Questions concerning Defiling... - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Questions concerning Defiling...

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
netherek
Mar 03, 2006 1:13:09 The only info for defiling I have comes for 2e and Athas.org. The mechanics of .org are noteworthy, except when you get to the Road to curruption. Under RtC the caster runs risk of becoming Tainted with each use of defiling, provided the caster fails a will save. The rules even have a way to redeem oneself as well. What appears missing is what happens to the Tainted, and how does turn into a Defiler as that appears seperate from Tainted?

Are there alternate rules for defiling?

How do they compare?
#2
Pennarin
Mar 03, 2006 7:10:52 I'll attempt to answer that, but some of my explanantions may be wrong, so lets see what others say too.

Being tainted means you register to spells that say you are a defiler. While tainted you can still cast as a preserver.
Being a defiler is when you used too much defiling while you were tainted and now you are permanently tainted, so to speak. You register as a defiler to spells. As a defiler you cannot cast as a preserver ever again. The only road out of being a defiler is the Road of Redemption part.
#3
gilliard_derosan
Mar 03, 2006 9:51:16 A Preserver can defile, if he needs say a higher CL for the terrain or something. A Defiler CAN NOT cast spells preserver style. If you become tainted, you run the risk of becoming a defiler. If you become a defiler, you will always suck as much life out of the surroundings as possible, 5ft radius per spell level in ash, with everyone in the radius suffering -1 to attacks, skills, and saves. Until that point, the preserver can restrain himself from defiling.

So that is the road to corruption. Will Save DC10+Spell Level+number of times previously defiled. Meaning If you are in Salf Flats say, it has a -2 CL penalty. You are 7th level, so your fireball would normally do only 5d6 here. You really think an extra d6 would help out here, so you spend a full round to defile instead of a single action to cast this spell normally, and now your fireball does 6d6. This first time you need a Will save of 13. If you fail, you are forevermore a defiler (Well, unles syou want redemption). If you make it, you are technically no longer a preserver, but are now tainted. It affects how certain beings, spells, animals and the like may see you and react to you.

Of course, tainted and defilers can use the redemption rues presented there as well, using the normal mechanics for it.
#4
netherek
Mar 03, 2006 13:10:36 That's what I understood, the part that gets me is how do you drop from tainted to defiler? Personally, I'd say that everytime a tainted want to cast without defiling he'd have to make a save and have becoming a full defiler taking a defiler feat. Under that setup the defiler feats would have the requirement of Tainted or defiler.

Of course that's how I see things as written, though I'd like to the official position from .org concerning this aspect.

I'd also like to hear if anyone has other house rules that they use for defiling.
#5
Tsuul
Mar 03, 2006 14:06:41 Dragon magazine 315 has an alternate defiling system. The urge to defile is much stronger with that system, so beware the can you open using it. With it, you gain free matamagic when you defile.
#6
valeshdemon
Mar 09, 2006 23:24:19 I too had a question ivolving defilers, though mine is not mechanical, strictly RP. What is the general outlook on defilers. I know with regular DnD (for example) Necromancers are typically viewed as evil, but whose to say a Necromancy Specialist wizard doesnt use his talents for good. The question I'm getting at is this: Has there, or can there ever be, a defiler who feels what he is doing is "right" or for the greater good, or all of them just greedy monsters?
#7
zombiegleemax
Mar 30, 2006 21:24:44
I too had a question ivolving defilers, though mine is not mechanical, strictly RP. What is the general outlook on defilers. I know with regular DnD (for example) Necromancers are typically viewed as evil, but whose to say a Necromancy Specialist wizard doesnt use his talents for good. The question I'm getting at is this: Has there, or can there ever be, a defiler who feels what he is doing is "right" or for the greater good, or all of them just greedy monsters?

Hmm, that's a toughie. Sadira defiled some in the Prism Pentad novels, and her thoughts were that it was for the greater good. NPC defilers from the adventures/accessories/boxed sets/books seemed to be either looney, greedy and uncaring or sometimes all three.

And defilers are despised by everyone from the common folk (taking away good farm land and/or crops) to other defilers (competition) right up to the SK's themselves (possible rival dragon).

