Royal Animator Prestige CLass 3.5

[raddu (Robert Adducci)]

Originally posted by Pennarin:

(Thanks Bengeldorn and Squidfur- for those hours! )

Here is the only PrC I currently have in the works.

You might notice some stuff:

1. The fluff text is nearly the same as that of the Royal Defiler PrC. My imagination failed there.
2. The Animation Reserve ability appears in the Fleshwarper PrC, page 189 of Lords of Madness (WotC). In that book its designed to partially pay for making grafts and such things, items that are permanent. But the Animator Reserve is for making boosted undead, which will end up killed or turned to dust after some time…The numbers may have to be adjusted upward. Also, I barely changed the wording from that book.
3. There is currently no # of ranks and cost in XP for any of the options found under the Shape Undead ability.
4. Since the class mainly gets 1 ability per 2 levels, and sacrifices a +1 spellcaster level per 2 levels, I gave it another good save, Fort, to go with the undead theme.

Feedback and comments are welcomed.

Royal Animator

“If this spy refuses to tell us who his master is, then his corpse will in his stead. Kill him.”

• Ang-Thal, raamin royal animator

Royal animators in service of sorcerer-monarchs have similar duties as royal defilers, with an emphasis on the dead arts. They are often trained in those arts by more powerful defilers in service of the king or queen, and sometimes even personally by the sorcerer-monarch. Royal animators can exert the same authority as templars within the boundaries of their monarch’s city-state. In most of the cities that have lost their dragon kings, animators have been driven away or killed by the populace who have feared them all their lives. These defilers can attain powerful positions in the templar hierarchy and can achieve great personal power. Their duties in the dead arts extend to raising walking dead for gladiatorial games and the creation of undead armies and war machines in times of war. They are also used to pilfer of knowledge the dead minds of corpses, and some sorcerer-monarchs also employ them for particularly horrible punishments.

Humans are ambitious, elves are scrupulous and half-elves have the natural aptitude of their parent races’ aptitude for magic. These three races are the most common royal animators. All royal animators have levels in the wizard class. The most feared agents of the sorcerer-kings are multi-classed templar/defilers who sometimes become royal animators and are the most devoted tools of their liege.
Hit Die: d4.

Requirements
To qualify to become a royal animator, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Diplomacy 2 ranks, Intimidate 2 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks, Knowledge (warcraft) 4 ranks.
Spells: Able to cast 3rd-level arcane spells.
Special: Must be a defiler.
Special: Must be specialized in the Necromancy school of magic.
Special: Acceptance by Sorcerer-King/Queen.

Class Skills:
The royal animator’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Literacy (none), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

LevelBABFort Ref Will Special Animation Reserve Spells per Day<br />1st+0+2+0+2King’s library, secular <br /> authority, shape undead 500 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class<br />2nd +1+3+0+3Animator secret 700 ―<br />3rd+1+3+1+3― 900 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class<br />4th +2+4+1+4Animator secret 1,200 ―<br />5th +2+4+1+4― 1,500 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class <br />6th+3+5+2+5Animator secret 2,000 ―<br />7th+3+5+2+5― 2,500 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class<br />8th+4+6+2+6Animator secret 3,000 ―<br />9th+4+6+3+6― 4,000 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class<br />10th+5+7+3+7Animator secret 5,000 ―
Class features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Royal animators gain no proficiency in any additional weapons, armors or shields.

Animation Reserve (Ex): A royal animator receives a pool of points he can spend instead of experience points when using the undead shaping ability. Each time he gains a class level, he receive a new animation reserve. When gaining a new level, unspent points from previous levels are lost.

Secular Authority (Ex): Once per day per class level, a royal animator can use secular authority within his city-state. Depending on the ranks he has in the Diplomacy skill, a royal animator can intrude, accuse, pardon and requisition. Failure to comply with royal animator’s demands is usually sanctioned with fines, imprisonment, outlaw status, and possibly execution. This ability works exactly as described in the templar class entry in the DS3 Core Rules, including rules for contests of Secular Authority.

