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  1. #1
    Site Moderator geeman's Avatar
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    The following skill description would replace any bloodline detection
    spells and abilities. It would be a class skill for wizards and sorcerers,
    cross-class for everyone else. Note: The version of Skill Emphasis I use
    makes the skill emphasized a class skill for that character no matter what
    class s/he levels up in, so by using a feat any character could gain access
    to this skill as a class skill.

    Detect Bloodline (Wis; Blooded Only)
    You use this skill to learn information about the bloodline of another
    character, or mask your own bloodline from detection.
    Rank Benefits: If you have four or fewer ranks of Detect Bloodline you
    learn only that the subject has a bloodline on a successful skill
    check. At 5 ranks a successful Detect Bloodline skill check will reveal
    the bloodline strength (tainted, minor, major, great, true) of the
    target. At 10 ranks you learn the derivation of the target. At 15 ranks
    you learn the exact bloodline strength score of the character. Rank
    benefits are cumulative, so if you have 15 ranks of Detect Bloodline you
    learn the bloodline strength, derivation and bloodline strength score of
    your target.
    Check: Use the following list of DCs to make a Detect Bloodline skill
    check:

    Target
    Bloodline DC/
    Strength Modifier
    True 25
    Great 20
    Major 15
    Minor 10
    Tainted 5
    Physically touching target -5
    Each 10` distance to target +5
    Nondetection spell +caster level
    Unreadable Thoughts +10
    Target`s Detect Bloodline skill +ranks

    A Detect Bloodline check is a full round activity. You may not take 20
    on a Detect Bloodline check.
    Retry: Yes, but you can make a Detect Bloodline check on the same target
    only once per day. After 24 hours (or after the time of day when you
    regain your spells) you may try again.
    Special: If you have the Character Reading blood ability you gain +5 on
    Detect Bloodline skill checks.
    If you can take the Blood Scent feat you use your skill at Detect
    Bloodline to track a blooded character.

    --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

    Some notes:

    1. I made the key ability wisdom because it seemed appropriate and because
    Scry is already intelligence. Wisdom is also NOT one of the main
    attributes for sorcerers or wizards, so using wisdom helps promote rounded
    characters.

    2. Any other things that should provide modifiers for the DC?

    3. I use rank benefits to determine the effectiveness of the skill check
    rather than the roll itself because of the way I set up the DCs. I use a
    lot of rank benefits amongst my changes to the skill system, so this fits
    into my other changes. It may not play very well using the straight skill
    system. YMMV.

    4. I haven`t written up the Blood Scent feat yet, but I think it`s pretty
    self-explanatory. Blood Scent is to Detect Bloodline what Track is to
    Wilderness Lore. I don`t think I`ll even change the DCs.

    5. Right now I`m thinking this is a skill that should only be available to
    scions (along with a few other "blooded skills" I`m considering) but I`m
    not yet convinced that should be the case. I mean, why not a commoner with
    such a skill?

    Any comments?

    Gary

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  2. #2
    Senior Member Trithemius's Avatar
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    Gary:
    <snip! - mechanics>
    > 1. I made the key ability wisdom because it seemed
    > appropriate and because Scry is already intelligence. Wisdom
    > is also NOT one of the main attributes for sorcerers or
    > wizards, so using wisdom helps promote rounded characters.

    Good plan. I personally like to ensure that most of my magi, my Anuirean
    magi anyway, have good wisdom since it is a quality that Ruornil seems
    to admire/value and since that it is probably something potential
    masters/teachers are looking for.

    > 2. Any other things that should provide modifiers for the DC?

    Perhaps Azrai`s vitriolic essence is easier to detect? Perhaps that of
    Brenna might be a bit harder?

    > 3. I use rank benefits to determine the effectiveness of the
    > skill check rather than the roll itself because of the way I
    > set up the DCs. I use a lot of rank benefits amongst my
    > changes to the skill system, so this fits into my other
    > changes. It may not play very well using the straight skill
    > system. YMMV.

    Interesting approach.

