Easy enough, and with us taking ~1 to deal with CoS and ~1 reserved for... whatever (Sarnor clean-up, maybe? Or halping Efreeti raiding?), we'll be left with as many as 6(!) CR 15 Mind Dragons going to Slavers' Bay.
If we wont be redistributing them anywhere else, also 3 CR15 Very Old Myrkdrekis.
...1 CR15 Orphne Feylord also, with us taking one as a guide/local to deal with CoS?
We definitely have a fair few of highly-capable semi-Intrigue assets to throw wherever these days.
Okay, @Azel, I think we might need to make some adjustments for logistics and supply purposes. 432 Praetorians is waaay more than we were planning on being able to equip, even over a two or three month time frame.
The standard kit right now requires 105 pounds of Valyrian Steel and costs 3,313 IM in enchanting, if we do all of the enchanting in house. That's a minimum of 1,431,216 IM in enchanting and 45,360 pounds of VS for 432 Praetorians.
A definite keeper. 230 IM each.
Another definite keeper. 340 IM each
Useful, but non-essential. They also require enchanters of 9th+ level, meaning only our Master Enchanters can make them. I would axe these. 200 IM each.
The Enlarge Person effect is useful, but non-essential. We can give them Enlarge-type Fairy Caps that will do the same thing for 10 minutes per use.
75 IM for a Healing Belt alone, 300 for the Enlarge Person effect, and 408 IM with both. Would consider the Healing Belt as essential.
Non-essential, but useful. We could axe these without too much trouble, IMO.
140 IM for the Anklets of Translocation effect alone, 300 for the speed boost, and 510 IM for both.
Non-essential. I would axe these. 140 IM each.
Non-essential. I would axe these, since the PfE Ring already gives a +2 Resistance bonus against anything with an Evil alignment. 100 IM each.
I think we should reconsider using the Praetorian Blade as a standard weapon. 25 pounds of Valyrian Steel for a sword is a lot. A VS Thinblade would do 1d8 less damage, but also only weigh 3 pounds.
Same goes for the VS Extreme Shields. Each of them is 25 pounds. A Heavy Shield only weighs 15 pounds and would have a +2 AC bonus rather than the Extreme Shield's +3. The 500 IM Fearsome effect is also non-essential, IMO. Using VS Thinblades and Heavy Shields would reduce the amount of VS needed per Praetorian by 32 pounds, or 13,824 pounds just for this first batch.
The armor is an unavoidable expenditure, but the Commander enchantment on them is unnecessary. It's only 200 IM each, but that adds up to 86,400 IM in enchanting. The cost isn't a big deal, but the enchanting time definitely is.
These are essential and should all be kept.
400 IM for the Ring of PfE
250 IM for the Ring of Sustenance
25 IM for the Anytool
The above recommendations reduce the enchanting cost by 1,950 IM per Praetorian (842,400 IM for 432 of them).
Here's what my recommended starting kit would look like.
Equipment: Amulet of the Stalwart Defender:
3 Charges/Day: 1 Charge (12 Temporary Hit Points), 2 Charges (18 Temporary Hit Points), 3 Charges (24 Temporary Hit Points), Duration: 10 minutes
I'd keep the speed enhancement on their boots, and leave the Praetorian Blade and Exteme Shield in. Having different grades of equipment in the Praetorian Guard will overall not be much of a problem, but these items are different. In a mix of Praetori with and without the boots, those who have them can't really use them without endangering group cohesion. As for the blade, I'm leery of having them switch weapons precisely at the point where they are done with their basic training. Especially switching from a generic weapon to one highly specific to them. Overall, VS is less of a problem then the other things, since it only costs money, not enchanting time.
So, what I'm hearing is, we need more crafters so we can gear them all out in soon-to-be-available Power Armor, as it is the craft-power that is the bottleneck, not the money.
Am I correct?
...Yeah, never expected us having not enough of them, with all those groups we previously acquired-
We can have our representatives visit Sigil and make a call for any and all crafters willing to join?
...I think we can, at least.
Sigil is a thing in the setting, right?
I don't think Viserys would be much welcomed for semi-divine spellgranting, but our representatives should well enough be...
The biggest shitshow of Planes aside, we can have quazi-planar cities looked into in the background...
The rest of Marid cities we havent pilfered for crafters, visited by our diplomancers, maybe (@Crake, @Duesal, me need help tracking down exactly which ones we haven't pilfered yet)? That can be made a month's focus, instead of "chjna squid = bad" for them, easy.
