factions in 3e - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

factions in 3e

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Nov 02, 2003 21:33:10 While I understand that you who are dillegently working on PS3E are primarily concerned with the old mainstays (and what some have become) and the Ring-Givers, I was wondering if you might consider others for future official releases?

The most obvious ones to ask about are the Mercykillers, Godsmen, and Signers for those who would like to use 3e rules in a pre-Faction War setting. I, for one, would like to convert many of the old adventures and take a group through them, up to the war, and beyond.

After those, what about the various official sects? Considering that they are not as big as the Factions, maybe they wouldn't need three prestige classes, perhaps just one.

And finally, I think that the Lady's ban creates many oppotunities. I think that while there was a limit of 15 in Sigil, there were many who were too afraid, or discouraged to share their philosophies with the planes; they couldn't gather numbers in Sigil, and if they couldn't do it there while others could, what's the point? But now that Sigil is eliminated as a venue/prize, while the Factions (or what's left of them) are confused and reorganizing, now is the time to come out and join in the fun. With the old guard and their decendents in the state they are in, it might not be so inconceivable that a few completely new groups could rise to near equal footing in five years. This could be great for us to try to add our own touches to Planescape continuity. I have a couple of ideas for new factions myself, at least one of which has the potential to challenge the status-quo of the planes.
#2
lord_of_the_ninth_02
Nov 02, 2003 23:17:05 I for one was rather disapointed when they chose to go post faction war. I think it sort of changes the flavor of the whole setting, kind of changes the meaning of the factions, invalidates it somehow. It also makes Sigil less interesting. Then again, mostly I think this because I have only images and concepts of Sigil from before the Faction War, and now that those are gone I have nothing to replace them with, yet.

I do wish they would support those who wish to go Pre-Faction War. Although, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to do it on our own (especially since the missing factions have become the new one's, more or less). So to get the mercy killers we combine the sodkillers with the sons of mercy (except it will work better if we combine the sodkillers with the harmonium). The Godsmen and the Signers will be tougher though.
#3
Shemeska_the_Marauder
Nov 03, 2003 0:50:55 They're gone only in the sense that they can't hold official power in Sigil. Not that some of them aren't going to try and get back in and attempt to skirt around the edges of The Lady's edict any way they can. For example the Sodkiller's are trying to have official power in Sigil as a faction by way of the Minder's Guild. It's a puppet of the actual faction.

The Sensates still have a significant presence in Sigil, and one of their members is a guildmaster of the entertainer's guild, Annali Webspinner. Another example of a backdoor attempt by a faction to still maintain power in The Cage.

Sigil is still going to be fought over, and the factions are going to be at the center of things still. They havn't gone away as much as they're expanded out onto the planes at large, bringing their conflicts with rival philosophies and factions with them. The Kreigstanz isn't gone, its gotten larger.

The door is more open for intrigue, more open for conflicts, and more open to grabs to fill the power vacuum by ways both open and legal, and the ways of the Crosstrade.

And well, thats already got a King now doesn't it....

*grins evilly and imagines ways to get rid of those rivals in Sigil's emerging power structure*
#4
primemover003
Nov 03, 2003 3:08:16 Actually the Signers and the Godsmen are easy. The Mind's Eye has the feats that draw from both the old factions core beliefs; Reincarnation, Attaining Divinity, and Imagining the Multiverse in your own image. Harness Divinity (Cure light or inflict light wounds 3/d) is an especially good feat! I have an Aasimar Sorcerer (Signer) in my new group who took that feat. With only a Bariaur Druid (Godsman) to give healing, it's a needed boost for the Bladeling Fighter (Cipher), Tiefling Rogue (Fated), and Drow Ranger (Indep;a bounty hunter, not a Drizzt clone).

We finished our first pre-FW session the other night and it was awesome to be playing Planescape again. Only two of my PC's had been planewalkers before. Four of them have never played 3E Dungeons & Dragons.
#5
zombiegleemax
Nov 04, 2003 11:52:13 The problem is that all of the Factions being worked on for 3E will have three Prestige classes each. Now, we might be able to reconstruct Mercykiller PrCs from Sodkillers and Sons of Mercy, but I doubt it, and Godsmen and Signers would be even more difficult. The problem is that not everybody is great with making ballanced but interesting Prestige Classes. I might be able to come up with ideas, but I honestly don't have the experience with the system neccessary to do all of the number crunching.
#6
primemover003
Nov 05, 2003 15:16:37 Are your PC's actually going to be that intimately involved in the Faction politics that they'll all take Faction PrC's? You shouldn't have to take a PrC to rise high in the ranks of any faction (except maybe the Ciphers).
#7
zombiegleemax
Nov 07, 2003 0:05:38 Actually, I was thinking about having the information handy for NPCs as much as for PCs. I was planning on a plot line involving a Mercykiller chasing the party for a series of crimes that they didn't commit to be integral in getting them from the Prime to Sigil. Besides, I just like having my options open.
#8
zombiegleemax
Nov 11, 2003 7:22:36 I'm curious as to why someone would get it into their heads to implicate some random clueless primes and how they managed to get them convicted. Or is the red death overstepping its bounds a bit and playing judge and jury as well as executioner today?

