BishGada (Private thread) Labyrinth of Madness

[TristenC]

Where would Ke'Sha like the undead to search first?

[BishGada]

Well, I kind of remember some from last time, so I don't want to ruin the fun for the others. The undead will search the walls and floor just for the flavor of it.

[BishGada]

Hi. Ke'Sha has no access to heal, but as the priest of the lord of the undead and dealing with negative plan powers, will you allow him to use only their reversals to heal the undead?
In the wizard spell compendium and in the full book of necromancer the reverse version is restoring undead HP.

[TristenC]

Only spells that specifically state they heal undead (like Undead Regeneration or Dark Fire of Beshaba' will heal any undead. Undead whose descriptions state they are affected by notmal cures or the reverse can of course be healed in the way you describe.

Is there somewhere specific in the necromancer handbook you see where it says normal cure/cause wounds heals undead?

[BishGada]

No. It was my mistake. I thought I saw reference to it because I was searching for undead healing, but it mentioned other stuff about undead.

In the wizard spell compedium it specifically states that undead can be cured by the reverse of 'cure' spells.
I read a bit about that in the forums, and the opinions are split. In any case, after 2nd ed the reverse did heal undead up to 5th ed. Then they say undead can heal by rest or by munching on bodies, gaining 10% of the damage they deal, or 100% of drained level HP, but I don't think we need to get into it.

I was aiming at 1st level healing options as the monsters we meet can easily chop them off.
Ke'Sha can get Several Dark Fire of Beshaba on account of find traps, and just let Jack clear the way
Undead regeneration at 5th level vs. Animate dead monsters, I think the animate dead monsters beats it by about x4.

[TristenC]

Don't forget, he will need his 8 hours of rest before memorizing spells and then it is 10 mins per spell level so think about how much time the group will be willing to wait before returning to the Labyrinth

(OOC: in camp, Ke'Sha will cast undead alacrity which affects all undead for the night. (Initiative, move, ac)
He will cast chilling scythe, and give it to Tom as magical weapon, he will bind his senses through spectral senses with Mourkhul.
Life drain - it is 'active" until delivered.
And negative plan protection to protect the group.

Spells to learn:
Since the spectral senses lasts most of the next day, it will be replaced by ebony hand.
So:
1st: Ebony Hand 4x, Protection From Evil x1, Undead alacrity x2, Analyze opponent, Command, Foresight

2nd (7+3): Darkfire of Beshaba x 4
Idea
Chilling Scythe x2
Hold person
Resist turning (1t + 2rd/level) (90% resistence) 30' diameter
Augury

3rd (9)
Life Drain
Negative Plane Protection (1t/level),
Bestow Curse (1mo/lvl)
Dispel magic x2
Fostered Protection (1t/lvl +2%/lvl MR)
Etherealness
Speak with Dead
Mask of Gargauth (17d)

4th (11)
Assume undead form x4 (1rd/lvl)
Cause Insanity (permanent)
Free action x 2
Heart Blight (range 10'/lvl, better use on low CON, 3r)
Solipsism
Unfailing Endurance (ONCE!)
Abjure

5th (7)
Animate dead monsters x2, Raise Dead, Slay living, Imbue undead with spell ability, True seeing, Scourge

6th (3)
Conj. Fire elemental x2
Summon undead

7th (2)
Create undead minion
Creeping doom

ioun (9 lvls)
Assume undead form (4), Dark Fire (2), Fostered Protection (3)
)

[BishGada]

But that's how it is with high levels, no?

[TristenC]

Sure, just understand that the Labyrinth won't just sit still while the party makes their preparations.
Ke'Sha got back to camp about 6:50 pm. If he goes to bed immediately and gets his 8 hours, then it'll be about 2:50 am when he wakes.
If the party starts out again at 8 am, that is 5hrs and 10 mins of study (or 31 spell levels of time). so anything above that is extra he will have to discuss with the group about waiting longer.

To load the ioun stone (which is currently empty) he would have to memorize the spells and then cast them into the stone itself, which means tho
He can cast Assume Undead Form into it tonight before he sleeps (since he has that prepared) but the other two will have to memorize and then cast tomorrow, which will leave those expended in his memory.

You mentioned wanting to cast Undead Alacrity in camp, but it only lasts 10 mins +2/level so 44 minutes. I'm not sure what you wanted to do with that near camp. Chilling Scythe is also very short duration (1 round per level) so it will be gone long before morning, and there is little use in casting it before sleep unless he is just trying to empty another slot.