King’s Library: Royal animators have access to the King’s Library, a vast resource of spells and magical knowledge. The royal animator gains four new spells for every level gained in royal animator (including 1st), rather than two at every level.

Shape Undead: Skilled at undead crafting, a royal animator can impart unto the undead, at the moment he animates or creates them, certain abilities depending on his number of ranks in Knowledge (religion). Each ability has a cost in XP and when applied affects all creatures produced through a necromancy spell. Imparting one or more of these abilities increases the casting time of the necromancy spell to 1 hour (unless it already is 1 hour or longer).

•Hardened Body: Each undead you animate or create with any necromancy spell gains a +2 natural armor bonus to Armor Class.
Ranks: 4; XP Cost: 25.
•Nimble Body: Each undead you animate or create with any necromancy spell gains a +4 bonus on initiative checks and a 10-foot increase to its base land speed.
Ranks: 4; XP Cost: 50.
•Toughened Body: Each undead you animate or create with any necromancy spell gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and +2 hit points per Hit Dice.
Ranks: 6; XP Cost: 75.
•Retributive Death: Each undead you animate or create with any necromancy spell releases a burst of grayish vapors upon its destruction, dealing 1d4 points of negative energy damage per Hit Dice of the undead to every creature within a 10-foot spread (Reflex DC 15 half).
Ranks: 8; XP Cost: 100.
• Pestilent Body: Each undead you animate or create with any necromancy spell carries the filth fever disease (see Glossary in the Dungeon Master’s Guide), transmissible upon physical contact with the undead or through a natural or melee touch attack.
Ranks: 8; XP Cost: 125.
•Swarm Body: Undead vermin that you animate break down into one or more bugdead swarm of your choice (see Appendix 2 of Terrors of the Dead Lands). The total Hit Dice of the undead swarm or swarms has to be equal to or less than the HD of the undead vermin they are composed of. For example, a 12 HD undead rhinoceros beetle can break down into one 8 HD undead athasian locust swarm and one 4 HD undead mini-kank swarm, or any combination of bugdead swarms whose total Hit Dice is equal to or less than 12 HD.
Ranks: 8; XP Cost: 150.
•Battleborn: Each undead you animate or create with any necromancy spell gains a spark of intelligence and skill. Undead gain a bonus feat of the royal animator’s choice or access to a skill. Undead with Int ― can only gain a feat with combat applications, such as Power Attack or Improved Initiative. Creatures with an Intelligence score can gain any skill or general feat, including a skill-related feat such as Stealthy, or a feat from a specialized type like metamagic or divine. The undead must meet the prerequisites for the feat. Skill points gained equal (4 + Int Modifier, mimimun 1) per HD, with quadruple skill points for the first HD.
Ranks: 10; XP Cost: 250.
•Undead Lieutenant: An intelligent undead with this ability can take control of skeletons and zombies. The undead creatures must be uncontrolled and within 30 feet of the intelligent undead to fall under its control. Taking control is a standard action, and the undead decides which creature or creatures it gains control of. Undead remain under its control indefinitely. It can control only 2 HD worth of undead creatures per Hit Dice it possesses. If it exceeds this number, all the newly controlled creatures fall under its control, and any excess undead previously controlled become uncontrolled. (It chooses which creatures are released.) The undead creatures move with the intelligent undead, staying within 30 feet of it. If commanded to leave this radius they become uncontrolled.
Ranks: 12; XP Cost: 500.

Animator Secret: At 2nd level and every two other levels afterward, the royal animator learns an Animator Secret, chosen from the following list. A Secret may only be chosen once, unless the description says otherwise, and the royal animator must meet any prerequisites.

