A few questions from a XE newbie. [Archive] - Wizards Community

A few questions from a XE newbie. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GenerallyUnique
10-18-06, 06:39 PM Hi all. I may finally get to play XE this weekend (about damn time, woo!) and I had a few questions.

Would I be able to use the Psionic Artificer varient in Magic of Eberron? I've looked over the Campaign Standards, but frankly the stack slot thing confuses me so I figured it'd just be better to ask.

If so, could I use the Right Scroll for the Job card with the artificer to get a different power stone when the time called for it?

And if I took Extrodinary Artistan, the price for consumables I make goes from x5 to x2, right? (character idea is a Cannith artificer that's fasinated by psionics but frustrated by his inability to use them himself, so he studies and imitates them constantly)

Onto other subjects:

Is there a favored weapon for the Dragon Above? I know I can pick whatever domains I'd like, but I was wondering if I got that choice with a weapon or not.

Are feats that make me dragonblooded allowed? (character idea at this point, is a dragonblooded aasimar Favored Soul, doing the great dragon's dirty work and condeming people for using dragonshards)

Should I assume that if a book is neither on the restricted list or the list on page 12 (I'm looking at the 1.1 campaign standards) that it's allowed?
Lightblade
10-18-06, 11:33 PM 1) Unlclear, but it's looking like yes. However, if you aren't a psionic character (ie you don't have a Kalashtar/Changling/Half-Giant/Psiforged card), access to powers is very unclear. Factionmaster?

2) I don't think so. A judge might let you get away with that, but you'd be best to ask at the start of every slot.

3)That should work.

4) It's based on your alignment. And no, you can't pick whatever domains you want. See the campaign standards 1.1 for answers to both questions.

5) You mean the ones from Complete Arcane, or Races of the Dragon? Yes to both, i think, but you need to use expansion slots to gain access to them.

6) No. Look at Page 2. Those are the things allowed, if it's not mentioned there, and you don't know otherwise, you can't use it.

Take another look at the 1.1 campaign setting. It's a work in progress to be sure, but it can answer many of your questions.
Skerrit
10-18-06, 11:55 PM The getting psionic powers needs to be clarified. Yes, you could use expansion slots to be a psion without a card. The powers section falls under the you specific get any power/spell/feat specifically listed on the spell list of a class you take (such as hexblades getting the hexblade spells from PHB II).

The way it should be is if you choose to be (for example) a human psion, you get all the psionic powers from EPH, but not complete psionics. Powers from that book (or other non-EPH books) require expansion slots. I'll add something to the EXCS for clarity.
Lightblade
10-19-06, 01:14 AM However, taking a psionic class doesn't automatically open up psionic feats, does it? It seems to me that that's strong if it does, but weak if it doesn't. Perhaps something along the lines of: if you're a psion or psycic warrior, you can take XPH feats in your bonus feat slots without putting them in your expansion list, since those come from your class. Or not, i'm just making stuff up at this point.
AnonyCon.com
10-19-06, 05:09 PM So does that mean any race can be a Psion or Psychic Warrior by adding the class to the expansion list? Can that be done at first level as well?
Skerrit
10-19-06, 09:34 PM So does that mean any race can be a Psion or Psychic Warrior by adding the class to the expansion list? Can that be done at first level as well?

yes and yes
Evanta
10-19-06, 11:26 PM And I can pay 3 slots (or that 3 slots from levels 1-3 are taken up) to be a duskblade for a non-Cabal fraction? Or a knight for non-Covenant fraction? or a spell thief/ninja?
DBlizzard
10-19-06, 11:57 PM yes and yes

Interesting, but doesn't this horribly hurt the kalashtar (as well as the psiforged & half giant)?

I was definitely under the impression that the point of restricting these races and putting them on campaign cards was to limit the use of the psionics handbook.

As it stands now, a human psion can just use his first level expansion slot. A kalastar psion needs to use the campaign card. That costs him 3 action points permanently, and requires a campaign card that many don't have, or even can access. Why play a kalastar (or half-giant, or psiforged) under those conditions?
Butterface
10-20-06, 12:07 AM Interesting, but doesn't this horribly hurt the kalashtar (as well as the psiforged & half giant)?

I was definitely under the impression that the point of restricting these races and putting them on campaign cards was to limit the use of the psionics handbook.

