EDIT:Fission. Split into 2, doubling your action economy. Use Hyperconscious (do you have it?) for persist power.
EDIT 2: In Black Flames, Farcluun engages in physical combat with Abalach-Re. I’m guessing that Farcluun has a bunch of psychic warrior powers obtained through Psychic Chiurgury.
After schism (fission, sorry), the additional Farcluun manifests Claws of the Vampire and Psionic Lion’s Charge, which automatically manifests as a swift action. Next round Farcluun’s copy goes funky with a quickened Form of Doom, netting him 4 additional tentacle attacks in addition to being thematically cool. Third round the copy of Farcluun manifests Expansion with the swift action augment and the 2 size category increase augment, becoming more terrifying and increasing threat range.
This isn’t meant to be an optimised attack routine. It just uses the SRD. This is meant to show that Farcluun is a cruel combatant, grinding down his enemies.
If Farcluun wins, the foe will wish they were dead. Black Flames claims that Farcluun is LE, but he is probably CE, based on the fact that he doesn’t even contemplate keeping a promise even when it doesn’t hurt him to do so. The characters defeated by Farcluun will end up in some sort of suicide squad, shackeled to Farcluun’s will by magical or psionic means, similar to what happens in Black Flames. Most likely mission? They each have to murder a Raamin templar at least once a day, effectively becoming terrorists or face the consequences of the curse that Farcluun placed on them. Of course, the curse also prevent them from asking for help.
If one of the Farcluun instances is destroyed by the foe, Farcluun flees. But Farcluun will be back, and soon. Most likely Farcluun has the salient feat Recuperation, and will restore his spells and power points to full in 2 hours. Unless his foes have a good place to hide, Farcluun will be back with a vengeance and will rinse and repeat until victory. The smart foe will cast dimensional anchor to prevent Farcluun from fleeing. If they are high level and know about Farcluun’s abilities, they will surely do that.
This is good. I also thought he would be more physical and was wondering how I would accomplish that that. I was going to cherry pick discipline powers through the research function, and didn’t want to go overboard on anything added between psychic surgery, and one custom power (a microcosm that isn’t mind-affecting).
No aspiring dragon king has survived without knowing he’s being spied on, and while the others may get the drop on him, that too is an illusion. The fight you describe is certainly real, for the time-hoppedepic simulacrum. Farcluun knows the first rounds will exhaust the careful setups, contingencies, and the overwhelming force of his opponents. So he’ll show up on round 3 or 4 with his own fissioned self to assert dominance.
Yeah, it’s a +10. Inherent, enhancement, age, base and levels makes the modifier from Int +23. Plus the base plus the level of the spell or power, before any outside additives. DC 33 plus the level of the spell. Anything heightened makes it worse. My initial setup has two Improved Spell Capacity feats, with the salient feat that gives two-for-one, he has access to 13th level slots. That’s DC mid-40’s for anything requiring a save. Those babies are getting through anything that isn’t outright immunity.
Yes; I’ll go let that change everything I’ve thought of so far.
I have also considered spell haste from Kingdoms of Kalamar as something the SM’s and other AB’s would have figured out or researched, even as a higher level spell.
Person A mentions respected third party product Hyperconscious by creator of 3.5e psionics, person B pisses in the punch at a high class function by mentioning Kingdoms of Kalamar in polite company. Just sayin’.
Let me know how your 4 vs 1 fight goes. Then put Farcluun against a Duke of Hell. If he wins, put him in the ring against an Archduke.
This cracked me up, and is completely accurate. I’ll refrain from further stupidity.
For years I’ve been wondering how to capture the essence of millennial, immortal, formerly-mortal monarchs and what they should be able to pull off, then backing away from the extremes. With centuries to refine spells and powers and their interaction, they are likely to approach everything through the lens of T.O., and experiment heavily within the constraints of the world. It’s maddening to ask, ‘why did they only go this far?’
Do you have a page number on that document for those? I scanned through every ten pages or so through 200, but it’s a big document with no table of contents. I never knew this 3rd party existed, so now I have something else to read. Did they make other 3.5 content worth picking up?
EDIT: Are we limiting Hyperconscious to persistent power, or is it open?
Given that its well respected, its open. Re-fluff (Colorless Adept, I’m looking at you) may be required in some instances. Ghostbreaker is pretty cool.
