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scuda
Acolyte
36 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Jan 2014 : 11:55:26
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Hi,
What are people's opinion of the Pale Master in Forgotten Realms. Though present as a PrC in D&D, it seems a character little written about, or developed.
My main interest in the Pale Master is their half-way existence between living and undead, and to what extent that existence, as a Pale Master, takes a character towards Immortality...and how that differs to a mage attempting to become a Lich, for either good or evil purposes.
With the Pale Master PrC requiring only a non-good alignment, I am wondering if anyone has examples of the complexity that a Pale Master could exist and be active (or has been in lore-based writings, for example) in the Forgotten Realms.
Cheers.
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2014 : 14:09:31
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| Pale Master's are indeed a possibility, but they'd only be accepted in societies that wouldn't automatically shun them (unless they hide their skeletal arm). This comes down to 3 sorts that I see. First being the decadent, magic rich society where power makes things right (Calimshan and Thay come to mind). The second would be in very uncivilized societies where rulership through fear is common (i.e. an orc tribe led by a pale master). The third is the society that celebrates the undead (such as Sahu, the isle of the necromancer kings). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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scuda
Acolyte
36 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2014 : 15:40:30
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I don't see it as a skeletal arm: Graft is written as "a supernaturally-animated, undead appendage." That appendage could be a vampire arm? A mummified arm? My thoughts on the pale master is that they do not have to necessarily be a dripping, gooey near-undead being. They could just as easily become a dried or vampire-esque near-undead.
That is why I am searching for some literature or reference to alternative descriptions of pale masters, besides the silly drawing of one type holding skulls and bones, that is the first hit on an internet search.
I can definitely see a pale master mage as being shunned...though they also could be, mysterious (and depending on their social skills, able to to work their way into some societies). Not to mention: make-up! ;-) |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2014 : 16:02:46
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What tome is the pale master PrC in? I will do a quick review of it and see what I come up with. Btw, it really comes down to what you (or your DM) allow in the game. I see no reason why the arm can't be vampiric if the writing only specifies an 'undead' appendage. Also, 'appendage' could be a non-arm, yes? So it could be a leg or...something else?   |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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scuda
Acolyte
36 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2014 : 17:09:56
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You can find information about Pale Master in Libris Mortis and Tome and Blood.
Appendage: "Biology: A part or organ, such as an arm, leg, tail, or fin, that is joined to the axis or trunk of a body."
I agree: what usually limits the possibilities are what a DM decides to support or not. There are plenty of stories involving Liches. I guess the difference between pale masters and going the Lich route, is whether you use the physical or the soul as means to immortality...although it can be argued the undead do continue to age. |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2014 : 17:29:12
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Reading the class in LM and TaB: It specifically states arm, not appendage so that would really come down to the DM. If you go with any other appendage though, you may not get the special attack. I see this arm as being from a skeleton or corpse that the PM then animates through magic, so it wouldn't necessarily come from an already undead creature (though it could). If it does, then it would lose any powers associated with that undead (no vampiric powers in addition to what's gained by the class).
Just a side note, but the requirement to be locked in a tomb with undead seems arbitrary to me. Now if it said he needed to perform some sort of ritual with undead that would make more sense to me.
Another side note: This PrC is a good example of why I came to dislike the class system in 3.x (there are WAY TOO MANY classes/PrC). I prefer to simplify things in my campaign. I go with the base classes (tailored to my way of doing things) and allow PCs to pick features from various classes to get what they want...no actual PrC is needed this way. So if you want a 'war wizard' you just pick features from classes like Cormyrian War Wizard, Battlemage, Havoc Mage, etc. until you have what you want. All these arbitrary classes are just overkill, IMO.
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I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Ezekil
Acolyte
Norway
22 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jan 2014 : 20:29:59
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Have a look here for some web based lore on how you can use Dread Necromancers (and archivist) in FR:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070509
It strikes me that some of this lore could easily be adapted to a Pale Master if you wanted to. |
Ezekil
"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance" |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jan 2014 : 21:33:22
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if you're looking for creepy, wizard 4/binder1/anima mage 10 (note: you have to burn a feat to do this to get your spirit binding level up) is a pretty good build. You are only behind a single level in your wizardry and you get some decent binding abilities that you can swap around. From there, I could see someone possibly going into pale master (because having a skeletal arm is just about as bad as some of the signs you have to show as a binder). You could even just take the first few levels in anima mage and then alternate between anima mage and pale master (personally I wouldn't, I'd get my binder and wizard as high as I could before going full wizard again).
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Pale Master in the Realms