•Advanced Undead War Machine: You can make extraordinary use of the Knowledge (warcraft) skill to animate the corpses of Large or larger animals or vermins, such as war beetles, into advanced undead war machines. Such a creature receives 1 additional HD per 2 ranks in Knowledge (warcraft) that you possess. These additonal HD do not count against your limit of undead controlled and you do not need to pay the material components for their addition.
•Dark Crafting Knowledge: You can create magic items that pertain to the animation, creation, and control of undead, as well as those items that specifically affect them, as if you have the Craft Wondrous Item feat, and pay half the price in Cp and XP for their creation (the duration of the item creation process is left unchanged).
•Desecrated Animation: Each undead you animate or create with any necromancy spell in a desecrated area gains +1 hit point per HD and +2 turn resistance.
•Enduring Control:
Control undead has a duration of 10 minutes/level for you.
•Ignore Necromantic Components: You may cast necromancy spells that animate or create undead without any material components. The Eschew Materials feat is a prerequisite for this ability.
•Necromantic Knowledge: Study of necromancy texts allows you to cast a number of spells more easily. To you, animate dead is a 3rd-level spell, control undead a 6th-level spell, create undead a 5th-level spell, and create greater undead a 7th-level spell.
•Necromantic Specialist: This ability reduces the level requirement necessary to create a specific type of undead through a casting of create undead or create greater undead by 1 level. You can take this ability multiple times, each time reducing the level requirement by an additional 1.
•Raising Curse: When using bestow curse on a living creature, you can choose to impart a special curse unto it. On a failed save, the creature animates into an undead upon its death, as per the animate dead spell (caster level equals your own).
•Undead Horde: You can control an additionnal 1 Hit Dice worth of undead per caster level with any necromancy spell. You can take this ability multiple times, each time adding an additionnal 1 Hit Dice worth of undead per caster level.
•Unlife Mastery: Each undead you animate or create with any necromancy spell gains maximum hit points.

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

[quote]Royal Animator

“If this spy refuses to tell us who his master is, then his corpse will in his stead. Kill him.”

• Ang-Thal, raamin royal animator[/quote]
  Niiiice I wasn’t too wild about the class (particularly the undead shaping abilty, there are feats in Libris Mortis that do the kinda same thing), but then I saw the anitmator secrets

Overall, I’d say its worth a

Originally posted by Pennarin:

Niiiice I wasn’t too wild about the class (particularly the undead shaping abilty, there are feats in Libris Mortis that do the kinda same thing), but then I saw the anitmator secrets

Effectively, and since DS3 can’t mention any other book not core (although a very few instances exist), the options under the Shape Undead ability are ways for me to use the Libris Mortis feats, as well as some necromantic feats found in Dragon Magazine.

If you can’t use them, assimilate them!

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

[quote]Effectively, and since DS3 can’t mention any other book not core (although a very few instances exist), the options under the Shape Undead ability are ways for me to use the Libris Mortis feats, as well as some necromantic feats found in Dragon Magazine.

If you can’t use them, assimilate them![/quote]
Forgot about that.

Originally posted by squidfur-:

hey penn, was thinking on some of the ideas we were bouncing around the other day and had a couple ideas strike me that i thought i’d share.

Seed of Unlife - You can effectively store an animate dead or raise dead spell in a living creature. The spell is released 1 round after the subjects death, and the creature rises to continue it’s task.

The next one is probably better suited for the shape undead ability, but works of Seed of Unlife.

Fleshripper - the activation of the Seed of Unlife mutates the corpse into
a) an advanced creature
so that the visual for this might be - This creature’s battling something fierce but dies. Then a larger, more f’d up looking version bursts out through the flesh to continue the fight.

or b) entirely different form of undead creature, as long as the HD do not surpass the advanced form (from a)
so that the visual for this might be - This creature’s battling something fierce but dies. Then a swarm of crazy f’n smaller creatures bursts out through the flesh to continue the fight.

Originally posted by Pennarin:

I just realized the real meaning of you statement in your first post Khaine.

