Sorcery! Quest

[Disminded]

Brevity is the Soul of Wit​

"Your parallel universe doppelganger is a bag of dicks. Good night."

You head toward your bed as he gapes at you, trying to find the words. He doesn't seem inclined to let it go at that until you begin to strip out of your dress, at which point he beats a hasty retreat as some odd bit of chivalry flares up.

He interrogates you in the morning, of course, but by that time you'd washed the smell of smoke and blood off and had time to think about your story.

You downplay the bit where you knocked Black Mask down and then set him on fire. Well, as much as you really can downplay knocking someone down and setting them on fire.

Luckily, he has no way of checking your facts short of dimensional travel himself, which it seems he's not capable of…

You still have several days before being introduced to your team. How do you spend them?

Actions (Choose 1)
[X] Work on your magic. You need to expand your abilities in that area.
[X] Work on your combat skills. Blood apparently knows his way around the sharp-an'-pointies. Maybe ask him for help?
[X] Visit Purple. The Normal way, this time.
[X] Work on a specific new spell (What?)
[X] Practice Walking (What do you think about?)
[X] Write in.

NOTE: Yes, this is very short. Updates may be... patchy for a little bit. I have a research paper due in a few days and I'm applying for JAG and a few other things.

Sorry.

On the plus side, you have a chance for more training than I was originally going to give you.

 

[Silversun17]

[X] Work on your combat skills. Blood apparently knows his way around the sharp-an'-pointies. Maybe ask him for help?

 

[Pipeman]

[X] Work on your magic. You need to expand your abilities in that area.

Our magic is kind of meh for an aspiring superhero caster and since I don't know which particular spells would be useful, general magic training it is.

 

[Kataphraktos]

[X] Visit Purple. The Normal way, this time.

She's been delayed too damn long.

 

[Ephemeral_Dreamer]

[X] Visit Purple. The Normal way, this time.

 

[iamnuff]

hmm. I want to talk to purple, but I also want to learn some fucking magic.


I'm so sick of having two fucking spells.


then again, daze+burn works pretty fucking well, when you don't have to worry about someone surviving having their face melted off just because "I still have Hitpoints left"

then again, we should probably learn some binding/root spells if we want to be hero.

 

[ShadowAngelBeta]

hmm. I want to talk to purple, but I also want to learn some fucking magic.


I'm so sick of having two fucking spells.


then again, daze+burn works pretty fucking well, when you don't have to worry about someone surviving having their face melted off just because "I still have Hitpoints left"

then again, we should probably learn some binding/root spells if we want to be hero.

Click to shrink...

Yeah we do have a very good lethal/maiming combo, at least to supers without water/ice or fire powers, but we do need some non-lethal options so...

[X] Work on your magic. You need to expand your abilities in that area.

 

[Disminded]

Could those of you voting to practice magic also choose how you go about it?

[X] Slow and steady wins the race - The path of magic is treacherous and it's best to tread cautiously... While slow to begin with, this method will eventually lead the sorcerer to the heights of magecraft. Choose 2 cantrips, 1 1st level spell and 1 2nd level spell to add to your repertoire.

[X] MORE POWER NOW!!! - The blood of hell runs through your veins and you have a fire in your belly that could scorch a continent to ash. Why should you be constrained by the limits of other magicians? Leap ahead and master more advanced spells! (While a quick road to power, it levels poorly in comparison to the slower path and the upper reaches of power may be unreachable to you without heavy corruption). Pick either A) 4 Spells from levels 0-3, B) 2 Spells from levels 0-3 and 1 Spell from Levels 4-6, or C) 2 Spells from level 4-6 to add to your spells known.


Basically a choice between being more powerful now or later. Keep in mind that higher level spells take more HP to cast and that you are still constrained by your caster level.

 

[Silversun17]

slow and steady is the better pick. too fast can backfire on us BADLY.

 

[Pipeman]

[X] Slow and steady wins the race - The path of magic is treacherous and it's best to tread cautiously... While slow to begin with, this method will eventually lead the sorcerer to the heights of magecraft. Choose 2 cantrips, 1 1st level spell and 1 2nd level spell to add to your repertoire.