We can have our representatives visit Sigil and make a call for any and all crafters willing to join?
...I think we can, at least.
Sigil is a thing in the setting, right?
Hell if I know. I think someone suggested it, and DP didn't comment because people had already argued that even if it was an option, that could be biting off a lot more than we could chew on.
DP's official stance is (at least tentatively, he might have changed his mind by this point) that Sigil exists, but we legitimately have had no hint whatsoever of its place in ASWaH's setting, and that seems extremely significantly pointing toward him changing his mind. He offered it as a option, but he stated that it was a high-to-Epic level environment with potentially instantly lethal encounters to people who weren't even ECL 15 at the time.
So, what I'm hearing is, we need more crafters so we can gear them all out in soon-to-be-available Power Armor, as it is the craft-power that is the bottleneck, not the money.
Am I correct?
No, I've actually been getting really worried about how much we're spending. I don't know if our taxes can keep up with it, or if we need another Plane of Fire raid.
@Crake is right. The mere possibility of it being an option back in the early quest days doesn't mean that DP locked it in for quest cosmology. That was well before DP did a lot of his other world building.
The biggest shitshow of Planes aside, we can have quazi-planar cities looked into in the background...
The rest of Marid cities we havent pilfered for crafters, visited by our diplomancers, maybe (@Crake, @Duesal, me need help tracking down exactly which ones we haven't pilfered yet)? That can be made a month's focus, instead of "chjna squid = bad" for them, easy.
Next month is gonna be conquering Qohor and Norvos. And unlike Sarnor, this isn't just a battle and then handing off the reigns to a Mythic ally. We have to stay and impose order, and root out cultists and other trouble makers. If there's gonna be a Plane of Water thing it has to be through proxy.
EDIT: Regarding Sigil, for the sake of the narrative I'd prefer it doesn't exist, or if it has to exist that we don't go there. We've got a ton of stuff going on in the Planes already that we don't even have the time to properly engage with.
Yes, Viserys falls under the very definition of "diplomancer", but since Hermetia (and most of the Windwards') had been set on doing it throughout the 2nd month, and seems to be going there throughout the 3rd month...
Well, "get us crafters" is as fine an order as 2nd month's "get stronger economic ties, maybe convince City of Glass to make a Planar Terminus", no?
And yeah, alright, point taken on early-quest statements being unreliable, y'all.
...And DP liking far too much to sticking to anything he ever ruled, no matter how bad it may end up for the story.
No, I've actually been getting really worried about how much we're spending. I don't know if our taxes can keep up with it, or if we need another Plane of Fire raid.
As far as our expenditures go, we can drop 3 million IM on non-crafting related stuff every month without running a deficit (because we already have a stockpile of reagents).
While the forge orders are obviously far outside the normal realm of spending, we have pretty significant leeway if we stop ordering more than smaller orders. As in, you know, a couple dozen high CR creatures, or a hundred or so CR 10 stuff (caster creatures to go with our HD orders?) and still have a couple million left over, easily, for commissions and what not.
I expect we won't need to go scraping for an excuse to loot our way into the black for another year.
I'd keep the speed enhancement on their boots, and leave the Praetorian Blade and Exteme Shield in. Having different grades of equipment in the Praetorian Guard will overall not be much of a problem, but these items are different. In a mix of Praetori with and without the boots, those who have them can't really use them without endangering group cohesion. As for the blade, I'm leery of having them switch weapons precisely at the point where they are done with their basic training. Especially switching from a generic weapon to one highly specific to them. Overall, VS is less of a problem then the other things, since it only costs money, not enchanting time.
This gear would cost just 1,620 IM per Praetorian and require 105 pounds of Valyrian Steel.
Out of curiosity, I figured up what the full value of all of this would be in GP, including purchasing the armor, shield, and weapons before they were enchanted, along with the mundane enhancements (Razorsharp, Reinforced, etc). The total comes to 36,400 GP, which is 400 more than the expected WBL of a 9th level PC. I think it's a pretty nice kit, even if it's not as tricked out as we were hoping.
So, what I'm hearing is, we need more crafters so we can gear them all out in soon-to-be-available Power Armor, as it is the craft-power that is the bottleneck, not the money.
Am I correct?
We just massively expanded our crafting capacity with the new Sarnori crafters who start working for us next month. I think we're good on that front for a while.
