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moonbeast
Senior Scribe
USA
522 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Dec 2016 : 09:58:17
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Hi all,
So, this Faerzress thing. I understand the general concept, it's some magical "radiation" that emanates in the Underdark, and the Drow (and other races?) have learned to harness it for their own use. Since the presence of strong Faerzress will interfere with certain spells, it helps to conceal the Drow from outside conjurations and divinations, etc.
I don't recall seeing the word in any of my 5th Edition books. Soooo…. any ideas about how to implement this in a 5th Edition adventure that takes place in the Underdark?
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2016 : 12:43:00
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There are 5e rules for it (in the OotA AL adventures):
-The size of areas suffused with faerzress goes from a few dozen feets to several miles. Their effects can't be dispelled, but can be locally suppressed with an AM field.
-They are always filled with dim light
-Creatures within have advantage on saving throws against divination spells. If the spell doesn't allow a saving throw, the caster has to succeed a Con saving throw with DC=15. If they fail, the spell also fails.
-When any creature attempts to teleport to a faerzress zone, or attempts to cast a teleportation spell anywhere within a faerzress zone, the attempt can suffer a mishap as if the destination was known only by description. Furthermore, the caster must take a DC 15 Con saving throw: on a failure the spell fails and the caster suffers 1d10 force damage.
-During the Rage of Demons, due to the corrupting presence of the demon lords, whenever any spell is cast within a faerzress area, the caster rolls a d20. On a 1, they get a Wild Magic Surge effect.
Faerzress can also infuse creatures, deflecting some blows, shielding them from divinations and conjurations, or helping them strike true. In 3.5e, it granted +2 to hit, +2 deflection to AC and +4 to saves against divination and conjuration spells as long as the creature was near a faerzress source. Since 5e tends to do away with small bonuses and turns them into advantage/disadvantage, I'd have it grant advantage on saves against divination and conjurations, advantage on attack rolls, and disadvantage on attack rolls made against the creature. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 07 Dec 2016 19:25:21 |
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moonbeast
Senior Scribe
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2016 : 12:51:11
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Ah ok, thanks for the info Irennan. Out of the Abyss was one of the 5E campaign modules that I did not buy (since I did not like the premise of demon lords running amok in the Underdark, stupid RSE idea). Hmmm…. maybe I'll buy it cheap or on-sale somewhere as the rules/mechanics are still important to me. And maybe the 5E stats for the demon lords might be useful in the future too. |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2016 : 13:07:50
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| You're welcome. I didn't buy OotA it either, I found those rules in a couple AL adventures that I purchased from the DMGuild since they included bits of info that I was interested in. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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Cyrinishad
Learned Scribe
300 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2016 : 19:20:49
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Great info Irennan. Thank you. |
To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge. -Socrates
Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. -Dr. Seuss |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2016 : 19:25:33
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| You're welcome |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2382 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2016 : 21:08:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
There are 5e rules for it (in the OotA AL adventures):
-The size of areas suffused with faerzress goes from a few dozen feets to several miles. Their effects can't be dispelled, but can be locally suppressed with an AM field.
I struggle to imagine how this could make any sense.
quote:
-They are always filled with dim light
Cheap. Because the Target Audience keeps forgetting torches?
quote:
-Creatures within have advantage on saving throws against divination spells. If the spell doesn't allow a saving throw, the caster has to succeed a Con saving throw with DC=15. If they fail, the spell also fails.
-When any creature attempts to teleport to a faerzress zone, or attempts to cast a teleportation spell anywhere within a faerzress zone, the attempt can suffer a mishap as if the destination was known only by description. Furthermore, the caster must take a DC 15 Con saving throw: on a failure the spell fails and the caster suffers 1d10 force damage.
So just scrying vs. a fixed place is not a problem?
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-During the Rage of Demons, due to the corrupting presence of the demon lords, whenever any spell is cast within a faerzress area, the caster rolls a d20. On a 1, they get a Wild Magic Surge effect.
That's just ridiculous. The faerzress effects are so self-contained they get to limit the Weave effects, and then some critter jumps in and faerzress is all inside out?
Because it's not like there weren't enough fiends in Underdark before, or something? Or the whole gods from Abyss?
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Faerzress can also infuse creatures, deflecting some blows, shielding them from divinations and conjurations, or helping them strike true. In 3.5e, it granted +2 to hit, +2 deflection to AC and +4 to saves against divination and conjuration spells as long as the creature was near a faerzress source. Since 5e tends to do away with small bonuses and turns them into advantage/disadvantage, I'd have
So is it from OotA or not? |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4429 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2016 : 16:03:59
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TBeholder, angry and upset over another edition and iteration of the Forgotten Realms.
