Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 darkdiashi Aug 30, 2009 10:36:56	Hey This is my take on Gandalf the White.  The focus is on fire (and hope) from his ring Narya, and radient from his maia origin.  I also tried to give him items and utilities that shocased bits from the literature.  Whadaya think?   ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== Gandalf, level 30 Deva, Invoker|Wizard/Swordmage, Flame of Hope, Demigod Covenant Manifestation: Manifestation of Wrath Hybrid Invoker: Hybrid Invoker Fortitude Hybrid Talent: Arcane Implement Mastery Arcane Implement Mastery: Staff of Defense Divine Spark: Divine Spark Intelligence Divine Spark: Divine Spark Wisdom Background: Birth - On Another Plane (+2 to Arcana) FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 10, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 28, Wis 26, Cha 14. STARTING ABILITY SCORES Str 8, Con 13, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 11. AC: 43 Fort: 35 Reflex: 40 Will: 40 HP: 142 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 35 TRAINED SKILLS Insight +28, Religion +35, History +35, Arcana +37 UNTRAINED SKILLS Acrobatics +16, Bluff +17, Diplomacy +17, Dungeoneering +23, Endurance +18, Heal +23, Intimidate +17, Nature +23, Perception +34, Stealth +16, Streetwise +17, Thievery +16, Athletics +15 FEATS Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Bastard sword) Level 2: Hybrid Talent Level 4: Blade Initiate Level 6: Novice Power Level 8: Mounted Combat Level 10: Enlarge Spell Level 11: Remembered Mother Tongue Level 12: Invoker's Blaze Level 14: Intelligent Blademaster Level 16: Battle Intuition Level 18: Potent Rebirth Level 20: Auspicious Lineage Level 21: Invoked Devastation Level 22: Acolyte Power Level 24: Adept Power Level 26: Heavenly Heritage Level 28: Icon of Hope Level 30: Irresistible Flame POWERS Hybrid Invoker at-will 1: Astral Wind Hybrid Wizard at-will 1: Scorching Burst Hybrid encounter 1: Burning Hands Hybrid daily 1: Purging Flame Hybrid utility 2: Daunting Presence Hybrid encounter 3: Sun Hammer Hybrid daily 5: Fireball Hybrid utility 6: Encouraging Chant Hybrid encounter 7: Fire Burst Hybrid daily 9: Wall of Fire Hybrid utility 10: Word of Urgency Hybrid encounter 13: Pillar of Guardian Flame (replaces Burning Hands) Hybrid daily 15: Mark of Anathema (replaces Purging Flame) Hybrid utility 16: Summon Diamond Falcon Hybrid encounter 17: Combust (replaces Sun Hammer) Hybrid daily 19: Oppressive Force (retrained to Bane Blade at Adept Power) (replaces Wall of Fire) Hybrid utility 22: Phantom Legion (retrained to Like a Feather at Acolyte Power) Hybrid encounter 23: Vindicating Flames (retrained to Meteor Strike at Novice Power) (replaces Fire Burst) Hybrid daily 25: Cinder Storm (replaces Fireball) Hybrid encounter 27: Brand of Fire (replaces Pillar of Guardian Flame) Hybrid daily 29: Meteor Swarm (replaces Mark of Anathema) ITEMS Radiant Bastard sword +6, Shimmering Starweave Armor +6, Siberys Shard of the Mage (epic tier) (2), Staff of Ultimate Defense +6, Iron Armbands of Power (epic tier), Sandals of Avandra (epic tier), Lancing Gloves (heroic tier), Crown of Doors (epic tier), Cloak of Distortion +6, Celestial Charger, Zephyr Horseshoes (heroic tier), Light Barding, Moonstone Sphere (epic tier), Ruby Scabbard (heroic tier), Ring of the Phoenix (epic tier), Opal Ring of Remembrance (epic tier), Baldric of Dividing Ranks (epic tier), Glowstone (heroic tier)
#2 dark_empire Sep 02, 2009 2:54:32	Nah,  he's first level.    If you are feeling genereous give him a +1 staff of light, and a few points in the Healing skill.    That would match the powers he displayed in the books. Mannerism and behavior:   Complusive lying (about abilities), and Glory Hound. Don't even get my started about that overrated Ring of Invisiblity. 4th editon does not try to simulate fantasy books anymore, doing so will only lead to disappointment. If this is an NPC just give him a new name, Merlin, Obi-Wrong, Fizbin, it's all the same Wise Old Man, Mentor and Master of Exposition.
#3 Qube Sep 02, 2009 4:10:16	Nah,  he's first level. I don't think so. At a first level you can't break a bridge with a single tap of the staffs ... or fight a balor while you're falling. etc... However, I don't think he's class based: I think he's more like a monster stat block ... (PCs have lots of combat abilities, which he lacks)
#4 pluisjen Sep 02, 2009 4:20:53	Actually you are better off building him in Mutants & Masterminds... You can just give him a full array of X stats there and be done with it ;)
#5 AbdulAlhazred Sep 02, 2009 13:36:13	How's that really different from a 4e monster stat block? Epic high fantasy characters never have really translated well into D&D in any edition. 4th at least offers up a fairly free form monster stat block mechanism. I'd consider him to be something like an epic tier controller/leader. He did definitely have some sort of basic "zap" power (used IIRC once in the Chamber of Mazarbul) and some sort of not too well defined "power word" capability which sounded like it would be something like opposed arcana checks, but we really didn't learn enough about it to know how exactly it worked. Not really an easy character to stat because a lot of his action happened off-screen and was only described in general terms. Most of his on-screen action was non-combat or at least not directly involving attacking the enemy. Remember too, Gandalf and the Istari in general weren't about directly confronting evil. They were direct servants of higher powers who were supposed to channel those power's assistance to the free peoples in the form of knowledge and insight. Giving them powerful combat magic wouldn't really have fit their mission very well, and within the value system of Middle Earth would have probably been evil or at least counterproductive. It would be a LOT easier and probably more interesting to stat out some of the other main characters. They had a lot more concretely defined abilities.
#6 thunderforge8 Sep 02, 2009 17:32:41	A while ago, I built a 4e scenario of the Mines of Moria and statted Gandalf the Grey at Level 9. Why so low? Well, the main reason was that I wanted a balanced party and Frodo certainly wasn't Paragon or Epic. I figured that Gandalf the White would be a decent Paragon Path version of Gandalf and after the Mines and Amon Hen, the others were more experienced and could become Paragon too as they began to accept their destinies in Two Towers. I think a Minas Tirith Gandalf the White would be Level 17 at best if you're going to have a player play him with a party of other Lord of the Rings characters (and that's being awfully generous since that would mean giving Pippin and Eowyn level 17 status). Of course, if you're not intending for any character to play him, then sure, make him an epic tier monsterblock. But I don't think he's level 30 and he's definitely not a Demigod.
#7 pluisjen Sep 03, 2009 3:37:25	How's that really different from a 4e monster stat block?   An 'X' stat in M&M doesn't mean 'really high', it means 'whatever it needs to be at that specific time'   A character with X stats can do everything and anything the plot requires. It's strictly an NPC thing and even then should be used sparingly, but it fits Gandalf perfectly since he's a walking plot exposition with widely varying levels of power.