Clashingblack

The Master of Masks originally appeared in The Complete Scoundrel sourcebook as a prestige class for bards or wizard/rogues. Lots of people on the WotC boards argued (convincingly) that it was underpowered, but I found it to be a neat polymath PrC (I liked Dungeonscape's factotum class for the same reason). Since paragon paths in 4th edition aren't really geared towards granting things like darkvision and weapon proficiencies, I decided to reinterpret the Master of Mask's hallmark as a device that "palette swaps" a striker's attacks. I've listed the powers as Martial, but it's really a hybrid with some very Arcane effects. We could interpret this as phenomenally inspired sleight-of-hand, or special effects that cross the line into reality. You'll also notice that I've deviated from the old list of masks in favor of something a little 4th-ier. Also, I'm not totally confident about the desirability of the 16th level feature or the damage dice of the powers. But hey, it's a draft.

Master of Masks
“I’m not questioning your powers of observation; I’m merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.”

Pre-Requisite: Training in the Bluff and Thievery skills

Your talent for talent for stagecraft doesn’t border on the supernatural—it invokes it. When you wear the visage of an iconic being you act as it would act, and strike as it would strike. Your performance is so convincing that some people mistake your mask for the source of your strength, but it is really just the focus.

MASTER OF MASKS PATH FEATURES

Masked Action (11th Level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you also do not grant Combat Advantage until the start of your next turn.

Craft Mask (11th Level): As a short rest action, you may craft a mask that will last until the end of your next extended rest. This mask is an artifice, with defenses equal to your level +4 and hit points equal to your healing surge value. If the mask is dropped to 0 hp, it is destroyed. You may only possess one crafted mask at a time. The mask is worn on your face, but does not occupy any item slots.

When you craft the mask, select one of the iconic visages from the list below. Each mask is associated with a pair of damage types. While wearing a mask, you may change any damage you inflict to one of those types.

• Aberrant (acid and poison): This hideous, misshapen mask may have tentacles, chelicerae, too many eyes, or seem to pulsate unnaturally.
• Immortal (force and radiant): Whether this mask presents the face of an angel, devil, or deity, it will be handsome and imposing (and possibly abstract).
• Elemental (cold and fire): This bold mask may represent an archon, giant, or genie, and is often of an unusual texture.
• Fey (lightning and psychic): This mask may resemble the delicate face of a nymph or the leer of a fomorian. Either way, the caricature guarantees an emotional response.
• Natural (poison and thunder): The wood, leaves, and mud of this mask may appear crude compared to the others, but its animal features have a primal strength.
• Shadow (necrotic and psychic): This mask may be a brief domino or an all-encompassing cowl, and it will still convey the menace of a shadar-kai or wraith.

Mask Flourish (Master of Masks Attack 11)
You strike as if you really were the being your mask proclaims you to be.
Encounter * Martial, Weapon, Special
Standard Action * Melee or Ranged weapon
Requirement: You must be wearing your crafted mask.
Target: One creature.
Attack: Charisma vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] + Charisma modifier damage of one type associated with your mask.
Effect: You gain resistance 10 to one of the damage types associated with your mask until the end of your next turn.

Master of Many Masks (Master of Masks Utility 12)
With a clever twist, you reverse your mask to reveal a new guise.
Daily * Martial
Minor Action * Personal
Special: You must be wearing your crafted mask.
Effect: You may immediately reshape your current mask into any other on the list. If your mask was damaged, it is now restored to full hit points.

True Visage (Master of Masks Attack 20)
Your mask seems to transform you into the genuine article.
Daily * Martial, Weapon, Special
Standard Action * Melee or Ranged weapon
Requirement: You must be wearing your crafted mask.
Target: One creature.
Attack: Charisma vs. Will
Hit: 4[W] + Charisma modifier damage and the target takes ongoing damage 10 (save ends). This damage is of both types associated with the mask.
Miss: 2[W] + Charisma modifier damage, no ongoing damage. The damage is of one type associated with the mask.
Effect: You gain resistance 10 to both of the damage types associated with your mask until the end of the encounter.

This last Saturday we played out penultimate session of our current Eberron campaign (we're getting ready to switch from 3.5 to 4th edition). A few observations:

• Most of our fight scenes have been lasting 10-12 rounds. That feels like a pretty good length.
• When I ask for a skill check, someone in the group is going to get a 25+. If it's Diplomacy or Sense Motive, I know it's our diplomancer rogue. If it's a Spot check, I know it's the half-elven ranger. Really, it's been that way since they passed 6th level.
• The big bad guy is scarier when he can attack multiple PCs at once. This is probably why fire-breathing dragons put the fear in parties. The effect is even better when the big bad guy doesn't look like someone who should be able to make a "Death Blossom" attack-- like an Inspired soulknife.
• Tower shields in 3.5 editon are super-effective. Enchanted tower shields are flat-out impenetrable.
• The DM will rarely get more than two slices of pizza. This is simply a factor of always talking.
• My friends appreciate port. I knew I liked these people for a reason.