As it stands now, a human psion can just use his first level expansion slot. A kalastar psion needs to use the campaign card. That costs him 3 action points permanently, and requires a campaign card that many don't have, or even can access. Why play a kalastar (or half-giant, or psiforged) under those conditions?

Kalashtar make better psions - they gain 1 extra power point per character level. They also gain a +2 bonus against mind affecting spells, abilities, and possession. Psion is their favored class, and they have the ability to mindlink as per the psionic power.

That may be worth 3 action points to a player that wants to make the best psion possible. Plus. . . Kalashtar are cool?
haferka
10-20-06, 12:37 AM Kalashtar make better psions - they gain 1 extra power point per character level. They also gain a +2 bonus against mind affecting spells, abilities, and possession. Psion is their favored class, and they have the ability to mindlink as per the psionic power.

That may be worth 3 action points to a player that wants to make the best psion possible. Plus. . . Kalashtar are cool?

The Kalashtar cards also unlock all the feats/items/prestige classes from the Expanded Psionics Handbook...

AND .... there are alot of cool psionic items that REQUIRE you to be an inspired OR kalashtar to use.

That begs the question... Can we unlock the Inspired Race?
arscott
10-20-06, 05:35 AM favored weapons of the dragon above are the alignment based weapons seen in the weapon of the diety spell.
Skerrit
10-20-06, 10:06 AM The Kalashtar cards also unlock all the feats/items/prestige classes from the Expanded Psionics Handbook...

Correct. Sure you could be a human psion, but you don't unlock all the feats or items or pclasses... menaing you are pretty much committing to using all your expansion items on things from the EPH. A half-giant/kalashtar/changled/psiforged get all that and can spend slots on other things.

That begs the question... Can we unlock the Inspired Race?

No.
kiddoc
10-20-06, 01:47 PM And I can pay 3 slots (or that 3 slots from levels 1-3 are taken up) to be a duskblade for a non-Cabal fraction? Or a knight for non-Covenant fraction? or a spell thief/ninja?

Yes.

EDIT: You'll also notice (in reference to some of the above comments), that races are NOT unlocked. The only way to unlock a "non-core" race is by joining a faction or by using a campaign card.

The idea behind these changes was to be "mature" about roleplaying and free up as MANY possible character options for players as possible, while still retaining some semblance of balance at a table based upon, again "reasonable roleplaying behavior." We wanted you guys to be able to run with some of your amazing, wacky, strange, or clever character ideas, at least to the point where they weren't causing enormous paperwork/rules headaches for everyone. We KNOW there will be some balance issues, particularly for players that treat a table like nothing more than an opportunity to roll lots of dice. There is, however, a tradeoff, and we purposefully chose to err more on the side of player freedom and indivdual character development.

We hope that these changes allow players more of a "say" in how unique and personalized their characters can be. Consequently, we hope they result in more heterogeneous table composition, and a more diverse play experience. We also understand, that if you give people free money, some will still find it in their hearts to complain about the way it was folded. :P
GenerallyUnique
10-23-06, 01:00 AM I tried a few days ago to play a character in the Covenant with an 'odd' class (warlock) and it wouldn't let me during character creation, so I had to play a wizard instead. How do I pick a new class?
catsclaw
10-24-06, 03:54 PM ... it wouldn't let me ...Assuming "it" is the character tracker, then it's broken. If "it" is the GM in charge of the game you played, then they were wrong.
Lightblade
10-24-06, 04:12 PM Assuming "it" is the character tracker, then it's broken. If "it" is the GM in charge of the game you played, then they were wrong.