It's not a career I'd chose, unless of course I was a Sorcerer-King, but that's just me. :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 netherek Mar 03, 2006 1:13:09	The only info for defiling I have comes for 2e and Athas.org. The mechanics of .org are noteworthy, except when you get to the Road to curruption. Under RtC the caster runs risk of becoming Tainted with each use of defiling, provided the caster fails a will save. The rules even have a way to redeem oneself as well. What appears missing is what happens to the Tainted, and how does turn into a Defiler as that appears seperate from Tainted? Are there alternate rules for defiling? How do they compare?
#2 Pennarin Mar 03, 2006 7:10:52	I'll attempt to answer that, but some of my explanantions may be wrong, so lets see what others say too. Being tainted means you register to spells that say you are a defiler. While tainted you can still cast as a preserver. Being a defiler is when you used too much defiling while you were tainted and now you are permanently tainted, so to speak. You register as a defiler to spells. As a defiler you cannot cast as a preserver ever again. The only road out of being a defiler is the Road of Redemption part.
#3 gilliard_derosan Mar 03, 2006 9:51:16	A Preserver can defile, if he needs say a higher CL for the terrain or something. A Defiler CAN NOT cast spells preserver style. If you become tainted, you run the risk of becoming a defiler. If you become a defiler, you will always suck as much life out of the surroundings as possible, 5ft radius per spell level in ash, with everyone in the radius suffering -1 to attacks, skills, and saves. Until that point, the preserver can restrain himself from defiling. So that is the road to corruption. Will Save DC10+Spell Level+number of times previously defiled. Meaning If you are in Salf Flats say, it has a -2 CL penalty. You are 7th level, so your fireball would normally do only 5d6 here. You really think an extra d6 would help out here, so you spend a full round to defile instead of a single action to cast this spell normally, and now your fireball does 6d6. This first time you need a Will save of 13. If you fail, you are forevermore a defiler (Well, unles syou want redemption). If you make it, you are technically no longer a preserver, but are now tainted. It affects how certain beings, spells, animals and the like may see you and react to you. Of course, tainted and defilers can use the redemption rues presented there as well, using the normal mechanics for it.
#4 netherek Mar 03, 2006 13:10:36	That's what I understood, the part that gets me is how do you drop from tainted to defiler? Personally, I'd say that everytime a tainted want to cast without defiling he'd have to make a save and have becoming a full defiler taking a defiler feat. Under that setup the defiler feats would have the requirement of Tainted or defiler. Of course that's how I see things as written, though I'd like to the official position from .org concerning this aspect. I'd also like to hear if anyone has other house rules that they use for defiling.
#5 Tsuul Mar 03, 2006 14:06:41	Dragon magazine 315 has an alternate defiling system. The urge to defile is much stronger with that system, so beware the can you open using it. With it, you gain free matamagic when you defile.
#6 valeshdemon Mar 09, 2006 23:24:19	I too had a question ivolving defilers, though mine is not mechanical, strictly RP. What is the general outlook on defilers. I know with regular DnD (for example) Necromancers are typically viewed as evil, but whose to say a Necromancy Specialist wizard doesnt use his talents for good. The question I'm getting at is this: Has there, or can there ever be, a defiler who feels what he is doing is "right" or for the greater good, or all of them just greedy monsters?
#7 zombiegleemax Mar 30, 2006 21:24:44	I too had a question ivolving defilers, though mine is not mechanical, strictly RP. What is the general outlook on defilers. I know with regular DnD (for example) Necromancers are typically viewed as evil, but whose to say a Necromancy Specialist wizard doesnt use his talents for good. The question I'm getting at is this: Has there, or can there ever be, a defiler who feels what he is doing is "right" or for the greater good, or all of them just greedy monsters? Hmm, that's a toughie. Sadira defiled some in the Prism Pentad novels, and her thoughts were that it was for the greater good. NPC defilers from the adventures/accessories/boxed sets/books seemed to be either looney, greedy and uncaring or sometimes all three. And defilers are despised by everyone from the common folk (taking away good farm land and/or crops) to other defilers (competition) right up to the SK's themselves (possible rival dragon). It's not a career I'd chose, unless of course I was a Sorcerer-King, but that's just me. :D