Yair
03-09-2003, 08:17 PM
IF MY PLAYERS ARE READING THIS - stop reading!
I have written a fairly extensive set of rules regarding the shadow world. It is long, but I would appreciate any comments or criticism, before I unleash them on my poor party.
The basic premise is that the shadow world (well, actually the real world too) is a dream world, populated with the dreams of the gods. I started off there, and used the excellent Occult Lore book (by Atlas Games) tofollow suit.
It is not quite complete, but it almost is.
Here it goes...
The Shadow World
Travel into the shadow world can only be accomplished through the shadow walk spell (Wiz7, Clr?), the shadow guide spell (Wis9, Clr?), or their namesake feats. In the shadow world the “reality” is that of seeming and appearance, everything is constantly changing much like in a dream (or, under the Cold Rider’s influence, a nightmare).
Elven characters entering the shadow world are nauseated (as per the DMG) until they make a Fort save with DC 15 (check each round). Even then, they feel ill-at ease (although this is purely a role-playing condition).
Feats
The following are “corrected” feats for the BRCS.
Shadow Walker
You have learned to draw upon you connection to the shadow world to lower the barrier between the two worlds, and to cross between them.
Prerequisites: Halfling, Wis13+
Benefits: You can attempt to cross over a number of times per day equal to your character level. Moving into and out of the shadow world are two separate attempts.
You must succeed in a Seeming (Wis; untrained) check to draw yourself into the shadow world. The DC depends on the closeness of the shadow world:
Base Conditions DC
Midday 20
Near Dawn/Dusk 15
Deep Night 10
Modifiers DC
Civilized Area +5
Abandoned/Forsaken Area -5
Summer +5
Winter -5
The DC is based on the conditions in the real world, whether you are attempting to come back to it from the shadow or vice versa.
Crossing over is a full round spell-like ability; if you are disrupted you must make a Concentration check with DC 17 (the attempt counts against your daily limit even if you fail).
If you succeed in crossing over, you are considered to have successfully cast shadow walk. Only the caster is affected, he can take no other creature. The spell takes you to the edge of the Shadow World. You can move at a rate of up to seven miles every 10 minutes, moving normally on the borders of the shadow world but much more rapidly relative to the real world. You witness both the shadow world and the real world in your voyage, receiving glimpses of both, so you can see where you will come back into the real world.
You can also use shadow walk to travel into the plane of shadows itself. This takes but 1 more round. Once in the shadow world, you can travel in it normally – as such things are in that world. You can also travel to the nether realms beyond the shadow world, if you can find and reach them.
The shadow world is fraught with danger, even its outer border is dangerous (particularly at locations and times where the shadow world is close). When traveling in shadow, the DM should roll on the following chart to determine any dangers:
1d20 Roll Effect
1-10 No special hindrance.
11-15 Easy Encounter
16-18 Traveler
19-20 Encounter
21+ Posession
Circumstance Modifier
Winter +2
Summer -2
Deep in Shadow +5
Close Worlds +5
Easy Encounter: An encounter with shadows, undead, or a fey creature in the shadow world, with CR equal to the character’s level or less.
Traveler: A being from the shadow world has slipped into this world along with the traveler. This is often a shadow, wight, ghost, or similar incorporeal undead.
Encounter: A powerful undead or fey is encountered, with CR above the character’s level (often +4).
Possession: A powerful incorporeal undead, often a ghost, possesses the character.
Deep in Shadow: Traveling inside the shadow world. This checks the transit into or from the shadow world, not encounters within it.
Close Worlds: The two worlds are considered close when and where the DC for crossing between them less than 10.
Shadow Guide
Prerequisites: Halfling, Shadow Walker, Wis 13+
Benefit: You may bring additional creatures when you walk in shadows. You may bring an additional number of creatures equal to your character level plus wisdom modifier. Any creature touched by you when you shadow walk, or any creature touching it, can also make the transition to the borders of the shadow world. They may opt to follow you, or wander off through the plane. Creatures who do not follow a shadow guide normally have no means of returning to the real world (unless they can shadow walk themselves, or through other unusual circumstances), and are trapped in the shadow world. Creatures unwilling to accompany you into (or out of) the shadow world receive a Will saving throw to negate the effect. You can choose whether or not to take someone into (or from) the shadow world (even if he touches you or a character you touch).
Seeming Points
The seeming mechanics are based on Atlas Games’ Occult Lore section on dreams.
All characters receive seeming points based as follows:
* All characters receive dream points equal to (2 + Wis modifier) per character level.
* A character receives 2 more seeming points per feat from the following list: shadow walk, shadow guide, improved shadow guide or shadow magic.
* A shadowdancer, shadowmancer, and creatures with the Shadow Creature template receive 2 more points per class level (or hit dice).
* Characters with the Seeming skill receive additional points equal to (2 x Seeming ranks).