Now: to schedule the next game before another month has passed!

The grassroots movement has taken hold, and I've gotten my regular players interested in switching from a 3.5 to a 4th edition campaign. This is admittedly my idea-- I'm a sucker for new systems, and always eager to try the latest thing. But! In my defense, we meet infrequently, and I've only got a little over a year before I head overseas again. I want a chance to play with the new stuff before I'm out of Metro range. And besides, if we don't like it, we can just pick up the old characters a few levels later for the great "reunion" adventure.

Of course, this means it's time to brainstorm for campaign ideas. I'm still planning to run with the Eberron setting since I have all the books and the players are familiar/comfortable with it. But which part of Eberron?

• A campaign in the Lhazaar Principalities would allow me all sorts of island-hopping adventures-- I just have to promise my players that I won't overuse the "pirate chic." I've run an island based campaign before-- there's something in the geographic constraint and intricate ecology that appeals to my DMing tastes.
• A Droaam or "monster" campaign could be fun reversal if the players are up for it-- Droaam has been a source of antagonists for their current characters, and I think they'd appreciate the inversion. However, I don't know that they're as into gnolls and ogres as I am, so that's a long shot.
• The capital city of Thronehold has gone completely unremarked in our campaign, and that's a shame. The palace and vaults of an eight-century-long dynasty just sitting there locked up? Who's got the key? What's going on behind the doors? Who'll feed the Corgis? A campaign there could really explore the political aftermath of the Last War, and put PCs in a central position to determine the future.
• The party has already visited Sharn a few times-- maybe they want to do a strictly Sharn campaign. That'd demand a better written cast of NPCs from me, but urban adventures lend themselves pretty well to improvisation in terms of plot (it helps when there are genuine monsters in the sewer).

Or maybe the players will tell me something I haven't thought of yet.

After five months away from the table, I finally made it back to my group's Werewolf game. Fortunately, the internet can provide even RPG characters with an explanation for long-term uninvolvement in daily affairs. But! Back to the action. Oddly enough, the session only covered one evening's in-game action-- practically real-time. That sounds brief compared to the days we usually cover, but our gamemaster still packed in the action. Lessons from this week's game:

1. Spirits have their price, and don't care who pays it. Like NSO dames at a WWII hall, they'll dance with anybody.
2. Spirits that hit your Essence are scarier than spirits who just hit your Health.
3. If you fail your Stealth check, you may as well make a racket and draw attention away from more successful packmates.

(Eladrin Warlord 1)

Abilities: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12

Hit Points: 25 (bloodied 12)

Healing Surges: 8 (6 hp/surge)

AC 17 (+3 Int, +3 hide armor, +1 light shield)

Fort 14 (+3 Str, +1 warlord)

Ref 14 (+3 Int, +1 light shield)

Will 13 (+1 Cha, +1 eladrin, +1 warlord)

Feats: Arcane Initiate (w/Scorching Burst)

Trained Skills: Arcana +10, Athletics +8 (+7 in hide armor), Endurance +6 (+5), History +10, Intimidate +6, Thievery +6 (+5)

At-Will Powers: Commander's Strike, Wolf Pack Tactics

Encounter Powers: Fey Step (racial), Scorching Burst (wizard), Inspiring Word (2/enc), Warlord's Favor

Daily Power: Lead the Attack

Gear: Hide armor, light shield, longsword, 2 hand axes, thieves' tools

It's worth noting that while wearing hide armor, my FMUT's Thievery skill (and the Stealth I'll pick up at 2nd level) will be a little... sub-par. I'll probably consider boosting my Dexterity the first chance I get, and look ahead to armor specialization at the paragon tier to overcome the skill check penalty. Throughout the rest of the heroic tier I'll spend most of my available feats on picking up additional wizard spells; I'll also want a wand ASAP to improve the accuracy of those spells.

In general, I'm fairly satisfied with the 4th edition version of the fighter/magic-user/thief. What I've got here looks pleasantly Indiana Jones-ish: knowledge to spare, undaunted by physical obstacles, and handy in a fight (especially when friends are in a tight spot). Maybe it won't act like the old AD&D triple threat, but the rest of the party will probably appreciate it as a "three for the price of one."

