[HR] Extending level progression - Immortality

General ACKS Forums House Rules
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Splitting from “Extended level progression?” where there I mentioned Immortal rules I’m currently working on. For those interested, here is some portion of the work already done:

Immortals
Characters that have achieved their maximum possible levels in their class begin to leave the realms of mortals and begin to walk the paths of the Immortals, powerful beings that are tied to the primordial forces of the multiverse. Such characters no longer advance in their former class, but instead advance as Immortal beings as shown on the Immortal Advancement table. An Immortal that advances to beyond the status of Deity enters a higher state of consciousness and transforms into cosmic energy, merging with the primordial force of the multiverse with which he is associated.

Immortal Advancement:
XP / Title / LVL / HD / AT / ST / GIS / LIS / Imuities
+200.000 / Paradon / +1 / +8hp / -1 / -1 / 0 / 1 / Level 1 spells + special
+400.000 / Icon / +2 / +16hp/ -2 / -2 / 1 / 1 / -
+600.000 / Idol / +3 / +24hp/ -3 / -3 / 1 / 2 / Level 2 spells
+800.000 / Demi-God / +4 / +32hp/ -4 / -4 / 2 / 2 / -
+1.000.000/God / +5 / +40hp/ -5 / -5 / 2 / 3 / Level 3
+1.200.000/Lesser Deity / +6 / +48hp/ -6 / -6 / 3 /3 /-
+1.400.000/Greater Deity/ +7 / +56hp/ -7 / -7 / 3 /3 /Level 4

AT
Each time, a character advances as an Immortal, his former class’s attack throw value decreases by 1 point. Thus a 15th level Paragon-Overlord (fighter) has an Attack Throw of 0+, while a 17th level Idol-Overlord (fighter) has an Attack Throw of -2+.

HP
Each time, a character advances as an Immortal, he gains a fixed number of additional hit points that are added to his hit point total. The character’s CON-modifier does not apply.

Level
Each time that a character advances as an Immortal, his former character class level is increased by +1. Thus, a 14th level mage that advances to Paragon level of Immortality becomes a 15th level Paragon-Archmage and 10th level spellsword is now an 11th level Paragon-Wizard-Lord.

ST
Each time, a character advances as an Immortal, his former class’s saving throw values decrease by 1 point each. Thus a 16th level Icon-Overlord (fighter) has Saving Throws of 4+ (Petrifaction & Paralysis), 3+ (Poison & Death), 5+ (Blast & Breath), 5+ (Staff & Wands) and 6+ (Spells)

XP
This is the number of experience points required to advance as an Immortal. This number is based on the character’s highest class level of his former class. A 14th level fighter requires 8.500.000 + 200.000 = 8.700.000 XP to advance to Paragon level, while a 10th level vaultguard requires 430.000 + 200.000 = 530.000 XP.

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Divine Power
Immortals generate divine power as explained in CR p.123 and regardless of a character’s former class. Divine power cannot only be used for tasks explained there, but can also be spend to change various aspects of Immortal spells or activate Immortal powers. Unlike mortals, an Immortal is able to retain his Divine Power, but once Divine Power is expended, it is gone forever. (Divine Power does not regenerate, but must be acquired through congregations and worshippers as explained in CR). At any time, an Immortal is limited to 8 points of Divine Power per Immortal Level-adjustment. Thus an Idol’s limit would be 24 points of Divine Power, while a Greater Deity’s limit is 56 points.

Equipment
An Immortal is still restricted to equipment of his original class. This may affect his ability to cast Immortal spells in the same way as it affects the casting of mortal spells.

Immortal Magic
When an Immortal casts a spell on a mortal, the mortal makes his saving throws (if any) at a -2 penalty. This includes the casting or immortal and mortal spells by Immortals.

Immortal Spells
Each day, an Immortal has access to all greater and lesser Immortal (GIS and LIS) spells that are tied to the multiverse in general and to his chosen sphere of power and can prepare them within the limits of the numbers given on the Immortal Advancement table. An Immortal’s CHA-bonus (if any) is applied to the number of spells that he can prepare at each day.

An immortal can cast any spell that he has prepared. An Immortal’s Charisma modifier is not applied to the number of spells he can cast per day.

Some Immortal spells are reversible. These spells can be reversed in order to have an effect opposite to the normal effect of the spell. Immortals gaining access to a new spell automatically have access to and know how to cast the reversed form of that spell. An Immortal chooses to whether or not to reverse a spell at the time of casting, not at the time of preparation.