Seems better, especially considering that fucking up our chance to get to the high levels of power when we're in the DC universe could easily end badly.

 

[iamnuff]

[X] Slow and steady wins the race - The path of magic is treacherous and it's best to tread cautiously... While slow to begin with, this method will eventually lead the sorcerer to the heights of magecraft. Choose 2 cantrips, 1 1st level spell and 1 2nd level spell to add to your repertoire.


absolutely!

anyone have any ideas for spells?

I say our cantrips should be
-[X]Touch of Fatigue (non-lethal, but weak. the spell list i have doesn't say HOW MUCH it fatigues the target, but the ability to make people tired on touch could be useful.

[X] Message is a must have, ability to talk at a distance.

don't know if its a one or two-way conversation, but its still useful either way.

the ability to silently pass massages? want.

Mending caught my interest, solely for mundane utility, but i dunno if that's better than ToF.

as for a first level spell...


so many to choose from.

Shield: Invisible disc gives +4 to AC, blocks magic missiles. (could be useful making sure we don't get shot again?
Grease: Makes 10-ft. square or one object slippery. (fun with fire?)
Mage Armor: Gives subject +4 armor bonus. (is this better than shield? how does armor bonus differ from AC? (i know this, I'm sure i do, but I forget)
Obscuring Mist: Fog surrounds you. (useful for hiding)
Summon Monster I: Calls extraplanar creature to fight for you. (useful)
Unseen Servant: Invisible force obeys your commands. (super utility)
Comprehend Languages: You understand all spoken and written languages. (a little late for this one, still useful though)
Detect Secret Doors: Reveals hidden doors within 60 ft. (could be absurdly broken considering the sheer amount of secret based we are probably going to find working as a superhero.
Charm Person: Makes one person your friend. (YAY FRIENDS! probably going to seriously worry anyone who knows that we can cast it though)
Sleep: Puts 4 HD of creatures into magical slumber. (how many HD do most people have?)
Burning Hands: 1d4/level fire damage (max 5d4). (more fire!)
Floating Disk: Creates 3-ft.-diameter horizontal disk that holds 100 lb./level. (can we surf this?)
Magic Missile: 1d4+1 damage; +1 missile per two levels above 1st (max 5). (finally! a non-fire source of damage, nice, non-elemental force attacks seem like something a hero should use)
Shocking Grasp: Touch delivers 1d6/level electricity damage (max 5d6). (zap, motherfucker)
Magic Aura: Alters object's magic aura. (does this work on ourself? could hide our creepy demon aura)

Cause Fear: One creature of 5 HD or less flees for 1d4 rounds. (useful, but hardly heroic)
Ray of Enfeeblement: Ray deals 1d6 +1 per two levels Str damage. (weakening someone is useful, but I dunno how likely that is to kill someone)
Animate Rope: Makes a rope move at your command. (capture method?)
Expeditious Retreat: Your speed increases by 30 ft. (yay running away!)

so many useful spells we could have.


as for our second one.


Protection from Arrows: Subject immune to most ranged attacks.

edit: found a bigger description.


The warded creature gains resistance to ranged weapons. The subject gains damage reduction 10/magic against ranged weapons. (This spell doesn't grant you the ability to damage creatures with similar damage reduction.) Once the spell has prevented a total of 10 points of damage per caster level (maximum 100 points), it is discharged.
sure, there's just as many good second-level spells are there are first, but i think this one looks pretty damn good right now.

assuming a bullet does less than 10 damage per shot (if i'm reading it right)

10 points at a time, and 10 per caster level, that means at our level (second I think?) we can withstand two "as powerful as your spell can block" shots before it breaks.

the only number I have on pistol damage is that Black Masks machine-pistol did 20 damage on a crit.

so i assume 10 damage normally?

yeah, two shots before our shield breaks.

