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2 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2011 - 6:49AM
#41
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Date Joined:
Nov 20, 2008
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With the release of Essentials and its derivatives, I went back and started buying up all of the 4e books I missed out on (fluff books and campaign settings). I had Manual of the Planes, an impulse buy, and it is a GREAT book. Reading it gives me so many ideas for adventures and stories. It's a book of pure inspiration. :O But...
The What: Draconic Language, from Draconomicon, Chromatic Dragons. Page 24 and 25.
Why you may have missed it: I have no idea why anyone would've missed this.
What makes it so special: Because I get to yell at people in Draconic and tell people that dwarves are being taken away by flying cows. I'm a little bit of a language geek, so when I first found this page in the book, I pored over it and pestered my girlfriend in Draconic for a while.
Conclusion: Speaking Draconic! Nothing gets better than that, I'm pretty sure.
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2 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2011 - 2:36PM
#42
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Here's a handly little item I came across that any party could appreciate.
The What: Chime of Awakening
Why you may have missed it: It's one of many wonderous items in the Adventurer's Vault.
What makes it so special: This is a very handy perimiter alarm that can prevent that pesky ambush in the middle of your extended rest. You can set any number of triggers (like if anyone who isn't in your adventuring party enters your camp). Once triggered, the entire party is awake and alert. This helps prevent an ambush if the person in your party keeping watch isn't very perceptive.
Conclusion: The Chime of Awakening is a pretty inexpensive (level 4) magic item that could just save your life.
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2 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2011 - 8:54PM
#43
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Date Joined:
May 25, 2009
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I haven't seen anyone else ever mention this weapon, but it was perfect for my shadow-themed Shadar-kai Swordmage (Shielding), and I completely fell in love with it for both thematic and practical reasons. The What: Blackshroud Weapon ( Adventurer's Vault, p.64) Why you may have missed it: It doesn't make you hit harder, or do terrible things to your enemies. What makes it so special: This is a great choice for any defender that uses light blades, heavy blades, or axes. As a property, you gain concealment for a round on dropping an enemy to zero HP, and on a crit you gain Xd8 temporary HP (where X = the enhancement bonus of the weapon). For anyone interested in a thematic weapon for a new character using Heroes of Shadow, this should be perfect. Conclusion: Though always at the top end of the level / enhancment bonus curve (+2 is an L10 item), the benefits are clearly great for anyone who is going to be taking the brunt of enemy attention.
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2 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2011 - 9:33PM
#44
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Date Joined:
Nov 17, 2003
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The What: Trollskin Armor (PHB)
Why you may have missed it: Trollskin armor doesn't mention that the skin of a troll is used to make it.
What makes it so special: Trolls regenerate, so skinning them won't kill them.
Conclusion: Down one of the city's dark alleys, screams of pain and anguish echo through day and night from a small stone building with no windows and a heavy oak door. Hanging from hooks with special binds to prevent its movement is a troll, the flesh on its back half peeled off. Blood covers everything. Moving his step-stool into a new position is a wild-eyed halfling, driven mad by his task.
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2 years ago ::
Apr 02, 2011 - 12:27AM
#45
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Date Joined:
Oct 19, 2008
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The What: The Lich and Vampire Lord Rituals ( Monster Manual, pages 177 and 259) Why you may have missed it: In the beginning of 4th edition, they seemed to not know exactly where to put everything, so these rituals were placed in the Monster Manual. What makes it so special: While these rituals seem odd in that they apply monster templates, they were obviously intended for use by DMs on monsters as a story excuse for why something happened ( probably tendrils of previous editions sneaking in). However, these could totally be used on PCs ( since PCs are just really compicated monsters). The rammifications of a wizard in the party turning to a ritual to Orcus designed to trade materials for undead life? Priceless. Conclusion: While a little fuzzy on the intent, these rituals can possibly and easily be used on PCs just as they would be used on Monsters. Sure this miught give the player more power than intended for their level, but for those more worried about fun and fluff than balance, these rituals provide an interesting way of injecting that. Also, evil! 
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." --Bill Cosby (1937- )Vanador: OK. You ripped a gateway to Hell, killed half the town, and raised the dead as feral zombies. We're going to kill you. But it can go two ways. We want you to run as fast as you possibly can toward the south of the town to draw the Zombies to you, and right before they catch you, I'll put an arrow through your head to end it instantly. If you don't agree to do this, we'll tie you this building and let the Zombies rip you apart slowly. Dimitry: God I love being Neutral. 4th edition is dead, long live 4th edition.Salla: opinionated, but commonly right. fun quotes
Show
You have to do the work first, and show you can do the work, before someone is going to pay you for it.
If you can't understand how someone yelling at another person would make them fight harder and longer, then you need to look at the forums a bit closer.
quote author=56832398 post=519321747]Considering DnD is a game wouldn't all styles be gamist?