Immunites
Immortals are immune to spells of certain spell levels if such spells are cast by mortals. They are also immune to charm, ESP, geas, hold, sleep, and suggestion.

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Primal Forces
As soon as he advances to Paragon level of immortality, a character has to bind his very essence to one of the primal forces of the multiverse. Choice is limited by character alignment. The choice should be made very carefully – the bond cannot later be willingly separated.

The very essence of the multiverse lies in a combination of the five primordial forces, the spheres of energy, entropy, matter, thought, and time. Each primordial force is associated with one or more alignments and each force has its own agenda of deities, Immortals and followers that, quite naturally, have these alignments, too.

Primal Force / Possible Alignments
Energy / Chaotic, neutral
Entropy / chaotic
Matter / Lawful, neutral
Thought / Lawful
Time / Chaotic, lawful, neutral

Immortal Magic
Described below are immortal spells and additional information for existing spells and their interaction with immortal rules.

Greater Immortal spells of the Multiverse: Bestow/Diminish, Create Artefact, Create Embodied Form, Create Mortal Form, Create Mundane Object, Create Species, Grant Power, improve Ability, Invest Cleric, Shape Reality, Transform

Lesser Immortal Spells of the the Multiverse: Conceal Magical Nature, Create Mundane Object, Detect Immortal Magic, Her PRayers, Immortal Eye, Increase Spell Duration, Power Attack, Prepare Mortal Magic, Probe, Probe Shield, Reduce Skill

Immortal Spells of the Sphere of Energy: not ready
Immortal Spells of the Sphere of Entropy: not ready
(note: spell lists need work, only a handful of spells already done)

Sample Spells:

Bestow
Level: Greater Immortal
Duration: Permanent
Range: 60’

With this spell, the Immortal can bestow a permanent ability upon a mortal. Each casting of the spell will raise one of a mortal’s ability scores by +1 or bestow a permanence effect upon the mortal that cannot be dispelled. The reversed form of this spell, diminish, removes 1 point from one of a mortal’s ability scores or a permanence effect. The target of diminish can make a saving throw vs. Spells with a -2 penalty to try to negate the effect. Immortals are immune to the effects of bestow or diminish.

Conceal Magical Nature
Level: Lesser Immortal
Duration: Permanent
Range: 60’

This spell only affects un-animate, magic items (including artifacts and relics), concealing their magical nature from mortal detect magic, detect evil, know alignment, and truesight. The effect will last for 1 year or until the magic item is properly used (a weapon must be swung in combat, a wand must be activated, etc.)

Create Species
Level: Greater Immortal
Duration: Permanent
Range: 10’

This spell allows the Immortal to bring into being a new race of intelligent beings and each casting creates one individual creature. A created creature does not automatically fall under the Immortals control, but is a free-willed being. There a three main uses of this spell:

  1. The Immortal can use this spell to create a number of individuals of the same type, sufficient to establish a new race. The Immortal then becomes the patron for that race, responsible for seeing that they survive in the multiverse. As their patron, the Immortal is worshipped by his creatures, earning Divine Power.

  2. The Immortal can use this spell to create an exalted body and then use wish to transfer the spirit of a mortal into that body.

  3. The Immortal can use this spell to create a Manifestation, a clone or exact duplicate of himself.

Exalted Body:
A monster which is exalted does not age. Its magic (including natural spell-like abilities and spells granted by class) can affect Immortals, regardless of the Immortal class’ spell immunities.

Manifestation
An immortal can only have one Manifestation at a time. It is an exact duplicate of himself, with all abilities and powers. Items are not, however, duplicated. If a Manifestation dies, the Immortal’s CON-score is permanently reduced by 1. This loss cannot be restored.

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Mortal Magic
Regular spells and rituals are mortal magic spells. Mortal magic effects can vary if cast by or when affecting an Immortal:

Examples:

Commune
When this spell is used by an immortal it can make instant contact with another immortal and detailed communication is possible. If a specific immortal is named, contact is made with the named immortal, although contact can be refused. Any immortal contacted automatically knows the caller’s identity and status.

Contingency
If cast by an immortal, contingency can trigger a spell of up to level 5, instead of level 4.

Hold Monster
This spell affects any mortal creature, but not immortals.

Hold Person
This spell does not affect immortals.

Shield
When cast by an immortal, this spell gives the caster a +4 bonus to AC against missile attacks and a +2 bonus to AC against other attacks.

Stone to Flesh
If an immortal is petrified by this spell, it only lasts until the immortal succeeds with a saving throw that can be attempted once per round. The Immortal remains fully aware of their surroundings while petrified.

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nice rules :)