* Characters with Regency Points receive an additional amount of seeming points equal to their current total of regency points. Furthermore, they can decide to expand regency points instead of seeming points on a 1-1 basis.
Upon entering the shadow world or after a full night’s rest, a character has all her seeming points. Each round, a character can use at most (2 + Seeming ranks) seeming points. Points can be expanded on the following actions. Generally, these are free (instant) actions that don’t provoke an attack of opportunity, but require a Seeming check. The points are spent regardless of the success of the check. Any number of seeming actions can be undertaken at once, provided the total amount of seeming points does not exceed the limit.
Characters with no ranks in the Seeming skill can only spend their points subconsciously. The DM should choose when and how to spend them. There is no limit to the amount of seeming points a character can use subconsciously. Characters cannot subconsciously use regency points instead of seeming points – this can only be done consciously.
The shadow world can be said to have a “low but malevolent intelligence”. In effect, the DM may “spend” seeming points at will to change the reality at any moment, using any and all actions. Such attempts should be quite rare, however – perhaps no more than one change or kind of change for most encounters. Navigating through the shadow world is particularly difficult, as the shadow world often modifies reality, thus changing paths and landmarks.
Seeming is a class skill only for the shadowdancer and shadowmacner prestige classes.
When someone uses seeming points in any way, come up with a description for the effect. If he is increasing his chances to hit, is he moving faster than the eye can follow? Does his axe suddenly triples in size?
Seeming Actions
Lend Seeming Points
DC: 10
Seeming Points Cost: 2 per point transferred to target
Effect: The transferred points must be used by the target immediately, and the supporting character must know towards what effect he is donating his points towards; he is helping to visualize the effect, and the target is using that belief to help make the effect happen.
Mimic Skill
DC: 15 for class skill, 20 for cross-class skill, 25 for prohibited skill
Seeming Points Cost: 4
Effect: The character gains use of the skill for one round, as if she had one rank in the skill.
Mimic Feat
DC: 15 if prerequisites are met; 25 otherwise
Seeming Points Cost: 3
Effect: The character gains the feat for one round, and can use it even if he does not meet its prerequisites.
Mimic Spell Effect
DC: 15 + spell level for class spell; 20 + spell level otherwise
Seeming Points Cost: 2 points per spell level, 1 point for 0-level
Effect: This effect is considered to be a spell-like ability. No material components are required, nor does armor restrict the casting. The caster’s effective caster level is equal to her ranks in Seeming, or the minimal level required to cast the spell. The spell’s casting time, and requisite verbal or somatic components still apply. If the spell creates any physical items, those items are made from shadow-stuff and will be revealed as such upon leaving the shadow world. They may fade away, or they may linger – often with nefarious side effects.
Modify Ability
DC: 15 + 1 per point added
Seeming Points Cost: 1 per point added
Effect: The character can increase one of her ability scores by one point per seeming point spent. This change lasts for one round. The bloodline score cannot be increased.
Modify Chance
DC: 10 + 1 per points added to use on self; 15 + 1 per point added to use on another.
Seeming Points Cost: 1 per point added
Effect: The character can modify any standard roll by 1 per point spent. The action must be declared before the roll is made. Modify Chance cannot be used to modify a Seeming check.
Modify Threat Range
DC: 15 + 1 per point added
Seeming Point Cost: 1 per point added
Effect: This action increases the threat range of the character’s weapon by one per seeming point spent. The effect lasts for the entire round, from the attack right after Modify Threat Range was declared to the character’s next turn. The changed threat range affects the weapon only when wielded by the character.
Modify Reality
DC: Special
Seeming Point Cost: Special
Effect: The DC and seeming point costs for changing reality depend on the degree of change:
Level of Change Example DC Cost
Minor, personal Alter hair color, 15 5
appearance of
clothing
Major, personal Cause a weapon 20 10
or armor to vanish
Minor, general Create a door 25 20
in a wall, freeze water
Major, general Create a wall to 30 30
seal off a hallway
A character can pour seeming points into a desired change over several rounds, until the total number of points have been accumulated. The skill check is made after all points have been amassed. Any interruptions require a Concentration check as if the character was casting a 5th level spell.
Magic in the Shadow World
When casting a spell, the character must make a Seeming check (DC 15). If he fails, roll on the following table. (This is not applicable to any Shadow spell.)
1d20 roll Result
1-4 Spell fizzles with no effect.
5-9 All numerical elements are at 50% normal value.
10-13 All numerical elements are at 150% normal value.
14-16 Spell effect is opposite of inteded.
17-18 Spell has no effect. A random effect strikes the caster.
19-20 Spell has no effect. A random effect strikes the party.
This does not affect Shadow spells, or spells mimicked through the Mimic Spell Effect seeming action. The Modify Chance action cannot be used to alter this roll.