... thats a lot less useful than i was hoping.


unless I fucked up somewhere?

we could always get Hideous Laughter just to fuck with people.

lasts 2 rounds per level, (a round is six seconds? so 12 seconds worth of forced laughter could actually be super useful. at forcing people to not act.)

also, more importantly, just to see how hard Robin flips his shit the first time we cast it.

 

[Disminded]

Machine Pistols do 2d6 damage. Black Mask has martial art specialized in machine pistols that raises this to 2d8 and adds some bonuses to hit.

If you choose to work on magic, your caster level would be 4. The sorcerer spell progression is ridiculously cheap for you because it doesn't actually come with any way to power the spells.

Should I count the above as a vote to practice your magic?

 

[iamnuff]

a vote to practice magic, and slowly. yes.

still picking out spells though.

 

[Pipeman]

After a quick look, I'd go for Daze and Message as cantrips.
Message for reasons already stated and Daze because it is ranged and we'll have teamates who can make sure whoever we're occupying with it actually gets taken out of the fight.

1st level spell, I'm not sure about.
I think Sleep would be most useful, since it allows for easy non-lethal takedowns and we already have two spells for straight up combat.

Protection from Arrows sounds like a good idea for the 2nd level one.
With guns being a thing that should be rather useful against most of the more mundane threats and, to be honest, I doubt we're much of a match for other kinds yet anyways.

Would be kind of helpful to know where we're going though, but no use regretting it now.

 

[iamnuff]

After a quick look, I'd go for Daze and Message as cantrips.
Message for reasons already stated and Daze because it is ranged and we'll have teamates who can make sure whoever we're occupying with it actually gets taken out of the fight.

1st level spell, I'm not sure about.
I think Sleep would be most useful, since it allows for easy non-lethal takedowns and we already have two spells for straight up combat.

Protection from Arrows sounds like a good idea for the 2nd level one.
With guns being a thing that should be rather useful against most of the more mundane threats and, to be honest, I doubt we're much of a match for other kinds yet anyways.

Would be kind of helpful to know where we're going though, but no use regretting it now.

Click to shrink...

what do you mean?

we know where we are going.

more than likely the team we will join is young justice.

that said, Daze is 1D4 hitdice, and i have no idea how that would effect most people.


theres a higher level version that effects 6HD. we also have colour ray for stuns, do we need two?

actually, I kind want Mending, if only so we have atleast one spell with no combat applications.

'i'd quite like to see us patching holes in clothes, or just generally doing something mundane with magic.


theres more to sorcery than just melting your foes.


then again, we can always pick up more cantrips later, right?

 

[Disminded]

that said, Daze is 1D4 hitdice, and i have no idea how that would effect most people.

Click to shrink...

I'm going with the idea that 5th lvl is about the absolute limit to normal humans. 95% of humanity is first or second level. Most metahumans are relatively low level characters with some truly monstrous templates that don't actually add any hitdie.

then again, we can always pick up more cantrips later, right?

Click to shrink...

Yes. You can buy them independent of your usual spell progression.

 

[iamnuff]

I'm going with the idea that 5th lvl is about the absolute limit to normal humans. 95% of humanity is first or second level. Most metahumans are relatively low level characters with some truly monstrous templates that don't actually add any hitdie.
Yes. You can buy them independent of your usual spell progression.

Click to shrink...

I don't D&D often, I have no idea how many HD even a level 1 character has. (pretty sure kobolds have 1 HD each?)


I approve of the low levels though. I remember reading someone do the math and work out that most of the most famous people in the world (IRL) would never manage to peak above level 5 or so.

I assume Batman is level 4/5 rouge (but don't tell him that!) with a bunch of points in Knowledge (every-fucking-thing) and Intimidate. some hand to hand skills, and fancy (and expensive) tools.

a level 4 or 5 PC should easily be able to beat down a group of NPC's with his bare hands.


