the hammer and prep another shot, but a move action to put in new bullets, unless the wielder has the Rapid Reload feat.

Nomadic, are you going to be playing?  That would be awesome!

(I'll ponder the Arcanist/Wizard thing some more, but I'm leaning towards Wizard still...)

Quote from: Steerpike[blockquote=Llum]Are any of the firearms considered light? So is a revolver like a repeating crossbow where it's a free action to reload until the magazine is empty, afterwards it's a move action to reload the clip (6 rounds)? Same applies to the Pepperbox, Reapeating Rifle and Four Barrell? [/blockquote]That`s correct - the number of shots is displayed in brackets by "Single Shot," which just means the number of bullets per attack (it`s a holdover from d20 past/modern where automatic weapons function differently... probably confusing).  It's a free action to cock back the hammer and prep another shot, but a move action to put in new bullets, unless the wielder has the Rapid Reload feat.

Nomadic, are you going to be playing?  That would be awesome!

(I'll ponder the Arcanist/Wizard thing some more, but I'm leaning towards Wizard still...)

I'd like to but it depends on the time. I'll be doing Celtricia Thursday evenings, Aikido Friday, and work all other nights. So unless its morning/noon (or early afternoon) I can't make it.

The tentative timeslot right now is at 1:30 PST.

Inhabitants of Skein are fairer than many of the more southerly humans, with a slightly sallow cast.  They have a pronounced epicanthic fold, hair ranging from jet black to dark red, and amber, violet, green, or blue eyes.  They are a tall, lithe, generally slender folk.

Those who live in Moroi are slightly darker and stockier than those of Skein but still have fairly pale skin, typically with brown, green, or hazel eyes.  Though some have a trace of an epicathnic fold, this trait is less pronounced than in residents of the City of Silk.  Most have elaborately styled or dyed hair '" frequently quite long '" though some shave their heads entirely.

Citizens of the Corsair City, Lophius, and the surrounding swamps and islands usually have olive or tan skin and darker hair and eyes, though some with backgrounds from neighbouring islands (such as the few human tribes in the Bluebottle Archipelago) have significantly darker skin.  Most are heavily tattooed, ritually scarred, multiply pierced, or all three.  Hair is often worn long in both sexes and tends to be dark brown or black in colour; dreadlocks are not uncommon.

Those who dwell in Marainein have nut-brown or darker skins and black or grey eyes, though a few have striking blue eyes as well.  Most are quite tall and rather grim looking, with high cheekbones and narrow, almond-shaped eyes.  Braided beards are common , and long hair is frequently bound in a turban.

Those who hail from the southern city of Erebh have skin and hair as black as Abysm, with complexions almost blue-black in tone, like deep ink.  They have little body hair and rarely wear their hair long.

The hardy northern folk of Somnambulon and the Northern Baronies, on the other hand, are a bone-pale people with fair hair and ice-blue, slate grey, or sea green eyes.  Most are quite hairy, and the men grow thick beards and chest hair.

The subhuman slaves of Dolmen are albinos, with translucent white skins, pink eyes, and white hair.  They tend to be quite strong of limb but short and hunched of back, and have little body hair to speak of.

Natives of Crepuscle are difficult to place.  The city is so centrally located that they have a combination of ethnic traits, varying widely from family to family.  Most have medium brown skin and darker hair, and a slight epicanthic fold round the eyes (which are of every conceivable colour); however, some inhabitants of the Harlequin City have skin nearly as dark as those from Erebh, and others are as white as Somnambulites.  Hairstyles vary just as widely.

Indigenes of Macellaria are similarly blended, though they tend to be slightly darker than those of Crepuscle, with tones ranging from light yellow to deep tan.  Eye colour varies widely, but many have grey, brown, and hazel eyes.  Closely cropped or wholly shaven hair is common in Macellaria, especially as a means of preventing lice.

Unless anyone really wants to build an Arcanist I think I'll stick with the Wizard as the base for the Witch class.

Ability scores will be assigned as in Iron Heroes.