Spectral senses on Mourkol is fine, and it will last 17 hours, so it will be more than half-over by the time they set out in the morning. But at least he'll get a few hours out of it if they leave at 8am. If he wants to stay in camp longer to memorize more spells, there is really no point to casting it tonight and should probably just save using it until morning.

Who is he intending to cast life drain on?

From the description, Negative plane protection lasts 1 turn (10 mins) per level of the priest. so 170 mins, or less than 3 hours. if he casts it before bed it will be gone long before he wakes. May as well save it until they are back in the dungeon

[BishGada]

OK. In the general case of going to sleep for 8h and immediately then setting out to adventure, 17h duration spells gives extra 9h which is OK for advnturing. In out current situation it is indeed not very beneficial.

I think without all the spells the cleric is at 1/3 power if not less and with us sleeping once a year of real time posting it is kind of a long time to be at 1/3 power. I thought lasting endurance will allow functioning 4h sleep as 8h sleep, adding 4 extra hours to studing on the following days, but that's not in the description. Maybe if there are any magical items / support spells in the camp that can function like sleep boost? Can you suggest any?

Anyway... I accept your comments. I also drop the argue that Life Drain doesn't have to be cast on the victim immediately.
I will avoid all the pre-sleep spells. So it save 10 spell levels from the total, right. (2x3 + 2 + 2x1)

Is there any difference if he has the spells on the ring or in his memory? If so then he will cast assume undead form and raise dead into the ring.
Otherwise he can just cast most of the pre-sleep spells (Life drain, Neg. Plane prot., Chilling scythe, spectral senses) to the ring.

with this change he will not learn command (since he can't take the spectral senses every other day).

Mask of Garauth allow Ke'Sha to shape change for the duration, and shape change allow chaning to demi-humans with wings, but with all the portals and shapeshifting capabilities it might be mute, so I'll drop it and take Hold Undead instead. Seems fit to the charcter.

Spells learning aconomy:
(first 31 levels): Resist turning (2), Undead alarcityx2 (2), Ebony hand (1), Darkfire of Beshaba x 2 (4), Dispel Magic (3), Assume undead form (4), Free action (4), Animate dead monster (5), Conj. Fire Elemental (6) = 31

Next negotitated hours:
1st: Summon undead (6)
2nd: Chilling scythe (2) + Unfailing endurance (4)

[TristenC]

The 1/3 power thing is a bit of a mis-interpretation in my opinion. Are you expecting him to use every spell slot every day? That seems a bit extreme. One major benefit to having many slots that aren't all used every day is having options. You never know which one will be useful, so by having many you van prepare for almost anything. Let us also not forget he spent quite a few spells to create/ compell undead creatures, bargain with powerful beings and summon elementals. He is already seeing the benefit of those spells. It's a trade-off, and resources were expended to see those benefits.

There is a 2nd level priest spell called 'Nap' that lets one get a full night's sleep in 1 hr rather than 8 hrs, but it is in the Time sphere, which Ke'Sha doesn't have access to.

I'm not aware of any others really. There might be something in the Thought sphere.

I don't really remember any magic items that make memorization faster, but even if there were Ke'Sha doesn't have them so it's a moot point.

Some of the differences of casting from a device versus memory are:
-The device casting time may be different (often faster, depends on wording of the device)
-any material components used to cast the spell are consumed when it is cast into the device
-If he is knocked out he will lose his memorized spells, but the device will still contain spells it still has
-a device can be stolen, broken or lost

[BishGada]

What I meant about the 1/3 power is exactly that, the wide possibilities being narrowed down, but indeed I thought that the minions adds up variety of options and flavor and the assume undead form also have many posibilities.
So I think I'll have Raise dead and Assume undead form into the ring. It doesn't change the times but if he is knocked out, not robbed and wakes up to see a dead friend, he can still raise him immediately. And assume undead form can easily make him ethereal, or fly away etc.
Can Jag or Drommacus cast Nap? Or Allekhain? Or the psyionists have similar options? Also there is a Ring of Susenance which worth only 500xp (so not so rare), so if he could buy it in the camp and have already worn it for a week, he will need only 2 hours of sleep, gaining extra 6h learning per day.

I admit I never thought about the immense study time of spells at high levels.

[TristenC]

Drommacus and Allikhain only have mage spells, Nap is a Priest spell. Nocturno also does not have access to the 'Time' sphere. I'm not aware of a similar Psionic option. Nobody in camp is selling magic items, so the ring would not be available that way. Maybe he will get a wish one of these days he can use for something like that

[BishGada]

well, it is now close to 8% per day, so in twelve years of playing it might happen...