    > 4. I haven`t written up the Blood Scent feat yet, but I think
    > it`s pretty self-explanatory. Blood Scent is to Detect
    > Bloodline what Track is to Wilderness Lore. I don`t think
    > I`ll even change the DCs.

    Very interesting.

    > 5. Right now I`m thinking this is a skill that should only be
    > available to scions (along with a few other "blooded skills"
    > I`m considering) but I`m not yet convinced that should be the
    > case. I mean, why not a commoner with such a skill?

    Definitely! Arguably there is a certain type of commoner who would be
    particularly interested in trackig down scions, if only to try and
    become one themselves.

    --
    John Machin
    (trithemius@paradise.net.nz)
    -----------------------------------
    "Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."
    Athanasius Kircher, Ars Magna Sciendi.

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    "Power performs the Miracle." - Johannes Trithemius

  3. #3
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    Very good skill, Gary. :)

    >Target
    >Bloodline DC/
    >Strength Modifier
    >True 25
    >Great 20
    >Major 15
    >Minor 10
    >Tainted 5

    But, if I understand it right it's easier to detect a Tainted bloodline than a True? Shoudn't be the other way? IMO, the most powerful, it's easier to detect.

  4. #4
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    About it being based on Wisdow it's right IMO, as Wisdow is the D&D ability for perception.

    A little off-topic, but I don't use Scry IMC. I find it a ridiculous skill. I mean, if there's a skill for scry, there should be one for teleport, magic missile, fireball... To don't change the way the spell works much I make the characters use Spellcraft instead.

  5. #5
    Site Moderator geeman's Avatar
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    At 01:49 AM 9/7/2002 +0200, Sir Justine wrote:

    >But, if I understand it right it`s easier to detect a Tainted bloodline
    >than a True? Shoudn`t be the other way? IMO, the most powerful, it`s
    >easier to detect.

    Ack! You`re right. Those numbers should be reversed.

    Gary

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  6. #6
    Site Moderator Ariadne's Avatar
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    If you reverse the DC for this skill ;) , I like it....
    May Khirdai always bless your sword and his lightning struck your enemies!

  7. #7
    Site Moderator geeman's Avatar
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    At 10:52 AM 9/7/2002 +0200, Ariadne wrote:

    > If you reverse the DC for this skill ;) , I like it....

    Yeah, that`s what happens when one has to retype a table for reproduction
    in the Internet. The rest of the text I could just copy and paste, but
    when I do tables I have to recreate them using a fixed width font, so
    errors in transcription will occur. The DCs should be reversed with
    tainted bloodlines being most difficult to detect (DC 25) and true
    bloodlines the easiest (DC 5).

    Gary

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  8. #8
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    I would make a feat out of it. this ability is to special for a skill.
    my purpose is now to lead you into the Pallace where you shall have a clear and delightful view of all those various objects, and scattered excellencies, that lye up and down upon the face of creation, which are only seen by those that go down into the Seas, and by no other....

  9. #9
    Site Moderator geeman's Avatar
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    At 12:27 PM 9/8/2002 +0200, Azrai wrote:

    > I would make a feat out of it. this ability is to special for a skill.

    How would you handle it as a feat?

    Gary

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  10. #10
    Senior Member Trithemius's Avatar
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    Sir Justine:
    > A little off-topic, but I don`t use Scry IMC. I find it a
    > ridiculous skill. I mean, if there`s a skill for scry, there
    > should be one for teleport, magic missile, fireball... To
    > don`t change the way the spell works much I make the
    > characters use Spellcraft instead.

    Interesting point.

    I am almost inclined to go in the other direction though, and create
    skills that modify the effectiveness of other sorts of spells. However,
    I am not sure that this sort of modification would be easier or more
    useful than simply throwing out the old magical sysytem and getting a
    new one.

    Still, I hadn`t thought about Scry that way before, although I have
    complained about having to take it ;)

    --
    John Machin
    (trithemius@paradise.net.nz)
    -----------------------------------
    "Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."
    Athanasius Kircher, Ars Magna Sciendi.

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    John 'Trithemius' Machin
    The Other John From Dunedin (now in Canberra)
    "Power performs the Miracle." - Johannes Trithemius

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