Praetori Template (LA+2)
Called an abomination by some and a wonder by others, none can deny the sheer scope of what magic has wrought upon those called Praetori. Deep in the bowels of the imperial Flesh Forges, these men and women have undergone a process that changed their very beings. Infused with arcane energies, their flesh torn apart and replaced with something inhuman, few are those who would dare to walk this path and fewer even those deemed strong enough and mind and body to endure it. If it is a blessing or a curse that they received, many would argue about, but none can deny the might bestowed upon the Praetori.
The Process
Not every potential candidate is equally suited to become a Praetori. Beside purely medical concerns, such as good health and compatibility with the procedure, there is also the issue of the mental strain put on the potential Praetori during the process. Thus before the actual work can even begin, the prospective's are put through detailed physical and psychological evaluation to ensure their suitability. Allegedly, these tests are also meant to gauge the spiritual durability of a subject, as some claim that a healthy body alone is not sufficient to survive the process, but that it takes a strong soul to become a Praetori.
Once the suitability of a subject has been established, the fleshcrafters begin to grow a series of symbiotic implants from samples that have been taken from the subject. These implants are carefully tailored to each subject and can only be successfully implanted into the donor, as they would cause a likely lethal reaction for any other recipient. Most of these implants are set into skin, muscles, bones and ligaments, while a few more are grafted directly to internal organs and into the base of the skull. Bodily, this is the most taxing stage, requiring not only a skilled fleshcrafter but also major healing magic to keep the Praetori alive while his body adjusts to the hundreds of minor grafts it has received.
With the implants in place, the candidate is then placed in a womb-like tank, where he will remain unconscious. In this time, he is fed a mixture of alchemical reagents, nutrients and even dissolved metals, allowing the implants to grow and fully fuse with his body. At first, the internal organs are subsumed by the grafts and in some cases outright replaced by more efficient replacements that are necessary to support the altered physique of the Praetori. Once the new organs begin to function, the implants in other tissues will begin to grow. Bones begin to increase in size and add traces of Adamantine to their structure, muscles become larger and denser, and skin turns thicker and almost leather like.
At the same time, the subject also receives a mixture of both arcane reagents and an infusion of Essence of Order. Under the careful guidance of a skilled mage, these energies allow the implants to manifest effects that are not purely physical in nature. They enhance the body and mind of the Praetori, grant him some magical abilities and even make them highly resilient to other magics cast at them. It is this part of the process that is mentally the most taxing, as even in their unconscious state, many volunteers report to have some recollections of this work being done on them. For most, this is just a vague feeling of unease, though others report true dread if not outright nightmares and visions plaguing their sleep. While technically not necessary for the process, this fact is the reason why most facilities have mages on staff who are capable of traversing the dreamscape to minimize these side-effects.
In total, this process takes roughly a month, after which the fully fledged Praetori awakens on his own and can leave the tank. However, while the alterations might be done, for most candidates this just means the beginning of a grueling training as they are drilled to become some of the most elite fighters of the entire Imperium.
Creating a Praetori
"Praetori" is an acquired template that can only be added to human creatures. To gain it, the creature must undergo a lengthy series of surgeries and arcane treatments in a specially outfitted facility, usually a full Flesh Forge, and staffed with skilled fleshcrafters and mages. Not every human is compatible with these processes. If a given character can receive this template must be decided by the DM. It costs either 4,500 IM and 40 lb. of Adamantine, or 7,700 IM to apply this template to an existing character, though usually, it will take more then gold to convince the owner of the facility to grant this template to someone.
The Praetori gains the following effects:
Effects
Defensive:
+7 NA
DR 2/-
at 5 HD, add DR 5/Chaotic
at 10 HD, add DR 10/Chaotic
Light Fortification (gain Fast Healing 3 when it fails for a number of rounds, equal to the CON modifier; duration stacks)
Resistance to Fire, Cold, Acid 5, becomes 10 at 5 HD and 15 at 11 HD
SR 7 + HD
Saves:
+4 on saves against Mind-Affecting effects
+2 on Reflex saves
Attributes:
+4 Enhancement bonus to all attributes
Senses:
Darkvision (120 ft.)