Someone playing at home with Libris Mortis will not find this PrC much useful, as the options under the Shape Undead ability are redundant with the Libris feats.

Hmm, there could be two versions of this class, one for Appendix II, and one for the boards, with options that work in concert with the Libris feats, or at least that don’t step on their turf.

Swarm Body: Undead vermin that you animate break down into one or more bugdead swarm of your choice (see Appendix 2 of Terrors of the Dead Lands). The total Hit Dice of the undead swarm or swarms has to be equal to or less than the HD of the undead vermin they are composed of. For example, a 12 HD undead rhinoceros beetle can break down into one 8 HD undead athasian locust swarm and one 4 HD undead mini-kank swarm, or any combination of bugdead swarms whose total Hit Dice is equal to or less than 12 HD.

I just added this ability to the options under the Shape Undead ability, it was a suggestion of Bengeldorn if I recall correctly. I’m not sure I’m making it work properly, or that it’s worded properly as well.

Originally posted by Pennarin:

[quote]hey penn, was thinking on some of the ideas we were bouncing around the other day and had a couple ideas strike me that i thought i’d share.

Seed of Unlife - You can effectively store an animate dead or raise dead spell in a living creature. The spell is released 1 round after the subjects death, and the creature rises to continue it’s task.[/quote]
Nice one!

I’ll consider a way to make this happen.

I will also make a Stone of Undying, a magical item in the form of an obsidian jewel that you imbed in flesh. On an undead that reaches 0 hit points, the stone defiles and uses the energy to reanimate the undead, basically heals it back to full hit points. (Maybe this will only work on skeletons/zombies/bugdead).
With your idea, I could change a bit the fluff for the stone and make it so that if put on a living being which later dies, it animates him as an undead.

[quote]Fleshripper - the activation of the Seed of Unlife mutates the corpse into
a) an advanced creature
so that the visual for this might be - This creature’s battling something fierce but dies. Then a larger, more f’d up looking version bursts out through the flesh to continue the fight.

or b) entirely different form of undead creature, as long as the HD do not surpass the advanced form (from a)
so that the visual for this might be - This creature’s battling something fierce but dies. Then a swarm of crazy f’n smaller creatures bursts out through the flesh to continue the fight.[/quote]
Can you explain this more, and a bit better? Sounds interesting…

Originally posted by Pennarin:

This idea is from Squifur-

I added this as a Secret:

Raising Curse: When using bestow curse on a living creature, you can choose to impart a special curse unto it. On a failed save, the creature animates into an undead upon its death, as per the animate dead spell (caster level equals your own).

I believe that the absence of a costly material component is warrented in this case:

1. bestow curse affects one person at a time
2. it requires a touch attack
3. it allows for a save
4. it can be dispelled (break enchantment, remove curse, etc.)
5. you need to kill the target of the spell to rip your reward (a tough thing to do when you curse 200 slave foot-soldiers) or have to wait for a violent death in a battle situation
6. after violent death in a battle situation, the animated creature is uncontrolled unless the royal animator who cursed him is present, in which case the undead can be a danger to the living fighting on his side

I believe the correct way to use this ability is:

1. as a punishment worst than death
2. cursing slave warriors in a SK’s army en masse, and then sending them at the front first, and when they die several defilers use control undead on the newly undead slave warriors and send them back in to fight

Originally posted by kalthandrix:

Love it Pennarin!!!

I have been swamped with alot of stuff the last couple of days and so have not posted until now.

Here is my two bits

[quote]Requirements
To qualify to become a royal animator, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Diplomacy 2 ranks, Intimidate 2 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks, Knowledge (warcraft) 4 ranks.
Spells: Able to cast 3rd-level arcane spells.
Special: Must be a defiler.
Special: Must be specialized in the Necromancy school of magic.
Special: Acceptance by Sorcerer-King/Queen.[/quote]
Instead of saying must be specialized in Necromancy- I would instead make a feat requirement of spell focus (necromancy) or even greater spell focus (necromancy)- Have the latter would not be unreasonable due to the fact that the wizard will need to be a 5th lvl defiler before taking a level in this PrC and they get a bonus feat at 5th lvl.