[Edit: I can't seem to get the tables and paragraphs alignment right, sorry.]
I have written a fairly extensive set of rules regarding the shadow world. It is long, but I would appreciate any comments or criticism, before I unleash them on my poor party.
The basic premise is that the shadow world (well, actually the real world too) is a dream world, populated with the dreams of the gods. I started off there, and used the excellent Occult Lore book (by Atlas Games) tofollow suit.
It is not quite complete, but it almost is.
Here it goes...
The Shadow World
Travel into the shadow world can only be accomplished through the shadow walk spell (Wiz7, Clr?), the shadow guide spell (Wis9, Clr?), or their namesake feats. In the shadow world the “reality” is that of seeming and appearance, everything is constantly changing much like in a dream (or, under the Cold Rider’s influence, a nightmare).
Elven characters entering the shadow world are nauseated (as per the DMG) until they make a Fort save with DC 15 (check each round). Even then, they feel ill-at ease (although this is purely a role-playing condition).
Feats
The following are “corrected” feats for the BRCS.
Shadow Walker
You have learned to draw upon you connection to the shadow world to lower the barrier between the two worlds, and to cross between them.
Prerequisites: Halfling, Wis13+
Benefits: You can attempt to cross over a number of times per day equal to your character level. Moving into and out of the shadow world are two separate attempts.
You must succeed in a Seeming (Wis; untrained) check to draw yourself into the shadow world. The DC depends on the closeness of the shadow world:
Base Conditions DC
Midday 20
Near Dawn/Dusk 15
Deep Night 10
Modifiers DC
Civilized Area +5
Abandoned/Forsaken Area -5
Summer +5
Winter -5
The DC is based on the conditions in the real world, whether you are attempting to come back to it from the shadow or vice versa.
Crossing over is a full round spell-like ability; if you are disrupted you must make a Concentration check with DC 17 (the attempt counts against your daily limit even if you fail).
If you succeed in crossing over, you are considered to have successfully cast shadow walk. Only the caster is affected, he can take no other creature. The spell takes you to the edge of the Shadow World. You can move at a rate of up to seven miles every 10 minutes, moving normally on the borders of the shadow world but much more rapidly relative to the real world. You witness both the shadow world and the real world in your voyage, receiving glimpses of both, so you can see where you will come back into the real world.
You can also use shadow walk to travel into the plane of shadows itself. This takes but 1 more round. Once in the shadow world, you can travel in it normally – as such things are in that world. You can also travel to the nether realms beyond the shadow world, if you can find and reach them.
The shadow world is fraught with danger, even its outer border is dangerous (particularly at locations and times where the shadow world is close). When traveling in shadow, the DM should roll on the following chart to determine any dangers:
1d20 Roll Effect
1-10 No special hindrance.
11-15 Easy Encounter
16-18 Traveler
19-20 Encounter
21+ Posession
Circumstance Modifier
Winter +2
Summer -2
Deep in Shadow +5
Close Worlds +5
Easy Encounter: An encounter with shadows, undead, or a fey creature in the shadow world, with CR equal to the character’s level or less.
Traveler: A being from the shadow world has slipped into this world along with the traveler. This is often a shadow, wight, ghost, or similar incorporeal undead.
Encounter: A powerful undead or fey is encountered, with CR above the character’s level (often +4).
Possession: A powerful incorporeal undead, often a ghost, possesses the character.
Deep in Shadow: Traveling inside the shadow world. This checks the transit into or from the shadow world, not encounters within it.
Close Worlds: The two worlds are considered close when and where the DC for crossing between them less than 10.
Shadow Guide
Prerequisites: Halfling, Shadow Walker, Wis 13+
Benefit: You may bring additional creatures when you walk in shadows. You may bring an additional number of creatures equal to your character level plus wisdom modifier. Any creature touched by you when you shadow walk, or any creature touching it, can also make the transition to the borders of the shadow world. They may opt to follow you, or wander off through the plane. Creatures who do not follow a shadow guide normally have no means of returning to the real world (unless they can shadow walk themselves, or through other unusual circumstances), and are trapped in the shadow world. Creatures unwilling to accompany you into (or out of) the shadow world receive a Will saving throw to negate the effect. You can choose whether or not to take someone into (or from) the shadow world (even if he touches you or a character you touch).
Seeming Points
The seeming mechanics are based on Atlas Games’ Occult Lore section on dreams.
All characters receive seeming points based as follows:
* All characters receive dream points equal to (2 + Wis modifier) per character level.
* A character receives 2 more seeming points per feat from the following list: shadow walk, shadow guide, improved shadow guide or shadow magic.
* A shadowdancer, shadowmancer, and creatures with the Shadow Creature template receive 2 more points per class level (or hit dice).
* Characters with the Seeming skill receive additional points equal to (2 x Seeming ranks).
* Characters with Regency Points receive an additional amount of seeming points equal to their current total of regency points. Furthermore, they can decide to expand regency points instead of seeming points on a 1-1 basis.
Upon entering the shadow world or after a full night’s rest, a character has all her seeming points. Each round, a character can use at most (2 + Seeming ranks) seeming points. Points can be expanded on the following actions. Generally, these are free (instant) actions that don’t provoke an attack of opportunity, but require a Seeming check. The points are spent regardless of the success of the check. Any number of seeming actions can be undertaken at once, provided the total amount of seeming points does not exceed the limit.
Characters with no ranks in the Seeming skill can only spend their points subconsciously. The DM should choose when and how to spend them. There is no limit to the amount of seeming points a character can use subconsciously. Characters cannot subconsciously use regency points instead of seeming points – this can only be done consciously.
The shadow world can be said to have a “low but malevolent intelligence”. In effect, the DM may “spend” seeming points at will to change the reality at any moment, using any and all actions. Such attempts should be quite rare, however – perhaps no more than one change or kind of change for most encounters. Navigating through the shadow world is particularly difficult, as the shadow world often modifies reality, thus changing paths and landmarks.
Seeming is a class skill only for the shadowdancer and shadowmacner prestige classes.
When someone uses seeming points in any way, come up with a description for the effect. If he is increasing his chances to hit, is he moving faster than the eye can follow? Does his axe suddenly triples in size?
Seeming Actions
Lend Seeming Points
DC: 10
Seeming Points Cost: 2 per point transferred to target
Effect: The transferred points must be used by the target immediately, and the supporting character must know towards what effect he is donating his points towards; he is helping to visualize the effect, and the target is using that belief to help make the effect happen.
Mimic Skill
DC: 15 for class skill, 20 for cross-class skill, 25 for prohibited skill
Seeming Points Cost: 4
Effect: The character gains use of the skill for one round, as if she had one rank in the skill.
Mimic Feat
DC: 15 if prerequisites are met; 25 otherwise
Seeming Points Cost: 3
Effect: The character gains the feat for one round, and can use it even if he does not meet its prerequisites.
Mimic Spell Effect
DC: 15 + spell level for class spell; 20 + spell level otherwise
Seeming Points Cost: 2 points per spell level, 1 point for 0-level
Effect: This effect is considered to be a spell-like ability. No material components are required, nor does armor restrict the casting. The caster’s effective caster level is equal to her ranks in Seeming, or the minimal level required to cast the spell. The spell’s casting time, and requisite verbal or somatic components still apply. If the spell creates any physical items, those items are made from shadow-stuff and will be revealed as such upon leaving the shadow world. They may fade away, or they may linger – often with nefarious side effects.
Modify Ability
DC: 15 + 1 per point added
Seeming Points Cost: 1 per point added
Effect: The character can increase one of her ability scores by one point per seeming point spent. This change lasts for one round. The bloodline score cannot be increased.
Modify Chance
DC: 10 + 1 per points added to use on self; 15 + 1 per point added to use on another.
Seeming Points Cost: 1 per point added
Effect: The character can modify any standard roll by 1 per point spent. The action must be declared before the roll is made. Modify Chance cannot be used to modify a Seeming check.
Modify Threat Range
DC: 15 + 1 per point added
Seeming Point Cost: 1 per point added
Effect: This action increases the threat range of the character’s weapon by one per seeming point spent. The effect lasts for the entire round, from the attack right after Modify Threat Range was declared to the character’s next turn. The changed threat range affects the weapon only when wielded by the character.
Modify Reality
DC: Special
Seeming Point Cost: Special
Effect: The DC and seeming point costs for changing reality depend on the degree of change:
Level of Change Example DC Cost
Minor, personal Alter hair color, 15 5
appearance of
clothing
Major, personal Cause a weapon 20 10
or armor to vanish
Minor, general Create a door 25 20
in a wall, freeze water
Major, general Create a wall to 30 30
seal off a hallway
A character can pour seeming points into a desired change over several rounds, until the total number of points have been accumulated. The skill check is made after all points have been amassed. Any interruptions require a Concentration check as if the character was casting a 5th level spell.
Magic in the Shadow World
When casting a spell, the character must make a Seeming check (DC 15). If he fails, roll on the following table. (This is not applicable to any Shadow spell.)
1d20 roll Result
1-4 Spell fizzles with no effect.
5-9 All numerical elements are at 50% normal value.
10-13 All numerical elements are at 150% normal value.
14-16 Spell effect is opposite of inteded.
17-18 Spell has no effect. A random effect strikes the caster.
19-20 Spell has no effect. A random effect strikes the party.
This does not affect Shadow spells, or spells mimicked through the Mimic Spell Effect seeming action. The Modify Chance action cannot be used to alter this roll.
[Edit: I can't seem to get the tables and paragraphs alignment right, sorry.]