News at 11.
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
There are 5e rules for it (in the OotA AL adventures):
-The size of areas suffused with faerzress goes from a few dozen feets to several miles. Their effects can't be dispelled, but can be locally suppressed with an AM field.
I struggle to imagine how this could make any sense.
Because, while natural, it's still a magical effect that can be suppressed with anti-magic fields?
quote:
quote:
-They are always filled with dim light
Cheap. Because the Target Audience keeps forgetting torches?
Lol, target audience? To quote 3.5's Drow of the Underdark "natural radiation is given off by rock formations in the ceiling-small pockets of unique minerals and a huge mass of tumkeoite, a heavy and unstable magnetic metal that slowly decays with exposure to air. The formations transform into lacofcite, a dense, crumbling ore that absorbs certain wavelengths of light energy and gives off a lurid glow."
Obviously the adventure and faerzress of 5e is based on entries found in previous editions. Or more of that so-called "Target" audience.
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quote:
-Creatures within have advantage on saving throws against divination spells. If the spell doesn't allow a saving throw, the caster has to succeed a Con saving throw with DC=15. If they fail, the spell also fails.
-When any creature attempts to teleport to a faerzress zone, or attempts to cast a teleportation spell anywhere within a faerzress zone, the attempt can suffer a mishap as if the destination was known only by description. Furthermore, the caster must take a DC 15 Con saving throw: on a failure the spell fails and the caster suffers 1d10 force damage.
So just scrying vs. a fixed place is not a problem?
The spell could fail unless the spellcaster makes a Constitution saving throw. Sounds problematic.
quote:
quote:
-During the Rage of Demons, due to the corrupting presence of the demon lords, whenever any spell is cast within a faerzress area, the caster rolls a d20. On a 1, they get a Wild Magic Surge effect.
That's just ridiculous. The faerzress effects are so self-contained they get to limit the Weave effects, and then some critter jumps in and faerzress is all inside out?
Because it's not like there weren't enough fiends in Underdark before, or something? Or the whole gods from Abyss?
Why is that ridiculous? Magic in this area is obviously different than any normal part where the Weave functions normally. This effect targets everyone, even Demons.
quote:
quote:
Faerzress can also infuse creatures, deflecting some blows, shielding them from divinations and conjurations, or helping them strike true. In 3.5e, it granted +2 to hit, +2 deflection to AC and +4 to saves against divination and conjuration spells as long as the creature was near a faerzress source. Since 5e tends to do away with small bonuses and turns them into advantage/disadvantage
So is it from OotA or not?
Advantage/Disadvantage is from 5e's OotA. Irennen was just showing why it is and where the idea originally came from. But it's more complicated than automatically getting the bonus in 3.5 as it was specifically tied into drow-craft weapons. Since crafting magic weapons is easier in faerzress, drow-craft weapons get a +2 to attack rolls/damage rolls and drow-craft armor gets a + 2 to defelction. Because the little bonuses are annoying to track, 5e does away with all of them and just implements their standard Advantage/Disadvantage mechanic. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2382 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2016 : 04:19:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
TBeholder, angry and upset over another edition and iteration of the Forgotten Realms.
News at 11.
Kotaku brand of Kool-Aid: shilling, arrogance and internet mind-reading - three great flavours that so perfectly blend together!
Now, what did we learn about the differences between going ad hominem and ad beholderem today?.. 
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Because, while natural, it's still a magical effect that can be suppressed with anti-magic fields?
Because anti-magic suppresses specific things, rather than everything including itself?
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Cheap. Because the Target Audience keeps forgetting torches?
Lol, target audience?
Yes, like this.
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To quote 3.5's Drow of the Underdark "natural radiation is given off by rock formations in the ceiling-small pockets of unique minerals and a huge mass of tumkeoite, a heavy and unstable magnetic metal that slowly decays with exposure to air. The formations transform into lacofcite, a dense, crumbling ore that absorbs certain wavelengths of light energy and gives off a lurid glow."
Do you see substantial differences between "small pockets have weird glow" and "areas up to several miles are illuminated with invisible lamp posts"?
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Why is that ridiculous? Magic in this area is obviously different than any normal part where the Weave functions normally. This effect targets everyone, even Demons.
Because SUDDENLY things do what much the same things were repeatedly demonstrated not to do?