In my game I give spell focus to specialists. I have even been playing with the idea of making a 10 lvl PrC arcane specialist specifically for Athas, but that is really off topic…

For the Undead Hoarde secreat- I would make the added HD increase like the psionic talent feat- the first time it is taken +2 HD, second +3, third +4, ect… This would make it more interesting to take this ability more then once IMO.

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

[quote]I just realized the real meaning of you statement in your first post Khaine.

Someone playing at home with Libris Mortis will not find this PrC much useful, as the options under the Shape Undead ability are redundant with the Libris feats.

Hmm, there could be two versions of this class, one for Appendix II, and one for the boards, with options that work in concert with the Libris feats, or at least that don’t step on their turf.[/quote]
No prob By the by, if you make a second version and want it to exist elsewhere than just on the boards, I’ll be glad to host it

[quote]Swarm Body: Undead vermin that you animate break down into one or more bugdead swarm of your choice (see Appendix 2 of Terrors of the Dead Lands). The total Hit Dice of the undead swarm or swarms has to be equal to or less than the HD of the undead vermin they are composed of. For example, a 12 HD undead rhinoceros beetle can break down into one 8 HD undead athasian locust swarm and one 4 HD undead mini-kank swarm, or any combination of bugdead swarms whose total Hit Dice is equal to or less than 12 HD.

Raising Curse: When using bestow curse on a living creature, you can choose to impart a special curse unto it. On a failed save, the creature animates into an undead upon its death, as per the animate dead spell (caster level equals your own).[/quote]
Too cool, failing save against overwhelming coolness… :headexplo

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

Instead of saying must be specialized in Necromancy- I would instead make a feat requirement of spell focus (necromancy) or even greater spell focus (necromancy)- Have the latter would not be unreasonable due to the fact that the wizard will need to be a 5th lvl defiler before taking a level in this PrC and they get a bonus feat at 5th lvl.

I agree, but mainly because I’m of the no-specialist-wizards-on-Athas school of thought.

Originally posted by squidfur-:

[quote]This idea is from Squifur-

I added this as a Secret:

SNIP>>[/quote]
I’m wondering if this shouldn’t also work with raise dead.

[quote]I believe the correct way to use this ability is:

1. as a punishment worst than death
2. cursing slave warriors in a SK’s army en masse, and then sending them at the front first, and when they die several defilers use control undead on the newly undead slave warriors and send them back in to fight[/quote]
   or 3. making for an interesting arena contest, as the gladiators will have to kill the creature twice.

Originally posted by Pennarin:

Thanks for the praise! This PrC was stewing in my brain juices for a long time.

Instead of saying must be specialized in Necromancy- I would instead make a feat requirement of spell focus (necromancy) or even greater spell focus (necromancy)- Have the latter would not be unreasonable due to the fact that the wizard will need to be a 5th lvl defiler before taking a level in this PrC and they get a bonus feat at 5th lvl.

Might be reasonable, but I also like the idea that specialization goes deeper into a school’s secrets than Spell Focus. I’ll consider it nonetheless.

For the Undead Hoarde secreat- I would make the added HD increase like the psionic talent feat- the first time it is taken +2 HD, second +3, third +4, ect… This would make it more interesting to take this ability more then once IMO.

Its an interesting idea. Anyone think it might be overpowered?

I’m wondering if this shouldn’t also work with raise dead.

I’d say No. The class is totally arcane. Although I don’t think the dead arts guy in Abbey’s novels, Escrissar, was a royal animator. Probably either a necromancer or a templar, I can’t recall which.

or 3. making for an interesting arena contest, as the gladiators will have to kill the creature twice.

Nice!

Originally posted by the_peacebringer:

As usual, Pen, your work’s good.

Originally posted by squidfur-:

I’m wondering if this shouldn’t also work with raise dead.

Oops, the spell I was thinking of was create undead (which opens up greater create undead, too).

Originally posted by Pennarin:

Oops, the spell I was thinking of was create undead (which opens up greater create undead, too).

Those spells IMHO are too high level, they would require bestow greater curse (BoVD), and that’s not OGC.

Originally posted by squidfur-:

Although I don’t think the dead arts guy in Abbey’s novels, Escrissar, was a royal animator. Probably either a necromancer or a templar, I can’t recall which.

Escrissar was an auditor(which says manifester), and IIRC a necromancer. Can’t remember if the auditor PrC in it’s current state gives secular authority, but if not I’d say throw on a level or two of something that does.

Originally posted by squidfur-:

Would like to see some more feedback, guys -so, BUMP

Any areas that need inmprovement? Oh, and some help with the costs for using the Shape Undead ability would be nice.

C’mon, lets help Penn get this one official.

[raddu (Robert Adducci)]

Originally posted by Pennarin:

[quote]Would like to see some more feedback, guys -so, BUMP

Any areas that need inmprovement? Oh, and some help with the costs for using the Shape Undead ability would be nice.[/quote]
I trained well those minions…

Originally posted by squidfur-:

Simply “will” it, and it shall be done, my Master

Originally posted by Pennarin:

Here are the three points that are still lacking:

1. The # of ranks and cost in XP of the Shape Undead abilities.

2. The actual amount of points found in the Animation Reserve.

3. The following suggestion from Kalthandrix (does anyone think it might be overpowered?):

For the Undead Hoarde secreat- I would make the added HD increase like the psionic talent feat- the first time it is taken +2 HD, second +3, third +4, ect… This would make it more interesting to take this ability more then once IMO.

Originally posted by kalthandrix:

I will do some number crunching later for your first two points, but for point #3 I would like to say something.

I was just looking over the power for the Undead Hoarde again and I guess I missed that the 2 extra HD was per caster level, allowing them to control, if Defiler 10/ Royal Animator 10, 30 extra HD of undead, along with IIRC 20 HD they get for being 20th lvl. I think it would be really sweet and within the basic idea of this class to let the power build as I had suggested, but perhaps a limit to the number of time they could take the Undead Hoarde secret would be in order if it did increase, say to perhaps a max of 3 times or something.

Originally posted by squidfur-:

[quote]Here are the three points that are still lacking:

1. The # of ranks and cost in XP of the Shape Undead abilities.[/quote]
Well, figuring you’re gonna want at least a couple to choose from at first level, I’d say pick the 2 or 3 weakest ones and require the 4 ranks of religion - as is the class requirement (but I’m not against an increase in this to perhaps 6 ranks, no more than that though). Now as for my pics for that.Hmmmmm…My intitial thoughts lean towards hardened body, toughened body, and nimble body seem the weakest.

3. The following suggestion from Kalthandrix (does anyone think it might be overpowered?):

My gut tells me that, yes, it would be overpowered for sure without some kind of limit. As for placing a limit on it, however I’d say I’m against the idea. So IMO it’s fine as it is.

Originally posted by Pennarin:

I think I’ll make the Undead Horde ability 1 additional HD per caster level, that way if someone wants more he can just take the ability again and again.

Originally posted by squidfur-:

Personally, I’d say leave it +2HD/caster lvl, as now its seems to weak.

Originally posted by Pennarin:

OK, this new take of 1 additional HD per caster level instead of 2…can anyone crunch the numbers on it? Too weak, just right? I’m terrible at this…

Originally posted by kalthandrix:

Maybe too watered down with only on extra HD. I would just place a limit on how many time a character could take the ability, like three times, so he would get a total of 2 extra HD per caster level for the first time, 3 extra the second, and the 4 extra on the third. I think at 20th level, this would place a royal animator at a total of 20 HD (if he is bound by the same HD restrictions as a cleric) plus 60 HD for taking the Undead Hoarde ability three times (15 caster levels *4 HD), for a grand total of 80 HD worth of undead they could control at one time.

