Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Cyrian Dec 14, 2005 3:28:30	Would like to search the boards for this since I'm sure it's been discussed before but... I'm starting a campaign soon, and one of the players is probably going to be a defiler working towards a Shadow Wizard or Necromant. So far none of the rest of the party is decided yet, to it may end up being a nonissue. But, if anyone does decide to be a goodytwoshoes, any advice on how this player can go about not having the rest of the party go for his throat before he gets his alternate spellcasting powers?
#2 Zardnaar Dec 14, 2005 4:01:16	Have PCs who don't care if he is a Defiler. No Druids or Water/Fire/Earth/Air Clerics or Preservers. PC party 1 Defiler 1 Cleric (Silt/Magma/Sun) 1 Beatstick (Gladiator, Fighter etc) 1 Rogue Simple
#3 Kamelion Dec 14, 2005 4:20:16	The Distance Raze feat might go some way to disguising the fact that the caster is a defiler, but it's not a foolproof solution. In later 2e DS supplements the rule was introduced that you could defile when you prepared the spell, as opposed to when you cast it. This is not the case under 3e, but you might want to consider having a feat (Prepared Raze?)that allows you to do this. If this seems too powerful, you might restrict it so that the caster requires a separate "Prepared Raze" feat for each spell level or something like that, and require each feat to have a little obsidian orb focus of increasing cost per spell level. I'm just throwing random ideas out here - I haven't actually given this any serious thought ;)
#4 jon_oracle_of_athas Dec 14, 2005 5:55:49	The best defilers are those who are never caught. It's all about deception. Take a level in another class, such as Rogue or Fighter, wield weapons untypical for a mage, and/or take ranks in skills that are associated with other classes, Sleight of Hand and Bluff for example. Avoid casting while other PCs are present until you get access to shadow magic, then pass yourself off as a preserver.
#5 ruhl-than_sage Dec 14, 2005 22:28:35	I have to agree with Jon. If he really wants to play a successful defiler he needs to mascarade as something else intirely. This is important not just so his fellow party members won't take issues with his spellcasting, but also so he isn't killed by others for being one. I would recommend multiclassing with Bard, Galdiator, Psion, or Pyschic Warrior personally. Spells that can be cast outside of combat (whether they effect combat or not) are best at earlier levels. At higher levels metamagic feats like still spell and silent spell can help a defiler pretend he is a psion. My one player that is considering taking levels in defiler is already a Bard 2/Psion (Telepath)6. No one would touch either preserver or defiler as a starting character even though I let them start at level 4.
#6 Zardnaar Dec 14, 2005 23:55:07	My PCs preserver has a fighter level and tends to use spells with a non visual effect. The other PCs know she is a preserver and the Druid has some issues with her. Party consists of. 4th level Druid 1st level Thri Kreen Rogue 4th level Cleric (water) 4th Level Templar (Lalali-Puy) 1 Fighter/3rd Preserver If she was a defiler or defiles in front of the others she is dead. I think its just about impossable to be a spellcaster and not let the other PCs know in combat. If you roleplay alot with very little combat you might be able to get away it. My PCs take the easy way out by not caring about her (or the Templar either). Until either of them do something wrong that is.....
#7 kalthandrix Dec 15, 2005 7:05:55	I thought there was a way for defilers to gather their spell energy when they preped their spells for the day- if so then all the PC would have to do is go off on his own whenever they needed to memorized new spells.
#8 flip Dec 15, 2005 8:27:37	I thought there was a way for defilers to gather their spell energy when they preped their spells for the day- if so then all the PC would have to do is go off on his own whenever they needed to memorized new spells. Not officially. If you choose not to disregard that particular piece of DS2 as trash (trash which was half-heartedly recinded in D&P) than ... Defilers get a huge boost. Basically, a defiler camps out next to a Tree of Life, gets full terrain benefits for all spells, and gets to be completely secret about it all. Might be nice for powergaming, but it sort of trashes something that I particulary consider to be an important dynamic in the Defiling v. Preserving dichotamy.
#9 ruhl-than_sage Dec 15, 2005 9:39:07	Not officially. If you choose not to disregard that particular piece of DS2 as trash (trash which was half-heartedly recinded in D&P) than ... Defilers get a huge boost. Basically, a defiler camps out next to a Tree of Life, gets full terrain benefits for all spells, and gets to be completely secret about it all. Might be nice for powergaming, but it sort of trashes something that I particulary consider to be an important dynamic in the Defiling v. Preserving dichotamy. If you want to allow that practice and not allow it to unbalance the game, then you can add the following measure: If you choose to store up energy when you memorize your spells rather than when you cast them, you radiate a strong magical aura of an obviously arcane nature until you have used up all the spells you've stored energy for. In addition Dispel Magic and similar effects can disapate the energy you have gathered causing you to lose uncast spell slots as though they had already been cast. This allows for the option of gathering energy in advance, but makes it a much less appealing option. It doesn't completely negate the use of storing up energy, but it does create a large counterbalacing weakness to the strategy. Hell, you could even have the practice cause mutations over time ;) .
#10 brun01 Dec 15, 2005 11:32:26	Remeber the 2ed proficiency Psionic Mimicry? Using it, the spellcaster utilizes gestures, body language and facial expression to indicate that he is engaged in psionic pursuits. Just before casting a spell, the user of psionic mimicry might, for instance, make a gesture most people associate with a psionic discipline that has an effect similar to the spell he is casting. That was a good one, perhaps we could change it into a feat or spell...
#11 Sysane Dec 15, 2005 11:35:29	Remeber the 2ed proficiency Psionic Mimicry? That was a good one, perhaps we could change it into a feat or spell... Sounds like something accomplished with a high bluff check.
#12 Cyrian Dec 15, 2005 11:39:31	Remeber the 2ed proficiency Psionic Mimicry? That was a good one, perhaps we could change it into a feat or spell... Ya, but you still have the several foot circle of ash around you to deal with. ;p
#13 brun01 Dec 15, 2005 11:46:28	Yes, but that could be associated with psionic displays or some side effect to a power, say Death Field...
#14 jon_oracle_of_athas Dec 15, 2005 12:14:14	Just use Bluff combined with Distant Raze to move the center of the defiling circle to the square of someone you don't like and cry wizard! The mob will take care of the rest. :P
#15 nytcrawlr Dec 15, 2005 12:17:51	Just use Bluff combined with Distant Raze to move the center of the defiling circle to the square of someone you don't like and cry wizard! The mob will take care of the rest. :P Hush! Don't give my players any ideas.
#16 Pennarin Dec 15, 2005 14:54:58	Remeber the 2ed proficiency Psionic Mimicry? That was a good one, perhaps we could change it into a feat or spell... That was partially taken care of by a class feature of the Arena Mage, if you followed that thread. Even with that class feature the Arena Mage still has to deal with his defiling radius if he has one. Hush! Don't give my players any ideas. In the Arena Mage thread I listed ways for a defiler arena mage to beat the system. The methods I listed can be used for any other wizard though: Its possible for a defiler to become an arena mage, its just very difficult. The defiler has four options availlable to him: