Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 megatherion Jan 31, 2006 12:37:21	Final Version: The Silt Diver PrC "I think I found something. Looks like a cave entrance of some kind. Wait. Something's not right... Silt Horror marks?! Get me out of here!" - last words of an anonymous Silt Diver slave. Silt Diving is one of the most dangerous professions on Athas. Unfortunately, most of the divers don't really have a choice, being slaves. Every time a big silt barge is lost to the dangers of the Silt Sea, a very expensive Ship-floater Orb is lost with it. Owners of the ship in question, be it a Merchant House, individual entrepreneur or a Sorcerer King, won't hold back any effort to recover it. Special expeditions are sent to scourge the Silt Sea looking for sunken ships, and whatever treasure they were carrying when they sunk. Of course, some find more than what they were looking for, ancient shipwrecks from another age, filled with wonderful magic or even entire cities only a few dozen feet below the silt where they sank in the ages unknown. The diving force is made out of basically every humanoid race, with the exception of half-giants which are always better used somewhere else. Thri-kreen cannot dive because their breathing system is incompatible with the equipment used, and the aarakocra are also worthless since they succumb to panic the moment they touch the silt. A very precious few people actively pursues this profession out of curiosity or greed. Most of the divers are slaves, and don't have a choice. NPC Divers that are not slaves are wise enough to back out of the job as soon as they find something worthwhile to make them rich, and follow some less dangerous goals afterwards. Hit Die: d6 Requirements Race: Any but thri-kreen and aarakocra. Skills: Balance 3 ranks, Escape Artist 5 ranks, Use Rope 5 ranks Feats: Athletic, Endurance Special: Must either be a member of the slave diving force or have constructed, bought or otherwise obtained the equipment necessary for silt diving.* * See appendix for the equipment and protective suit description. Class Skills: The Silt Diver's class skills are: Balance, Climb, Disguise, Escape Artist, Listen, Search, Survival, Use Rope Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
#2 megatherion Jan 31, 2006 13:38:59	I'm really unsure if the saves and attack bonuses are right. Perhaps he should have fort as a good save instead of reflex? Perhaps, because this is a profession, he should have weak attack bonus? Any other remarks?
#3 nytcrawlr Jan 31, 2006 13:52:13	Just a few things... This PrC makes it way too easy to fight in silt IMO (especially at higher levels). Silt is not like water, very different actually and harder to manuever in, therefore it should be *much* harder. Maybe say something to the effect that regardless of ability, only small weapons can be used (daggers, etc.). I would say a -10 penalty to all attack rolls and then lower it from there, but never allow them to fight without a penalty while diving in the silt. IMO that should be the last thing the silt diver wants to do. To me they should do everything they can to avoid a fight. The tremorsense and blindsense abilities are a little bit overpowered. I would half all of the ranges, that seems more appropriate to me. Overall I like the concept of this PrC, but it does need adjusted quite a bit.
#4 megatherion Jan 31, 2006 13:56:17	That's exactly why I need feedback! :D I'll lower those things immediately, you're quite right about them.
#5 nytcrawlr Jan 31, 2006 14:05:20	That damn enter key is always getting in the way! :D
#6 nytcrawlr Jan 31, 2006 14:05:56	Hmmmm, maybe giving them a small burrow speed is appropriate too. Have it increase slightly as they level. Like 5 ft. at 3rd level, 10ft. at 6th and then 15ft. at 9th. Then just replace that with the swim maybe? Just some random thoughts.
#7 megatherion Jan 31, 2006 14:07:18	Hmmmm, maybe giving them a small burrow speed is appropriate too. Have it increase slightly as they level. Like 5 ft. at 3rd level, 10ft. at 6th and then 15ft. at 9th. Then just replace that with the swim maybe? ahh, so you divide the silt into swimable upper layer and burrowable lower one? Interesting. I could completely dump the "silt swim" for "silt burrow". Eh? something like "burrowing silt is similar to swimming but at -15 penalty compared to swimming in water"?
#8 nytcrawlr Jan 31, 2006 14:09:36	ahh, so you divide the silt into swimable upper layer and burrowable lower one? Interesting. I could completely dump the "silt swim" for "silt burrow". Eh? something like "burrowing silt is similar to swimming but at -15 penalty compared to swimming in water"? Well, with the burrow speed you could get rid of the whole silt swim thing. Definately don't need both, just one or the other. Just a thought.
#9 megatherion Jan 31, 2006 14:11:25	Well, with the burrow speed you could get rid of the whole silt swim thing. Definately don't need both, just one or the other. Just a thought. Hmmm, yes, dump the swim silt for buttow, replace skill focus (silt swim) with increased buttow and instead of silt swim mastery put in silt burrow mastery increasing the speed again and reducing penalties to fight. could work, absolutely!
#10 nytcrawlr Jan 31, 2006 14:15:55	Hmmm, yes, dump the swim silt for buttow, replace skill focus (silt swim) with increased buttow and instead of silt swim mastery put in silt burrow mastery increasing the speed again and reducing penalties to fight. could work, absolutely! Might want to add that trying to navigate in the silt before they receive burrow requires a swim skill with a -15 penalty or something like that. So yeah, you're right, they would probably need to be able to swim in it until they get burrow. I totally forgot about that earlier.
#11 megatherion Jan 31, 2006 14:18:31	I'll put in the silt-swimming as a first-level skill which is very hard, and works only in upper silt.
#12 nytcrawlr Jan 31, 2006 22:23:17	Looking better. At 7th level time the Silt Diver can survive without breathing is doubled yet again. He can survive 4 times normal amount of time with his Prolonged Hold Breath ability. This needs to follow the rules for doubling a double, which is actually triple, not quadruple in 3.5. Seems like it should pertain to this too anyways.
#13 ruhl-than_sage Jan 31, 2006 22:52:04	The helmet and breathing tube are a necessity without some other means of breathing, but the suit doesn't make sense to me. In order to have a sufficient tactile sense for the tremor sense and relate abilities, I would think they would need to be wearing as little as possible rather then completely coving themselves from head to toe. Also, It seems to me that half-gaints would be the best suited for the job, due to their larger reach, height, and movement speed...but maybe that's just me. On another note, have you considered making the psionic power Synesthete a prerequisite? Just a thought. Cool class :D
#14 megatherion Feb 01, 2006 0:33:26	The helmet and breathing tube are a necessity without some other means of breathing, but the suit doesn't make sense to me. In order to have a sufficient tactile sense for the tremor sense and relate abilities, I would think they would need to be wearing as little as possible rather then completely coving themselves from head to toe. hmmmm. I think we'll compromise. he will slowly learn to remove the gloves and boots, later more equipment untill finally he has only the helmet left (and the toolbelt). Ant these removings of clothes will allow greater ranges with tremmorsense. Also, It seems to me that half-gaints would be the best suited for the job, due to their larger reach, height, and movement speed...but maybe that's just me. Yes, of course, but the mortality rate is 80% in the first year alone and that seems like a waste of half-giants. They're much more useful as guards. On another note, have you considered making the psionic power Synesthete a prerequisite? Just a thought. Nono, I imagined it like this: slavers look and pick the most agile and endurant slaves and dump them overboard into the silt no matter the psionics. I want this to be a viable class to basically any agile and endurant slave at 3rd lvl.
#15 megatherion Feb 01, 2006 0:42:34	There, updated it and rationalised with the tremor-sense.
#16 ruhl-than_sage Feb 01, 2006 7:12:53	Yah the mortality rate makes sense for why h-giants wouldn't be used. You need to use ranks for your skill prerequisites ;) Example: Balance 3 ranks, not Balance +3