I think this would be okay, an fits really well with the class concept, as long as you maybe put a restriction on the highest HD creature they could control. I would suggest that the yal animator not be allowed to control a single undead creature that exceeds their character level or maybe their caster level.

I recently ran an encounter with undead (8 skeletons and a fallen 5th level fighter). The cleric in my group made a turning attempt, destroying the skeletons on one go and later turned the fallen, forcing him to cower for 10 rounds. So reguardless of the number of undead a royal animator has, they will always be highly vulnerable to turning, so I would allow someone that is so highly specialized in the creation and control of undead to have alot of them.

That is my two bits.

Originally posted by methvezem:

[quote]Here are the three points that are still lacking:

1. The # of ranks and cost in XP of the Shape Undead abilities.

2. The actual amount of points found in the Animation Reserve.[/quote]
Since I based myself on the amount of point in the Animation Reserve you posted, I’d say keep that amount and start from here since there is a precedent to that kind of amount (ie LoM’s fleshwarper).

For the ranks and XP cost, here’s what I came up with:

Hardened Body: Ranks: 4; XP Cost: 25 Xp.
Nimble Body: Ranks: 4; XP Cost: 50 Xp.
Toughened Body: Ranks: 7; XP Cost: 75 Xp.
Retributive Death: Ranks: 7; XP Cost: 100 Xp.
Swarm Body: Ranks: 7; XP Cost: 150 Xp.
Battleborn: Ranks: 10; XP Cost: 250 Xp.
Undead Lieutenant: Ranks: 10; XP Cost: 500 Xp

So, for free (that is, using the Animation Reserve’s points)a low-level RA could only use the less powerful Shape Undead abilities multiple times, or if he has enought ranks in Religion, just one or a couple of time the more powerful abilities.

I made the abilities relating to intelligence more difficult to learn and more costly, as IMO they should be learned most of the time by more experienced RA, who have learned the ropes creating undead physically more powerful in their low-level .

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

i guess it hasn’t specialized wizards in DS?!

Originally posted by Pennarin:

i guess it hasn’t specialized wizards in DS?!

Huh?

Did you mean “I guess there weren’t any specialized wizards in DS?!” ?

If so, yes there are, and there were in 2E too.

You’re Brazilian…so did you ever go to Dark Sun Brazil, the website?

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

Yes i did, and they said that there isnt specialized wizards in DS… if there is, could u show me where. tks. Plus this:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b242/gordalf/5cc8e05c.jpg(x)

nunca tire sarro de alguem q tem sotaque, essa pessoa fala uma lingua q vc nao fala, disseram pra minha tia qdo criança. Können Sie das verstehen [vier das butter, if u can understand this joke you KNOW portuguese as I know your language.] :invasion:

Originally posted by Pennarin:

There is at least one specialist in Veiled Alliance that I remember, and halflings could be illusionists in the 1st boxed set.

The 2nd boxed set - as well as Preservers and Defilers - which were written after both products mentionned above, changed that to “no specialist wizards exist on Athas”.

3E Dark Sun (see DS3) has changed that back to allow for specialist wizards. You won’t see the word “specialist” mentionned in DS3 however, all you’ll see is a mention, under the Wizard entry, that says:

[quote]Game Rule Information
As described in the Players Handbook, with the following changes.[/quote]
Specialist wizards are not mentionned in the changes, so they exist. Besides, I think there could be a few specialists here and there in athas.org’s products, although I sincerly never paid much attention to it.

Originally posted by Pennarin:

For the ranks and XP cost, here’s what I came up with:

Thanks Meth, I applied the numbers!