The dukes start at page 210 (page position 223 on the PDF reader itself). Archdevils are in the next chapter after that. You could also set Farcluun against Aesmadeva, the first pit fiend (page 110, reader position 120), although I suspect that challenge may be more appropriate to a Sorcerer Monarch.
They used to have a forum where they would do epic content. A lot of it is gone, but fortunately the best work has been preserved in The Gates of Hell.
Hyperconscious = high quality coke, Scarface burying his face in a small mountain of that white gold.
Kingdoms of Kalamar content = bath salts, people turning cannibal in a first world country.
I expect that you will want to pick up Permanent Focus [Psionic] for your Dragon Kings. You’ll need it to make Persistent Power [Metapsionic] work without a hiccup.
A salient feat for SMs that want to increase the power of their servants. This isn’t a great feat (for the SM - the abilities conferred are great for the recipient) and isn’t meant to be. It relies on channelling power from the elemental vortice, which isn’t very reliable and the cost vs performance ratio is quite bad for unorthodox uses of the elemental vortice. Most likely candidate for using this salient feat is the cult leader Oba of Gulg.
Sorcerer Monarch’s Favour [Advanced Being]
By experimenting in ways of manipulating your elemental vortice, you have come across a method of increasing the power of your servants, granting them drop of your power in an occult ritual.
Prerequisites: Able to channel spells to templars through an elemental vortice. Advanced Being.
Benefit: A number of your servants (who do not necessarily have to be templars and must not be undead, constructs, or incorporeal) equal to the ability modifier of your evolution score can be inducted as your favourites. This feat does not grant the Sorcerer Monarch any special control over the inducted. Except for sorcerer monarch’s voice, this favour cannot be revoked and only a year after the death of a favourite can another favourite be initiated. The favourites get the following benefits.
Sorcerer Monarch’s Voice (Ex): The inducted gains the ability to use secular authority, as if it had the feat (DS3 Core Rules, page 74). If the inducted already had secular authority (for example, it already had the secular authority feat or is a templar), it gains the benefits of the Favourite feat (DS3 Core Rules, page 72). If the inducted already had both secular authority and the Favorite feat, it can use secular authority a further four additional times per day.
Gift of Tongues (Su): The inducted has the ability to speak any language, so as to better serve its Sorcerer Monarch, like the spell tongues.
Regeneration (Ex): The inducted gains regeneration 1. Fire and acid deal normal damage to the inducted. If the inducted loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The inducted can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.
Fanaticism (Su): The inducted can call on his Sorcerer Monarch to increase his morale and protect his body against attacks as an immediate action three times a day, for a number of rounds equalling 3 plus character level. The inducted has its attitude set to fanatic, which grants the inducted a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution scores, a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, and a -1 penalty to AC. Additionally, the inducted gains gains damage reduction 5/magic and 10 temporary hit points for the duration of the effect.
Advancement (Ex): The inducted gains a +2 inherent bonus to an ability score of its choice and is considered to have the Able Learner feat, regardless of whether it qualifies. If the inducted already has the able learner feat, it may select another feat for which it qualifies. Additionally, the inducted gains experience points sufficient to place it halfway into two levels of experience past its current level (meaning, the inducted gains two character levels). The inducted must select which single class to which this level increase will apply.
A shout out to fans of 4E. Warlocks as templars. That said, it comes with a heavy feat tax of one other salient feat (every salient feat slot is valuable beyond measure), so this is going to be a rare ability among the Sorcerer Monarchs. I doubt any of the “mainstream” SMs have this ability, although Daskinor might have it - although he is hardly mainstream. It is a certainty that the Godking of Gozar has templar warlocks among the templarate in that remote kingdom.
Warlock Monarch [Advanced Being]
You have been able to reverse engineer warlock pacts through extensive experimentation with your elemental vortice. If you wish, you may have warlocks as templars.
Benefit: You can have warlocks (from Complete Arcane) as templars, in addition to your normal templars. Unlike normal warlocks, their powers are divine in nature, not arcane, although they still incur spell failure chance for wearing medium or heavy armor. Also, the Imbue Item ability has the Use Magic Device check for arcane and divine item creation reverse to that of arcane warlocks, meaning that they can substitute a Use Magic Device check (DC 25 + spell level for arcane spells or 15 + spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell that the doesn’t know or can’t cast. Warlock Monarchs can have templars that have levels in both warlock and templar.
In addition to their normal warlock powers, they gain secular aptitude and sigil abilities at 1st level, and at 20th level get the Unbreakable Bond (Ex) ability, just like regular templars.