If common bricks suddenly turn into brightly coloured dancing bubbles "because they were touched with chalk" - it's ridiculous.
If the presence of fiends suddenly starts wild magic after powerful fiends and avatars of deities from Abyss used to drop in and walk around without causing any effects of this sort, again and again, for millennia - it's also ridiculous. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4429 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2016 : 14:29:48
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Because, while natural, it's still a magical effect that can be suppressed with anti-magic fields?
Because anti-magic suppresses specific things, rather than everything including itself?
Anti-magic field in 5e says: "Spells and other magical effects, except those created by an artifact or a deity, are suppressed in the sphere and can't protrude into it."
"Areas of Magic: The area of another spell or magical effect, such as fireball, can't extend into the sphere."
So if faerzress is a permeating magical effect in an area, Anti-magic field would suppress it's effects within the area of the spell (10-ft radius).
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
To quote 3.5's Drow of the Underdark "natural radiation is given off by rock formations in the ceiling-small pockets of unique minerals and a huge mass of tumkeoite, a heavy and unstable magnetic metal that slowly decays with exposure to air. The formations transform into lacofcite, a dense, crumbling ore that absorbs certain wavelengths of light energy and gives off a lurid glow."
Do you see substantial differences between "small pockets have weird glow" and "areas up to several miles are illuminated with invisible lamp posts"?
No where does it say "lamp posts" but when I read the description about small pockets I tend to think that a small pocket of this ore and huge mass of tumkeoite, create the luminescence that can extend as long as there is a presence of such minerals. Where does it say how much of this is around? How much is known? Heck the books say you can use all manner of things such as fungi and other materials found in the Underdark to create this lighting effect. But to insinuate that it's because the "Target Audience" doesn't want to carry torches or somehow imply that it's "too easy" is a pretty poor outlook, hence my original statement.
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Why is that ridiculous? Magic in this area is obviously different than any normal part where the Weave functions normally. This effect targets everyone, even Demons.
Because SUDDENLY things do what much the same things were repeatedly demonstrated not to do?
Please, do tell! I had no idea that we all knew for 100% fact and certainty that demons and other chaotic, evil, exceptional, etc. creatures just popped in and out willy nilly without any difficulty what-so-ever? Must have been more of the target audience's influence infecting the game and narrative again...
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
If the presence of fiends suddenly starts wild magic after powerful fiends and avatars of deities from Abyss used to drop in and walk around without causing any effects of this sort, again and again, for millennia - it's also ridiculous.
Yeah! I mean how dare magic not be formulaic and unexceptionally routine and always ordinary in a place that is literally housing tangible chaotic essences! They've gone against the old Lore! Blasphemy!!!
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Edited by - Diffan on 15 Dec 2016 14:52:20 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11692 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2016 : 15:46:53
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So, I was wondering about those two crystals and figured I'd google to see if there was any "real" relation. Its interesting the easter eggs you find sometimes.
tumkeoite = apparently Tom Keogh was an artist friend of Gygax, and the source of Keoghtom's ointment name too
and
lacofcite = lack of sight... but also a reference to Len Lakofka as well |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2016 : 18:47:33
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
So, I was wondering about those two crystals and figured I'd google to see if there was any "real" relation. Its interesting the easter eggs you find sometimes.
tumkeoite = apparently Tom Keogh was an artist friend of Gygax, and the source of Keoghtom's ointment name too
and
lacofcite = lack of sight... but also a reference to Len Lakofka as well
I don't mind working in references to people and such, but something that absorbs light and is pronounced "lack of sight" is pretty weak sauce. Swapping a couple of letters would have made a huge difference - lefkocite, kalocite, etc. |
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moonbeast
Senior Scribe
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2016 : 19:09:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
So, I was wondering about those two crystals and figured I'd google to see if there was any "real" relation. Its interesting the easter eggs you find sometimes.
tumkeoite = apparently Tom Keogh was an artist friend of Gygax, and the source of Keoghtom's ointment name too
and
lacofcite = lack of sight... but also a reference to Len Lakofka as well
I don't mind working in references to people and such, but something that absorbs light and is pronounced "lack of sight" is pretty weak sauce. Swapping a couple of letters would have made a huge difference - lefkocite, kalocite, etc.
Even the best creative minds have their cheesy moments. After all, George Lucas is beloved for creating Star Wars, and yet he is the same person that inflicted us the heinous Jar Jar Binks.
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Faerzress rules for 5e?