Superman is probably a level 4/5 Hero with a Kryptonian template, one that gives massive Resistances and Strength Bonuses, with a couple of handy Spell-like abilities (like laser vision) but only when under a yellow sun.

hmm, that would explain why he's weak against magic, his Con and saves are pretty high (for a human) but mostly its just the fact that he Resists/Reduces most of the damage he should be taking to zero (or near enough)

no magic resist though, so any spells that don't rely on elemental damage should be able to effect him as if he was human.


does that mean Magic Missile would be the best way to take down superman?
its a spell, but non-elemental, so it can't be blocked.

goes MM trigger DR?




anyway, The heroes (and villains) aren't strong because they are high level, they are strong because they are the only people in the whole world with PC levels.


naturally, the PCs will be more powerful.


I suppose that explains why joker is so dangerous.

sure, he's just some crazy CE human who dresses like a clown, but he has PC levels and that changes everything.

well, thats just how i'd stat DC anyway, theres probably a better way though.

 

[Disminded]

I don't D&D often, I have no idea how many HD even a level 1 character has. (pretty sure kobolds have 1 HD each?)

a level 4 or 5 PC should easily be able to beat down a group of NPC's with his bare hands.

Click to shrink...

For the most part, 1 HD = 1 level for character races. Templates don't usually add to these, though there are exceptions.

As for Superman... Well, his build is a bit more complicated than "huge stat bonuses + DR + a few spell-like abilities."

 

[iamnuff]

For the most part, 1 HD = 1 level for character races. Templates don't usually add to these, though there are exceptions.

As for Superman... Well, his build is a bit more complicated than "huge stat bonuses + DR + a few spell-like abilities."

Click to shrink...

well it probably would be, I was just thinking of a way to slapdash something fitting together.

take a baseline human PC, slap on at-will flight, a fuckton of Reduction/Resist to basically everything except magic, give him at will laser eyes and the Flaw: Deathly Allergy to Kryptonite. call the whole thing "kryptonian template" and call it a day.

then you have a fairly close approximation.

I mean, you could probably spend days statting him out perfectly, but unless we enter combat with him, its basically never going to come up.

 

[Silversun17]

should you add flaw: yellow sun dependency?

 

[nick012000]

Don't be silly, guys. Superman isn't statted up with DnD, he's statted up with Mutants and Masterminds.

 

[Disminded]

Suiting Up​

Your research into this strange new world indicates that beings of vast and terrible power roam it freely. After reading about some of the more potent metahumans, you start to feel a bit overpowered. Sure, you can take down a madman like the Black Skull (and having now read about his crimes in this reality, you wish you'd taken the opportunity to put the boot to him a few times while he was down before you burned him alive), but what if you'd run into Black Adam? Or Solomon Grundy? Or any one of a number of madmen with monstrous powers…

With this in mind, you redouble your magical studies, making great strides in a relatively short time, your new experiencing using magic under pressure and the relative ease with which you've always wielded your infernal powers propelling you forward more rapidly then you could have imagined.

You could have gone even faster you suspect, overreached yourself and plucked a few spells from the ether before you were properly ready to wield them, but that way lead to sure ruin. You force yourself to walk the winding path of magic step by step. Eventually, you think you'll be the stronger for it.

So dedicated are you to your studies that you don't notice as day fades to night and night brightens today, until the morning you are supposed to be introduced to your new comrades when you feel yourself approaching a plateau in your understanding…

After freeing yourself from the mania of training and realizing what day it is, you hurriedly shower away three days of stink (what a marvelous invention, the shower) and raid Blood's kitchen for everything it's worth, you hurry back up to your room to put on your clothes for today.

You are still rather puzzled by these superhero's insistence on strange, colorful costumes, secret identities and codenames. The villains you could understood. They, after all, did not wish to be tracked down and killed by the authorities. But the heroes? Did they not wish to receive accolades from their adoring public? After thinking at length between other tasks, you eventually just shrugged and decided that it was one of those things you just wouldn't understand. But if you were to live in this society, you would have to try to fit in, even if fitting in meant wearing such outlandish garments.

For your own costume (helpfully provided by Blood and his associates) and codename you had decided on

[X] A flowing, red, hooded cloak over a black body suit and a featureless white mask. You wanted to project an air of mysteriousness and danger that would hopefully keep opponents guessing… You believe you'll call yourself the Scarlet Witch.