Will dig into everything again soon; work is killing my spare time.
catapsi and anti-magic field with relevant contingencies (linked power, delay power; repeat spell, delay spell) even the playing field some in the 2-v-1 and 4-v-1 thought experiment.
Diminishing returns in the 4-v-1 as the catapsi effect limits psi use to one user. It may only get one round of efficacy until it overlaps, but it’s a good round.
Epic Spells: Each apparent rank in psiotheology provides +1 psiotheology bonus to Spellcraft checks of epic spells using the if an epic power slot is expended while casting the epic spell.
Psionic Enchanter feat from Legends of Athas is more appropriate anyway.
These characters already get a -19 DC mitigating factor to expending an epic power slot with an epic spell anyway. Advanced Being Skill Affinity is another way to get a bonus to Spellcraft checks.
Re: my mindlord. I messed up in the movement speed. Give the mindlord the Epic Speed feat (+30ft) as a bonus feat and ignore what I wrote about movement speed.
Now the mindlord with levels in the Mindlord of Saragar post epic PrC vs an advanced being is something I am interested in. At equal levels, the mindlord should have a good chance because it can ‘go nova’ at a very high manifester level.
I was thinking something similar. I think it will be close because the psion will have 5,000,000 cp worth of toys to help bolster him against the dragon. The cost for the Mindlord template is minimal in comparison to the structure for metamorphosis.
I have to revisit Hyperconscious again and look through the feat selection and how many fit into the 33 level build. I have the MotW worked in because the class features are that good, but I had thought 10/10/10/3 Mindlord of Saragar, ditching MotW for the epic bonus feats of Order Adept/Mindlord. As long as Quicken Power and Persistent Power don’t need an expenditure of psionic focus, MotW is less critical. I’m trying to balance the epic schism reboot above with this in mind. 3 minds not needing to expend psi focus, with quickened powers, and Multipower (2 or 3 times?) could be crippling. I don’t know that is OP against the AB’s though.
A reliable source of additional PP is almost required. Haven’t thought that through yet (but 5,000,000cp of cognizance crystals would be a good start).
I haven’t looked back through the salient feats in a couple weeks, and don’t have them committed to memory yet. Are there any that would be useful to Mindlord of Saragar? Would/could it also be considered an Advanced Being for purposes of any of those feats?
No. A mindlord is not an advanced being. The mindlord, and in particular the Mindlord of Saragar, follows a different path. See the Draw on Orb ability from the PrC. You don’t need congizance crystals do challenge an advanced being. The mindlord has to attack with all its power immediately.
That said, there are some feats and epic feats in that document that might be useful.
Psionic Enchantment/Epic Spells in Dragon Kings list and conversions.
Abrasion: Unconverted. Other epic spells in the SRD are similar, so conversion is unnecessary. Advanced Domination: Enslave in the SRD. Defiler Metamorphosis: Converted, but will be revised. Defiling Regeneration: Not worth converting. Defiling Stasis: Not worth converting. Dome of Invulnerability: Not worth converting. Enchanted Armaments: Not appropriate for 3.5e. Just Sovereign: Not worth converting. Life Extension: Not yet converted but very easy to do. Magical Minions: Better handled with the non-epic simulacrum spell. Magical Plague: Epic spells of this sort in the SRD. Masquerade/Impostor: Converted. Mass Fanaticism: Converted. Mountain Fortress: Tried to convert but gave up. Instant Fortress seems to fill this role anyway. Pact: Converted. Preserver Metamorphosis: Conversion in progress. Prolific Forestation/Vegetation: Converted. Pure Breed: Not worth converting. Raise Nation: Better handled with non epic spells. Recruitment: Not worth converting. Reverse Loyalties: Better handled with non epic spells. Rift: Already in 3.5e DS as a non-epic spell. Rolling Road: Not worth converting. Undead’s Lineage: Not worth converting. Duplicates Enslave. Wall of Ash: Better handled with non epic spells. Cleanse: Basically same as atonement. No conversion. Insect Host: Better handled with non epic spells. Planar Vassal: Worse than planar binding and very similar to pact. No conversion. Silt Bridge: Better handled with non epic spells.
I changed my mind about Just Sovereign and Evil Despot. They ARE different enough to Masquerade/Impostor to warrant their own epic spell. Here they are. Have a guess at which spell King Hamanu is casting on himself.