+2 to Spot and Listen
Scent (Ex)
Other:
+2 on Initiative
unarmed attacks deal lethal damage
proficiency with all Simple and Martial Weapons, all Armor and all Shields
Monkey Grip as a Bonus Feat
Special Abilities:
Searing Hands (Su)
The hands of the Praetori have been adjusted to allow him to shape a minor bit of magic in the form of manifesting heat and flames. This effect is strong enough to deal grievous harm to anyone he touches and can even be used to sheath weapons in flame for a short moment. As a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, they are able to cause their fists to glow white hot, allowing both their unarmed attacks or any metal melee weapon wielded, to do an additional 1d6 points of fire damage. Anyone or anything struck by this ability must make a Reflex save, DC 10 + 1/2 Hit Dice + Constitution Modifier, or be set on fire for 1d6 points of damage per round.
Cost:
4,500 IM
40 lb. of Adamantine
Hardened Body (Ex)
Much of the effort put into the alterations of a Preatori are meant to protect him from physical harm, be it the blade of a soldier or the ravages of spellfire. Their skin is thicker and tougher, often being likened to leather, and their bones are hard enough that a steel sword would break before it could cut it. Even their very organs, be it lung, heart, liver or other have been hardened against attack and given the means to rapidly heal themselves, making even a gaping chest wound only a minor concern for a Praetori.
A Praetori gains +7 Natural Armor, which stacks with all other sources of Natural Armor, and a Damage Resistance of 2/-. Furthermore, the skin is supernaturally resilient to the elements, granting the Praetori an Energy Resistance of 5 against Fire, Cold and Acid. This becomes Energy Resistance 10 at 5 HD and 15 at 11 HD.
He furthermore gains Light Fortification (25%) and whenever the check for this ability fails, the Praetori gains Fast Healing 3 for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution modifier as his body rapidly attempts to repair the damage done. Should this ability be triggered a second time while already active, the duration of the effect is extended by a number of rounds equal to his Constitution modifier.
Lastly, all unarmed attacks made by a Praetori deal lethal damage.
Arcane Resilience (Su)
By fusing their flesh with magic energies and empowering them with the very essence of Order, a Praetori becomes much more resilient to both magical and mundane attacks. As long as the Praetori lives, his augmentations provide him with natural wardings against physical and arcane attacks, their naked skin becoming able to turn away blades and even powerful spells with ease. As a side effect though, each Praetori gives off a aura of Law as if he were a Lawful Outsider, regardless of his actual alignment. Furthermore, by using Detect Magic or a similar effect and studying them for 1 minute, faint traces of the magic bound to them can be made out, revealing their nature as augmented humans on a DC 20 Knowledge: Arcana check.
A Praetori gains Spell Resistance equal to his HD + 7 and a Damage Reduction of 5/Chaos at 5 HD, which becomes 10/Chaos at 11 HD. This DR does not stack with the effect of Hardened Body, but should this DR be pierced, Hardened Body applies normally.
With some training, the Praetori can learn to also use this magical power actively. He can use Smite Chaos, Cure Serious Wounds and Remove Disease once per day each as a SLA, with a Caster Level equal to his Hit Dice.
More the Human (Ex)
The magic bound to their flesh has enhanced the bodies of the Praetori in many way, some very obvious, others very subtle. On average, they are a foot taller then a normal human, with some rare individuals growing almost as large as Minotaurs. This sometimes makes people believe them to be nothing but dumb brutes, yet the process that made them has also greatly increased their mental faculties and especially their ability to resist attacks on their minds.
A Praetori gains +4 to all attributes. This bonus inherent and can't be dispelled or suppressed, but counts as a Enhancement bonus for the purpose of stacking Bonuses. Their reflexes are also much faster then that of normal humans, giving them a +2 Competence Bonus on Reflex Saves and Initiative. Lastly, they gain a +4 Competence Bonus on all Will saves against Mind-Affecting effects.
Enhanced Senses (Ex)
During the transformation process, the eyes, ears and noses of a Praetori are almost entirely replaced by grafted tissue. This gives them much sharper senses then normal humans, heightening especially their abilities to see in the dark and granting them a sense of smell that can rival a hunting dog. As a side-effect, Praetori sometimes express odd mutations in those organs, such as pointed ears or strange eye colors. This happens more often if the recipient has some non-human heritage, such as draconic or Outsider ancestors.
A Praetori gains a +2 Competence Bonus on Spot and Listen checks, Darkvision out to 120 ft. and the Scent ability.