Actually, no. Until the draft becomes official, you can't play a warlock in the Covenant of Light. You can, however, play one in the Cabal of Shadows. Once the CS 1.1 goes live, you will be able to play the warlock anywhere you want, although it will cost you 3 expansion slots to do it in a non-Cabal faction. I would expect the character tracker to be broken once this happens, however. That's an interesting problem for someone to address.
catsclaw
10-24-06, 04:39 PM Until the draft becomes official, you can't play a warlock in the Covenant of Light.Hrm. I assumed that the draft was only clarifying the original campaign standards on this point, which didn't mention putting classes on the expansion list only because it's kind of a mess in general. If the omission was intentional, then I guess it would be illegal. Although I still think the GM would be being an ass for preventing you from playing it under the current draft standards.
Kelvane
10-26-06, 07:57 PM But they are just that a "draft" that was posted for the players to read and give feedback to the FMs before being made official. The FMs are going over the feedback and taking it into consideration while they finalize the C.S.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GenerallyUnique 10-18-06, 06:39 PM	Hi all. I may finally get to play XE this weekend (about damn time, woo!) and I had a few questions. Would I be able to use the Psionic Artificer varient in Magic of Eberron? I've looked over the Campaign Standards, but frankly the stack slot thing confuses me so I figured it'd just be better to ask. If so, could I use the Right Scroll for the Job card with the artificer to get a different power stone when the time called for it? And if I took Extrodinary Artistan, the price for consumables I make goes from x5 to x2, right? (character idea is a Cannith artificer that's fasinated by psionics but frustrated by his inability to use them himself, so he studies and imitates them constantly) Onto other subjects: Is there a favored weapon for the Dragon Above? I know I can pick whatever domains I'd like, but I was wondering if I got that choice with a weapon or not. Are feats that make me dragonblooded allowed? (character idea at this point, is a dragonblooded aasimar Favored Soul, doing the great dragon's dirty work and condeming people for using dragonshards) Should I assume that if a book is neither on the restricted list or the list on page 12 (I'm looking at the 1.1 campaign standards) that it's allowed?
Lightblade 10-18-06, 11:33 PM	1) Unlclear, but it's looking like yes. However, if you aren't a psionic character (ie you don't have a Kalashtar/Changling/Half-Giant/Psiforged card), access to powers is very unclear. Factionmaster? 2) I don't think so. A judge might let you get away with that, but you'd be best to ask at the start of every slot. 3)That should work. 4) It's based on your alignment. And no, you can't pick whatever domains you want. See the campaign standards 1.1 for answers to both questions. 5) You mean the ones from Complete Arcane, or Races of the Dragon? Yes to both, i think, but you need to use expansion slots to gain access to them. 6) No. Look at Page 2. Those are the things allowed, if it's not mentioned there, and you don't know otherwise, you can't use it. Take another look at the 1.1 campaign setting. It's a work in progress to be sure, but it can answer many of your questions.
Skerrit 10-18-06, 11:55 PM	The getting psionic powers needs to be clarified. Yes, you could use expansion slots to be a psion without a card. The powers section falls under the you specific get any power/spell/feat specifically listed on the spell list of a class you take (such as hexblades getting the hexblade spells from PHB II). The way it should be is if you choose to be (for example) a human psion, you get all the psionic powers from EPH, but not complete psionics. Powers from that book (or other non-EPH books) require expansion slots. I'll add something to the EXCS for clarity.
Lightblade 10-19-06, 01:14 AM	However, taking a psionic class doesn't automatically open up psionic feats, does it? It seems to me that that's strong if it does, but weak if it doesn't. Perhaps something along the lines of: if you're a psion or psycic warrior, you can take XPH feats in your bonus feat slots without putting them in your expansion list, since those come from your class. Or not, i'm just making stuff up at this point.
AnonyCon.com 10-19-06, 05:09 PM	So does that mean any race can be a Psion or Psychic Warrior by adding the class to the expansion list? Can that be done at first level as well?
Skerrit 10-19-06, 09:34 PM	So does that mean any race can be a Psion or Psychic Warrior by adding the class to the expansion list? Can that be done at first level as well? yes and yes
Evanta 10-19-06, 11:26 PM	And I can pay 3 slots (or that 3 slots from levels 1-3 are taken up) to be a duskblade for a non-Cabal fraction? Or a knight for non-Covenant fraction? or a spell thief/ninja?
DBlizzard 10-19-06, 11:57 PM	yes and yes Interesting, but doesn't this horribly hurt the kalashtar (as well as the psiforged & half giant)? I was definitely under the impression that the point of restricting these races and putting them on campaign cards was to limit the use of the psionics handbook. As it stands now, a human psion can just use his first level expansion slot. A kalastar psion needs to use the campaign card. That costs him 3 action points permanently, and requires a campaign card that many don't have, or even can access. Why play a kalastar (or half-giant, or psiforged) under those conditions?