• Strength 16: I'm going to do a lot of sword swinging, so this is key.
• Dexterity 13 (modified from 11): Kind of low, but I'll be using Intelligence to boost my AC, and I can work on the skills later.
• Constitution 13: A warlord's hit points aren't as great as a fighter's, so I can't skimp here. 
• Intelligence 16 (modified from 14): This will be my main stat for magic, and boost my AC as long as I'm in light armor.
• Wisdom 10: A more dedicated wizard could use this for spellcasting, but I can afford to skimp.
• Charisma 12: I had wanted to put the 12 in Dexterity, but skimping on Wis and Cha makes for a lousy Will defense. Besides, the warlord has a couple Cha skills.

• I want the "thief" aspect for negotiating dungeons and choosing my foes.
• I want the "magic user" aspect for opening salvos and dealing with logistical problems.
• I want the "fighter" aspect for serious hand-to-hand encounters.

Way back in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons days, multi-classing combinations were a wee perk for demihuman characters (dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, and half-elves) to compensate for the fact that they topped out at lower levels than human characters. Well, it was supposed to be some sort of even trade. Instead, AD&D multiclass characters got all the perks of their component classes and relatively few drawbacks. The chart topper was probably the fighter/magic-user/thief, which brought together the fighter's combat ability, the thief's skills, and the wizard's spellpower (sorry-- it's been so long, I just can't say "magic-user" with a straight face anymore). Armor, stealth, and fireballs? Yes please! It was a popular enough combination that the triple-threat became sort of an archetype of its own (though if it ever earned a common-use name like the gish, a fighter/magic-user, I never heard it).

Fast forward a couple decades, and here we are with 4th edition D&D. The designers dropped racial restrictions on class and level long ago, but multi-classing has also become less of a package deal. Swords and sorcery aren't as exclusive pursuits as they used to be, and anybody can train in the Thievery skill, but acquiring features outside the primary class's role requires a trade off. How then, using 4th edition rules, can I recreate the old triple-threat archetype of AD&D?

To start, I need to determine what qualities defined the fighter/magic-user/thief (FMUT?) for me, and then decide which features of 4th edition best represent them. Taking the component parts in order:

Fighter: The FMUT needs to be able to wear armor (at least chainmail), swing a sword, and stand toe-to-toe with foes for at least a couple rounds. Spare hit points would be a big help, but thanks to the variety of powers available, Strength is no longer the sole source of combat effectiveness. That's good, because the FMUT is going to face some severe multi-attribute dependency (or MAD, as they call it on the Character Optimization boards).

Magic-User: The FMUT needs to be able to cast spells-- some blasty, some esoteric. Happily, the arcane part of the build has only gotten easier to achieve in 4th edition. Armor-related spell failure is gone, and with a feat or two the FMUT can cast spells in every encounter. With Arcana skill training and the Ritual Caster feat, the FMUT gets access to a lot of the classic magic effects-- teleportation, divination, Tenser's floating disc. What will be tougher is deciding how much magic to incorporate.

Thief: The FMUT needs to be able to pick locks and pockets, sneak past people, and occasionally deal with traps. Backstabbing would be nice, but that's a secondary concern if the fighter aspect is up to par. As it happens, the Stealth and Thievery skills put most of the old standards in two handy baskets and runs off with them.

It's clear that I can get all the features I want, but the question is how to do it most effectively. The more powers and skills I can hang on the same ability or two, the less MAD will force me to spread my scores thin. The more features I can find in the same primary class, the fewer feats I'll have to spend picking up the balance. In the next few posts, I'll examine my options and see if I can develop an acceptable character.

So, I've had the 4th edition D&D rules (the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual) in my hands for a month or two now (no thanks to Amazon). All speculation has been laid to rest, but judging by the reactions on WotC's forums, not everybody is happy with how it turned out. Personally, I'm ecstatic. A quick review of the initial trinity:

The Player's Handbook

The fundamental rules of the game are presented-- how to roll the dice, how to make a character, equipment and combat rules, all the really essential mechanics of the game. In terms of organization, I'm really pleased that spells and powers are listed in the same section as the class that uses them, rather than in a separate appendix at the end. (In terms of the PDF copy, this means I can print out everything I need to play a rogue in one handy serving.) Also new for 4th edition, the magic items that used to be in the DMG are now in the PH right after the regular equipment lists. This reassignment may remove some of the mystery, but it sure beats having to remind players how their toys work if they lose the scrap of paper with +1 frostbrand scimitar written on it.