Anyway, I've been needing some Mercykiller PrCs myself and I've been working on one that sounds almost exactly like what you're thinking of. I'd be happy to share, though it's unfinished.
#9
zombiegleemax
Nov 11, 2003 7:31:23 You can find some faction prestige classes here, including the Mercykillers.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Nov 02, 2003 21:33:10	While I understand that you who are dillegently working on PS3E are primarily concerned with the old mainstays (and what some have become) and the Ring-Givers, I was wondering if you might consider others for future official releases? The most obvious ones to ask about are the Mercykillers, Godsmen, and Signers for those who would like to use 3e rules in a pre-Faction War setting. I, for one, would like to convert many of the old adventures and take a group through them, up to the war, and beyond. After those, what about the various official sects? Considering that they are not as big as the Factions, maybe they wouldn't need three prestige classes, perhaps just one. And finally, I think that the Lady's ban creates many oppotunities. I think that while there was a limit of 15 in Sigil, there were many who were too afraid, or discouraged to share their philosophies with the planes; they couldn't gather numbers in Sigil, and if they couldn't do it there while others could, what's the point? But now that Sigil is eliminated as a venue/prize, while the Factions (or what's left of them) are confused and reorganizing, now is the time to come out and join in the fun. With the old guard and their decendents in the state they are in, it might not be so inconceivable that a few completely new groups could rise to near equal footing in five years. This could be great for us to try to add our own touches to Planescape continuity. I have a couple of ideas for new factions myself, at least one of which has the potential to challenge the status-quo of the planes.
#2 lord_of_the_ninth_02 Nov 02, 2003 23:17:05	I for one was rather disapointed when they chose to go post faction war. I think it sort of changes the flavor of the whole setting, kind of changes the meaning of the factions, invalidates it somehow. It also makes Sigil less interesting. Then again, mostly I think this because I have only images and concepts of Sigil from before the Faction War, and now that those are gone I have nothing to replace them with, yet. I do wish they would support those who wish to go Pre-Faction War. Although, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to do it on our own (especially since the missing factions have become the new one's, more or less). So to get the mercy killers we combine the sodkillers with the sons of mercy (except it will work better if we combine the sodkillers with the harmonium). The Godsmen and the Signers will be tougher though.
#3 Shemeska_the_Marauder Nov 03, 2003 0:50:55	They're gone only in the sense that they can't hold official power in Sigil. Not that some of them aren't going to try and get back in and attempt to skirt around the edges of The Lady's edict any way they can. For example the Sodkiller's are trying to have official power in Sigil as a faction by way of the Minder's Guild. It's a puppet of the actual faction. The Sensates still have a significant presence in Sigil, and one of their members is a guildmaster of the entertainer's guild, Annali Webspinner. Another example of a backdoor attempt by a faction to still maintain power in The Cage. Sigil is still going to be fought over, and the factions are going to be at the center of things still. They havn't gone away as much as they're expanded out onto the planes at large, bringing their conflicts with rival philosophies and factions with them. The Kreigstanz isn't gone, its gotten larger. The door is more open for intrigue, more open for conflicts, and more open to grabs to fill the power vacuum by ways both open and legal, and the ways of the Crosstrade. And well, thats already got a King now doesn't it.... grins evilly and imagines ways to get rid of those rivals in Sigil's emerging power structure
#4 primemover003 Nov 03, 2003 3:08:16	Actually the Signers and the Godsmen are easy. The Mind's Eye has the feats that draw from both the old factions core beliefs; Reincarnation, Attaining Divinity, and Imagining the Multiverse in your own image. Harness Divinity (Cure light or inflict light wounds 3/d) is an especially good feat! I have an Aasimar Sorcerer (Signer) in my new group who took that feat. With only a Bariaur Druid (Godsman) to give healing, it's a needed boost for the Bladeling Fighter (Cipher), Tiefling Rogue (Fated), and Drow Ranger (Indep;a bounty hunter, not a Drizzt clone). We finished our first pre-FW session the other night and it was awesome to be playing Planescape again. Only two of my PC's had been planewalkers before. Four of them have never played 3E Dungeons & Dragons.
#5 zombiegleemax Nov 04, 2003 11:52:13	The problem is that all of the Factions being worked on for 3E will have three Prestige classes each. Now, we might be able to reconstruct Mercykiller PrCs from Sodkillers and Sons of Mercy, but I doubt it, and Godsmen and Signers would be even more difficult. The problem is that not everybody is great with making ballanced but interesting Prestige Classes. I might be able to come up with ideas, but I honestly don't have the experience with the system neccessary to do all of the number crunching.
#6 primemover003 Nov 05, 2003 15:16:37	Are your PC's actually going to be that intimately involved in the Faction politics that they'll all take Faction PrC's? You shouldn't have to take a PrC to rise high in the ranks of any faction (except maybe the Ciphers).
#7 zombiegleemax Nov 07, 2003 0:05:38	Actually, I was thinking about having the information handy for NPCs as much as for PCs. I was planning on a plot line involving a Mercykiller chasing the party for a series of crimes that they didn't commit to be integral in getting them from the Prime to Sigil. Besides, I just like having my options open.
#8 zombiegleemax Nov 11, 2003 7:22:36	I'm curious as to why someone would get it into their heads to implicate some random clueless primes and how they managed to get them convicted. Or is the red death overstepping its bounds a bit and playing judge and jury as well as executioner today? Anyway, I've been needing some Mercykiller PrCs myself and I've been working on one that sounds almost exactly like what you're thinking of. I'd be happy to share, though it's unfinished.
#9 zombiegleemax Nov 11, 2003 7:31:23	You can find some faction prestige classes here, including the Mercykillers.