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

[quote]Since I based myself on the amount of point in the Animation Reserve you posted, I’d say keep that amount and start from here since there is a precedent to that kind of amount (ie LoM’s fleshwarper).

For the ranks and XP cost, here’s what I came up with:

Hardened Body: Ranks: 4; XP Cost: 25 Xp.
Nimble Body: Ranks: 4; XP Cost: 50 Xp.
Toughened Body: Ranks: 7; XP Cost: 75 Xp.
Retributive Death: Ranks: 7; XP Cost: 100 Xp.
Swarm Body: Ranks: 7; XP Cost: 150 Xp.
Battleborn: Ranks: 10; XP Cost: 250 Xp.
Undead Lieutenant: Ranks: 10; XP Cost: 500 Xp

So, for free (that is, using the Animation Reserve’s points)a low-level RA could only use the less powerful Shape Undead abilities multiple times, or if he has enought ranks in Religion, just one or a couple of time the more powerful abilities.[/quote]
Good work with the ranks/XP cost, I like!

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

[quote]There is at least one specialist in Veiled Alliance that I remember, and halflings could be illusionists in the 1st boxed set.

The 2nd boxed set - as well as Preservers and Defilers - which were written after both products mentionned above, changed that to “no specialist wizards exist on Athas”.

3E Dark Sun (see DS3) has changed that back to allow for specialist wizards. You won’t see the word “specialist” mentionned in DS3 however, all you’ll see is a mention, under the Wizard entry, that says:

Specialist wizards are not mentionned in the changes, so they exist. Besides, I think there could be a few specialists here and there in athas.org’s products, although I sincerly never paid much attention to it.[/quote]
Yeah, but I for one still ban specialists. One of the rare cases that I like a DS2 product’s ideas better than DS1.

Originally posted by Pennarin:

Yeah, but I for one still ban specialists. One of the rare cases that I like a DS2 product’s ideas better than DS1.

I don’t see much point in specializing on Athas in anything other than Illusion, Necromancy, or Divination.

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

I don’t see much point in specializing on Athas in anything other than Illusion, Necromancy, or Divination.

You forgot Invocation! Who doesn’t like extra power to blow the living crap outta anything in your way?

Originally posted by kalthandrix:

I am currently writing a PrC called Arcane Specialist- be on the look out b/c it will make you want to replace the PHB specialist!

Originally posted by zombiegleemax:

I am currently writing a PrC called Arcane Specialist- be on the look out b/c it will make you want to replace the PHB specialist!

Sweet!

Originally posted by Pennarin:

I don’t see much point in specializing on Athas in anything other than Illusion, Necromancy, or Divination.

Illusion for all those preserver halfling chieftains, necromancy for those evil defilers or nercromants from the Dead Lands, and divination as a peaceful and clean use of magic for goodie preservers such as avangions and wanabe avangions, like Korgunard or Alliance Chapter leaders.

Specialization in Evocation is too much IMO and goes a bit against fluff. Explenation: evocations are mostly destructive in nature, so I don’t see a wizard specializing in that since a wizard would need all the spells he can get to protect himself from discovery and lynchings, get himself out of hard situations, predict future bad events concerning him, etc., all things that a normal wizard can do, yes, but a wizard specialized in destruction IMO is not one that would last long on Athas. Yes, he would blast the crap out of others a lot, but eventually would lack a critical spell from a prohibited school and kaboum.

Halfling chieftains need only protect their tribe or village using illusions, royal necromancers and Dead Lands necromants care only about undead and have a support structure that paliates their lack in certain schools, Alliance leaders need divination a lot to prevent detection and spy on defiler and royal activites and have a support structure as well, and wanabe avangions have versatile psionics, so its all good for those schools.

Originally posted by squidfur-:

Hey Penn, you forgot to apply the rank/xp cost numbers to the main post. One thing on that however - it is my opinion that Toughened Body and Nimble Body be switched, as Nimble Body seems to be the better of the two.