Heart of Flame (Su)
Burning within the augmented heart of each Praetori is a spark of Draconic flame. At rest, this flame is little more than an ember waiting to be fanned into a raging inferno. As a Swift Action, the Praetori can cause this flame to erupt, allowing them to channel a limited form of Draconic magic for a short period of time (up to one round per 2 Hit Dice, plus one round per point of their Constitution modifier). Once the Heart of Flame lapses, or is ended prematurely as another Swift Action, it cannot be rekindled for an amount of time equal to how long it was used. When their Heart of Flame is active, a Praetori's eyes glow like white hot coals and magical fire wreaths their extremities. Any Unarmed Attacks they make during this time inflict +1d6 Fire damage and their Resistance to Fire damage increases by 10 points.
Special: The magic of the Heart of Flame reacts especially well to the Fire-aspected enchantments of Valyrian Steel. When a Praetori wields a melee weapon of Valyrian Steel, they may channel their fire through it, essentially granting the weapon the Flaming special ability, though there is no additional effect if the weapon already bears this enchantment. A Valyrian Steel shield behaves similarly, allowing the Praetori to make Flaming shield bash attacks. Valyrian Steel armor so affected appears to burst into flames, though these flames only burn those unfortunates who attempt to grapple with the Praetori or successfully strike them with a Natural or Unarmed Attack.
Hand of Flame (Su)
As a swift action that does not provoke, you are able to cause your fist to glow white hot, allowing your natural attacks with that arm, or any metal melee weapon wielded by that arm, to do an additional 1d6 points of fire damage. Anyone or anything struck with either option must also make a Reflex save, DC 10 + 1/2 your Hit Dice + your Constitution modifier, or be set on fire for 1d6 points of damage per round. You can maintain this ability indefinitely, but it requires a swift action every round to do so. Any metal weapon wielded in this fashion starts taking 1d6 points of fire damage, ignoring hardness, after a number of consecutive rounds equal to its hardness.
Fey Alchemy:
2 Emerald Soothing (Wine)
2 Eye-Wort Brew
2 Fairy Cap (Enlarge Person)
1 Fairy Cap (Reduce Person)
Launcher Munitions:
x2 Explosive Round: 8d6 Piercing & Bludgeoning damage in a 15 foot blast radius (DC 20 Reflex save for half damage), 2d6 Piercing damage (DC 15 Reflex save for half damage) in an area between 15 (4.5 m) and 30 feet (9 m) from the blast. Weight: 10 pounds / 4.5 kg
Explosives:
x1 Explosive Bomb: 20d6 Piercing & Bludgeoning damage in a 40 foot (12 m) blast radius (DC 20 Reflex save for half damage), 5d6 Piercing damage (DC 15 Reflex save for half damage) in an area between 40 (12 m) and 80 (24.25 m) feet from the blast, 1d6 Piercing damage (DC 12 Reflex save to avoid damage) in an area between 80 (24.25 m) and 120 feet (36.5 m) from the blast. Weight: 25 pounds / 11.25 kg
Praetorian Warlord
Alignment: Lawful Neutral Race: Human, Augmented Class:Warlord 6 (ECL 8) Feats:Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Dreadful Wrath, Combat Reflexes, Cleave, Praetorian Smash (Bonus Feat), Distracting Charge (Warleader), Shock Trooper, Great Cleave, Monkey Grip (Bonus Feat) Flaws:Glory-Hound, Implacable Class features:Warlord's Gambit (Brave Gambit, Unbreakable Gambit, Gatecrasher Gambit), Tactical Presence (Indomitable, Rallying), Warleader, Force of Personality, Tactical Flanker, Battle Prowess +1 (Primal Fury), Dual Boost 1/day
HP: 6d10 + 24 (62 HP) AC: 10 + 2 (DEX) + 7 (Natural Armor) + 11 (Armor) + 5 (Shield) = 35; Touch 12; Flat-Footed 33 Movement: 30ft Initiative: 2 (DEX) + 2 (Circumstance) = +4 BAB: +6 Attack: +13 / +8 - 2d8 + 8 + 1d6 Fire; 18-20/x2 Special: Darkvision (120 ft.), Light Fortification (25%, if pierced, gain Fast Healing 3 for Con-Mod rounds, duration stacks), +1 Morale bonus to Will-saves to all allies in 30 ft. (self excluded) Proficiencies: all Simple and Martial weapons, all armors and shields Immunities: Resistance Fire, Cold, Acid 10; DR: 2/- ; 5/Chaos SR: 7 + 6 (HD) = 13 SLAs (CL 3):
1/day Cure Serious Wounds, Remove Disease, Smite Chaos
STATS:
20 (+5) Strength
14 (+2) Dexterity
18 (+4) Constitution
17 (+3) Charisma
12 (+1) Intelligence
16 (+3) Wisdom
Note: For purposes of stacking, each attribute is considered to already have a +4 Enhancement bonus.
