D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5e] New rules from Savage Species

[Coredump]

Gez, huh? How much of a threat to a mage is a wights E drain? The fighter is the one getting into melee, the mage is the one 25' back lobbing spells. Yes, this may be good news to the fighter, but it doesn't really effect the mage types much at all.


janos

Anything that can mess up a party for several days is a bit powerful in my mind.

what?? that is not a bad thing, it is an awesome thing. There SHOULD be things out there that take days to recover from. IT adds tension and immersion to the game. I don't want it to be like a video game, where all you need to do is push the "rest" button and all is well again. From your description, it only took one day to get the rest back, that doesn't sound that bad. Heck, we do that just for hit points sometimes. I think many encounters should have a longer term effect on the party, make you feel like you did something. Makes the next encounter a concern, even if it would normally be too easy.


.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Sitting 25 feet in the back and lobbing spells will not save a wizard from a vampire with class levels that grant mobility.

In that position a mage is still quite vulnerable.

(Of course, it will probably save him from a wight.)

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Sorry to disappoint you Janos, but the above situation won't change. The new rule of two saves applies to the energy drain ability. Shadows do temporary Str damage, which is completely different, and according to SS, there's no change where that's concerned.

Well, sorry to disappoint you somewhat, shilsen, but according to SS some ability drain attacks are changed. You're right about the temporary Str from shadows, but the Con Drain from a wraith now allow two saves as well.

-I hate it. It takes the scare and dread out of undead!

 

[Mog Elffoe]

D&D Vampires

I've never ever liked the D&D vampire's energy drain ability. It doesn't mesh with any vampires I've ever come across in literature or film. They use their 'slam' ability (basically, they punch you) and you lose levels? Where does this come from? I can see the vampire's bite doing this, but a punch? Maybe for weird exotic vampires, but D&D vampires are clearly modeled on the classic Bram Stoker gothic style vampire. If you now get two saves to prevent losing two levels when a monster punches you, then I say more power to these new rules.

 

[Janos Antero]

what?? that is not a bad thing, it is an awesome thing. There SHOULD be things out there that take days to recover from. IT adds tension and immersion to the game. I don't want it to be like a video game, where all you need to do is push the "rest" button and all is well again. From your description, it only took one day to get the rest back, that doesn't sound that bad. Heck, we do that just for hit points sometimes. I think many encounters should have a longer term effect on the party, make you feel like you did something. Makes the next encounter a concern, even if it would normally be too easy.

To each their own playstyle I suppose, I don't like it in campaigns I run or play in. I'm not one of the types who think undead should be particularly more scary than any other encounter, or hold a unique place in the DnD cosmology of monsters myself. I don't think it's video game like, nor am I a big fan of the type of logic and play you described. So we have to agree to disagree.

I saw wraiths had some changes, and assumed Shadows would as well, I know ability drain is getting some change too, as well as energy drain. I tend to agree on vampires that the effect just doesn't really fit the feel of a fearsome monster, and wish they'd taken a different approach to vampires and some other undead altogether.

 

[Gez]

Gez, huh? How much of a threat to a mage is a wights E drain? The fighter is the one getting into melee, the mage is the one 25' back lobbing spells.

... When everything goes in the ideal way for the party. IMX, enemy melee combatants tend to find way to reach the wizard-types and avoid the fighter-type, letting their own spellslingers and archer disposing of them from a long range. Similarly, enemies find ways to avoid getting flanked, to be spread thin so as to hamper fireballs and whirlwind attackers, etc.

When the wizard is lucky, he's 25 ft. away from the melee. Usually, the melee moves toward the wizard.

 

[shilsen]

Well, sorry to disappoint you somewhat, shilsen, but according to SS some ability drain attacks are changed. You're right about the temporary Str from shadows, but the Con Drain from a wraith now allow two saves as well.

-I hate it. It takes the scare and dread out of undead!

Ah, so much disappointment

Thanks. I missed that.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Are there new rules for magic immunity?

 

[kreynolds]

Are there new rules for magic immunity?

We could only be so lucky.

 

[shilsen]

Are there new rules for magic immunity?

Nope. Do you have any problems with the current ones? I've never had any.

I was checking the flesh golem's spell immunity (it's the only golem broken down by level) and noticed something strange. While it still has the original spell immunity, it also has spell resistance (SR 25 before adding PC class levels). The DR has been lowered to 5/+1.