Just Sovereign
School: Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Spellcraft DC: 41 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 minute Range: 75 ft. Target: One military leader Duration: 10 days Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes
To Develop: 369,000 gp; 8 days; 14,760 XP. Seeds: Compel (DC 19). Factors: +10 bonus on leader’s Diplomacy, Intimidate with those under their military authority (+10 DC), affect creatures with total HD up to 200 per caster level who are already under the authority of the recipient of the spell (ad hoc +20 DC), Increase duration to 10 days (+22 DC). Mitigating factors: Burn 3,000 XP (-30 DC).
Just Sovereign is an epic spell exerts a subtle but profound influence over those under a leader’s military command within a one-mile radius. Once the spell is cast, a near imperceptible aura of benevolence seems to surround the leader, rendering his voice more compelling, his words heavier with meaning, and his presence inspiring undying loyalty and respect.
Subjects, who already recognize the recipient as their commander and whose total Hit Dice amount to no more than 200 per caster level, find themselves feeling a deep kinship, respect, and reverence for their leader, making them more compliant, hardworking, and loyal. Memories of the leader’s past harsh actions or missteps become foggy, being viewed as necessary disciplines or misunderstood wisdom.
The spell first takes hold of the lower HD soldiers or followers, weaving its enchantment into their minds before cascading up the ranks. Only when all the lower HD troops are influenced does the spell advance, affecting the next tier of higher HD individuals until it reaches its limit of 200 HD per caster level.
In terms of attitude, those affected by the spell are friendly towards the leader, and their attitude could further be improved to helpful if the leader’s behaviour is consistent with their positive feelings towards the leader.
The spell also bestows an automatic +10 bonus to the leader’s Diplomacy and Intimidate checks when dealing with the affected individuals, effectively amplifying their ability to inspire their followers, sway crowds, and quell dissent.
In the throes of war, the spell works wonders on productivity, inspiring subjects under the spell to work with a fervor unmatched in normal circumstances. Their efficiency surges by an impressive 50%, whether they are constructing fortifications, digging trenches, or engaging in any other military tasks, they produce results in significantly less time, bolstering the leader’s efforts in creating a formidable military force.
The influence of Just Sovereign is so potent that it also protects the leader from any potential penalties to their Leadership score from previous missteps or harsh actions. This allows the leader to maintain command and control effectively, regardless of their past actions.
Evil Despot
School: Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Spellcraft DC: 41 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 minute Range: 75 ft. Target: One military leader Duration: 10 days Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes
To Develop: 369,000 gp; 8 days; 14,760 XP. Seeds: Compel (DC 19). Factors: -10 penalty to leader’s Diplomacy, Intimidate with those under their military authority (+10 DC), affect creatures with total HD up to 200 per caster level who are already under the authority of the recipient of the spell (ad hoc +20 DC), increase duration to 10 days (+22 DC). Mitigating factors: Burn 3,000 XP (-30 DC).
Evil Despot is an epic spell that shrouds the affected leader in an aura of malice and tyranny. This spell is cast on a leader, who then becomes a figure of loathing and resentment to those under his rule. The leader’s voice becomes harsh and grating, his presence inspiring disgust and aversion, and his orders come across as the edicts of a cruel tyrant.
This spell targets those individuals already under the leader’s military’s authority whose total Hit Dice amount to no more than 200 per caster level and who are already under the authority of the recipient of the spell. The subjects of the leader, now viewing their master through the lens of this enchantment, perceive him as a hated despot, causing their loyalty and compliance to wane dramatically.
The spell first takes hold of the lower HD soldiers or followers, weaving its enchantment into their minds before cascading up the ranks. Only when all the lower HD troops are influenced does the spell advance, affecting the next tier of higher HD individuals until it reaches its potent limit of 200 HD per caster level.
In terms of attitude, those affected by the spell are unfriendly towards the leader, and their attitude could further be downgraded to hostile if they perceive further insult from the leader.
As a result of this spell, the leader suffers a -10 penalty to his Diplomacy and Intimidate checks for the duration of the spell, finding it increasingly difficult to inspire respect, obedience, or fear in his subjects. This discontent can manifest in many ways such as decreased productivity, increased desertion rates, insubordination, and even outright rebellion.
Furthermore, during the spell’s duration, any abusive actions or defeats suffered by the leader result in a doubled penalty to their Leadership score, as the affected subjects are more likely to interpret these events as signs of the leader’s weakness or cruelty.