SAVES: FORTITUDE: 5 + 4 (Con) + 1 (CoR, Resistance) = 10; +1 against Evil REFLEX: 2 + 2 (Dex) + 2 (Circumstance) + 1 (CoR, Resistance) = 7; +1 against Evil WILL: 2 + 3 (Wis) + 3 (Force of Personality) + 1 (CoR, Resistance) = 9; +4 against Mind-Affecting Effects; +1 against Evil
SKILLS: Diplomacy: 9 + 3 (Cha) + 2 (Praetorian Armor, Competence) = 14 Intimidate: 9 + 3 (Cha) + 5 (Praetorian Shield, Enhancement) = 17 Jump: 1 + 4 (Str) = 5 Ride: 7 + 2 (Dex) = 9 Knowledge (History): 8 + 1 (Int) = 9 Knowledge (War): 8 + 1 (Int) = 9 Sense Motive: 9 + 3 (Wis) = 12 Survival: 9 + 3 (Wis) = 12
Stances Known (Initiator level 3):
Level 1: Circular Stance (Scarlet Throne), Stance of Aggression (Primal Fury), Primal Warrior (Primal Fury)
Maneuvers Known (Initiator level 3):
Level 1: Panthera on the Hunt (R) (Strike, Primal Fury), Encouraging Roar (Boost, Golden Lion), Hunting Party (R) (Strike, Golden Lion), Scything Strike (Strike, Scarlet Throne), Blade of Breaking (Strike, Scarlet Throne)
Level 2: Devastating Rush (R) (Strike, Primal Fury), Regal Blade (R) (Boost, Scarlet Throne)
Level 3: Scarlet Eyes Perception (R) (Boost, Scarlet Throne), Disparity Blow (R) (Strike, Primal Fury)
Hand of Flame (Su)
As a swift action that does not provoke, you are able to cause your fist to glow white hot, allowing your natural attacks with that arm, or any metal melee weapon wielded by that arm, to do an additional 1d6 points of fire damage. Anyone or anything struck with either option must also make a Reflex save, DC 10 + 1/2 your Hit Dice + your Constitution modifier, or be set on fire for 1d6 points of damage per round. You can maintain this ability indefinitely, but it requires a swift action every round to do so. Any metal weapon wielded in this fashion starts taking 1d6 points of fire damage, ignoring hardness, after a number of consecutive rounds equal to its hardness. Scent (Ex)
Equipment: Amulet of the Stalwart Defender:
3 Charges/Day: 1 Charge (12 Temporary Hit Points), 2 Charges (18 Temporary Hit Points), 3 Charges (24 Temporary Hit Points), Duration: 10 minutes
Praetorian's Backpack: This high quality black leather backpack is emblazoned with the Praetorian crest.
It has two side pouches, each of which appears large enough to hold about a quart of material. In fact, each is like a Bag of Holding and can actually hold material of as much as 2 cubic feet in volume or 20 pounds in weight. The large central portion of the pack can contain up to 8 cubic feet or 80 pounds of material. Even when so filled, the backpack always weighs only 5 pounds.
While such storage is useful enough, the pack has an even greater power. When the wearer reaches into it for a specific item, that item is always on top. Thus, no digging around and fumbling is ever necessary to find what the pack contains. Retrieving any specific item from the pack is a Move Action, but it does not provoke the Attacks of Opportunity that retrieving a stored item usually does.
Praetorian's Belt:
3/Day use Enlarge Person(self only) as a Swift Action for up to 10 rounds per day. The effect can be dismissed as a Free Action.
Healing (3 charges/day): 1 charge (Heal 2d8 points of damage), 2 charges (Heal 3d8), or 3 charges(Heal 4d8)
Praetorian's Boots:
Benefit from a +30ft Enhancement bonus to ground movement speed.
2/Day Instantly teleport as per a short dimensional hop (with no chance of error) up to 10 feet. The new space must be within line of sight and line of effect. One cannot use the anklet to move into a space occupied by another creature, nor can one teleport into a solid object; if such an attempt is made, the anklet's activation is wasted. The Wearer can bring along objects weighing up to your maximum load, but you can't bring another creature with you.