Sort of random, but those who want to experiment with making their own grafts as some point will need this feat:

Graft Flesh (Item Creation) - Lore, Base Mastery 1

Prerequisites: Craft (Alchemy) 6 ranks, Heal 6 ranks, Craft (Tailor) 6 ranks, Caster level 1st

Benefits: You can graft alien flesh using eldritch techniques and good old fashioned stitches.  Grafts take one hour per 100 obeloi in its price and require a Craft (Tailor) check of DC 10 +1 for every 1000 obeloi in its price.  If you succeed, the graft is complete; if you fail, the process has failed.  If fail by more than 5, the raw materials are lost.  There is no XP cost (XP costs are stupid).

Expanded Mastery 2: You no longer spoil the raw materials if you fail a graft check.

Expanded Mastery 3: Grafts now take only a half hour per 100 obeloi.

...

A list of grafts will follow.  They will be appreciably cheaper than grafts in d&d, and will be more common than regular magic items, especially wondrous items.

Craft Eldritch Tattoo - Lore, Base Mastery 1

Prerequisite: Caster level 1st

Benefit: You can create an arcane tattoo of any spell that you know. Creating the tattoo takes one hour for each 100 obeloi in its base price. The base price of a tattoo is its spell level × its caster level × 50 gp. To create the tattoo, use up raw materials costing one-half of this base price.  There is no XP cost (XP costs are very silly).

Eldritch tattoos function exactly like scrolls, and can be used only by those "wearing" the tattoo.  However, no spellcraft check/read magic spell is necessary.  Following a tattoo's use, it fades from the user's flesh.

Expanded Mastery 2: Your tattoos only cost 25 obeloi instead of 50 obeloi per caster level per spell level.

Expanded Mastery 3: Your tattoos can now be crafted as permenant.  Their powers are usable once per day.

Expanded Mastery 4: Your tattoos are usable twice per day.

Expanded Mastery 5: Your tattoos are usable three times per day.

Expanded Mastery 6: Your tattoos are usable four times per day.

Expanded Mastery 7: Your tattoos are usable five times per day.

Expanded Mastery 8: Your tattoos are usable six times per day.

Expanded Mastery 9: Your tattoos are usable seven times per day.

Expanded Mastery 10: Your tattoos are usable eight times per day.

Quote from: SteerpikeEldritch Tattoo

Prerequisite: Caster level 1st.

Benefit: You can create an arcane tattoo of any spell that you know. Creating the tattoo takes one hour for each 100 obeloi in its base price. The base price of a tattoo is its spell level × its caster level × 50 gp. To create the tattoo, use up raw materials costing one-half of this base price.  There is no XP cost (XP costs are very silly).

Eldritch tattoos function exactly like scrolls, and can be used only by those "wearing" the tattoo.  However, no spellcraft check/read magic spell is necessary.  Following a tattoo's use, it fades from the user's flesh.

Wait, so a powerful enough witch could end up looking something like Jack from Mass Effect 2? I didn't think CE could get more awesome... I was wrong. Anyhow, 1:30pm on what day? As long as it isn't Sunday I can make that (until Summer ends at least). I think I'd like to play a gunslinger with at least some magic capability. Was thinking either a Ghul or a Lophian Human with connections to The House of Crimson Shadows. Would that work out ok?

I too might be interested in joining. Am I correct that the time would be 16:30, in 24-hour format in New York? If so then I think I could handle it if it won't be more than couple hours per session.

I'd like to try a Ghul witch - preferably Wizard class, since I'm even less familiar with IH than with regular d20. Got a few questions though:
* Would it be possible to have some minor body parts to be replaced with non-organic stuff, mostly for decorative purposes? I'm thinking stuff like replacing teeth and fingernails with metallic replicants or even gemstones. Not necessarily anything that should affect the bite/claw attacks, but if appropriate mechanics for that exist then that's fine too.
* Also, would a Ghul be able to see without eyes? Would it be possible to remove the eyeballs to have them replaced with porcelain orbs or something like that? And if these were removed (likely when the character was arrested before game starts) would he be able to see with empty eye sockets?

I'm imagining a rather narcissistic character putting a great deal of effort to enhancing his appearance.

Welcome aboard Ghostman!  That's the correct time (4:30 in the afternoon EST).  Looks like we're going to have quite a group!