Butterface 10-20-06, 12:07 AM	Interesting, but doesn't this horribly hurt the kalashtar (as well as the psiforged & half giant)? I was definitely under the impression that the point of restricting these races and putting them on campaign cards was to limit the use of the psionics handbook. As it stands now, a human psion can just use his first level expansion slot. A kalastar psion needs to use the campaign card. That costs him 3 action points permanently, and requires a campaign card that many don't have, or even can access. Why play a kalastar (or half-giant, or psiforged) under those conditions? Kalashtar make better psions - they gain 1 extra power point per character level. They also gain a +2 bonus against mind affecting spells, abilities, and possession. Psion is their favored class, and they have the ability to mindlink as per the psionic power. That may be worth 3 action points to a player that wants to make the best psion possible. Plus. . . Kalashtar are cool?
haferka 10-20-06, 12:37 AM	Kalashtar make better psions - they gain 1 extra power point per character level. They also gain a +2 bonus against mind affecting spells, abilities, and possession. Psion is their favored class, and they have the ability to mindlink as per the psionic power. That may be worth 3 action points to a player that wants to make the best psion possible. Plus. . . Kalashtar are cool? The Kalashtar cards also unlock all the feats/items/prestige classes from the Expanded Psionics Handbook... AND .... there are alot of cool psionic items that REQUIRE you to be an inspired OR kalashtar to use. That begs the question... Can we unlock the Inspired Race?
arscott 10-20-06, 05:35 AM	favored weapons of the dragon above are the alignment based weapons seen in the weapon of the diety spell.
Skerrit 10-20-06, 10:06 AM	The Kalashtar cards also unlock all the feats/items/prestige classes from the Expanded Psionics Handbook... Correct. Sure you could be a human psion, but you don't unlock all the feats or items or pclasses... menaing you are pretty much committing to using all your expansion items on things from the EPH. A half-giant/kalashtar/changled/psiforged get all that and can spend slots on other things. That begs the question... Can we unlock the Inspired Race? No.
kiddoc 10-20-06, 01:47 PM	And I can pay 3 slots (or that 3 slots from levels 1-3 are taken up) to be a duskblade for a non-Cabal fraction? Or a knight for non-Covenant fraction? or a spell thief/ninja? Yes. EDIT: You'll also notice (in reference to some of the above comments), that races are NOT unlocked. The only way to unlock a "non-core" race is by joining a faction or by using a campaign card. The idea behind these changes was to be "mature" about roleplaying and free up as MANY possible character options for players as possible, while still retaining some semblance of balance at a table based upon, again "reasonable roleplaying behavior." We wanted you guys to be able to run with some of your amazing, wacky, strange, or clever character ideas, at least to the point where they weren't causing enormous paperwork/rules headaches for everyone. We KNOW there will be some balance issues, particularly for players that treat a table like nothing more than an opportunity to roll lots of dice. There is, however, a tradeoff, and we purposefully chose to err more on the side of player freedom and indivdual character development. We hope that these changes allow players more of a "say" in how unique and personalized their characters can be. Consequently, we hope they result in more heterogeneous table composition, and a more diverse play experience. We also understand, that if you give people free money, some will still find it in their hearts to complain about the way it was folded. :P
GenerallyUnique 10-23-06, 01:00 AM	I tried a few days ago to play a character in the Covenant with an 'odd' class (warlock) and it wouldn't let me during character creation, so I had to play a wizard instead. How do I pick a new class?
catsclaw 10-24-06, 03:54 PM	... it wouldn't let me ...Assuming "it" is the character tracker, then it's broken. If "it" is the GM in charge of the game you played, then they were wrong.
Lightblade 10-24-06, 04:12 PM	Assuming "it" is the character tracker, then it's broken. If "it" is the GM in charge of the game you played, then they were wrong. Actually, no. Until the draft becomes official, you can't play a warlock in the Covenant of Light. You can, however, play one in the Cabal of Shadows. Once the CS 1.1 goes live, you will be able to play the warlock anywhere you want, although it will cost you 3 expansion slots to do it in a non-Cabal faction. I would expect the character tracker to be broken once this happens, however. That's an interesting problem for someone to address.
catsclaw 10-24-06, 04:39 PM	Until the draft becomes official, you can't play a warlock in the Covenant of Light.Hrm. I assumed that the draft was only clarifying the original campaign standards on this point, which didn't mention putting classes on the expansion list only because it's kind of a mess in general. If the omission was intentional, then I guess it would be illegal. Although I still think the GM would be being an ass for preventing you from playing it under the current draft standards.
Kelvane 10-26-06, 07:57 PM	But they are just that a "draft" that was posted for the players to read and give feedback to the FMs before being made official. The FMs are going over the feedback and taking it into consideration while they finalize the C.S.