Praetorian's Bracers of Quickstrike:
1/Day you can make one extra attack with any weapon you are holding if you already made a full attack on this turn. This attack is made at your full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. This effect is not cumulative with any other effect that grants you an extra attack when making a full attack, such as the Rapid Shot feat, a speed weapon, or the haste spell.
Praetorian's Cloak: +1 Resistance bonus to Saving Throws
Fearsome Valyrian Steel Extreme Shield (+2): Armor Bonus: 3 + 2[Enhancement], AC Penalty: -4, ASF: 10%, Weight: 25 pounds. Fearsome: +5 to Intimidate [Enhancement], can demoralize foe as Move action
Reinforced Segmented Valyrian Steel Fullplate of the Commander (+2): Armor Bonus: 8 + 1[Reinforced] + 2[Enhancement], Maximum Dexterity Bonus: +2, ASF: 30%, Base Speed: 20ft, Weight: 55 pounds. Special: Commander (+2 competence bonus on Diplomacy checks, and each ally within 30 feet of you (not including yourself) gains a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, -5 penalty to Hide checks)
Fey Alchemy:
2 Emerald Soothing (Wine)
2 Eye-Wort Brew
2 Fairy Cap (Enlarge Person)
1 Fairy Cap (Reduce Person)
Launcher Munitions:
x2 Explosive Round: 8d6 Piercing & Bludgeoning damage in a 15 foot blast radius (DC 20 Reflex save for half damage), 2d6 Piercing damage (DC 15 Reflex save for half damage) in an area between 15 (4.5 m) and 30 feet (9 m) from the blast. Weight: 10 pounds / 4.5 kg
Explosives:
x1 Explosive Bomb: 20d6 Piercing & Bludgeoning damage in a 40 foot (12 m) blast radius (DC 20 Reflex save for half damage), 5d6 Piercing damage (DC 15 Reflex save for half damage) in an area between 40 (12 m) and 80 (24.25 m) feet from the blast, 1d6 Piercing damage (DC 12 Reflex save to avoid damage) in an area between 80 (24.25 m) and 120 feet (36.5 m) from the blast. Weight: 25 pounds / 11.25 kg
Entirely crafted of Valyrian Steel, Praetorian Blades are to a one works of art, each forged in Dragonflame and quenched in the blood of fiends. These massive swords seem elegant in the hand of a Praetorian, but to any but those enhanced beings would be near impossible to wield one even with two hands. Praetorian Blades are always Masterwork, the cost of which is included in the price, and much of their seemingly impossible nature is a result of the material from which they're forged, Valyrian Steel granting them strength and speed beyond that of other metals. Price: 500 gp/100 IM (not counting VS cost) Type: Two-handed Melee Proficiency: Exotic Damage (M): 2d8 Damage Type: Piercing or Slashing Critical: 18-20 x2 Weapon Group: Blades, Heavy Weight: 25 lbs Qualities: If your Strength is less than 19, you take a –2 penalty on attacks with this weapon, as you're unable to maneuver its daunting size and weight. If the wilder has the feat Monkey Grip and fulfills the Strength requirement, he can wield the Praetorian Blade in one hand without penalties. This weapon is concerned a Traditional weapon of the Praetori, and one their enhancement makes them automatically proficient in.
As far as our expenditures go, we can drop 3 million IM on non-crafting related stuff every month without running a deficit (because we already have a stockpile of reagents).
While the forge orders are obviously far outside the normal realm of spending, we have pretty significant leeway if we stop ordering more than smaller orders. As in, you know, a couple dozen high CR creatures, or a hundred or so CR 10 stuff (caster creatures to go with our HD orders?) and still have a couple million left over, easily, for commissions and what not.
I expect we won't need to go scraping for an excuse to loot our way into the black for another year.
That's a relief, though I'd definitely feel better with another big haul sometime soon anyway. Excellent chance for dramatic XP gain, literal tons of loot, and a nice collection of sacrifices. The Brazen Throne has a hell of a business arrangement with Baator.
Good news, ya'll. After running the numbers, it looks like we can fully equip all 432 Praetorians by the end of next month using our own crafters. It'll use approximately 700,000 IM of our new 1,860,000 IM crafting capacity, but that keeps us from having to rely on using commissioned items, which are twice as expensive. This will also make sure the Praetorians have a uniform aesthetic, since everything will be produced in house.