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2 years ago ::
Apr 02, 2011 - 8:28AM
#46
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Date Joined:
Apr 19, 2009
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The What: Wendigo (demonomicon, page 152)
Why you may have missed it: Its purely in the lore of the wendigo which is in a monster specific book.
What makes it so special: There is a change (no likeliness named) that when you eat someone of the same race, in other words cannibalize, you'll summon a wendigo that you seem to transform in, with no self control.
Conclusion: Eating your friend that just died from hunger is not a great choice anymore.
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2 years ago ::
Apr 02, 2011 - 7:09PM
#47
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The What: The Lich and Vampire Lord Rituals (Monster Manual, pages 177 and 259)
Why you may have missed it: Because they turn your PC into an NPC villain.
Got that for ya.
Another day, another three or four entries to my Ignore List.
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2 years ago ::
Apr 03, 2011 - 2:44AM
#48
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Date Joined:
Jan 12, 2006
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First off...love this thread. So glad to see something refreshing and constructive. SO GLAD to be getting some much needed inspiration. Especially loved the earth mote as a weapon suggestion and the exodus knife. I could see using the knife as a "Oh ****" button, like "Oh know that sorcerer is about to level this entire building with his ritual!" *Create safe place to hide while the devastation passes.*
The What: Spirit Fetch ritual (Dragon Mag 380 pg. 90)
Why you may have missed it: Not everyone has an insider account or is interested in Rituals.
What makes it so special: How versatile it is! It creates a small "spirit" that then travels to anyone whom you can name, visualize, or provide a material connection to (vial of blood) and relays a message to them. Now if you wanted to abuse this power you could use this ritual like a finding ritual. Picture the criminal you've been hunting through the city who's name you've finally discovered and then send the spirit after him and follow where it goes.
My personal favorite use is to try and use mind games to weaken an enemy. Even if your not following your spirit to track down a criminal you can still use this ritual to shake him up and make him consider turning himself in. Some serial killer or master thief is sitting in his safe house feeling like he may have finally alluded you and suddenly at his feet there is a small fox (the symbol of the town guard) and deep in his mind he hears the words "I know where you are, come turn yourself in." and if he doesn't follow the command then the spirit sticks around to keep reminding him. Talk about psychic warfare!
The Feylock I play has a slightly more sinister use for this ritual. He uses it to get a mark to kill themselves so he doesn't have to get his hands dirty. He's a assassin by trade and when he's hunting someone the first thing he'll do is send a spirit out in whatever form he assumes will be most unsettling, say the form a decaying young girl who died of starvation because a certain noble raised taxes too high for her family to afford food. This young girl then sticks around reminding the noble that he should throw himself off his castle wall because that's what he deserves. This could go on for as long as a month with an epic level arcana check, but even without that you can always just recast it to your hearts content.
Conclusion: Use this ritual to convey messages over distances (think battlefield commands), exploit superstition in those who don't have advanced understanding of magic (sending a spirit to the priest telling him to help the party anyway he can), or just get in peoples heads and eat away at their sanity (the feylock assassin example.)
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2 years ago ::
Apr 03, 2011 - 4:34AM
#49
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Date Joined:
May 12, 2009
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The What: Wendigo (demonomicon, page 152)
Why you may have missed it: Its purely in the lore of the wendigo which is in a monster specific book.
What makes it so special: There is a change (no likeliness named) that when you eat someone of the same race, in other words cannibalize, you'll summon a wendigo that you seem to transform in, with no self control.
Conclusion: Eating your friend that just died from hunger is not a great choice anymore.
Hence 4E's motto: Pay the Cleric a Pizza ! :P
Yan
Montréal, Canada
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2 years ago ::
Apr 03, 2011 - 4:46AM
#50
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Date Joined:
May 12, 2009
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The What: Comrade’s Succor Ritual (Dragon Magazine 380 pg 89.)
How you may have missed it: Because it’s a short Ritual in Dragon and that you might have skipped for some reason.
What makes it so special?: This 1st Level Restoration Ritual help manage one of the most important ressources in D&D 4E, Healing Surges.
Some more specific applications:
- Its fairly cheap to use having only a Component Cost of 10 gp.
- Its pretty reliable to use since it require no Check to perform.
- While performing this ritual, you and up to 5 participants in the ritual can choose to lose any number of healing surges and select another participant to gain an equal number of healing surges.
- No participant can have more healing surges than his or her daily maximum.
- Additionally, you or one participant must lose 1 healing surge when performing this ritual.
Conclusion: When on tha down low, Healing surges have no more reasons to bring an expedition to a halt. It’s a simple way to redistribute ressources among the party.
Yan
Montréal, Canada
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