Content-wise, the changes are numerous, so I'll stick to the highlights. Character level plays a bigger part in deriving stats: attack bonus, AC and defenses, and skills are all 1/2 level (plus a few class-based modifiers), which I find speeds up the number crunching. Some of the classes are new (the warlock and warlord) or boast very new mechanics (the fighter's marking, the wizard's implements). It seems harder to pull off a one-character combat victory with a chain of powers, but much easier to pull off a multi-character combo. While the classes are a little more locked into their initial schtick (no more 3 or 4-class multiclassing), the rules offer PCs the chance to later pick up and use just about any tool or skill they want. Hit points are initially bigger but increase at a more predictable rate, with a smaller difference between wizards and fighters even at higher levels. I also like the hit point recovery mechanic (healing surges), which make it easier to start off each encounter fresh while still limiting just how much punishment a party can take over the course of a day.

The Dungeon Master's Guide

I was wondering what they'd find to put in the DMG if the magic items have been moved to the PH. The answer is: rules for structuring non-combat skill challenges, a "DM's toolkit" for creating or upgrading monsters and NPCs, rules for awarding XP and treasure, advice on worldbuilding and a sample starting town, and a whole lot of fundamental "how does it work?" information. And I don't mean tables for wandering monsters: they've got a section on how to houserule. Yeah, after 20 years of playing I already know how to do that, but it's comforting to see some actual text discussing how to gauge the impact of one. This DMG (and the rules in general) seems to aspire to greater transparency in how the game mechanics interact, and open discussion of what a group might want out of a D&D gaming session.

The Monster Manual

Monster stat blocks are leaner in 4th edition, largely because monsters no longer get the full slew of feats, skills, gear, and miscellaneous fiddly bits that full-fledged player characters get. Instead, monsters tend to be built around a distinguishing feature or two (goblins are hard to pin down, gnolls are vicious in groups, vampires hit bloodied foes harder), and multiple versions are presented with additional powers to clarify their role (goblin archers, goblin backstabbers, goblin spellslingers). The fluff is noticeably sparser in this edition, which may leave newer DMs wondering how to incorporate, say, gibbering mouthers into a campaign, but personally I like the implied freedom to plug a monster into the world where I need it. Two features stand out. First, 4th edition includes minions, which are like other games' mooks (monsters designed to attack en masse and go down relatively easily, like the Joker's henchman in the old Batman TV series). Second, gnomes appear here in the Monster Manual instead of the PH, and forget talking to burrowing mammals-- they can now turn invisible if they get hit. That's worth the relocation, in my opinion.

It's a truism that real DC residents rarely get down to the Mall to exploit things like the Capitol, the National Gallery, and the monuments. Maybe it's the irritation we feel about tourists who stand on the left side of the escalator, maybe it's the lack of reasonably priced beverages. At any rate, after 15 years in DC, this Saturday I finally went down to the Library of Congress to get my reader's card and hit the stacks.

I suppose that as a library sciences student it was inevitable that I'd end up there. Heck, I've been using LOC call numbers since my first full time job (Dewey is for dweebs-- yeah, I said it). But it was only now, when my 7th class in the program required me to compare a pre-1850 and a modern edition of the same book, that I knuckled down and took the Metro to Capitol South.

You can walk into the Library of Congress any time if all you want to do is look at the architecture, mosaics, and exhibits-- and yes, it's totally worth that. But if you actually want to get a book off the shelf and into your hands, you have to register and get a reader card. I was dreading the hoops I'd have to jump through, but as it turns out, my better half and I sailed through the process in under 20 minutes. The funniest aspect of it was that at least three times during the registration they asked if we were actually there to do research. Apparently, they have perennial problems with daytripping tourists coming down and registering for a card just for souvenirs.

Card in hand, I made my way to the main reading room in the Jefferson Building. I turned in my request slips, and waited. It's telling that I waited over 40 minutes each time I submitted a request, but didn't really budge from my seat on the worn wooden benches. The reading room is huge, Aya Sofya huge, and centered around a massive, tiered desk like a little fortress of librarianship. (Oddly, the rib-high bulwark of the central desk made me think that a Muppet was going to pop up from behind it at any moment.) The circumference of the dome is studded with stained glass, the balconies are guarded by statues of intellectuals and abstracts. And, there are books. I'm not sure what I expected the Library of Congress to look like, but I consider those expectations exceeded.

I did get the book I wanted in the end-- an 1840 edition of Sir Walter Scott's Lady of the Lake. I love that their collection is comprehensive enough that they can just toss a 160 year old book in the regular stacks. Around the LOC, "rare books" means three or four centuries old. They've got a Gutenberg 42-line Bible, for crying out loud. (I've seen it now-- it was in better shape than my Lady of the Lake.) I've got to go back there soon-- I wonder how old a copy of Sherlock Holmes I can get my hands on.