Good news, ya'll. After running the numbers, it looks like we can fully equip all 432 Praetorians by the end of next month using our own crafters. It'll use approximately 700,000 IM of our new 1,860,000 IM crafting capacity, but that keeps us from having to rely on using commissioned items, which are twice as expensive. This will also make sure the Praetorians have a uniform aesthetic, since everything will be produced in house.
Good news, ya'll. After running the numbers, it looks like we can fully equip all 432 Praetorians by the end of next month using our own crafters. It'll use approximately 700,000 IM of our new 1,860,000 IM crafting capacity, but that keeps us from having to rely on using commissioned items, which are twice as expensive. This will also make sure the Praetorians have a uniform aesthetic, since everything will be produced in house.
How much capacity do we have left for Warstriders? Given the Praetori are a new unit, I'd like to built them as a combined arms force from the ground up.
How much capacity do we have left for Warstriders? Given the Praetori are a new unit, I'd like to built them as a combined arms force from the ground up.
How much capacity do we have left for Warstriders? Given the Praetori are a new unit, I'd like to built them as a combined arms force from the ground up.
...I see we should actually get started on Launcher-weapon research then, eh?
@Azel, just for perspective, out of all this shit, how far we should go until "reasonable cost for giving to every Praetori" becomes "too much to give a Praetori Warlord"?
[] Inquisitorial Armaments > Black Projects: Inquisition faces challenges beyond those that can be reasonably solved with mundane equipment. As the realm grows, so does the need to supply Inquisitors with the tools to solve such problems. This line of projects intends to create a whole new tool, that, given a certain level of secrecy, will guarantee a significant rise in Inquisitors' effectiveness (Tiered research, each development requires previous tiers)
[] Inquisitorial Armaments: Black Project "Arbiter": Create a modified version of a Launcher, the "Arbiter"-class Launcher, a modular weapon and a base for further technological improvement, yet an effective weapon all in of itself. (Progress: 20, Cost: 60.000)
-[] Inquisitorial Armaments: Black Project: "Heavy Arbiter" and FIrefield: Further develop the concept of "Arbiter"-class Launcher for use in missions requiring precise devastation of targets, with no mage of sufficient power available. Develop the "Heavy Arbiter"-class Launcher. As further development of the concept, "Firefield"-class Launcher would serve in situations when overwhelming firepower and total destruction of the target is necessary, but no sufficient source of fire support is available. (Progress: 28, Cost: 100.000 IM)
[] Inquisitorial Armaments: Black Projects: "Dragon's Fang" and "Viper's Kiss": As a tool for a very particular sort of missions where direct engagement isn't possible, "Dragon's Fang"-class Launcher would serve as a long-range engagement or assassination. "Viper's Kiss"-type Alchemical Dart would further enhance the performance by allowing unnoticeable delivery of poisons over extreme distances. (Progress: 28, Cost: 140.000 IM)
-[] Inquisitorial Armaments: Black Project: "Deathstrike Projector": Further develop on of concepts applied by "Dragon's Fang"-class Launcher and "Viper's Kiss"-type Alchemical Dart, creating a unique completely magic-based long-range engagement/assassination weapon - the "Deathstrike Projector". (Progress: 32, Cost: 150.000) IM
[] Inquisitorial Armaments: Black Project: "Lawgiver": The pinnacle of Launcher-based weaponry - the peak of efficiency and the project of utmost secrecy - "Lawgiver"-class Launcher would be one of the most powerful personal weapons known to Imperium, and one made to serve only the best of Inquisition's field agents, bound to them ritually, and crafted by the only person who could be trusted with it - Wisdom Lya herself. (Progress: 32, Cost: 180.000 IM)
I think we could focus-do base Arbiter and (less likely) Firefield variants until Reconquest starts.
Although how many we produce by then is up to question.
Hm... that would be 27 Light Warstriders. Sounds good for a start.
I'm thinking about organizing the Praetori in squads around Light Warstriders, which they can use as mobile cover and to clear out enemy strongpoints, while the Praetori themselves fight with a mix of their Launchers and blades to hold the line. I'm also tinkering with a fire infused Gelatinous Cube that is affixed to the Warstrider to grant it constant healing (via fire aura), some ablative armor and additional close combat capabilities (adding Paralysis to their slam attacks).