In terms of productivity, whether they are constructing fortifications, digging trenches, or engaging in any other military tasks, it takes an extra 50% more time to complete the tasks as the troops under the leader’s command under-perform in quiet disobedience.
This discontent and disobedience could, if not carefully managed, lead to a significant decrease in the leader’s effectiveness, and in extreme cases, even risk the collapse of their rule.
Addendum It turns out that I can’t edit posts up thread. I’ve revised Pact, and made a greater version that is a psionic enchantment.
Pact
Conjuration (Calling)
Spellcraft DC: 57 DC Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 minute Target: One elemental or outsider Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: No and Yes; see text
To develop: 513,000 gp; 11 days; 20,520 XP. Seed: summon (DC 14). Seed: compel (19 DC). Factors: summon CR 25 creature (DC +46). Change summoning to calling and include dimensional anchor and magic circle against evil (ad hoc +17 DC). Change attitude to helpful (+5 DC). +10 to DC of target’s save (+20 DC). Mitigating factors: 33d6 backlash damage (-33 DC). Burn 3600 XP (-36 DC).
This spell functions like lesser planar binding, except follows. You may call a single creature of 25 CR or less and the spell integrates a magic circle against evil and a dimensional anchor. The creature gets two saving throws, one for the calling and one for the compulsion effect (DC = the standard epic spell DC + 10). The creature might, for example, fail its saving throw to be called but pass its saving throw to be compelled, which means it arrives without its mind being affected. If the creature fails both saving throws, the called creature arrives in the calling circle with its NPC attitude set to ‘helpful’. This attitude could be worsened depending on how the caster treats the creature. Like the normal planar binding spell, the creature can make independent attempts to escape, and must be persuaded to aid you.
Pact takes much uncertainty out of the calling creatures from other planes, which are often hostile when called to Athas. The mindbending effect of this spell makes the called creature helpful; however, you must still enter negotiations with the creature as described in the lesser planar binding spell description, and you get a +6 bonus on your Charisma check against the creature if the creature’s attitude remains helpful (+3 if friendly, and +0 if indifferent). Creatures called by this spell can serve the caster for up to 1 day per caster level.
Spellcraft DC: 57 DC Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 minute Target: One elemental or outsider Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: No and Yes; see text
To develop: 513,000 gp; 11 days; 20,520 XP. Seed: (conjuration) summon (DC 14). Seed: (telepathy) compel (19 DC). Factors: summon CR 30 creature (DC +56). Change summoning to calling and include dimensional anchor and magic circle against evil (ad hoc +17 DC). Change attitude to helpful (+5 DC). +10 to DC of target’s save (+20 DC). Mitigating factors: 33d6 backlash damage (-33 DC). Burn 4100 XP (-41 DC).
This spell must be cast as a psionic enchantment, requiring an epic psionic power slot to be expended during casting. Greater Pact is functionally the same as Pact, but as a psionic enchantment, it is able to summon more powerful (and more dangerous) creatures than an epic spellcaster that uses magic alone.
This spell functions like lesser planar binding, except follows. You may call a single creature of 30 CR or less and the spell integrates a magic circle against evil and a dimensional anchor. The creature gets two saving throws, one for the calling and one for the compulsion effect (DC = the standard epic spell DC + 10). The creature might, for example, fail its saving throw to be called but pass its saving throw to be compelled, which means it arrives without its mind being affected. If the creature fails both saving throws, the called creature arrives in the calling circle with its NPC attitude set to ‘helpful’. This attitude could be worsened depending on how the caster treats the creature. Like the normal planar binding spell, the creature can make independent attempts to escape, and must be persuaded to aid you.
Greater Pact takes much uncertainty out of the calling creatures from other planes, which are often hostile when called to Athas. The mindbending effect of this spell makes the called creature helpful; however, you must still enter negotiations with the creature as described in the lesser planar binding spell description, and you get a +6 bonus on your Charisma check against the creature if the creature’s attitude remains helpful (+3 if friendly, and +0 if indifferent). Creatures called by this spell can serve the caster for up to 1 day per caster level.
Do you have a page number on that document for those? I scanned through every ten pages or so through 200, but it’s a big document with no table of contents. I never knew this 3rd party existed, so now I have something else to read. Did they make other 3.5 content worth picking up?
Now I see psionic templars and want to make that happen. This must be a glimpse of what ADHD feels like.