[blockquote=Ghostman]* Would it be possible to have some minor body parts to be replaced with non-organic stuff, mostly for decorative purposes? I'm thinking stuff like replacing teeth and fingernails with metallic replicants or even gemstones. Not necessarily anything that should affect the bite/claw attacks, but if appropriate mechanics for that exist then that's fine too.
* Also, would a Ghul be able to see without eyes? Would it be possible to remove the eyeballs to have them replaced with porcelain orbs or something like that? And if these were removed (likely when the character was arrested before game starts) would he be able to see with empty eye sockets?[/blockquote]Ghilan can't have organic grafts(dead flesh and all), but the mechanical ones are OK.  If they're for decorative purposes, that's fine... and I like the gems-for-eyes thing (a story I once started had warlocks who did that).  If they function just like arcane bionic eyes, that won't give him an unfair advantage.  If you like you can lose grave-spawn Darkvision and gain the ability to Detect Magic three times per day using the porcelain orbs, if you want them to be enchanted... or you can just keep the Darkvision.

[blockquote=Nomadic]Wait, so a powerful enough witch could end up looking something like Jack from Mass Effect 2? I didn't think CE could get more awesome... I was wrong. Anyhow, 1:30pm on what day? As long as it isn't Sunday I can make that (until Summer ends at least). I think I'd like to play a gunslinger with at least some magic capability. Was thinking either a Ghul or a Lophian Human with connections to The House of Crimson Shadows. Would that work out ok? [/blockquote]We're tentatively going to try it on Tuesdays, so that should work.

The character concept sounds just fine.  If you want him to be a formal member of the House of Crimson Shadows that's OK, but he won't be able to join another House later on, and the other players might not be as enamoured by the House (though maybe they will be, who knows).  If you'd rather just have some connections with them rather than being a formal member, that's OK too.

[ooc]For those interested in playing Gunfighter/Witch multiclass characters.[/ooc]

Cast Glyph Bullet - Base Mastery 1, Projectile

Prerequisites: Weapon Proficiency (Firearms), Cast 3rd, Craft (Gunsmith) 6 ranks

When firing a glpyh-cast bullet you can, as a free action, channel a spell into the bullet. If the bullet hits its target, it does an additional +1d6 force damage per level of the spell channeled into the bullet.  Cantrips only add +1d3 damage.

Casting glyph bullets is a very intensive process, requiring molten and powdered metals and meticulous spellwork. Casting glyph bullets requires a properly equipped gunner's kit and the appropriate skill check (Craft (Gunsmith)). The material cost, in addition to the standard bullet cost, is 1 obelus for each glyph-cast bullet, which are regularly lead and gold shavings or dust'"indispensable for its conductive properties. Once the lead is liquefied, the gold is sprinkled into the molten metal and, as the rounds cool, manifests as flecks. Thereupon the caster etches his signature mark '" a glyph'" with gold shavings onto the bullet. This mark acts as the receiving point for the caster`s spells, and the flecks carry the spell throughout the bullet.

Casters normally are able to cast and etch 5 bullets per hour, but the cost is exacting and requires focus. Every hour after the first, a caster must make a Concentration check (DC 12). If the check fails,the caster is fatigued and must wait an hour before attempting to cast more bullets. Magnifying glasses and superior etching tools can lower this DC.

Etching the very precise runes is meticulous, especially difficult on the eyes even under the best lighting. A bleary eyed crafter takes a temporary penalty of -1 to all attacks per hour spent casting glyph bullets. These points are recovered at a rate of 1 point every hour provided the caster is no longer etching glyphs.

Expanded Mastery 2: You no longer need to make Concentration checks while crafting bullets.

Expanded Mastery 3: the gun crafter's glyph-cast bullets are treated as having a +1 enhancement bonus when spell levels are channeled into the bullet, allowing it to overcome resistances to non-magical weapons, as well as dealing the additional damage bonus.

Expanded Mastery 4: You are no longer bleary-eyed after crafting bullets.

Expanded Mastery 5: The enhancement bonus is increased to +2.

Expanded Mastery 6: You can craft 10 bullets per hour.

Expanded Mastery 7: The enhancement bonus is increased to +3.

Expanded Mastery 8: You can craft 20 bullets per hour.

Expanded Mastery 9: The enhancement bonus is increased to +4.

Updated the Craft Eldritch Tattoo feat with expanded masteries.

I'll update the Graft Flesh feat later!