[X] A skin-tight black spandex outfit with a slit down the front that shows ALL THE CLEAVAGE. You defy any man to look you in the eyes when you're wearing it. And for a name? The Black Enchantress fits.



[X] A rather elegant and reserved black dress that you feel comfortable in. As for a name… Eh, Sorceress will do, if you must have one.



[X] Write in.

NOTE: Please keep in mind any persona you project will be tainted by your demonic aura.

Also, shit happens next entry. Promise.

Finally, I'm letting the spell list ride for another update as I'm not sure there's any unanimity on that.

 

[Silversun17]

{x] A flowing, red, hooded cloak over a skin-tight black spandex outfit with a slit down the front that shows ALL THE CLEAVAGE (You defy any man to look you in the eyes when you're wearing it, oh and the slit can be closed in the event of cold weather or insects) and a featureless white mask. As the name: Scarlet Enchantress.

 

[ShadowAngelBeta]

{] A flowing, red, hooded cloak over a skin-tight black spandex outfit with a slit down the front that shows ALL THE CLEAVAGE (You defy any man to look you in the eyes when you're wearing it). As the name: Scarlet Enchantress.

I think the mask will only come off as creepy but if we can pull off the complete/half-face shadow thing I think it will be good.

 

[Vindictus]

[X] A flowing, red, hooded cloak over a black body suit and a featureless white mask. You wanted to project an air of mysteriousness and danger that would hopefully keep opponents guessing… You believe you'll call yourself the Scarlet Witch.

 

[Silversun17]

{x] A flowing, red, hooded cloak over a skin-tight black spandex outfit with a slit down the front that shows ALL THE CLEAVAGE (You defy any man to look you in the eyes when you're wearing it, though you can close the slit ). As the name: Scarlet Enchantress.

I think the mask will only come off as creepy but if we can pull off the complete/half-face shadow thing I think it will be good.

Click to shrink...

how about this:
{x] A flowing, red, hooded cloak over a skin-tight black spandex outfit with a slit down the front that shows ALL THE CLEAVAGE (You defy any man to look you in the eyes when you're wearing it, though you can close the slit in the event of cold or insects) and domino mask in case there is enough light to reveal your face. As the name: Scarlet Enchantress.

 

[ShadowAngelBeta]

how about this:
{x] A flowing, red, hooded cloak over a skin-tight black spandex outfit with a slit down the front that shows ALL THE CLEAVAGE (You defy any man to look you in the eyes when you're wearing it, though you can close the slit in the event of cold or insects) and domino mask in case there is enough light to reveal your face. As the name: Scarlet Enchantress.

Click to shrink...

That'll work to but I also just thought maybe we could go with a half-mask covering the top half of our face. Not being able to see the entirety of someone's face when they're basically a magical seductress (granted she's only using that latter part to distract, but still...) is more than a bit creepy to me.

Either, domino or half-mask, would work for me but so if you have an opinion or which one she might prefer IC if you have an idea and I'm rambling... yeah I'm sleepy.

Edit: Also in case the voting ends before I wake up [X] SilverSun

 

[Silversun17]

she would likely favor the domino because she doesn't really get the point of secret identities and is mostly doing it to fit in.

 

[Vindictus]

Actually, screw the mask. We don't even have a civillian identity.

[X] You'll wear a simple, red set of robes- And if anyone tries to get you to wear a silly little mask, remind them of the AURA OF VIOLENT HATRED that surrounds you, and which you can't get rid of. Any disguise you use would be cursory, at best.

 

[Pipeman]

[X] A flowing, red, hooded cloak over a black body suit and a featureless white mask. You wanted to project an air of mysteriousness and danger that would hopefully keep opponents guessing… You believe you'll call yourself the Scarlet Witch.

I honestly don't see any appeal at all for the cleavage thing.
It really doesn't project the kind of image you want to have, when trying to make friends, and our aura of pure evil will likely cause it to have an entirely different effect than intended.
And it also kind of annoys me whenever superheroines dress stripperific.